R2OK!

iwarburton · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 2133 Location: Northumberland

For no special reason other than the need to maintain mental stimulation during my illness, I found myself pondering over the children's adventure series screened by ITV in its early years.

The gold standard was surely set by Robin Hood, starring Richard Greene, which ran for 143 episodes between 1955 and 1959, with innumerable repeats since. Indeed, you can get the entire canon on DVD.

But what other shows derived from this early success?

I remember Sir Lancelot, the Buccanneers, William Tell (a great favourite of mine), Sword of Freedom, Ivanhoe, the Gay Cavalier (yes, really!), Sir Francis Drake and Richard the Lionheart.

There must have been others. Can you fill in the blanks?

Ian.

colby · Joined: 06 Feb 2009 Posts: 1216

A lot of these series were commissioned by Lew Grade at ATV and took advantage of very good American screenwriters who were exhiled from their country during the McCarthy Witch-hunt. Because of Grade's unrivalled business nouse, most of these series did good business in the USA, which is something of a sweet revenge for those who were persecuted by McCarthy's paranoia.

Minx · Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2009 3:13 pm Post subject:

I remember Robert Shaw, in the Buccaneers, and Marius Goring in The Scarlet Pimpernel. There was also something abut Treasure Island, but even as a kid I used to find Long John Silver too irritating to watch.

I remember a series too about a group of young children, (was it set in Jersey) about the German occupation. Maybe Jeremy Bullock was in it - I wonder where he is now.
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Minx

To err is human, to forgive - canine.

Ian Robinson · Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2009 4:08 pm Post subject:

John W · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 3367 Location: Warwickshire, UK

Robin Hood was the first ever TV programme I saw, one of my earliuest childhood memories was when we plonked our selves in front of the first TV, must have been about 1957 when I was four. My dad had won the pools princely sum of £80, about 8 weeks wages, which would be equiv. to a few grand in todays money (wages are maybe x30 what they were then).

I remember William Tell (and Gessler!) and Ivanhoe (a young Roger Moore!)

iwarburton · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 2133 Location: Northumberland

I remember Robert Shaw, in the Buccaneers, and Marius Goring in The Scarlet Pimpernel. There was also something abut Treasure Island, but even as a kid I used to find Long John Silver too irritating to watch.

I remember a series too about a group of young children, (was it set in Jersey) about the German occupation. Maybe Jeremy Bullock was in it - I wonder where he is now.
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I knew there were ones that I'd missed. Thanks for these. Robert Newton was simply superb as Long John Silver. Robin Hood and the Scarlet Pimpernel had in common the splendid and much-missed Alexander Gauge in the cast.

Yes, I remember the serial about the German occupation of the Channel Islands but can I remember any details?! It was on about 1960, I think. Inspector Warburton will get on the case and report back.

Ian.

iwarburton · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 2133 Location: Northumberland

Yes, I remember the serial about the German occupation of the Channel Islands but can I remember any details?! It was on about 1960, I think. Inspector Warburton will get on the case and report back.

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Got it! It was a serial called Counter Attack, which was on ITV in a Sunday teatime slot for 7 weeks, commencing on 17 January 1960. Jeremy Bulloch was indeed in it, as a character called Terry Benson. Other cast included Raymond Adamson, Bruno Barnabe, Scot Finch, Irene French, Joseph Furst, Samuel C Jephcott, Elain O'Dell, Leslie Sands, Paul Williamson and Murray Yeo. I would certainly have watched it but recall very little beyond the original scenario.

Ian.