In Sherwood, in a cafe and under a poster of my favourite film. HEAVEN!
Robin Hood's Promotion
Above is a screenshot from the Daily News (London) on March 14th 1952 showing Joan Rice at the London Première of Walt Disney's "Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men":
'There's no mistaking Maid Marian (Joan Rice) as she arrives for last night's première. Robin Hood motifs trim her tulle skirt. Her velvet bodice is in Lincoln Green, of course.
The amount of advertising and promotion that went on before and during the release of Walt Disney's Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men (1952) never ceases to amaze me. I have once again been delving in the newspaper archives and discovered another glimpse of the work that went on. This article appeared in Kinomatograph Weekly on March 5th 1952:
RKO’s Showmanship Link with CMA for ‘Robin Hood’ and ‘Saturday Island '
"The world premières of both ‘Robin Hood’ and ‘Saturday Island’ are to be presented by RKO-Radio, with the operation of CMA, in traditional showmanship fashion. They will be launched with publicity campaigns outstanding even in RKO showmanship.
A few days before the opening, on March 13, of Walt Disney’s ‘Robin Hood’ in Technicolor, at the Leicester Square Theatre, the Daily Graphic will start its picture serialisation and will be sponsoring a £200 competition on popular lines. It will be backed by widespread national campaigns by Kelsey Newspapers. The première, like that of the provincial opening later, in Manchester, will be in aid of the National Advertising Benevolent Society.
The BBC will serialise ‘Robin Hood’ on five successive evenings starting April 28 on the Light programme from 6.15-6.45 p.m., a time when the film will be at the height of its general release. The material will be from the sound track of the film with added matter recorded by stars Richard Todd and Joan Rice.
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| Joan Rice and Richard Todd |
It will also be featured on the day of the première itself, in ‘Film Time’, while Joan Rice has a special ‘Robin Hood’ spot on television’s ‘Kaleidoscope.’ Many of Britain’s large circulation magazines are also devoting big spaces to the picture tying in with its première and general release.
In addition to this editorial coverage, national advertising started last Thursday with prominent spaces in leading journals and a widespread poster campaign both in the West End and in the provinces.
National tie-ins have also been arranged with a large number of commercial houses.
Elton Hayes, the BBC man with a small guitar, who makes a film debut in the picture, will tour key presentations in the provinces."
Kinomatograph Weekly March 5th 1952
I would love to hear those recordings that Richard Todd and Joan Rice made for the BBC!
Does that episode of 'Kaleidoscope' with Joan Rice survive?
Martitia Hunt
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| Martitia Hunt as Queen Eleanor |
"Hold! I am Eleanor, by the wrath of God, Queen of England. Down on your knees, you traitorous dogs!”
With these haughty lines, Martitia Hunt as Eleanor of Aquitaine, attempts to stop an attack, by the Sheriff’s soldiers, on the royal entourage in Walt Disney’s Story of Robin Hood. A regal role she played with her usual scene stealing ability.
In the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Donald Roy describes Martitia thus:
"With an arresting appearance and a dominant stage presence, she proved most effective as strong, tragic characters, her Gertrude in Hamlet being accounted by some critics the finest they had seen."
Martitia was born on a ranch in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to Alfred and Marta Hunt on 30th January 1900. When she was ten, the family returned to England, where Martitia attended Queenwood boarding-school in Eastbourne. She trained as an actress under Dame Genevieve Ward and Lady Benson. And by 1920 she had appeared in her first movie, an obscure 2 reel, silent film, produced by Walter West called The Rank Outsider.
After joining the Liverpool Repertory Theatre, Martitia moved, in September 1929, to London and later, on John Gielgud’s insistence, she joined Harcourt Williams’s Old Vic Company for a season. It was there that she established herself as a stage actress and went on to make notable performances, particularly in Shakespearian plays, such as, Gertrude in Hamlet, Lady Macbeth in Macbeth, the Queen in Richard II and Rosalind in As You Like It, alongside Gielgud.
