Robin Hood's Promotion

 

Above is a screenshot from the Daily News (London) on March 14th 1952 showing Joan Rice at the London Première of Walt Disney's "Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men":

'There's no mistaking Maid Marian (Joan Rice) as she arrives for last night's première. Robin Hood motifs trim her tulle skirt. Her velvet bodice is in Lincoln Green, of course.

The amount of advertising and promotion that went on before and during the release of Walt Disney's Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men (1952) never ceases to amaze me. I have once again been delving in the newspaper archives and discovered another glimpse of the work that went on. This article appeared in Kinomatograph Weekly on March 5th 1952:

RKO’s Showmanship Link with CMA for ‘Robin Hood’ and ‘Saturday Island ' 

"The world premières of both ‘Robin Hood’ and ‘Saturday Island’ are to be presented by RKO-Radio, with the operation of CMA, in traditional showmanship fashion. They will be launched with publicity campaigns outstanding even in RKO showmanship.

A few days before the opening, on March 13, of Walt Disney’s ‘Robin Hood’ in Technicolor, at the Leicester Square Theatre, the Daily Graphic will start its picture serialisation and will be sponsoring a £200 competition on popular lines. It will be backed by widespread national campaigns by Kelsey Newspapers. The première, like that of the provincial opening later, in Manchester, will be in aid of the National Advertising Benevolent Society.

The BBC will serialise ‘Robin Hood’ on five successive evenings starting April 28 on the Light programme from 6.15-6.45 p.m., a time when the film will be at the height of its general release. The material will be from the sound track of the film with added matter recorded by stars Richard Todd and Joan Rice.

Joan Rice and Richard Todd

It will also be featured on the day of the première itself, in ‘Film Time’, while Joan Rice has a special ‘Robin Hood’ spot on television’s ‘Kaleidoscope.’ Many of Britain’s large circulation magazines are also devoting big spaces to the picture tying in with its première and general release.

In addition to this editorial coverage, national advertising started last Thursday with prominent spaces in leading journals and a widespread poster campaign both in the West End and in the provinces.

National tie-ins have also been arranged with a large number of commercial houses.

Elton Hayes, the BBC man with a small guitar, who makes a film debut in the picture, will tour key presentations in the provinces."

Kinomatograph Weekly March 5th 1952

I would love to hear those recordings that Richard Todd and Joan Rice made for the BBC! 

Does that episode of 'Kaleidoscope' with Joan Rice survive?

Joan's Premiere Skirt

70 years ago Walt Disney's live action movie The Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men had its premiere in London at the Leicester Square Theatre. Here is our lovely Joan Rice (1930-1997) wearing a specially designed skirt for the occasion. 

I wonder what happened to that skirt? 

It was possibly designed by Walt Disney's promotional team. The newspapers described Joan arriving in a limousine with Robin Hood motifs along the trim of her tulle skirt. Her velvet bodice was in Lincoln Green, of course! 

Elton Promotes Robin Hood

 

Neil Vessey has kindly sent in some more images of Elton Hayes (1915-2001) promoting Walt Disney's Story of Robin Hood. Regular readers will know that Elton played Allan-a-Dale in the Disney live-action version of the legend. The picture above shows Elton playing songs from the film at Bingley Hall in Birmingham.

The magazine article that Neil has found, appeared in 'To-Days Cinema' on May 1st 1952.

Elton at a tailoring factory in Leeds

The magazine describes Elton's hectic schedule during this period:

Touring key provincial cities making personal appearances at theatres screening Walt Disney's British production in Technicolor, "The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men," Elton Hayes, who plays Allan-a-Dale, the roaming troubadour in the RKO Radio release, earned great added publicity for the film by visiting hospitals, children's homes, dance salons and big local functions. (1). Between times of his appearances at the Plaza, Woodford, Hayes attended the Delphian League match between Woodford Town and Rainham Town, "doing the honours" by kicking off.

Elton 'Kicks off'

His promotional tour continued:

Elton at Cardiff Castle

(2). Hayes relaxes during his strenuous tour by singing to attendants of the Empire, the Cardiff theatre at which he appeared, in the picturesque grounds of the Castle. (3). After appearing at the Gaumont, Liverpool, Hayes is cornered by young autograph hunters. (4). Prior to appearing at the Majestic and Scala theatres in Leeds, Hayes visited the tailoring factory of Price and tried his hand at cutting a suit. He is watched by (second from left) Mr. W. Finan, personnel manager of the firm, and (second from right) Mr. C. Willmott, manager of the Scala. (5). While in Birmingham, where he appeared at the Gaumont, Hayes paid a mid-day visit to the National Trades Fair at Bingley Hall, where he is pictured on the stage with Harry Roy and his band, entertaining a large audience with hit tunes from the Disney adventure.

