It is from my own collection and shows Walt Disney meeting Joan Rice (Maid Marian) with Richard Todd (Robin Hood) looking on. This must have been a breathtaking moment for the young actress, who had only recently worked as a waitress in a Lyons Corner House.
It is a Reuters image and on the back it has:
“In The Greenwood-
Master of fantasy Walt Disney meets Maid Marian (his newest star Joan Rice) and Robin Hood (Richard Todd) on location at Burnham Beeches, Buckinghamshire, for Disney’s all-live Technicolor production ‘Robin Hood.’
Disney visited both location and floor units of the film, which is produced by Perce Pearce at Denham Studios.
June 24th 1951 PAR 24808-1 (PNR-G)”
As always I would be pleased to read your comments about this picture or about anything else on this blog. Thank you for your continued input and support and I will be posting again soon.
"Joan Rice meets Walt Disney"
ReplyDeleteClement's Collection
June 24th 1951
Wonderful photograph and one I have not seen although there were a few taken on that day. Walt Disney came over during the filming of Treasure Island in 1949 and visited Norton Disney - a village in Lincolnshire - and there are photographs of this in the local pub there. With the name Disney he was looking for a local connection at that time. This would be 2 years later and he looked very pleased to meet Joan Rice - who wouldn't have been! As Clement says though what a thrill for a girl of such humble beginnings to be cast in this role AND meet Walt Disney. The foliage and trees in leaf suggest that this would be later in the filming and towards the end of June it was.I always think that the Technicolor during this sequence of the film was about as good as I ever saw - and the Technicolor process was so good. I dont think ever equalled in film production
ReplyDeleteI love this shot, such a good looking guy and as for Joan what can one say, beautiful English rose. Walt Disney seems to have been blessed with his name, "Disney" , that name is magical in itself.
ReplyDeleteThanks Neil and Mike. This picture takes pride of place in my collection.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I wonder what it would have been like to have met Joan Rice, Richard Todd and Walt Disney. Imagine listening to the stories they could tell about their fascinating lives.