Like many actors and actresses of her time, Martitia divided her career between stage and film production. In 1932 she made her first ‘talking’ picture debut as Aline, in Alexander Korda’s Service For Ladies. Many supporting, or cameo roles followed, including Aunt Esther in When Knights Were Bold (1936), Lady Francis Brandon Grey in Tudor Rose (1936) (alongside Cedric Hardwick and John Mills) and Lady Bogshott in Good Morning Boys (1937).
With middle age, Martitia finally achieved her greatest success. Firstly with her role as cousin Agatha in the 17th century costume drama, The Wicked Lady (1945) alongside Margaret Lockwood and James Mason. Then with a reprisal of a character she had performed in 1939.
David Lean had seen Martitia as Miss Havesham, along with Alec Guinness as Herbert Pocket, in a stage production of Dickens’s novel, after being taken to the Rudolf Steiner Hall by his wife Kay Walsh. This inspired him to film his later award winning classic, Great Expectations (1946) in which both Martitia and Alec Guinness recreated their roles. This masterpiece proved to be a benchmark in movie production and went on to win two Oscars. One for its art direction and also for Guy Green’s (later director of photography on Disney’s Robin Hood (1952)) black and white cinematography.
Martitia’s brilliant, unforgettable performance, as the mad recluse, Miss Havesham, in the atmospheric setting of ‘Statis House,’ brought her world wide recognition. Three years later she made her Broadway debut in The Madwoman of Chaillot and won a Tony Award for Best Actress (Dramatic) for her 'Countess Aurelia'.
But her success, firmly began to typecast her in roles, as an ‘eccentric grand dame’ or ‘evil aristocrat.’ Gradually she reduced her stage work and in May 1956, played in her last theatre production, as Angelique Boniface in Feydeau’s farce, Hotel Paradiso. This was at the Winter Gardens, with Irene Worth and Alec Guinness, whom she had given voice lessons, at the beginning of his acting career.
More regal roles followed in her film career, including Princess Betty Tversky in Anna Karenina (1948) and the Duchess of Berwick in The Fan (1949).
The tall, stately, velvet voiced, Martitia Hunt, was of course, the perfect choice to play the part of Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine in Walt Disney’s Story of Robin Hood (1952). As 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.
Her later, notable films, included Anastasia (1956) as Baroness Elena von Livenbaum with Ingrid Bergman, The Admirable Crichton (1957) as Lady Brocklehurst and as Anna Richter, the story teller, in The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm (1962).
In the final years of her career, Martitia once again found herself with regal roles like the Empress Matilda in Beckett(1964) and the Grand Duchess Lupavinova in The Unsinkable Molly Brown, (1964). Her last two films were the mystery thriller, Bunny Lake is Missing (1965) in which she played the part of Ada Ford and the sex comedy, The Best House in London (1969) as the headmistress.
Martitia Hunt died of bronchial asthma at 7 Primrose Hill Studios, Fitzroy Road, Hampstead, London, on 13th June 1969. She was 69.
Filmed in Britain
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| Richard Todd as Robin and Joan Rice as Marian |
For this latest blog post, I thought I would delve into the newspaper archive and look at some reports on the release of Walt Disney's Story of Robin Hood in 1952.
This is from the Coatbridge Leader on April 19th 1952:
"For his filmed-inBritain all-live-action Technicolor production, 'The Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men,' Walt Disney assembled a galaxy of British acting talent.
The cast include Richard Todd, Martitia Hunt, Peter Finch, james Robertson Justice, James Hayter, Hubert Gregg and Elton Hayes.
Richard Todd plays the role of the legendary greenwood he-man with a convincing mixture of calculated cunning and stern righteousness that is a refreshing change from Hollywood heroics.
