Joan Rice

Below is a lovely picture of Joan Rice, who played Maid Marian in Disney’s Story of Robin Hood (1952). It was sent in by Neil, who says that on the back of the photo it states, 'Actress Joan Rice arrives at London Airport to fly to the Isle of Man. She is to spend a week there playing in the comedy For Better or for Worse.'

The stamp on the back has the date as the 15th August 1955. I have taken a look at her time-line and she had just finished the B movie Police Dog for Howard Huth. By now her film career was sadly on the wane and she was appearing in stage productions up and down the country.

I have also recently received an email from Peter who says, “I used to deliver newspapers to the Greene/Rice house in Newlands Drive Maidenhead in the 1960s. Her husband's father Harry owned the house, I think. At that time Richard Todd used to live across the common in Pinkneys Green.”

Many thanks to Peter for getting in contact. This site is dedicated to the memory of Joan Rice and down the years we have gradually managed to piece together details about her life and career. So I am always thrilled to read about any memories my readers have of her.

If you have any information you would like to share or comments about this blog, please get in touch at disneysrobin@googlemail.com.

Robin Hood's Merry Jokes

With all the doom and gloom around at the moment and the continual rain here in England, I thought it was time to lighten up. So let’s have a laugh along with Little John (James Robertson Justice) Robin Hood (Richard Todd) and Will Scarlet (Antony Forwood) at some Robin Hood jokes.

Why did Robin Hood steal from the rich?
Because the poor didn't have anything worth stealing!

Why couldn't Robin Hood hit the target? 

Because his arrows were all in a quiver!

Where did Robin's Merry Men go to buy their sweets?
The Friar's Tuck-shop!

What did Robin say when he nearly got hit at the archery contest?
"That was an arrow escape!"

How did Robin Hood tie his shoe-laces?
With a long bow!

Friar Tuck was a monk, so why did he get involved in a life of crime?
It was his habit!

Robin Hood lay dying, and all the faithful gathered round. With his weak and fading breath, Robin asked Marion to bring him the best arrow from the quiver beside his bed, and then asked Little John to bring him his bow. He put the arrow to the bow and aimed through the open window into the generous green sward of Sherwood Forest beyond which he loved so much. He asked of Friar Tuck, "Promise me that wherever the arrow falls, there you will bury me." And when Tuck had sworn, Robin Hood demanded the same of the others. Then with his last strength he drew on the bow and let the arrow fly.

And then he died, smiling. And next day, they did as they had promised; they buried Robin Hood ....... on top of his wardrobe!

Richard Todd as Robin Hood

I’m back posting now after a lovely holiday and would like to thank Mike for sending in a great colour publicity still of Richard Todd as Robin Hood from the Disney live-action movie.

Joan Rice meets Walt Disney

Because I will not be posting for a fortnight I have decided to leave you with my favourite publicity still from Disney’s Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men (1952).

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.

Richard Todd & Joan Rice

To celebrate the most romantic day of the year, Valentine’s Day, I have posted one of my favourite stills from Walt Disney’s Story of Robin Hood (1952). Above is Richard Todd as Robin Hood and Joan Rice as Maid Marian in a passionate pose to promote the live-action movie. I think you will agree that it’s quite a steamy shot for a Disney film!

To see many other promotional stills from Disney’s Robin Hood, just click on Picture Gallery.

Walt Disney’s First Maid Marian

Above is a press photograph of Joan Rice at the Dorchester Hotel in London on 28th February 1951, where it was officially announced that she had been chosen to play Maid Marian alongside Richard Todd as Robin Hood in Disney’s up and coming Technicolor motion picture.

Joan Rice was always proud of the fact that she was Walt Disney’s ‘first Maid Marian,’ and for nearly five years I have tried to piece together her life story. It reads like a fairytale how, as a child from a broken home, she was sent to an orphanage near Sherwood Forest and eventually became chosen by Walt Disney himself to play in his live action movie The Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men (1952). Of course it wasn’t all to be glitz and glamour, but through all her troubles, friends and family have described her as such a warm and friendly person. This blog is dedicated to her memory and there are now over 45 posts about this beautiful actress, including stills, magazine articles and details of her life.

Meeting the Outlaws

This is one of many stills from Walt Disney’s Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men (1952). From left to right we see Anthony Forwood as Will Scarlet, Richard Todd as Robin Hood, James Robertson Justice as Little John, Hal Osmond as Midge the Miller and Elton Hayes as the minstrel Allan a Dale. To see our large collection of images from the movie please click on the Picture Gallery.

Walt Disney and a Princess visit Robin Hood

Above is 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 (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.

Martitia Hunt as Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine

Martitia Hunt (1900-1969) on the set at Denham Studios as Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine in Walt Disney’s ‘Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men (1952). Playing the part of the mother of the crusading King Richard I and his scheming brother Prince John, she found herself the linchpin of a divided kingdom, a part, the elegant Martitia was made for.