We now know that after the 'official' premiere of The Story of Robin Hood in London at the Leicester Square Theatre on the 13th March 1952, there were 'provincial' premieres the following month. Elton then sailed off to America on a further promotional tour on May 8th 1952.

Back in 2017, Geoff Waite very kindly shared with us some images from his own private collection of some of these provincial premieres. 

Joan Rice (Maid Marian) and James Hayter (Friar Tuck) visited Portsmouth and Southsea on the 7th of April 1952.  On April 24th Joan also joined Elton Hayes at the Odeon in Manchester. Then Elton  visited the Gaumont Theatre in Liverpool on the 27th. The accompanying film on these occasions were Hammer, The Toff starring John Bentley and Patricia Dainton.  I discovered that the provincial premiere of Robin Hood in Manchester was during the midnight matinee on April 24th 1952 at the Odeon Theatre.  

Elton Hayes and Joan Rice at the Odeon Theatre Manchester 

I would have loved to have been sitting amongst the audience in Bingley Hall listening to Elton playing those tunes from Robin Hood!

Special thanks to Neil and Geoff for providing the information and making us aware of these provincial premieres. 

To read more about Elton Hayes, Joan Rice, the Film Premiere and a whole lot more, just click on the links in the side panel.

Advertising the Story of Robin Hood

 

One of the many things I have learned, since writing this blog about the Story of Robin Hood, is the huge amount of advertising and promotion that Disney used for his films. We have seen in previous articles the images of the shop displays in many of the major stores in London, completely decked-out with 'Robin Hood' toys and memorabilia in 1952. Click the link ‘Film Premiere’ to see more.

In my last blog post I showed, with the help of Janet VanMeter, how Walt Disney and Robin Hood Flour combined to promote his newly released live-action movie. Available with a purchase of Robin Hood Flour, were posters, cookie cutters and free comic books - all linked to the movie.

Above is another example of Disney's advertising campaign. This full page (above) was kindly sent in by Neil and shows Robin Hood Flour alongside an extraordinary collection of companies, all promoting the Story of Robin Hood.

The New Robin Hood is Richard Todd

Evening News April 5th 1952

I have discovered this small article in The Evening News, dated Saturday April 5th 1952:

“ Walt Disney’s new version of the Sherwood Forest legend makes ‘Robin Hood’ ideal family entertainment - colourful, gay and packed full of action.

As the honest lad who turns outlaw when his father is murdered by the Sheriff’s men, Richard Todd pulls a powerful longbow and turns in a different performance from all his previous ones.

Joan Rice, ex-waitress turned top-line star, is a pretty Maid Marion and earns the approval of the gallant Robin.

The supporting cast is exceptionally strong and includes James Robertson Justice as an enormous Little John, James Hayter as the plump Friar Tuck and Hubert Gregg as Prince John. And there is a pleasing portrayal of a strolling “news vendor” by Elton Hayes. This ranks as the best of the Merrie Men stories”. 

This was just one example of the huge publicity machine behind the promotion of Walt Disney’s live-action movie The Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men (1952). Disney was a master at promoting his films.

Shop window displays promoting Robin Hood

Neil discovered an article in ‘Picture Post’ dated 27th March 1952 that showed some of the incredible window displays in London’s West End, promoting Robin Hood.

Some of the stores shown in the picture included:

1. The ‘Robin Hood’ display put on by the Houndstitch Warehouse Company in their women’s outdoor wear window.

2. The elaborate sports window tie-in at Selfridge’s Oxford Street.

3. Vatric, Regent Street, purveyors of vacuum cleaners, use this modernistic ‘Robin Hood’ motif.

4. Famed toy store, Hamley’s of Regent Street, brighten their windows ‘Robin Hood’ cut-outs, bows and arrows.

5. Cramer’s music store, of Kensington High Street, favours the eye-catching ‘Robin Hood’ music display.

6. This ingenious ‘Robin Hood tie-in’ is on show at Anglo-French Shoes, of Victoria Street.'

Queues to see ‘Robin Hood’.