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| Joan Rice |
Lovely British discovery, Joan Rice, also brings fresh appeal to the screen in her first big role as Maid Marian.
Peter Finch, as the bold, bad Sheriff of Nottingham, is as ruthless as any hero could hope to thwart, and at the other end of the stave (wielding it with religious stoutheartedness), James Hayetr is a kindly, jovial Friar Tuck.
Kingly characters both, Hubert Gregg as Prince John, and Patrick Barr as King Richard, thunder realistically in their royal beards.
Strumming a tuneful six-stringed instrument, Elton Hayes was a natural choice for Allan-A-Dale, and a hoary, hefty Little John, James Robertson Justice excels. "
Merrie Christmas
Merrie Christmas and Happy New Year!
Thank you for visiting the Facebook page and this blog down the years and keeping the memory of this wonderful film alive.
If you would like to see Walt Disney's Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men (and I thoroughly recommend you do) it is now available on Disney+ streaming service.
Joan's Premiere Skirt
70 years ago Walt Disney's live action movie The Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men had its premiere in London at the Leicester Square Theatre. Here is our lovely Joan Rice (1930-1997) wearing a specially designed skirt for the occasion.
I wonder what happened to that skirt?
It was possibly designed by Walt Disney's promotional team. The newspapers described Joan arriving in a limousine with Robin Hood motifs along the trim of her tulle skirt. Her velvet bodice was in Lincoln Green, of course!
The Disney Magic
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| Prince John watches his brother King Richard leave on Crusade |
Prince John (Hubert Gregg) watches his brother King Richard and his Crusading army leave for the Holy Land. One of my favourite scenes from Walt Disney's Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men (1952). This film contained so many visual feasts! It left me sitting spellbound in my local cinema.
It is difficult to describe to the younger generation what it was like growing up in the 1950s and 1960s. Our television was in grainy black a white, with a very small screen. Hi-definition and recording a programme off of it was something yet to be invented.
So visiting a cinema was not only a treat but an immersive experience, especially if the film was in colour!
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| Nottingham Castle |
One of the first TV programmes I can remember watching was the Richard Greene series The Adventures of Robin Hood (1955-1959). I was also a huge fan of everything Walt Disney produced. So, when I had the chance to see Disney's live-action movie The Story of Robin Hood at my local Granada Cinema, I was buzzing with excitement.
I saw it three times that week!
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| A disguised Marian finds Alan a Dale |
Disney's Story of Robin Hood inspired an interest in the outlaw's legend that has never left me. It also led to my love of history and genealogy.
So, I started this blog as a way of making others aware of this now almost forgotten Technicolor masterpiece.
But what made this version of the legend so special for me?
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| Nottingham Archery Tournament |
Where do I begin? To start with it oozes quality, in the host of actors, chosen by casting director Maud Spector. Stars like Peter Finch, Richard Todd, James Hayter, Martitia Hunt and Joan Rice- to name a few. The crews behind the camera are; legendary art director Carman Dillon and directors Ken Annakin and Alex Bryce. Also Director of Photography Guy Green, later to become co-founder of the British Society of Cinematographers.
I could go on and on.
It was Disney legend Perce Pearce who was chosen by Walt Disney to supervise and produce the film in England. It would be the last major movie to be made in Denham Studios in Buckinghamshire using some of its huge sound stages.
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| Friar Tuck |
Perce Pearce, Richard Todd, Carmen Dillon, scriptwriter Lawrence Edward Watkin and other members of the production unit made several research visits to Nottinghamshire and its archives during the Spring of 1951. It is this close attention to detail and respect for the legend that I admire and shows in the final cut.
The five images in this article demonstrate the visual beauty of this film, they were created by the legendary matte artist Peter Ellenshaw- another Disney legend, working many decades before the invention of computer generated imagery.
Ellenshaw's artistic skill, together with Carmen Dillon's art department created that storybook quality to the film. It is not surprising it was voted one of the best Technicolor movies ever made in Britain. Disney Magic!
