THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD was a half-hour British TV show designed for American export. Its target audience was children, so "Robin" aired on the CBS-TV network, Monday nights at 7:30. The series lasted four seasons, from 9/26/55 to 11/12/60. Cast members of "Robin Hood" often appeared in multiple roles and regular characters were at times portrayed by different actors.
The cast for season #1 (the scope of this DVD set) included:
Richard Greene (Robin Hood)
Donald Pleasence (Prince John)
Rufus Cruikshank (Little John)
Alan Wheatley (Sheriff of Nottingham)
Alexander Gauge (Friar Tuck)
Ian Hunter (Sir Richard)
Bernadette O'Farrell (Maid Marian Fitzwater)
Gillian Sterret (Lady Genevieve)
Paul Eddington (Will Scarlet O'Winchester)
NOTEWORTHY:
Best known to modern audiences is Donald Pleasence (Prince John), who had an extensive film career, particularly in the horror and action genres.
Jane Asher (Paul McCartney's girlfriend during his "Beatlemania" days) and her brother Peter (half of the 60's folk-rock duo "Peter & Gordon") both appear in episode #28 ("Children of the Greenwood"). Peter also guests in episode #13 ("The Youingest Outlaw").
SYNOPSIS for THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD:
While he is off fighting the Crusades, King Richard charges Robin and his men with the protection of his kingdom. Robin's chief protagonist is the wily Prince John.
The following 39 season #1 episodes are sequential by original airdate.
Also included are chapter titles and primary guest stars.
The Coming of Robin Hood (9/26/55) - Susan Richards/Norman Macowan/Willoughby Gray
The Money Lender (10/3/55) - Bruce Seton/Leo McKern/Kenneth Edwards
Dead or Alive (10/10/55) - John Rutland/Agnes Bernelle
Friar Tuck (10/17/55) - Leslie Phillips/Douglas Wilmer/Faith Bailey
Maid Marian (10/24/55) - Marie Burke/Shaun Noble/David Edwards
A Guest for the Gallows (10/31/55) - Denis Shaw/Robert Desmond/Jan Miller
The Challenge (11/7/55) - John Drake
Queen Eleanor (11/14/55) - Jill Esmond/Ballard Berkeley/Gerald Cross
Checkmate (11/21/55) - Leslie Phillips/Alastair Hunter/Victor Woolf
The Ordeal (11/28/55) - Dorothy Alison/Alfie Bass
A Husband for Marian (12/5/55) - Brian Worth/Thora Hird/A. J. Brown/Paul Connell
The Highlander (12/12/55) - Hugh McDermott/Willoughby Gray
The Youngest Outlaw (12/19/55) - Bruce Seton/Peter Asher
The Betrothal (12/26/55) - Philip Guard/Jennifer Jayne/Charles Stapley
The Alchemist (1/2/56) - Anthony Sharp/Harriette Johns/Dorothy Blythe/Joyce Blair
The Jongleur (1/9/56) - Peter Hammond/Charles Lamb
The Brothers (1/16/56) - Michael Brill/A. J. Brown
The Intruders (1/23/56) - Michael McKeag/Ian Whittaker/John Longden
The Sheriff's Boots (1/30/56) - Joan Sims/Kenneth Edwards/Elsie Wagstaff
Errand of Mercy (2/6/56) - Hal Osmond/Paula Byrne/Arthur Skinner
The Vandals (2/13/56) - Ingeborg Wells/Miriam McCormick/Gabriel Toyne
Richard the Lion-Heart (2/20/56) - Patrick Barr/Muriel Young
Ladies of Sherwood (2/27/56) - Walter Hudd/Laurie Main/Simone Lovell
Will Scarlet (3/5/56) - Jennifer Jayne
The Deserted Castle (3/12/56) - Jill Esmond/John Stuart
The Miser (3/19/56) - Larry Naismith/Patricia Marmont/Paul Connell
Trial By Battle (3/26/56) - Hal Osmond/Nicholas Parsons/Barry Shawzin
Children of the Greenwood (4/2/56) - Jane Asher/Peter Asher
The May Queen (4/9/56) - Ian Bannen/Dulcie Bowman
The Wanderer (4/16/56) - Karel Stepanek/Paula Byrne
The Byzantine Treasure (4/23/56) - William Squire/John Stuart/Paul Connell
Secret Mission (4/30/56) - Patrick Barr/Paul Connell
The Inquisitor (5/7/56) - Lloyd Pearson/Wolf Morris/David Edwards/Timothy Brooking
Tables Turned (5/14/56) - Anne Davey/Andrew de la Motte/Nora Gordon/Helen Forrest
The Traitor (5/21/56) - Hugh Latimer/Marie Burke/Helen Forrest
The Thorkil Ghost (5/28/56) - Barbara Mullen/Ian Whittaker/Michael McKeag/Sandy Lyle
The Knight Who Came to Dinner (6/4/56) - Robin Bailey/Frank Royd
The Wager (6/11/56) - Geoffrey Keen/George Rose/Leonard Sharp/John Watson/Ann Gudrun
The Prisoner (7/9/56) - Jack Melford/Valerie Cardew/Doris Nolan
Although no sign of restoration is apparent, transfer quality of MCE's public domain TV show films is uniformly good. Another interesting British-made television program from this era is
SHERLOCK HOLMES - The Complete Series, also available from MILL CREEK ENTERTAINMENT at a bargain price.