To read more about the tall, stately, velvet voiced actress please click here: Martitia Hunt.

Joan Rice

Our Joan Rice (1930-1997) as Maid Marian in Walt Disney’s Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men (1952). To read more about the life of the beautiful British actress, please click on the label 'Joan Rice' below.

Robin Hood kills Red Gill

This great still from Walt Disney’s Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men (1952) shows Richard Todd as Robin Hood looking at the dead body of Red Gill (Archie Duncan). In this dramatic scene Robin had just killed Red Gill, after witnessing the murder of his father, who was shot in the back by the Sheriff’s henchman, hiding in a tree. In the background the Sheriff’s foresters can be seen ready to pursue Robin through the forest.

The picture clearly shows the remarkable ancient pollarded tree that is typical of those found in Burnham Beeches in Buckinghamshire. This was the location chosen to be ‘Sherwood Forest,’ not only because of its close proximity to Denham Studios but also because of its amazing ancient woodland that was ideal as a backdrop to this classic tale.

Joan Rice and Richard Todd

I was thrilled to discover this very rare picture recently of Joan Rice (Maid Marian) and Richard Todd (Robin Hood). This was possibly taken during a break from the casting test of Walt Disney’s Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men at Elstree in March 1951.

Richard Todd described it as a ‘happy picture’ and in this photograph, we can see a good example of some of the fun they had making it!

Elton Hayes

Elton Hayes entertaining by his fireplace! I expect they were magical times, listening to the balladeer as he sang, 'with his small guitar,' through his repertoire.

Joan Rice at the Premier

Joan Rice at the premier of Walt Disney’s Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men at the Leicester Square Theatre on Thursday 13th March 1952.

Anthony Forwood

Above is a rare film still of Anthony Forwood (1915-1988) as Will Scarlet from Walt Disney’s Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men (1952). ‘Tony’s’ role as Scarlet is sadly not developed in the movie, although he is already installed as a rather dapperly dressed member of the band of outlaws. Scarlet is referred to as ‘Cousin Will’ in a scene where Robin first meets Little John, but seems of a higher class than a yeoman forester, like Robin and his father.

Perhaps (for amusement) my merrie band of Whistling Arrows could fill in the gaps in Lawrence Watkin’s screen play, and explain how Will Scarlet joined Robin’s band of outlaws?

To read more about Anthony Forwood’s life and the historical connections in the legend between Will Scarlet/Scarlett/ Scathelock/ Scadlock and even Alan-a-Dale, please click on the relevant labels.

Robin's Merrie Men

Above is very good still from Walt Disney’s Story of Robin Hood (1952) showing Friar Tuck (James Hayter) demanding two hundred shillings from the Sheriff (Peter Finch) for the ill treatment of the poor, eating at Robin’s table and for giving the friar a nasty bump on his head!

In this picture we also get a clear view of some of the faces of the Merrie men. So, what I would like to do is try and put some names to the faces that are shown. I have included below a list of the actors that appeared as Robin’s band of outlaws in the movie. If you can identify any of them in the picture, please get in touch at disneysrobin@googlemail.com.

Here is a list of the actors:

John Brooking: - Merrie Man

Ivan Craig: - Merrie Man

John French: - Merrie Man

Richard Graydon :- Merrie Man

Geoffrey Lumsden: - Merrie Man

John Martin: - Merrie Man

Larry Mooney: - Merrie Man

Nigel Neilson: - Merrie Man

Charles Perry: - Merrie Man

Ewen Solon: - Merrie Man

John Stamp: - Merrie Man

Jack Taylor: - Merrie Man

A Box of Gems

I am so pleased that this week is nearly over! I won’t bore you all with the details but, everything that could go wrong seems to have gone wrong with, my car, my computer, work UGH!

So I would like to say sorry to those of you who have tried to contact me this week. My computer was infested with nasties and I was almost completely out of action. Luckily my daughter's boyfriend has got me back up and running.

Anyway, every cloud has a silver lining and this week Maria has really cheered me up. She has sent me a collection of stills that are owned by her friend Thys in the Netherlands.

Maria described Thys’s collection as a box of gems-and she is right. The picture of Richard Todd as Robin Hood (above) is my particular favorite and I will be posting more of them very soon.

So a special thanks to Thys for allowing us to see some of his gems!

Hubert Gregg as Prince John

Richard Todd

Thank you to Neil and Robin for their comments on yesterday’s news of the passing of film legend Richard Todd aged 90.

Yesterday my blog had an incredible 594 visitors, but it is a shame that it was on such a very sad occasion.

To read more about the life of Richard Todd please click on the 'Richard Todd' Label below.

Patrick Barr as King Richard I

Patrick Barr (1908-1985) as King Richard I in Walt Disney's Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men (1952). To read more about Patrick Barr please click on the label below.