The ‘Picture Post’ article also showed the huge crowds outside the cinemas. The film was of course a huge success!

Elton Hayes attends the Cardiff Empire Provincial Premiere

Elton Hayes at the Cardiff Empire promoting Robin Hood

Down the years I have been able to publish a great deal about the making of Walt Disney’s Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men. Some of this information has come from my regular readers, including Geoff Waite. Geoff is a well respected authority on the life and recording career of Elton Hayes (1915-2001), who played the part of the minstrel ‘Alan-A-Dale’ in this Technicolor classic. 

Elton Hayes as Alan-A-Dale with James Hayer as Friar Tuck

Geoff contacted me recently regarding the ‘provincial premieres’ of Disney’s Robin Hood, something which, up until a few years ago, I did not realise had happened. 

Elton entertaining patients at the Cardiff Royal General Infirmary in 1952

Geoff says:

“ Going back to the question of the provincial premiere, or premiere’s, of Disney’s  The Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men, we know that members of the cast such as Joan Rice, James Hayter and Elton Hayes made personal appearances when the film opened at selected theatres around the country.  I am aware that Elton Hayes attended openings at the Manchester Odeon, the Cardiff Empire, and the Gaumont theatres in Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester before he sailed for America on 6 May 1952 to promote the film for Disney.

Here are some photos from my private collection relating to the opening at the Cardiff Empire. As you will see, Elton was accompanied by two Maid Marian’s and one of the ‘Merrie Men’!!  The first has Elton demonstrating his prowess as a bowman (without an arrow). And earlier in the day, we find him serenading the two Maid Marian’s at Cardiff Castle. I think this is a splendid picture. He also entertained patients at the Cardiff Royal General Infirmary, and I will send these on to you.

Unfortunately, I do not know the Cardiff date, but it must have been around the time of the Manchester and Liverpool openings in April 1952. I hope you like the photos”.
(Geoff Waite)

Elton signs for a fan at the Cardiff Royal General Infirmary in 1952

I am sure my readers will agree that these are amazing images. Thank you Geoff for sharing them with us.

Elton with two Maid Marians at Cardiff Castle in 1952

This blog has 34 pages on the life of Elton Hayes (1915-2001). Included are details of his recording career, performances and a complete discography. Just click here to read a great deal more. 

Robin Hood Press Advertisement

Above is a newspaper advertisement for Walt Disney's live action movie The Story of Robin Hood at the Regent in Portsmouth and Gaumont in Southsea. 

The movie had its Premiere in London in March 1952. We can see from the newspaper that Joan Rice (Maid Marian) and James Hayter (Friar Tuck) were both making personal appearances at those cinemas on Monday 7th April 1952. The times shown were 7.25pm at the Gaumont and after a 4 mile car journey they arrived at the Regent at approximately 8.55pm.

In previous posts we have looked at those 'Provincial Premieres' and wondered how many there were? Geoff Waite made us aware of these, two years ago. He discovered that Elton Hayes and Joan Rice had made personal appearances in Manchester and Liverpool.

Elton Hayes and Joan Rice at the Provincial Premiere in Manchester

So we now know that after the 'official' premiere of The Story of Robin Hood in London at the Leicester Square Theatre on the 13th March 1952, there were 'provincial' premieres the following month. These were held in Portsmouth and Southsea on the 7th April with Joan Rice and James Hayter. 

On April 24th Joan also joined with Elton Hayes (Allan-a-Dale) at the Odeon in Manchester. Then Elton Hayes visited the Gaumont Theatre in Liverpool on the 27th. The accompanying film on these occasions were Hammer, The Toff starring John Bentley and Patricia Dainton.

Were there any more of these 'Provincial Premieres?'

Provincial Premieres of Disney's Robin Hood

Geoff Waite has very kindly contacted me regarding the film that accompanied Walt Disney's Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men during its provincial premieres in 1952. 

Wynne Jones and Elton Hayes at the Gaumont Theatre, Liverpool

Geoff says:

"I seem to remember you were interested in discovering what the second feature was when Disney’s ‘Robin Hood’ was first released, but I don’t recall if you were ever able to discover the name of the film.

