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.

Joan Rice

Mike has recently sent in one of my favourite pictures of Joan Rice (1930-1997) as Maid Marian. This blog is dedicated to Joan's memory. Her portrayal as the girlfriend of the outlaw in Walt Disney's Robin Hood (1952) was a fundamental one and in this - her first major motion picture - she was a huge success. In a recent poll on this site she was voted the best Maid Marian of all time! To read more about the life of Joan Rice please click here.

This still from the movie has been posted before, but I am sure regular readers of this blog will be pleased to see this picture of Joan Rice as Marian again.

Robin Hood in Mickey Mouse Weekly

Part of my collection of memorabilia from Walt Disney's movie the Story of Robin Hood are two copies of Mickey Mouse Weekly. This was a weekly tabloid comic that ran from the late 1930s and was first published by Willbank Publications and later Odhams Press in London. It was the first British comic to use the expensive colour photogravure process.

The two copies that I own date from the time of the release of the live-action movie in 1952.  But sadly I am not sure who the artist was that illustrated the strip (it could have been Jessie Marsh). So perhaps my readers might be able to help?

The colourful strip featured below appeared on the back page of Mickey Mouse Weekly weekending July 12th 1952. 

There is a lot more information on the various comic strip versions of Walt Disney's Story of Robin Hood here.

Louise Hampton

This is another of Laurence's fabulous autograph collection featuring stars of Walt Disney's live-action movie the Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men. The one above is the elegant autograph of Louise Hampton who played the character Tyb, Maid Marian's nurse.

To read more about the career of Louise Hampton, please click here.

Disney's Robin Hood Jigsaw Puzzle.

There has been a great deal of interest in these beautifully illustrated jigsaw puzzles, taken from Walt Disney's live-action movie the Story of Robin Hood (1952). Mike contacted me last week, with information that the puzzle above has recently sold for £32 on ebay!

To see more images of these jigsaws from the 1950's and other memorabilia from the movie please click here.

Archie Duncan

A few weeks ago Laurence sent in a picture of his display of autographs and images of the stars of Disney's Story of Robin Hood. To see the whole collection click here.

Many readers  were so impressed, they requested a closer look at his wonderful collection. So he has kindly emailed me individual pictures of each film star. Above is Archie Duncan (1914-1979) in his role as Red Gill. To read more about the colourful life of Archie please click here.

The Archbishop's Blessing

This rare still from Walt Disney's Story of Robin Hood was kindly sent in by Mike. It shows the Archbishop of Canterbury played by Anthony Eustrel leading prayers for King Richard (Patrick Barr) and his Crusaders as they leave for the Holy Land.

On the steps of Nottingham Castle can be seen Prince John   (Hubert Gregg) and Queen Eleanor played by Martitia Hunt.

Do you think the young choir boy (front/left of the picture) looks remarkably like the Page (Cavan Malone) who appears later in the movie?

To read more about the stars of this wonderful movie please click on their names on this site.

Italian Robin Hood Sweet Tin

 

 

This Italian sweet tin has recently been on EBay and is undoubtedly been inspired by Walt Disney's Story of Robin Hood (1952). Although there are no markings to indicate it as genuine Disney 

merchandise, it has been based on stills from the live-action movie.

Edward II and Robin Hood

Above is a picture of the tomb of King Edward II in Gloucester Cathedral in England. In the Geste of Robyn Hode, one of the earliest surviving ballads of Robin Hood, ‘comly’ King Edward hearing of the death of the Sheriff and that his deer in his forest have been killed, visits Sherwood disguised as an abbot. Eventually Robin recognises the king and asks for mercy for himself and his followers. But the king will only grant them a pardon on condition that they leave the forest and come to court.

In the ground breaking discoveries of Joseph Hunter which were first published in his book The Great Hero of the Ancient Minstrelsy of England, Robin Hood his Period etc. Investigated and Perhaps Ascertained in 1852, he proposed that the king was Edward II ( 1307-1327).

A day book surviving from Edward's Royal Chamber between 14th April to 7th July 1323 mentions on 27th June a Robyn Hode received wages as porter of the king’s chamber from 5th till 18th June. In the fragment of the Account book, £6 is paid out to thirty four, including Robyn Hod, Simon Hod, Wat Cowherd and Robin Dyer.

In P.R.O. E101/380/4 there are payments of 3d a day starting on the 25th April 1324 to ‘Henri Lawe, Colle de Ashruge, Will de Shene, Joh. Petimari, Grete Hobbe, Litell Colle, Joh. Edrich, Robyn Hod, Simon Hod, Robert Trasshe.......... (And nineteen others).’

On May 17th 1324: ‘ To Robert Hod and thirty one other porters for wages from the 22nd April to May 12th, less five days for Robert Hod when he was absent.’

On June 10th 1324: ‘To Robyn Hod twenty seven days wage less one day absence deducted for absence.’

On June 30th 1324: 'Twenty Six porters received their wages but Robyn Hod received nothing.'

On July 22nd 1324: ‘To Robert Hood and six other valets being with the king at Fulham by his command from the 9th day of June arrears of wages at 3d a day for twenty one day’s pay.'

August 21st 1324: ‘Robin Hod had eight days pay deducted for non-attendance.'

October 6th 1324: ‘Robyn Hod received full pay.'

October 21st 1324: No pay to Robyn Hod, absent altogether.

From October 21st to November 24th 1324 the Clerk of the Chamber paid Robyn Hod for 35 days, but deducted seven days because of absence.

November 22nd 1324: ‘To Robyn Hod formerly one of the porters, because he can no longer work, five shillings as a gift by commandment.'

Edward II (1307-1327)

In the Geste Robin has spent all his money on entertaining and on gifts to knights and squires. Only two of his men, Little John and Scathelock, are left with him. Robin longs to go back to the greenwood, and begs leave of the king to go on a pilgrimage to a little chapel in Barnsdale that he had built.

We know now that this Robert Hood/Robin Hood was already in the King’s service before his visit to Nottingham; perhaps he was given the five shillings because he was too old and sick to work. But whatever way you look at it, this is indeed a remarkable coincidence between ballad and historical fact. 

To read more about Joseph Hunter's discoveries, please click here.