Film & Television Production at Burnham Beeches

Due to its beautiful woodland and close proximity to London (25 miles) and many film studios, (Shepperton, Bray and Pinewood) Burnham Beeches in Buckinghamshire, England, has been used for many movie and television projects down the years. It is characterised by a diverse mixture of ancient woodland, wood pasture, coppice, ponds and streams, grassland, mire and heath land. The sites most prominent features are the veteran Beech and Oak pollarded trees which provide a stable habitat for many rare and endangered deadwood species.

It covers an area of 220 hectares (540 acres) and is located close to Farnham Common, Burnham and Beaconsfield.

An ancient pollarded tree in 2009

Filming is tightly controlled due to recognition of the Beeches' international importance for wildlife, restricting filming to no more than 20 days per year and to certain times of year. Filming in environmentally sensitive areas has also been banned. The revenue from filming goes directly to fund the upkeep and management of the Beeches.

During my visit in April 2009 I was given a list of ‘all’ the filming that has taken place there since 1946 and too my horror one film in particular was omitted. Yes you guessed it, Walt Disney’s ‘Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men,’ which was filmed at a number of places in the area, including Mendelssohn’s Slope and Upper and Middle Pond in 1951.

So let’s try and put the record straight:


Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Film 2010: Daniel Radcliffe

The film crew and production team of Harry Potter at Burnham Beeches in 2009

Creation Film 2008: Paul Bettany, Jenifer Connelly


Made With Magic TV 2008: Jamie Oliver


Jonathan Creek Christmas Special TV 2008: Alan Davies


New Tricks Series 5 TV 2008: Amanda Redman, Dennis Waterman


Merlin TV 2008: Colin Morgan, Bradley James


Midsomer Murders TV 2008: John Nettles


Eden Lake Film 2007: Kelly Reilly, Michael Fassbender


Sense & Sensibility TV 2007: Mark Williams, David Morrissey


Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix Film 2006: Daniel Radcliffe, Evanna Lynch


Primeval TV 2006: Douglas Henshall, Hannah Spearitt


Waking the Dead TV 2006: Trevor Eve, Sue Johnson


New Tricks TV 2005: Amanda Redman, Dennis Waterman


I Could Never Be Your Woman Film 2005: Michelle Pfeiffer


Driving Lessons FILM 2005: Rupert Grint, Julie Waters


Waking the Dead TV 2005: Trevor Eve, Sue Johnston


King Arthur Film 2004: Clive Owen, Keira Knightley


Winter Solstice TV 2003: Jan Niklas, Geraldine Chaplin


In Deep TV 2002: Nick Berry, Stephen Tompkinson


Born and Bred TV 2002: Naomi Radcliffe, Jenna Russell


The Hole Film 2000: Thora Birch, Keira Knightley


Midsomer Murders TV 2000 John Nettles


The Worst Witch TV Una Stubbs


Alice in Wonderland TV 1998 Whoopi Goldberg, Christopher Lloyd


Family Affairs TV 1998 Ebony Thomas, Kazia Pelka


Plunkett & Macleane Film 1998 Robert Carlyle, Liv Tyler


Merlin TV 1997/8 Sam Neil, Martin Short


Tess of the D’Urbervilles TV 1997 Justin Waddell


Bedroom 7 Hallways Film 1997 Kevin McKidd, Simon Callow


Kavanagh QC TV 1997 John Thaw


Spiceworld Film 1997 The Spice Girls, Richard E Grant


Bright Hair TV 1997 Emilia Fox, John Bowe


Bliss TV 1996 Simon Shepherd


Touching Evil TV 1997 Robson Green


Wilderness TV 1996 Amanda Ooms, Michael Kitchen


Ivanhoe TV 1996 Steve Waddington, Nick Brimble


The Wind in the Willows Film 1996 Steve Coogan, Eric Idle


The Hollow Reed Film 1995 Joely Richardson


Roald Dahl’s Red Riding Hood TV 1995 July Walters, Danny Devito


Guliver’s Travels TV 1995 Ted Danson, Mary Steenburgen


Soldier Soldier TV1994/5 Robson Green, Jerome Flynn


Martin Chuzzlewit TV 1994 Julia Sawalha


First Knight Film 1994 Richard Gere, Julia Ormond


Circle of Friends Film 1994 Minnie Driver, Chris O’Donnell


Between The Lines TV 1993 Neil Pearson, Siobhan Redman


The Crying Game Film 1992 Stephen Rea, Jaye Davidson


King Ralph Film 1991 Peter O’ Toole, John Goodman

Kevin Costner in Robin Hood : Prince of Thieves

The movie was filmed all over Burnham Beeches

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves Film 1990 Kevin Costner, Morgan Freeman