I am attaching a photo of Elton Hayes attending the opening of The Story of Robin Hood on 27 April 1952 at the Gaumont Theatre, Liverpool. This was four days after the Manchester provincial premiere. On the back of the photo it says ‘Mr. Elton Hayes and Mr. Wynne Jones’ (Liverpool Evening Express).

As you will see from the photo, on the poster displayed between Elton and Mr Jones the second feature is shown as being Hammer the Toff starring John Bentley and Patricia Dainton. The film, released in 1952, also starred Valentine Dyall and was based on a book by John Creasey."

A huge thank you to Geoff for sending in his picture and helping to answer a question that has been bothering me for many years. 

The Capitol Theatre in Salem, Oregon  in 1952

The New York Times review of June 27th 1952 describes the two accompanying films to Disney's Robin Hood in America as Water Birds (a true-life adventure) and a cartoon short called The Little House. 

On line sources show that Hammer The Toff was first released to British cinemas in March 1952. The world premiere of Walt Disney's Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men was at the Leicester Square Theatre in London on the 13th March of that year. As we now know from Geoff's previous research  there was a Provincial Premiere in Manchester on the 23rd April and at the Gaumont Theatre in Liverpool on the 27th April. So was Hammer The Toff  the second feature during the 'general' release of Robin Hood around the country in 1952? If you can confirm this please get in touch.

Elton Hayes and Joan Rice at the Provincial Premiere in Manchester

There is now a great deal of reports about the star studded premiere of Walt Disney's Story of Robin Hood on this blog. Please click here to read more. And with the help of Geoff Waite we have also accumulated a vast amount of information on the life and work of Elton Hayes here.

All the pictures taken at the provincial premieres and used on this site are the property of Geoff Waite.

The Manchester Provincial Premiere

Elton Hayes and Joan Rice at the Odeon Theatre Manchester

Down the years we have discovered a lot of information about the film premiere of The Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men. This Disney live-action motion picture was first shown in front of a star-studded audience on the 13th March 1952 at the Leicester Square Theatre in London. There are now over ten pages of press cuttings and images of that glamorous event on this web site. But I was stunned to receive this message from Geoff Waite recently...

"Were you aware that the provincial premiere of Disney’s ‘The Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men’ was at the Odeon Theatre, Manchester? 

I am attaching a photo of Joan Rice with Elton Hayes at the Manchester premiere. On the back of the original photo it says ‘Provincial Premiere of Walt Disney’s Robin Hood at the Odeon Theatre Manchester. In aid of the National Advertising Benevolent Society. Left to right, Elton Hayes, Joan Rice, Lord Derby, Veronica Hurst, Mr Carpenter (Gen manager Odeon Theatre).

Unfortunately no date is given for the Manchester Premiere but presumably it was shortly after the Leicester Square Premiere on 13 March 1952. I wonder if any of the other members of the ‘Robin Hood’ cast attended? Veronica Hurst who is seen with Joan Rice and Elton Hayes was an English actress. I believe she is still around. 

Before Elton sailed for America on 8 May 1952 to promote the film for Disney there was a publicity tour of the U.K where he made several personal appearances at other film theatres, including the Cardiff Empire,  and the Gaumont Theatres in Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool."

This now raises the question, how many other towns and cities had provincial premiers of 'The Story of Robin Hood'?

Since receiving Geoff's email I have discovered that the Provincial Premiere of 'Robin Hood' in Manchester was during the midnight matinee on April 24th 1952 at the Odeon Theatre. If you have any more information about those Provincial Premieres, please get in touch.

This is a very exciting discovery and I would like to thank Geoff for sharing his photograph with us. The image is Geoff's property, so kindly do not use it without his permission.

Japanese Programme

Inside of a Japanese programme for Walt Disney's Story of Robin Hood

This image of inside a Japanese programme for Walt Disney's Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men was kindly sent in by Mike. Disney's live-action movie had its premier in England on 13th March 1952 but was not released in Japan until 22nd January 1955 which is probably when this article was produced.

I would have liked to have seen more pages, as it is always fascinating to see how the movie (and of course the legend) is presented in different cultures.

But what we can see are stills from the movie that have been posted on this blog before. In particular is the rare glimpse of the filming of the scene in which Robin Hood (Richard Todd) and his men throw Little John (James Robertson Justice) into the stream (below).

