Denham Studios or Burnham Beeches ?

Joan Rice (Maid Marian) and Richard Todd (Robin Hood)

These rare stills, taken from Walt Disney's live action movie The Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men (1952) raise a number of interesting questions. Was this scene filmed on one of the huge sound stages at Denham Studios? On location at Burnham Beeches? Or both?

Joan Rice and Richard Todd

I originally believed that the scene in which Robin chases Marian through the woodland was filmed at Denham.  But now I am not so sure. The sets were so realistic it is hard to tell. What do you think?

King John's Bones

King John's effigy

"First then, I desire that my body be buried in the church

of the Blessed Virgin and St. Wulfstan

Worcester."

We all know the story. Good King Richard is away on Crusade and his evil brother John tries to usurp the throne. From Elizabethan times onwards King John has been cast as the villain in countless theatrical productions and films about Robin Hood. My regular readers will know that seeing those movies and television shows left a lasting impression on me and I have spent many years researching the lives of those two feuding Plantagenet brothers. Unfortunately John does not appear in any of the surviving early medieval ballads about the outlaw, but his treacherous reputation eventually introduced him into the legend.

One recent book I would highly recommend is King John by Marc Morris (2015). Not only did I find it informative and well-written, but I was intrigued to read Morris's account about the discovery of King John's remains in Worcester Cathedral. In fact they were discovered twice. Recently I visited Worcester and had the opportinity to gaze upon the tomb of King John. I had to find out more.

King John (1166-1216) was a frequent visitor to Worcester. Nearby were his two favourite hunting grounds, the Royal Forests of Kinver and Feckingham. He also seems to have had a special affection for Wulfstan, Bishop of Worcester (1062-1095), who was canonized during his reign.  

In October 1216, John contracted dysentery at King's Lynn during his campaign to recover East Anglia from the barons.  He gradually became weaker and to make matters worse, he misjudged the tide when crossing the Wash in Lincolnshire and lost a significant part of his baggage train in the marsh.

By the middle of the month he became so ill, he had to be carried on a litter to Newark. When his party reached the castle, he was attended by Thomas de Wodestoke, abbot of Croxton, who was said to have been a skilful physician. But John knew he was dying and dictated a very brief will. Probably an indication of how weak he now was. In the last paragraph he expressed his desire to be buried at Worcester. Wodestocke then heard John's confession and performed the last rites.

Newark Castle

King John died at Newark Castle in the early hours of 19th October 1216. A strong gale howled outside. The abbot of Croxton took away the kings heart and intestines and had the body hastily embalmed. A monk named John of Savigny, who came to Newark at daybreak to mount vigil over the body and say Mass for the king's soul, encountered members of John's household scurrying out of the castle with as much loot as they could, before some official arrived to seal the royal chambers. John's corpse was then draped with rich cloth and a company of mercenaries in full armour solemnly escorted it on the long journey from Newark to Worcester.

He was interred four days later between the shrines of St. Oswald and St.Wulfstan at Worcester abbey church by Bishop Sylvester. But unlike his brother and earlier kings, John was not buried wearing his crown. This was probably due to many of the royal treasures previously being lost in the Wash. Instead, John's head was covered in the linen coif that was used to hold in place the Holy Oil used to anoint him.

John's memory would be kept fresh at Worcester by the observance of an annual fast and John's heart and intestines were preserved at Croxton Abbey in Stafford - a macabre reward to the abbot for his services.

Ten days after John's death, his eldest son Henry III (1207-1272) was crowned at Gloucester Cathedral. King Henry later helped raise the funds for his father's effigy and tomb and the considerable rebuilding of the east end of Worcester cathedral which had been badly damaged during the great fire of 1202. The church was reconstructed and the location of John's tomb would become the Lady Chapel.