Minder-Xmas Special TV 1988 Denis Waterman, George Cole


The Princess Bride Film 1987 Cary Elwes, Robin Wright Penn


Slipstream Film 1987 Mark Hamill, Robin Coltrane


Lair of the White Worm Film 1987 Hugh Grant, Amanda Donohoe


Mr Corbett’s Ghost TV 1987 Burgess Meredith, Mel Smith


Company of Wolves Film 1982/3 Angela Lansbury


Who Dares Wins Film 1982 Lewis Collins


Hawk the Slayer Film 1981/2 Jack Palance


Time Bandits Film 1981 John Cleese, Bernard Bresslaw

John Cleese as Robin Hood in Time Bandits

Agatha Film 1979 Dustin Hoffman, Vanessa Redgrave


Dick Turpin TV 1978 Richard O’Sullivan


The Professionals TV 1977 Lewis Collins, Martin Shaw


Carry On England Film 1976 Sid James, Kenneth Williams


The New Avengers TV 1976 Patrick Macknee, Joanna Lumley


Carry On Behind Film 1975 Sid James, Kenneth Williams


Frankenstein: The True Story Film 1973 Ralph Richardson, Jane Seymour


Bless This House Film 1972 Sid James, Diana Coupland


The Benny Hill Show TV 1971 Benny Hill


The Persuaders TV 1971 Roger Moore, Tony Curtis


Carry On Camping Film 1969 Sid James Kenneth Williams


Randall & Hopkirk-Deceased TV 1969 Mike Pratt, Kenneth Cope


Manhunt TV 1969 Cyd Hayman


The Siege of the Saxons Film 1963


Z Cars TV 1962 Colin Welland


The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner Film 1962 Michael Redgrave, Tom Courtenay


The Avengers TV 1961 Patrick Macknee, Diana Rigg


Dangerman TV 1960 Patrick McGoohan


(VARIOUS) Hammer Horror films FILM 1960’s -70’s


Goldfinger Film 1960 Sean Connery


A Town Called Alice Film 1956 Peter Finch, Virginia Mc Kenna


Lost Film 1955 Thora Hird

Men of Sherwood Forest Film 1954 Don Taylor, Reginald Beckwith

Perce Pearce the producer of Walt Disney's Story of Robin Hood

with Art Director Carmen Dillon and 2nd Unit Direcor Alex Bryce at Burnham Beeches

Walt Disney’s Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men Film 1952 Richard Todd, Joan Rice


London Belongs To Me FILM 1948: Richard Attenborough


Great Expectations FILM 1946 John Mills

If you know of any other TV of film productions not listed that used Burnham Beeches as a location, please get in touch.

Joan Rice with baby Michael

Joan Rice sadly passed away on January 1st 1997. This blog is dedicated to her memory. In Walt Disney’s Story of Robin Hood, Joan graced the silver screen as Maid Marian and over the last five years I have tried to piece together the life of this beautiful actress.

On February 3rd this year she would have been 82 and no doubt still proud to say how she was handpicked by Walt Disney himself to play the leading lady alongside Richard Todd as Robin Hood. Many of my blog readers and film critics believe she was the best and most influential Maid Marian of all time.

But although her life reads rather like a fairytale, like many it also had its fair share of tragedy. This week Neil has very kindly sent me a press photograph of her dated 7th February 1955. On the reverse side it reads:

“London: Film star Joan Rice is pictured leaving London Airport with her 13-month old son Michael en route to Dublin. She will appear in the play ‘Welcome Stranger’ at the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin. Her husband, film actor Richard Greene saw her off.”

Pasted on the back of the photograph is probably the cutting that later appeared:

“Film actress Joan Rice and her 13-month-old son leave London airport for Dublin, where Miss Rice – Mrs David Green in private life – is appearing in a play.”

Interesting that she is wrongly linked with Richard Greene, the famous television Robin Hood of the 1950’s. Sadly Rank Organisation had dropped her contract by this time and her glamorous film career was declining as quickly as it had begun. Her latest movie ‘One Good Turn’ had been released in cinemas a month before she flew out to Dublin and in this she played Iris, alongside the rising comedy star Norman Wisdom.

I have been informed that her son Michael was born on Christmas Day 1953 which just about fits with the press article. Her family have also told me that he tragically committed suicide in the 1990’s.