The filming at Denham Studios

This is a clearer image of the picture used in the Japanese programme and we see the huge Technicolor cameras being used (by possibly the director Ken Annakin) at one of the sound stages at Denham Studios. Also note how the area of the stream is still dry before being filled with water for the particular scene.

Walt Disney with Elton Hayes (left) and Richard Todd (right)

Above is a slightly different picture (than in the Japanese programme) of Walt Disney feeling the weight of a helmet, on the Nottingham Castle set during his visit to Denham Studios in June 1951. Alongside him is Elton Hayes (as the minstrel Allan-a-Dale) and Richard Todd (Robin Hood ‘disguised as a soldier of the Sheriff’). In his autobiography (Caught in the Act, Hutchinson 1986) Richard Todd describes the ‘solid’ dungeon walls as being constructed of pure wood and plaster and the ‘metal’ ring made of papier mache'.

Filming of Walt Disney’s Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men began on 30th April 1951. Ken Annakin, the director of the movie, in his autobiography (So You Wanna Be a Director, Tomahawk 2001) says that 10 weeks into shooting, Disney made a surprise visit to the set. Annakin describes how the great man had photos taken with the stars of the film in the Nottingham Square set on the lot. This also included ‘numerous’ pictures with Joan Rice (Maid Marian) on the archery field.

This fits with Richard Todd's (Robin Hood) memoirs where he describes Disney coming over from London to Denham near the end of June 1951 and how he was thoroughly pleased with the way things were going.

Coinciding with Walt’s stopover, the then Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) paid a visit to the Denham Studios, accompanied only by her lady-in-waiting and equerry. The future queen was shown by Walt Disney and the art director Carmen Dillon around the outside sets and the costume department. Perce Pearce, the producer of Walt Disney’s Robin Hood, insisted that filming should continue as normal as that is what the young princess wanted to see. So for about twenty minutes she stood quietly in a dark corner, while production carried on, then gave a friendly wave and slipped out of the stage. I wonder what scene it was she saw being filmed?


To read more about the production of the film, Walt Disney, or see the picture gallery please click on the labels below.

The Story of Robin Hood at the Box Office

The original film poster of 1952

One of the many questions I have tried to answer since starting this blog is how much did Walt Disney's Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men make at the box office in 1952? It has not been easy to get an accurate figure. Also, the available sources vary as to the top box office hit films of that year. Kinematograph Weekly (Saturday 31st January 1953) judged the top 15 films of 1952 (based on box office returns) as:-

1.The Greatest Show on Earth

2. Where No Vultures Fly

3. Ivanhoe

4. Angles One Five

5. Sound Barrier

6. African Queen

7. Mandy

8. The Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men

9. Reluctant Heroes

10. A Christmas Carol 

11. Planter's Wife

12. Son of Paleface

13. The Quiet Man

14. Sailors Beware 

15. Room for One More 

From the various lists we can assume that Disney's second live-action film was a success at the box office and for the studio.

This move by Walt Disney to make films in England had come about due to his studio's post-war funds being frozen by the British government in an attempt to revive its own film industry. Disney had considered building an animation studio here but opted to produce live-action movies instead.

We won't turn into a live-action studio, but we'll get into the live-action business. (Walt Disney)

The studio's first live-action movie Treasure Island cost $1.8 million (using up the blocked funds) and was released in July 1950. Produced and supervised by Disney, it made the studio and RKO Pictures $4 million, returning $2.2 and $2.4 million. So with this success under their belt Disney embarked on another historical adventure.

For The Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men Disney used just three of his American production crew, Perce Pearce (producer), Lawrence Watkin (writer), and Fred Leahy (production manager). All three of them sailed with Walt and his family on board the Queen Mary to England in January 1951 to begin planning their next live-action film. 

Walt Disney and family visiting England in 1951

In mid-January 1951 Richard Todd met Perce Pearce at the Dorchester Hotel in London and eventually accepted the role of Robin Hood. Todd also suggested James Robertson Justice as Little John to Pearce.

The Story of Robin Hood premiered on March 13th 1952 at the Leicester Square Theatre in London and according to press cuttings of the time was a huge success.

The queues outside the Leicester Square Theatre in London to see Robin Hood.

This article is taken from 'To-Days Cinema' (March 27th 1952):

Walt Disney’s Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men, the RKO Radio release in Technicolor starring Richard Todd with Joan Rice is keeping up its second week pressure, as evidenced by these photographs taken outside the Leicester Square Theatre, where it has been attracting spectacular business since its World Premiere on March 13^th. Part of the second week-end queues to one side of the house, with a defile waiting patiently across the other side of the street, facing that along the theatre itself.

