The Adventures of Robin Hood

I have very fond memories of this series from when it was first aired in Britain in the fifties. In fact, it was my favourite at the time. I remember being amazed that, in one episode, Robin Hood had an 'evil twin' who could appear in the same shots as him. I also used to love the sword-fighting. And, of course, there was that moment when Robin said 'I have a plan . . . ' and the scene faded out . . .

I saw some of the episodes again more recently and realised from an adult perspective how good it really was: the goodies were good, the baddies were bad and the actors didn't mumble!

But what I still haven't found out is how the look-out always managed to shoot his arrow with the message wrapped round it into the tree in Robin Hood's camp without pranging someone!

Certainly the best loved show of my childhood.

The series was shown in its entirety on a UK cable station early 1990s.

As well as the regular cast there was a repertory company of 6 character actors including Paul Eddington who appeared as different people in different shows. Eddington for example was the regular Will Scarlett but would also turn up as goody or baddie. Victor Wolfe (derwent, one of Robins band) regularly turned up as usually an old man in various episodes. I don't think children in the year 2004 would be so easily convinced. Confusingly there were two Maid Marions and two Little Johns during the course of the series. The writers wrote under nom de plumes (they were blacklisted in Hollywood). Richard Greene retired to Ireland to breed champion horses. By a very strange coincidence his great-niece Hazel Greene became the first Irishwoman to represent Ireland in Olympic Archery (strange but true)

The small town in Washington where I grew up had only one television station in the late 1950's. It was a CBS-affiliated station but seemed to run more syndicated programming than network stuff. One of these syndicated shows that is remembered fondly by pretty much every baby boomer kid in Kennewick, WA. was "The Adventures of Robin Hood" with Richard Greene. All the bigger budgeted Robin Hoods pale in comparison--and I don't think this is just nostalgia talking. This version of Robin Hood was very British (as it should be) and great fun to watch.

If you like Robin Hood, this is one of the best if not the best ever Robin Hood creation ever. Richard Greene plays Robin Hood brilliantly. Growing up he was Robin Hood. If you have never seen this before, where have been, buy yourself a copy of this brilliant masterpiece.

I watched this series as a child while in Whitney, England, and have many fond memories of it. Much to my delight I found a Video with three of the original episodes and found that it really was a very enjoyable show, even at my current age of 56!