How King John's original tomb might have looked

His tomb at this time, appears to have been a stone coffin 'of a dark colour with his figure upon it, raised a little above the surface of the earth', beneath the Great East Window. William Stukeley described King John's tomb in 1776 originally being :

Before the altar of the eastern most wall of the church, on each side of him, upon the ground are the effigies of the two Holy bishops, and his chief saints, Wulfstan and Oswald, from whose vicinity he hoped to be safe from harm.

This is the oldest royal effigy in England, dated from between 1228  to 1232, and made from Purbeck Marble, brought in from Dorset. It shows John in the prime of his life (thought to be a likeness) and was originally painted in bright colours and encrusted with precious jewels from Germany, Africa and eastern Europe. The pitted holes in his crown, sleeves and the collar of his gown are where the jewels would have been embedded. His head lies upon a pillow supported by the small figures of the Bishops' Oswald and Wulfstan, and his feet rest upon a lion.

A reconstruction of King John's coloured tomb

The king's right hand is holding a vial that might have contained a bone or relic of his favourite saint. His left hand grips the hilt of his unsheathed sword, which is unusual considering the convention of the time forbidding anyone to be battle ready in God's house.

1529

After the death of his eldest son, Arthur Prince of Wales, in 1502, Henry VII had an elaborate tomb and chantry dedicated to him to the right of the altar at Worcester Cathedral. During this period of renovation and reconstruction a decision was made to remove King John's marble effigy from its small base in the Lady Chapel eastward onto a raised tomb chest in the centre of the choir.

The raised tomb

While this reconstruction was taking place, the workman 'discovered' the monarch's skeletal remains - including his head covered by what they described as a monk's cowl. So, under the auspices of the sacrist, Robert Alchurch, the bones were carefully put inside the new sarcophagus and the original 13th century stone effigy was lowered in place.

1797

There seems to have been some confusion over exactly where King John's remains were lying during this period (The dean apparently had no knowledge of the Tudor discoveries). So when restoration work was planned in this year it was decided to 'satisfy every doubt' and open the tomb by the altar steps.

King John's tomb by the altar steps

Fortunately we have several detailed accounts. This appears in An Historical on the Magna Charta by Richard Thompson (1829) :

...on Monday 17th July 1797 the tomb was opened, and a stone coffin was found within containing a skeleton, whose scull was detached and lying in a different position to the body. Some of the teeth and anatomical details were in good preservation, but, notwithstanding the remains had been embalmed by Thomas de Wodestock, Abbot of Croxton, there were evident marks of putrefaction.

The dress discovered upon his body, was similar to that upon the effigy on the exterior, except that there were no gloves upon the hands and that instead of a crown, a monks cowl, used by the king's desire as a preservative against evil spirits, was found upon his head. This fitted very exactly, but the buckles or clasps of the straps were gone, having probably been of some precious metals, and were most likely removed during the Civil Wars.

The body was clothed in a long robe, which seemed to be a crimson damask of a peculiarly strong texture, and some of its embroidery remained near to the right knee; the whole object was then however a dusky brown. The legs were covered with an ornamental close dress tied at the ankles, whilst the bones of the feet were visible through the decayed parts of the drapery, of whom no account could state the material with certainty. The left hand, as in the stone effigy once held a sword, but it was then greatly mutilated and scattered down the same side of the body. The whole length of these remains measured five feet six and a half inches.

The coffin found within the tomb was of the plain white Higley stone of Worcestershire, and was broken by a considerable fracture which appeared to cross it obliquely.

The tomb remained open but a very short period, for so great was the impatience of the multitude to view its contents that it was thought prudent to close them up on the following day.  

The open tomb

Unfortunately it seems that closing the tomb (after two days) in 1797 did not prevent some of John's remains being removed. After 160 years, King John's reputed thumb bone was finally returned to the cathedral: And stored in Worcester Cathedral Art Gallery and Museum are two molars boxed together with a handwritten note stating: 'These are two teeth taken from the head of King John by William Wood, a stationers apprentice, in 1797'.

