Tales of the Vikings

I remember this series! I tried to look it up in "The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows" by Tim Brooks and Earle Marsh. It's not there!

Not only do I recall the theme music (based on a Wagner tune, I believe), but I even remember the plot of one episode. Our Viking heroes are visiting a medieval city and its citizens are rapidly succumbing to the plague, except in the Jewish quarter, which is somehow avoiding the disease. The townspeople are furious: the Jews must be in league with Satan. Upon investigating, our Viking friends discover that the Jews have a special potion which apparently cures them. The Vikings must convince the gentiles to take their medicine, which the Jews are more than willing to share. The miracle drug, it is revealed, is compounded from the green mold of stale bread and cheese. Of course, we in modern times know that the mold is called penicillium. Cool, huh?

I don't exactly remember if we had "Blockbuster" type pictures in 1958; but if we did, then the Kirk Douglas, Tony Curtis, Janet Leigh, Ernest Borgnine Star Studded extravaganza THE VIKINGS, surely would have qualified as one. The epic celebration of pillaging, plundering and gang-rape was adapted from the Historical Novel of the same name by one Edison Marshall.

The Box Office success of this 'Major Motion Picture' (another anachronistic use of the Queen's English) led to the inevitasble development of either the sequel or the spin-off. In this case they opted for a sort of spin-off TV Series. The characters in it weren't exactly the same ones, but they were quite similar. The series featured the Father, a half-fast King or Chieftain named 'Firebeard', who was most likely, a red-headed dude like me-self! It was tamed down and adapted to the television series acceptable levels of "soft-core" violence, being that using swords, yet having no penetration. Their pillaging and plundering seemed to be more of the justified sorts, by their running into less than admirable adversaries, be they Frenchmen, English or others of their own Norse extraction.

The producers, Kirk Douglas' own Brynaprod Company with United Artists Television, managed to give just about all concessions required. Yet in the final analysis were still reviewed as being "…..of low Moral Tone.", by certain publications; such as The New World, the official newspaper of the Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago.

The storyline managed to walk that old tightrope between representing this 10th Century seagoing warrior story and giving us a ½ hour heroic adventure. With 'Firebeard' and his two sons, Leif* (star Jerome Courtland), older brother Finn (Walter Barnes) and the giant warrior, Haldar (portrayed by Peter Bull (?) or, as we remember, Buddy Baer**), the fearsome foursome looked sort of like a middle Ages' version of "BONANZA", with the Cartwrights.

We do recall the first episode. Being the series 'Pilot', there was a lot more ca$h allotted; which translated into more actors & actresses, greater and more frequent action/combat scenes and generally a richer look. We also incredibly recall an interaction where 'little brother', Leif, manages to save older brother, Finn, by watching his back and slaying an adversary via the "old thrown sword run-'em' thru" method. Finn later thanks his kid brother, adding: "You know that if anything happens to me, you're the one who will be Chieftain, some day." The props and costuming, being particularly important in a period piece like this were highly convincing; outstanding, even! ("And they are mild!") The hardware consisted of broad swords, long bows, shields and only the occasionally appearing helmet. (Leif had a really neat helmet, which he mainly just carried, kinda like an American football!)

All that and their use of a mast less & sail free Viking Ship, were doubtless leftovers from the movie. The scenery and location were adequate; but we don't that think it was done in Brittany, France; as was the feature. It was more than likely done in the good old U.S.A.'s Southern California beaches and studio back lots.

The show was with us for the 1959-60 season, when this writer was an 8th Grader. It was shown in the Networkless method, via Syndication. It was WGN, Channel 9, here in Chicagoland that carried it.

At seasons' end, the crew must've just packed up, and sailed off west to Iceland, Greenland, Vinland (the coast of present day Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Maine) and on to Thule and Valhalla! They were not seen again, even in re-runs!

NOTE: * A rendition of their Theme, from memory, only!

NOTE: ** We believe that listing this character as Leif "Ericson" is an error, as we don't recollect his being called that, ever!

NOTE: *** Former Heavyweight Boxer, Contender to Joe Louis' Crown, the huge Buddy Baer, younger brother of Heavyweight Champ, Max Baer, Sr., was the only guy we remember as the Warrior, Haldar.

