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Picture Strip 12 : Walt Disney's Story of Robin Hood
To see previous pages of the Picture Strip, please click on the label below.
Mickey Wood's Tough Guys Agency
This was a small article I found in the Super Cinema Annual 1954. It featured a piece on Mickey Wood (1897-1963), the self-defence and physical training expert who was manager of the agency Tough Guys Limited which provided stunt people for films, including Disney’s Story of Robin Hood (1952).
"Through the leafy green thicket of Sherwood Forest came a wiry little man on a shaggy forest pony. Without pausing, the rider galloped the pony straight into a wide and deep stream which cut its meandering way through the trees. The spray shot up around them, hiding them from view for an instant. Then came the deep twang of a bow string. A long slender arrow sped through the air. With a sickening thud, it caught the rider full in the chest, even as he reached mid-stream.
He threw up his arms and fell from the pony, to land with a splash in the water. The frightened animal was left alone to struggle to the other side. The body of the man floated downstream, face upwards, arms outstretched, with the deadly arrow sticking up from his chest for all the world like a sail-less mast of some stricken ship-
Recognise this scene?
Well it was taken from ‘Robin Hood,’ that wonderful R.K.O. film which so faithfully portrayed the adventures of England’s ever-green hero of Sherwood Forest.We went to interview Mickey Wood and found him in his office in Wardour Street, the centre of all the world’s film companies in England. He is a quiet, unassuming man in his early fifties and his office walls are filled with pictures of the many hair-raising stunts which his own tough experts have performed, or have taught well known film stars to do.
Yes we can hear you saying, “I suppose that was a dummy which a good marksman shot off the pony. It was jolly well done though.”
It certainly was well done! But that dramatic scene was no fake-the man on the pony was alive and surprisingly enough, has lived to perform many other daring stunts. For the rider was none other than Mickey Wood, principal of the ‘Tough Guys Stage and Screen Agency.’
Rupert Evans with James Hayter
And yet Mickey had an operation when he was a boy which would have been enough to kill many people, if not make them permanently disabled. He was trepanned and to this day [1954] he carries in his head a silver plate as a grim relic of this operation.
But Mickey Wood refused to let this put him off. At school he became the schoolboy boxing champion, took up wrestling and self defence and later on became the light-weight champion of Great Britain. Besides self-defence, he became an expert in swimming, diving, swordsmanship and riding.
During the last War, Mickey taught the Commando troops all he knew about self-defence and many of them must have found that knowledge invaluable when they came to grips with the enemy.
Peter Finch with Rupert Evans
Today, his ‘Tough Guys Agency’ has about three hundred and fifty people on its books, all of them experts in their various ways-ranging through boxers, wrestlers, high-divers, fencers, archers, car-crashers, circus acrobats and many other “tough guys.” But not only men-for Mickey has a number of extremely able young ladies who are willing to risk life and limb in the cause of stunting.
Micky’s first film-fight came in a film of George Formbey’s called ‘George in Civvy Street,’ when he worked with Kid Lewis, the famous boxer. Recent films in which Mickey has taken part are ‘Robin Hood,' already mentioned, ‘High Treason,’ ‘The Wooden Horse,’ and ‘Ivanhoe.’ The latter being the most spectacular and the one in which a big team of Mick’s people were engaged.
They had to leap from the castle battlements. Take part in fierce fights with swords, maces and all amidst clouds of arrows. But don’t run away with the idea that the fights such as you see here are haphazard affairs-not a bit of it!
These stunt men and women are tough, but they have no wish to throw their lives away just for the sake of a good picture. Every fight is carefully rehearsed and, very often, when two men are engaged in combat, practically every blow is planned beforehand. This is absolutely necessary; otherwise it could easily lead to serious injury or perhaps the death of one of the combatants.
Ivanhoe (1952)
A good example of this spectacular combat was the fierce fight between Ivanhoe and the Norman knight before Prince John. The heavy battle axe and the ball-and-chain mace were no toys as you will probably realise if you saw the film and the dents the two men put in each other’s shields!"
Super Cinema Annual 1954
Picture Strip 11 : Walt Disney's Story of Robin Hood
Part 11 of Laurence's fabulous picture strip of Walt Disney's Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men (1952). To see previous pages, please click on the label below.
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.
Hubert Gregg by Laurence
This is another work of art by Laurence, who says:
"I was up in the loft earlier, and dug out some of my movie actors drawings. Thought you might like to see this pencil drawing that I made of Hubert Gregg back in the seventies; plus the accompanying letter with his very kind comments. I do have one or two others from The Story of Robin Hood. (I think I may have mentioned this before.)"
Picture Strip 10 : Walt Disney's Story of Robin Hood
The Very Finest of Cinematic Art
Unfortunately, I do not know which American newspaper the article below originally came from (possibly The Cleveland Press in Ohio), but I thought it would be interesting to post this small piece of cinematic history. The column below was written by Winsor French after he had attended one of the first screenings for reviewers, behind closed doors, of the sumptuous classic ‘The Adventures of Robin Hood’ which would later be released across the USA on 14th May 1938. Needless to say 72 years later, it remains the benchmark to which all later film versions of the legend are judged and this reviewer at the time was obviously impressed.
Original Press Article
It reads:
“Casting an eye about on coming events, one of the most important is the impending arrival of Warner Brothers ‘Robin Hood’ at the Hippodrome Theatre, with Errol Flynn as the swashbuckling hero of Sherwood Forest.
Screened behind locked doors the other afternoon for reviewers it emerged as another example that while Warners can produce some of the most banal films today, they can also come forward with the very finest of cinematic art.
And ‘Robin Hood’ I believe will be just that. Photographed in Technicolor, supplied with an excellent cast, it is crowded with action and suspense as one exciting sequence followed another. Primarily perhaps for children, it also should have enormous appeal for adults as well, and no one will be able to deny the superiority of Basil Rathbone’s performance.
This is in no sense a review, but simply an announcement that as [?] ‘Mad about Music,’ with Deanna Durbin, has run its course, Mr. Flynn will be along with his portrayal of the famous bandit. And you should find it a very satisfying characterization."
Winsor French, April 29th 1938.
The Cleveland Press, May 12th 1938
The Forest Lodge, Edwinstowe, Nottinghamshire
Back in June I spent a lovely weekend in the small village of Edwinstowe in Nottinghamshire. I stayed at a lovely old coaching inn called The Forest Lodge which is about 5 minutes walking distance from the entrance to the Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre.
The owners of The Forest Lodge were very welcoming and the quality of the service and food was exceptional. There is ample parking in the forecourt and the hotel lies almost opposite St. Mary’s Church, where legend states that Robin Hood married Maid Marian. I thoroughly recommend The Forest Lodge and hope to make another visit as soon as I can. Their website is at: http://www.forestlodgehotel.co.uk/main.html
Picture Strip 9 : Walt Disney's Story of Robin Hood
Part 9 of Laurence's fabulous picture strip of Walt Disney's Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men (1952). To see previous pages, please click on the label below.
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