King John's two molars and thumb bone

A remnant of King John's shroud showing a heraldic beast

The teeth and thumb bone together with pieces of textile and a portion of his leather shoe (all allegedly removed from King John's tomb) are now currently on display at the British Library's Magna Carta: Law, Liberty, Legacy exhibition. My pictures of King John's reconstructed effigy are taken from the fascinating display at Worcester Cathedral.

Sources: Marc Morris, King John (2015)
               W.L. Warenne, King John (1961)
               Richard Thompson, An Historical on the Magna Charta (1829)
               Maurice Ashley, King John (1972)
         

Disney's Robin Hood Comic Strip. 7

Here at last, is the seventh instalment of The Story of Robin Hood  comic strip. Due to computer problems recently, I have been unable to upload the images, but hopefully the glitch is now cured.

This was the first Walt Disney live-action movie to be adapted to a comic strip. It was also another way in which Disney was able to advertise his new releases and keep the film fresh in the audiences mind. The strip version of Robin Hood originally ran for twenty five weeks, from 13th July till 28th December 1952 and was illustrated by Jessie Mace Marsh (1907-1966).

Down the years I have posted about Marsh and we have seen a few versions of his Robin Hood drawings in various stages of production. Unfortunately those examples were all I could find, until I was contacted by Matt Crandall. Matt runs the excellent Disney's Alice in Wonderland blog and has very kindly sent me images of the Robin Hood strips that re-appeared in the Belgian Mickey Magazine in 1953. 

Please click on the images to enlarge them. To see previous pages of the comic strip please click here.

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.

More Robin Hoods?

Some past Robin Hoods

Above is another of Laurence's wonderful montages. This image ties-in nicely with the latest news coming out of Hollywood.

The myth of Robin Hood  has existed for more than six hundred years, spreading from its modest medieval beginnings to every conceivable form of todays media and entertainment. But even that fact does not account for the unprecedented announcement that no less than four versions of the classic tale are due from America's film factory.

More images of a legend

1. Firstly Lionsgate have a new motion picture, Robin Hood:Origins in production that will have a similar format to their successfully gritty Batman Begins of 2005.
2. Warner Brothers - who in 1938 produced the classic version starring Errol Flynn - are planning a new movie about the outlaw.
3. From ballad hero to superman? Sony intend to turn Robin's band of medieval outlaws into Marvel style action hero's in their up and coming flick.
4. And last, but no-means least are Disney. Yes, this will be their third look at the legend. The first and by far the best was of course The Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men (1952). Then, in 1973 they visited Sherwood again with the hero portrayed by a fox in an animated cartoon version. Now they have Nottingham & Hood, on their books, which they hope will launch a new adventure franchise rather like their lucrative Pirates of the Caribbean.

The legend lives on.. 

I would be interested to hear your opinions on these future movies.

Elton Hayes Poster

Above is a rare variety poster promoting a performance by Elton Hayes (1915-2001) at the Empire Theatre in Finsbury Park. This was probably shortly after the release of Walt Disney's live-action movie The Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men (1952) in which he played the minstrel Allan-a-Dale.

The success of the film led to a nineteen-city tour of the USA and Canada. In 8 hectic weeks he also managed to include 113 television and radio appearances.

Elton Hayes in 1963

Below is a small section of his detailed obituary by Evelyn Branston:

When Walt Disney's Treasure Island (1950) was made, Elton had the task of arranging the old sea shanties sung on board the 'Hispaniola'. This was followed by the job of researching ancient ballads for their second live-action production, Robin Hood and his Merrie Men (1952). The producer Perce Pearce, asked him to assist in another actor's screen test, and then sprang the surprise that it had been Elton on test and the part of Allan-a-Dale was his! So good was he in that role that, although it started as a few lines, it developed into one of the main parts in the film.