To read more about the life of Joan Rice and how she went from being a Lyons ‘Nippy’ to a movie star please click on the 46 relevant links in the side bar and below. If you have any more information about her life, please get in touch at disneysrobin@googlemail.com.

Merrie Christmas & Happy New Year !

Another year of blogging has gone by and once again I would like to thank my regular contributors who have helped me in this fifth year. There have been so many highlights for me; Laurence has undoubtedly enhanced our appreciation of the movie with that amazing picture strip and various memorabilia (including the souvenir programme). Neil managed to locate Alex Bryce’s daughter, and has continued tirelessly to uncover interesting articles about the life of the stars. Albie has sent in some wonderful photographs and helped us learn more about the history of Sherwood Forest, including Edwin’s Chapel. His intense research into the ancient roads and ‘The King’s Great Way’ through the forest helped me achieve a lifelong ambition.

Mike sent in stunning Japanese and Spanish posters from the movie and continued to enthral us with his paintings, including his interpretation of Herne the Hunter. Meanwhile Geoff Waite gave us more details about the career of the musician and singer Elton Hayes.

We discovered the winner of the poll for the favourite Robin Hood of all-time and a gangster who nearly became him. We also saw more pictures from the film premiere and had new information on the lives of Joan Rice and Catherine Grant-Bogle. There has been a great deal more and I have now reached 568 posts.

So it has been another tremendous year! Thank you so much for your wonderful support and hope to here from all of you very soon. I would like to wish you and your families a Merrie Christmas and a very Happy New Year!

Disney Robin Hood Hat 1951

There are many promotional items that can be seen on this blog produced during the release of Walt Disney’s Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men (1952). But the hat above is a bit of a mystery to me and I would appreciate any feed-back. It is a magazine/newspaper advertisement for what is described as a ‘Disney Hat-Robin Hood’ from 1951 which was the year the film was actually in production at Denham Studios. So was the hat made by Walt Disney Productions to advertise the forthcoming film? Any information would be much appreciated.



Picture Strip 42 : Walt Disney's Story of Robin Hood

These are the final pages of Laurence’s fantastic picture strip of Walt Disney’s movie the Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men (1952). I am sure you will agree that he has not only given us a chance to re-live the magic moments again, but also to see and appreciate each scene in all its Technicolor glory.

His wonderful work has gone a long way to keeping the memory of the film alive and hopefully shown to my new readers why it is loved by so many. So, a very special thank you to Laurence for regularly sending the picture strip in to me.

To view all the previous pages, please click here.

Information on Catherine Grant-Bogle

Richard Todd and Catherine-Grant-Bogle in 1954

It is always very rewarding for me to get some feedback from readers of my blog. So I was thrilled to receive an email from Pam this week about the mysterious later years of Catherine Grant-Bogle. Up until now, very little was known about her life after she was divorced from movie legend Richard Todd (1919-2009). So I am sure my readers will be very interested in what Pam has to say:

“I was looking up info on Richard Todd when I saw this article on Catherine Grant-Bogle. She was my landlady in 1970/71 in London, in a flat near the Tate Gallery.

I am Canadian and was backpacking through Europe with my girlfriend. She took me, my girlfriend and a girl from Hawaii in for room and board. The rooms were as the children left them and she didn't want us to touch or move anything. She also didn't want us using the kitchen and when she found the three of us making dinner, she was very upset.

She was very bitter about the divorce and told us stories. Her son Peter also came by a few times to check on her. I also have a picture of her with her cat in my photo album.

I went back to London with my first husband in 1978 and went to show him the flat. And there she was walking down the street coming out of the liquor store, looking a little worse for wear.

I am surprised to see that she lived another 20 years after I last saw her. She didn't look well and the difference in her from 1971 to 1978 was astounding!”

Pam continued:

“She did seem so sad, not only when I was rooming at her flat, but especially when I saw her walking down the street a few years later. She was a sweet lady.

Anyway, just thought I would share this with you.”

I would like to thank Pam very much for this glimpse into the later years of Richard Todd’s first wife. If anyone can add some more to this information, or would like to comment on anything concerning the movie or its actors please get in touch at disneysrobin@googlemail.com.

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.

Picture Strip 41 : Walt Disney's Story of Robin Hood

This is part 41 and we are sadly comming to the end of Laurence’s excellent picture strip of Walt Disney’s Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men (1952).

If you want to learn more about the making of this wonderful film or the legend that inspired it, please click on the relevant subjects in the sidebar.

Please click here to see previous pages of Laurence's picture strip.