Robin Hood's Props

 

Did you know about Robin Hood’s Props? In 2011, while watching a re-run of TV’s The Adventures of Robin Hood starring Richard Greene, I recognised those distinct chairs designed by Carmen Dillon for Walt Disney’s Story of Robin Hood (1952). Later, during an episode of Robin of Sherwood (1984-1986), I noticed the Sheriff (Nickolas Grace) sat in one! 

But, that was not all! I also noticed Allan Wheatley, the Sheriff of Nottingham in TV’s Adventures of Robin Hood series often wore Peter Finch’s ‘Sheriff’ costume from The Story of Robin Hood.

After my blog post about this, my readers noticed those chairs appeared in several other medieval adventure films. These included Men of Sherwood (1954), which used other props and costumes from the Disney movie. 

No doubt, ‘Robin Hood’s Chairs’ were shipped out of Denham Studios with all the other thousands of props after Rank Organisation stopped film production after Disney’s Story of Robin Hood was completed. Probably, they were hired out for various projects for the small and silver screen. Laurence points out that The Black Knight was made at Pinewood, which could explain the availability of the chairs as props. 

With the help of my blog readers, I started a small list of some of the film and television productions that have used props from Disney’s Story of Robin Hood (1952) up to 64 years later:

The Men of Sherwood Forest (Film:1954)

The Black Knight (Film:1954)

The Adventures of Robin Hood (TV:1955-58)

The Dark Avenger (Film:1955)

Ivanhoe (TV:1958) Ep.The Night Raiders

(featuring Joan Rice. Joan would have remembered those chairs from her days filming on the sound stages at Denham Studio).

Sword of Sherwood Forest (Film:1960)

Robin of Sherwood (TV:1984-86)

The Mission - Stay With Me (Official Video) 1986

Horrible Histories (TV: 2013-15)

If you can add more, don't hesitate to get in touch with me.

Richard Todd

Richard Todd

 

British actor Richard Todd (1919-2009) made three live-action movies for Walt Disney and became close friends with the legendary filmmaker. Below is Todd with Walt Disney and Joan Rice while filming The Story of Robin Hood in 1951. 

Walt Disney, Richard Todd and Joan Rice

Todd served as a member of the British parachute regiment during World War II. At one point he served as adjutant and was responsible for writing the letters home notifying families that their sons fathers and brothers had been killed.

Todd would star in two of the greatest World War II films.

He portrayed Wing Commander Guy Gibson in the 1955 movie The Dam Busters which told the story of Operation Chastise.

The final scene has Gibson notify Dr Barnes Wallis he has letters to write. Todd later commented he hated filming that scene because it brought back memories of all the letters he had written during the war.

For the 1962 film The Longest Day, Todd was cast to portray Major John Howard who led the glider attack on the Orne River bridges on June 6th 1944. Todd had been one of the relief unit paratroopers who had jumped and met with Howard's glider unit. In his portrayal of Howard Todd wore the pin and Beret he had worn on June 6th 1944 (photo above).

Aware of Todd's history the filmmakers feature a moment when the relief group arrives Howard gives a slight nod to an actor portraying paratrooper Richard Todd.