Cousin Will

Anthony Forwood as Will Scarlet 

I have often lamented the fact that this film never received a sequel. With today’s trend of studios transforming beloved stories into full-fledged franchises, this Technicolor masterpiece would have been an ideal candidate. The Story of Robin Hood had so much potential to continue, not least because it is filled with memorable characters brought to life by a wonderful cast.

Will Scarlet is one of them. Introduced as “Cousin Will,” as Robin Hood (Richard Todd) calls him, he first appears among the outlaws in their Sherwood Forest camp. Yet the screenplay offers no real insight into his background. In fact, the elegantly dressed Will Scarlet—portrayed by Anthony Forwood—has only one notable scene, in which he joins the other outlaws in “christening” Little John (James Robertson-Justice) by tossing him into the river. After this brief moment, Forwood’s time on screen as Will Scarlet comes to an abrupt end. It’s hard not to feel that the narrative could have developed his character further.

The Sheriff and his Bow

Peter Finch as the Sheriff of Nottingham

We never see the Sheriff pick up a longbow in the film. It was probably one of many clips that eventually found their way onto the cutting room floor. But, a similar image was later used in ‘Walt Disney's Robin Hood Stamp Book’ published in New York in 1955 by Simon and Schuster. 

The Hero Robin Hood

 

Robin Hood has long been celebrated as a hero of the people, so when Walt Disney sought a leading man for his live-action film about the legendary outlaw, he could hardly have chosen a better fit than Captain Richard Todd.

Born in Dublin, Ireland, Todd became one of the first British officers to land on D-Day during the Second World War. Serving with the 7th (Light Infantry) Parachute Battalion of the British 6th Airborne Division, Lieutenant Todd took part in Operation Tonga on 6 June 1944. His battalion parachuted in as reinforcements shortly after the glider troops had secured the vital Pegasus Bridge, a key objective that prevented German forces from mounting a counterattack. Just five days after D-Day, Todd was promoted to Captain.

During the operation, he met Major John Howard on Pegasus Bridge—an encounter that would come full circle years later when Todd portrayed Howard in the 1962 film The Longest Day. Remarkably, the beret Todd wears in the movie is the very same one he wore during the D-Day landings.

After the war, Todd returned to acting, earning acclaim in films such as The Dam Busters and The Story of Robin Hood.

Captain Richard Todd passed away on December 3, 2009, at the age of 90. He is laid to rest at St. Guthlac’s Church in Little Ponton, Lincolnshire, England.