A programe from the world premiere

My regular contributor Neil Vessey, has recently found a reference for the box office takings for Walt Disney's third live action movie The Sword and the Rose (1953).  In The Animated Man : A Life of Walt Disney (2007) the author doesn't give us a figure, but states that The Sword and the Rose exceeded the budget of Robin Hood, but only earned the studio $2.5 million - less than half of its predecessor.

Neil concludes from this, that Robin Hood must have made the Disney Studio about $5 million from its original outlay of $1.9 million dollars. 

At last, this is a breakthrough and since Neil's email to me I have been hunting for more information. At the moment all I have found is a snippet on Google Books from volume 41 of Newsweek (1953). On page 97 it has this:-

The Story of Robin Hood also made in England, was budgeted at $1,300,000 and promptly grossed a $3,000,000 return. And only a few months of the "Robin Hood" box-office potential is reflected in Disney's...  

From the information available we can deduce that The Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men had significant success for the studio.

Using a familiar production crew and cast, Disney ventured into the legends of the misty hills of Scotland for his fourth and last live-action movie Rob Roy the Highland Rogue, which was released in October 1953. It was openly described by its director Harold French as a 'western in kilts'!  Rob Roy contained the same technical quality and outstanding acting talents of the previous three Disney live-action adventure films but it was not received as well. 

After the release of Rob Roy, Walt and his older brother Roy formed their wholly owned distribution company Buena Vista. It was up and running when Disney embarked on his next and most expensive live-action adventure film, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Costing a staggering $4.5 million this would be the studio's first American-made live-action feature.

But the production in Britain of Treasure Island and Robin Hood had led the way and proved that Walt Disney's company was now not just a small studio devoted to animation.

Richard Todd in Fans' Star Library

Geoff Waite has recently sent me a very interesting little booklet from 1958. It is Fan's' Star Library No.8 and features Richard Todd. Priced at 10d the articles on Todd, cover his life story and film career up until the making of the movie Intent to Kill. It is packed with some fascinating pictures of his homelife with his wife Catherine Grant Bogle , their children and his farm.

There is some interesting detail on his second live-action film for Walt Disney, Rob Roy. But I was eager to see if there were any snippets of information on his making of Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men (1952). This is what I found:

"As soon as Flesh and Blood was completed, Walt Disney wanted Richard for the name role in his new picture Robin Hood. It is said that Disney chose Todd for the part after one of his own daughters returned from a cinema a confirmed Richard Todd fan-she had just seen The Hasty Heart, and she kept telling her father that this young British star had everything!

An outdoor man himself, the idea of playin the great adventurer appealed to Richard, but he didn't want to be forced to portray the outlaw as a costumed twelfth century Tarzan. He wanted to play Robin Hood as 'he' saw the great outlaw. Fortunately, Walt Disney had enough confidence in Richard to allow him his own portrayal and as we all know the picture was a tremendous success.

Robin Hood, starring our own Richard Todd, had its premiere at the Leicester Square Theatre on March 13th, 1952. It was a glittering oppening and raised a large sum of money for a worthey cause. This film has become a Classic, and will doubtless be shown for years and years.

Within four days of finishing Robin Hood, Richard flew to the South of France, to play the parrt of the incurable young gambler in Twenty Four Hours of a Woman's Life."

To read more about Richard Todd, the making of Robin Hood and the film premiere, please click on the labels.

Queues at the Leicester Square Theatre

This article taken from ‘To-Day’s Cinema’ on Thursday March 27^th 1952, was kindly sent in by Neil and shows the crowds of people hoping to see Walt Disney’s live action movie the ‘Story of Robin Hood.’ By the look of the pictures the film remained a huge success with audiences of the 1950’s in the second week of its release. Unfortunately I am still having trouble finding out how much it made for the Disney organisation at the box office. So if anyone can help with this information, I would be very grateful.

The magazine caption reads:

“Walt Disney’s Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men, the RKO Radio release in Technicolor starring Richard Todd with Joan Rice is keeping up its second week pressure, as evidenced by these photographs taken outside the Leicester Square Theatre, where it has been attracting spectacular business since its World Premiere on March 13^th. Part of the second week-end queues to one side of the house, with a defile waiting patiently across the other side of the street, facing that along the theatre itself.”

