Robin of Sherwood

Robin of Sherwood, retitled Robin Hood in the US, was an acclaimed 1980s British television series, based on the legend of Robin Hood. It was made by HTV in association with Goldcrest, and ran from 1984 to 1986 on the ITV network. The show starred Michael Praed and Jason Connery as two different incarnations of the title character, and was created by Richard Carpenter. Unlike previous adaptations of the Robin Hood legend, Robin of Sherwood combined a gritty, authentic production design with elements of real-life history and pagan myth.

Third Series (1985-86)

• Herne's Son, part 1
• Herne's Son, part 2
• The Power Of Albion
• The Inheritance
• The Sheriff Of Nottingham
• The Cross Of St. Ciricus
• Cromm Cruac
• The Betrayal
• Adam Bell
• The Pretender
• Rutterkin
• The Time Of The Wolf, part 1
• The Time Of The Wolf, part 2

Michael Praed played Robin Hood (or Robin of Loxley) in the first two seasons. His "Merry Men" consisted of Will Scarlet (played by Ray Winstone), Little John (played by Clive Mantle), Friar Tuck (played by Phil Rose) his adopted brother Much (played by Peter Llewellyn Williams), the Saracen Nasir (played by Mark Ryan) and Lady Marian (played by Judi Trott). As in the legend, Robin is opposed by the Sheriff of Nottingham (Nickolas Grace) and Sir Guy of Gisburne (Robert Addie). Robin is assisted by Herne the Hunter, who sometimes appears as a forest spirit representing the powers of light and goodness, and sometimes as a mortal man.

Related Topics:
Michael Praed - Will Scarlet - Ray Winstone - Little John - Clive Mantle - Friar Tuck - Phil Rose - Peter Llewellyn Williams - Saracen - Mark Ryan - Lady Marian - Judi Trott - Sheriff of Nottingham - Nickolas Grace - Guy of Gisburne - Robert Addie - Herne

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At the end of the second season, Robin of Loxley is killed and Robert of Huntingdon (played by Jason Connery, whose father Sean Connery had played Robin in Robin and Marian) replaces him as Robin Hood. During the course of the season, the new Robin discovers that he is the half-brother of his nemesis Guy of Gisburne (an idea suggested to Carpenter by the fact that both actors had blond hair).

Related Topics:
Jason Connery - Sean Connery - Robin and Marian

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The series came to an end when Goldcrest was forced to pull out of the venture due to a downturn in the fortunes of their film arm. Goldcrest had been responsible for critical and commercial hits such as Chariots of Fire (1981) and Gandhi (1982) earlier in the eighties, but had hit a lean spell with such films as Revolution (1985) and Absolute Beginners (1986). As the series was expensive to make, HTV could not afford to produce it alone and no more episodes were made.

Related Topics:
Goldcrest - Film - Chariots of Fire - Gandhi - Revolution - Absolute Beginners - HTV

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