Joan Rice Sponsors Innoxa Fashion Cream
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| Joan Rice promoting Innoxa in1954 |
Above is an advert dated by the Innoxa company to 1954, featuring the beautiful English actress Joan Rice (1930-1997).
Joan rose to fame as Maid Marian in Walt Disney's Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men (1952). This site is dedicated to her memory.
Joan promoted Innoxa Fashion Cream, described by the company as:
... far more than ordinary cake make-up and ideal for all types of skin. Needs no water and keeps the skin soft and radiant.
Shades: Honey Blonde, Sun Glow, and Golden Sand.
The year that the Innoxa advert appeared witnessed a turning point in Joan's film career. During December 1953, Joan had given birth to a son Michael, then January 1954 saw the release of the lavish Technicolor adventure His Majesty O'Keefe. Joan played the beautiful island girl Dalabo Aki Dali alongside Burt Lancaster.
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| Joan Rice as Dalabo |
But, after the release of The Crowded Day in October 1954, Rank Organisation did not renew her contract. There is a lot of speculation as to why this happened. Some claim it was her struggle with asthma that curtailed her career. But I am not so sure.
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| Joan as Peggy French in The Crowded Day |
In January 1955, Joan appeared in Norman Wisdom's second movie One Good Turn. A month later, she was photographed by the press leaving London airport en route for Dublin to appear on stage in the play Welcome Stranger at the Gaiety Theatre. Sadly the magical whirlwind that had lifted her to the dizzy heights of Hollywood was waning.
To read more about the life of Joan Rice, please click on the label.
Walt Disney Visits the Robin Hood Set
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| Richard Todd, Walt Disney and Joan Rice |
Here is a collection of publicity shots of Walt Disney with Richard Todd (Robin Hood) and Joan Rice (Maid Marian). In July 1951, just as his cartoon version of Alice in Wonderland was released in America, Disney visited Europe with his wife Lillian and their daughters to supervise his second live-action movie, The Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men (1952) which was financed again by the blocked monies of RKO and Disney. Apparently he was thoroughly pleased with the way things were going.
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| Walt Disney greets Joan Rice (Maid Marian) |
Before leaving America, Walt had screened films at the studio, looking at prospective actors and directors and making what he himself called ‘merely suggestions’, while he left the final decisions to Perce Pearce, who was producing. For his part, Pearce had laid out every shot in the movie in thumbnail sketches, or storyboards, just as the studio had done with the animators, and sent them on along with photostats and the final script to Walt for his approval, which Walt freely gave, though not without a veiled threat that Pearce had better make the film as quickly as possible. “This is important not only to the organisation but to you as the producer,” he wrote.
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| Another publicity shot of Walt with Joan and Richard |
In his biography Caught in the Act, Richard Todd described Perce Pearce as a jolly, rubicund Pickwickian figure.
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| Perce Pearce with Richard Todd |
Todd is vague in how he was chosen to play the part of Robin Hood for Disney. He didn't remember if it was through his agent or the legendary film maker himself. But, after agreeing to play the part of the outlaw he met Perce Pearce and Maud Spector (the casting director) at the Dorchester Hotel in London and went through lists of candidates for parts in the film. Todd's only contribution was to suggest James Robertson Justice as Little John.
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| Walt Disney enjoys a picnic with Robin and Marian |
What is certain is Disney personally chose Joan Rice to play the part of Maid Marian. Todd doesn't mention Joan in his biography but Ken Annakin, the director on The Story of Robin Hood, does. He depreciatingly describes Joan as Disney's, Achilles Heel and only fit to be somebody's house maid!
Audiences around the world disagreed with Annakin.
Neil's fantastic website Films of the Fifties contains an extremely interesting article on how Joan was treated on the set of Disney's Story of Robin Hood: https://filmsofthefifties.com/the-bullying-of-joan-rice/
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