Elton Hayes as Allan-a-Dale with Hal Osmond (Midge) and Joan Rice (Marian)

The success of the film led to Elton completing a nineteen-city tour of the USA and Canada, making 113 radio and TV appearances in eight hectic weeks!

Sadly his second film ['The Black Knight' (1954), Elton appears in the opening sequence as a minstrel on horseback] did not enjoy the same success. One of the film 'extras' inadvertently wore Elton's costume and was conspicuously killed in an early scene. Continuity failed to notice. Consequently all Elton's scenes were later consigned to the cutting room floor.

He sang in the Light Music Festival at the Royal Festival Hall, the Royal Film Performance at the Empire, Leicester Square, innumerable other concert appearances, private functions and then trips to the continent for recitals of higher academic standard to music societies, universities, international musicians etc. The nervous tensions of the concert platform began to take their toll and Elton realised that it was time for a change of career. Being a confirmed country lover the choice was easy; he became a farmer.

He bought a 47-acre farm at Hartest, near Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk and soon built up a prestgious herd of pedigree pigs. He now found time to return to his youthful hobby of horses. This brought him into contact with the members of the British Driving Society and the art of carriage driving. Like everything else, Elton threw himself into this new interest with enthusiasm and was soon skilled enough to win awards for driving tandem (two horses, one behind the other).

Down the years, with the kind help of Geoff Waite and others, I have researched the life of Elton Hayes. To see his complete discography, read his full obituary by Evelyn Branston and a lot, lot more, please click here.

Disney's Robin Hood Mag-O-Flex

The Mag-o-Flex

We have seen a large amount of promotional material on this blog that were released to promote Walt Disney's live-action movie The Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men (1952). In fact more were produced than we imagined as we saw in a post I did in 2012. This (below) was taken from a magazine from Today’s Cinema dated 27 March 1952:



The caption reads: 'Many of London's biggest stores are collaborating with RKO Radio's Exploitation department in window display tie-ins for Walt Disney's British production in Technicolor, The Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men, the RKO release with Richard Todd and Joan Rice, which is currently scoring a hit on its World Premiere run at the Leicester Square Theatre.

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.'

Laurence has recently sent me images of a child's projector produced about the time of the films release. It is a Mag-O-Flex, in excellent condition and is another rare example of a 'Disney's Robin Hood tie-in' from about sixty three years ago.

The Mag.O.Flex

The Mag-O-Flex was a  battery operated plastic film projector with four film strips.

The Mag-O-Flex with films

Laurence has also included images of the film strips, scripts and packaging.

He says:

Please find attached the Mag-OFlex images so that you can see them for yourself. I scanned them at a high resolution so you can blow them up if desired. They are not great pictures but then we are talking a childs projector in 1952! I would have given my right arm at the time!! Also attached the script that came with it and the package they came in.





Many thanks to Laurence for these wonderful images. I too would have given my right arm to own something like this when I was a child. If you have any memorabilia or memories of Walt Disney's Story of Robin Hood, please get in touch.

Robin Hood's Chair Yet Again !

The chair used in The Story of Robin Hood (1952)

I have recently been sent an email from Christoph, a regular reader of this blog, who says he has seen Robin Hood's Chair being used in an episode from the CBBC series Horrible Histories (2009-2013). If it is the chair (originally designed by Carmen Dillon for Walt Disney's Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men in 1951) it means it has been in used in historical productions for 62 years!

It was while watching the classic television series the Adventures of Robin Hood (1955-1960) starring Richard Greene, that I noticed a familiar piece of furniture in the Sheriff of Nottingham's chamber. I was sure I had seen the highly decorated chair with its circular headrest and carved pineapples before.



That chair in the Adventures of Robin Hood (1955-1960)

I immediately paused the DVD and quickly grabbed my illustrated copy of Walt Disney's Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men. I was correct! It was the same chair that had been designed by Carmen Dillon and her art department for Disney's live-action movie in 1951. Somehow it had found its way to Nettlefold Studios and the ground-breaking set of the black and white television series.