Robin Hood and the New Elizabethans

The new Queen arrives back in England

To celebrate our Queen’s Diamond Jubilee (and as an unashamed royalist) I would like to look back  60 years ago, when she began her reign and her war weary subjects were treated to some Disney magic at their local cinemas.

At her accession, Queen Elizabeth II was in Kenya at the start of a five month tour of Africa, Ceylon, Australia and New Zealand. Her father George VI had passed away on 6^th February 1952 at Sandringham. She returned to London immediately and was met by members of her privy council headed by Winston Churchill. A battery of cameras caught the poignancy of this moment as the twenty-five year old sovereign climbed down the aircraft steps to be received by a statesman who had entered parliament in the reign of her great-great grandfather.  Elizabeth was proclaimed queen on 8^th February after taking the royal oath. Her father was buried 7 days later. In the following months the press and radio began to talk of the New Elizabethan Age.

Meanwhile, on the 13^th March of that year, Walt Disney’s Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men had its world premiere in London.  The young queen had visited the making of the film at Denham Studios in Buckinghamshire the year before. Then as Princess Elizabeth, along with just her lady-in-waiting and equerry, she had been shown around the outside sets and the costume department by Walt Disney, himself.

At that time, Britain was licking its wounds after a hard and bitter war; nearly every family had lost relatives and friends. Towns and cities still had whole streets flattened by bombing and food was still rationed. It is hardly surprising then, that under the dark cloud of austerity, the population flocked to the cinemas; eager to be entertained. And Disney’s Technicolor live-action version of the British medieval legend proved to be the most popular. In fact it heralded the beginning of a new interest in Robin Hood, not only on the silver screen and television, but also in the corridors of universities and colleges up and down the country. Soon debates would start in earnest about the historical existence of a ‘real’ Robin Hood.

Richard the Lionheart and the Houses of Parliament after a bombing raid

But what was life like for those New Elizabethans, sitting in the picture palaces up and down Britain in 1952, watching a film about their countries most popular folk-hero? Well, it was a great deal different to today! For a start their life expectancy was 11 years shorter. Food in those days was scarce; today we have such abundance that obesity is a problem! In modern Britain we have far easier access to all-sorts of pain killing drugs, medically and biologically.

Sixty years ago only one in five households had a washing machine and one in ten a telephone. One in twenty owned a fridge and one in five families owned a car. Back in 1952 there were only 2 million private cars on the road and no motorways. Today the number is a staggering 27 million with 2,200 miles of motorway.

In the year that Disney’s Story of Robin Hood first hit the silver screen only 11 percent of the British population had access to the all-new new, flickering, black and white television. Today we have access to the internet, smart phones and seemingly limitless TV channels. But back in 1952, television had only just arrived in Scotland. The following year the New Elizabethans would gather around their nearest neighbours television set to see their young queen’s coronation at Westminster Abbey.

Queen Elizabeth II

Most of the cinema audience watching  Disney's Story of Robin Hood in that year would have rented their homes. Those old terraced houses that are often looked back upon in a nostalgic way, were often very damp, had no electricity, an outside toilet and dreadful sanitation. Today 66 per cent of people own their own modern centrally heated house.

So we can see that Britain is a lot different than it was 60 years ago. We have advanced incredibly fast, although I personally feel that we have left many qualities and disciplines behind as we have strived to embrace the modern age. But Queen Elizabeth has remained a stoic figurehead to her nation and shown a remarkable stability in this ever-changing world. She continues to represent our nations glorious past and give us hope for the future, just as she did back in 1952.

Robin and his men kneel before Richard the Lionheart

Today we can watch Disney’s Story of Robin Hood at any time, just by inserting a DVD in our laptop computer. It has been described as the best example of a Technicolor film ever made in England. So next time you watch it, imagine what it was like for the New Elizabethans as they sat in those cinemas back in 1952. With that special Disney magic, they were transported away from a bombed–out Britain, in the severe grip of austerity, to a romantic Technicolor past where the monarch eventually returns to save the nation.

“On your feet sir!” Thundered Robin Hood.

Reluctantly De Lacy got to his feet.

“To Richard of England!” Cried Robin,

“God grant him health and long life.

Speak Up!”