I remember that scene with the magnetic mountain. Erik goes to swing his sword, and it sticks to a rock on a mountain pass wall. Or maybe it was an adversary swinging it at Erik. Too long ago to remember clearly.

There was also an episode where Erik had a villain's girlfriend as a hostage. He stood her on a wall, and cut the sleeves and skirt off her dress with his sword! It left her in a sort of Danskin affair, quite modest. He did it just to show he meant business, you see.

The bad guy was really peeved at that. He kept threatening Erik with awful tortures, when he caught him. But of course, Erik got out of it. Don't ask me how.

Even though I was only nine, that episode got me all hot and bothered. I dug Vikings before the show, but after that, they were my favorites.

I vaguely remember that Spanish episode, and boy, it was a drag! I knew that the Vikings would have needed a time machine to get to that version of Spain. They did that all the time on TV back then. Robin Hood would show up in Australia, Zorro would meet George Washington. Drove me crazy!

What they might have done was to show how a young (13!), Viking king Sigurd Jorsalfar, went to Palestine, just after the First Crusade, in 1107. Erik and the gang could have tagged along. His large fleet stopped off in Spain, and aided local Christians in one of their periodic wars with their Muslim neighbors. (Hey, it was a Crusade, okay?) Then they went to Palestine, did some fighting for the King of Jerusalem, and went home. I think they sailed into the Black Sea, and up the Russian rivers to the Baltic, to get there. Those guys got around! But I guess the show's writers weren't up on that.

And yes, The Thirteenth Warrior is damn good. It's based on a novel called Eaters of The Dead, by Michael Cricton, which is also quite good. It's the Beowulf story, with a new twist on Grendel. It's way cool!

So is the film The Long Ships, with Richard Widmark and Sidney Poitier, as the Emir of Morocco. Check out the giant scimitar slide. Nothing like that in any theme park these days! But the orgy scene is more fun.

And the bad guy in Viking film, that the TV show was based on, was named (Wait for it!)...Egbert! How many movie villains can claim that?

Inspired by the movie, "Tales of the Vikings" regularly used stock footage from "The Vikings" and starred Jerome Courtland (Brave Eagle, Andy Bernette, Major Rogers of Rogers Rangers on the show "Northwest Passage") as a quite civilized, charismatic, and sophisticated Viking adventurer. After we see the stock footage from "The Vikings" where Ragnar's ship hits a rock and sinks, Jerome Courtland as Lief would find himself shipwrecked and in a strange land. He'd have to prove himself by undergoing "Viking Tests" of sticking his hand in a fire, wrestling with the locals, and drinking a brew of grog, soil, and untold "spices." Of course, Jerome Courtland would always prevail. Inspired by such TV "Viking Tests", my adolescent brother and I invented and engaged in our own "Viking Tests" which were downright dangerous. In the interest of public safety, I will not give out the details here. Thirty years after the series had played on American television, I was taking a PhD course in Educational Research at the University of Hawaii and struck up a friendship with a fellow teacher/graduate student. When we were exchanging tales of the various places of the world in which we had lived, he mentioned spending some time in Norway, adding, "I won't tell you why I went there because you'd think it silly. Well, OK. It was because when I was a kid I was nuts about a TV show called 'Tales of the Vikings.' You probably never heard of it." Instead of saying, "I've heard of it", I sang him the theme song to "Tales of the Vikings."

I remember this show so well. I had an intense interest in the Vikings before this show appeared and became my favorite. While the other 12-year-old girls were mooning over the tall dark and handsome type, I was daydreaming about Jerome Courtland as Leif Erickson. I never missed an episode, except for one horrible, horrible time when my father watched a special about I think the Civil War. I didn't see the movie The Vikings when it was in theaters, so I didn't know the show was inspired by that. However, I did see the movie years later on TV, and loved it. Now that we have all these old shows on DVD, I'll be sure to get the whole series if I can. I'm so glad I stumbled onto this site! Also - this isn't old TV, but I also enjoyed The 13th Warrior, which is loaded with Leif Erickson types and has the added attraction of a youngish Antonio Banderas.