The Adventures of Robin Hood (1955-60)

As a young lad, these two versions of the Robin Hood legend had a huge influence on me. So you can imagine my surprise when I recently found, what I believe to be that very same chair (over thirty years later) in another all-time favourite of mine Robin of Sherwood (1984-1986).



The chair in Robin of Sherwood

I made a few enquires about this remarkable coincidence and received this message from a member of the Britmovie forum:

“I think it’s quite normal for props and costumes and even whole sets to be used in other films over the years. Studios normally had their own prop stores and there are also several large independent prop hire companies around London that have been on the go for years. I remember visiting one in Acton many years ago while helping a friend find some props for a theatre production; it was like an Aladdin’s cave with the proprietor cheerfully pointing out what other famous plays some of the props had been used for in the past.”

And:

"I guess most of the props these days are located in private rental firms. In the old days before studios went four walls they contained huge prop departments on site. I know Pinewood had a massive prop dept so it’s not unusual for the same prop to pop up in many films and are now privately owned. I know when MGM Borehamwood closed they flogged a lot off in a huge auction and many went down the road to Elstree."



The Robin Hood Chair in The Men of Sherwood (1954)

Another regular blog visitor kindly sent me stills of those chairs being used in The Men of Sherwood Forest (1954). This was the first of a trilogy of Robin Hood  features made by Hammer Film productions and also their first colour movie.

Men of Sherwood (1954)

Brian Varaday sent me another example (below) of the chair being used in The Dark Avenger (1955). This not only starred Errol Flynn, but also had many people involved in its production who would have been familiar with the chair when it was first used on the set of Walt Disney's Story of Robin Hood at Denham Studios in 1951. Actors such as Peter Finch, Michael Hordern, Ewen Solon, crew members Guy Green, Alex Bryce and technical adviser Charles R. Beard had all previously worked on Robin Hood.



The chair used in The Dark Avenger (1955)

But this is not the end of the story of Robin Hood's Chair and I was amazed to receive this email from Christoph recently:

I'm a frequent reader of your page and have posted some comments on it under the name BobBarnsdale. My name is Christoph and I live in Berlin, having a big intertest in movies depicting the middle ages, particularly in RH movies.

After I've read the articles about the RH chair I've spotted it in some more films like "The Black Knight" with Alan Ladd.

Now I found it a TV piece from 2013, maybe the most recent use of it. It's from BBC's "Horrible Histories" sketches in season 5 episode 1. It is about the coronation of Richard the Lionheart in 1189 and used as his throne. Allthough it is differently painted and the pieces on top of the chairback are missing, it is definetly the RH chair or a replica, best to be seen in the part where Richard wants to sell London.

 

A scene from the Horrible Histories episode on Richard I

Is it the original chair designed and used in Walt Disney's Story of Robin Hood in 1951? What do you think?

A big thank you to everyone who has helped me trace the various productions that have used this prop. If you know where it is stored, please get in touch. After sixty two years it is nice to think Robin Hood's Chair is still being used during the reign of Richard the Lionheart!

Montages

Above is the wonderful montage by Laurence of Walt Disney's live-action movie The Story of Robin Hood (which I now use as the header for the Facebook site). Regular readers will be aware of Laurence's input. He created the fantastic picture strip of the film that allowed us fans to relieve its magical moments. You can see those picture strips here.

The first page of the picture strip

Below is Laurence's autograph collection of the stars of Disney's Story of Robin Hood which we are all very envious of!

After reading on this blog that Ivanhoe (1952) was a favourite movie of mine, Laurence kindly sent in a fabulous montage of that film.

And below are a couple of other montages that Laurence created a few years ago of Walt Disney's live-action movies.

Disney's Rob Roy (1953)

Disney's Treasure Island (1951)



There is more of Laurence's work to follow.