Death of Marian, (Lucy Griffiths), Robin Hood Series 2.

Above: Robin Hood, series 2. Marian (Lucy Griffiths), will eventually attempt to taunt and tame the beast Gisborne (Richard Armitage) one time too many. Below: The death of Marian.

Above: Gisborne rides off on the back of the Sheriff's horse in a scene which unmistakably mirrors that of Marian on the back of Robin Hood's horse at the end of Series 1. Below: As Marian observes, even the remarkable Djaq (Anjali Jay) can't save her this time.

Marian withdraws the blade, knowing it will mean the end.

Robin Hood for a new generation.

More pictures from the first series of the BBC Robin Hood.

Douglas Fairbanks: Robin Hood or Peter Pan?

Fans of Robin Hood films often say the first half of Douglas Fairbanks' 1922 silent movie version is somewhat dull, because he isn't yet Robin. I disagree. What I fail to understand is how the noble knight pictured above wooing Marian, suddenly feels the need to skip and prance everywhere he goes once he has donned the Lincoln Green and become an outlaw. It is, as you can see below, absolutely hilarious. Although this "Robin Hood" was a box office smash I doubt anyone with a modicum of intelligence was impressed. And no, it's not true to say that all silent movies have dated in this way.

Above: Robin Hood or Peter Pan?

Below: Many Guy of Gisborne fans thought the 2006 BBC version, in which Gisborne attempts to assassinate the King whilst in the Holy Lands, was a new idea. But no. Here is Gisborne (Paul Dickey) enacting that very same scene in 1922.

Robin Hood, the silent movie version.

Above: Guy of Gisborne (Paul Dickey), the Earl of Huntingdon / Robin Hood (Douglas Fairbanks), and Lady Marian (Enid Bennett).

Above: Prince John, before an impressive film set. In 1922 Hollywood would actually build such sets for real. On the right is Friar Tuck, played by Willard Louis. For a review of Robin Hood 1922 click here.

Djaq, the girl outlaw, and the Night Watchman.

The BBC's 2006 version of Robin Hood changed the roles of many of Robin Hood characters, and dropped others altogether from the cast. But it did make two interesting innovations. Above: Djaq took over the Saracen outlaw role which had begun in the 1980's, but never as a girl before. The concept of including a female outlaw had been explored before as far back as the 1950s but, if you don't count Maid Marian, never in a permanent way. Djaq, played by Anjali Jay, entered the series having been rescued by Robin Hood's men from being put to work as a slave by the Sheriff of Nottingham. Here she is seen being tortured with acid by the Sheriff of Nottingham.

Above: Still on the theme of equal outlaw rights for the girls, the BBC also gave Maid Marian a secret identity. When Robin of Loxley left for the Crusades, long before he became Robin Hood, it seems Marian was dashing around Nottingham at night fighting for the rights of the poor. The people gave her the name of the Night Watchman, and in this way Lucy Griffiths made an excellent contribution to the annals of Robin Hood.

John Arnatt, the dagger wielding Sheriff of Nottingham.

When John Arnatt took over from Alan Wheatley as the Sheriff of Nottingham in the Adventures of Robin Hood he had the difficult task of replacing an actor who had become a household name. To this day, when people think of the Sheriff of Nottingham, they think of Wheatley with his goatee beard. But Arnatt certainly rose to the challenge and made a superb dagger wielding Sheriff. Here he is distracting Robin hood from his duel by holding a dagger to Maid Marian’s throat. Something Alan Wheatley would never have done!

Robin Hood double take!

A Robin Hood fans' favourite pub game is listing all the times certain actors (and even props) have appeared in a Robin Hood film. Once you get started on this it can go on forever! Here are a few of many. You might like to leave a comment suggesting others you'd like to see pictured in the future.
Above and below: James Hayter was one of the best Friar Tuck's of all time in Disney's Story of Robin Hood, and he reprised the role in Challenge for Robin Hood, seen above with Alfie Bass. Hayter also appeared in the Adventures of Robin Hood as a Miller. Of course Alfie Bass also appeared in the Adventures of Robin hood, in a variety of roles, the best of which saw him being rescued by Robin in the opening episode, having been caught for poaching.

Above: Paul Eddington is best known in the United Kingdom as a comedy actor of considerable merit. ("Yes Minister", "The Good Life"). As series 3 and 4 of the Adventures of Robin Hood progressed, Eddington seemed to appear every week as a different character, some of who were splendidly dark and villainous. Sadly, when given the permanent role of Will Scarlet, he wasn't directed to sustain this darker side. But his Will Scarlet was interesting if only for the jealousies it brought out in Little John.

Above and below: John Arnatt replaced Alan Wheatley as the Sheriff of Nottingham in the Adventures of Robin Hood. It was a role he would return to in 1967's Challenge for Robin Hood, and his performances in both deserve greater recognition. Interestingly, in both productions, the Sheriff's henchman was John Harvey.

Below: Herne the Hunter was a central figure in the mystical Robin of Sherwood. John Abineri played the Pagan forest god. A decade earlier he had been Maid Marian's father in the Legend of Robin Hood.

Robin Hood 2006

Above: Jonas Armstrong as Robin Hood in BBC's Robin Hood 2006.
Above: Lucy Griffiths as the Night Watchman, Maid Marian's alter ego character in the series.

Above: Keith Allen as the villianous Sheriff of Nottingham.

Above: Anjali Jay, as Djaq, the female Saracen who joins Robin Hood's merry men.

Above: Richard Armitage as Guy of Gisborne.

Robin Hood, the darker side.

Below: Judi Trott as Maid Marian at the mercy of Sorcerer Baron De Belleme in Robin of Sherwood. Once rescued, Judi Trott's character would go on to explore the inequality of women in Sherwood Forest (something Patricia Driscoll never suffered too much from).

Will Scarlet is someone you just don't want to make angry. Above: Owen Teale uses Baron Roger Daguerre as a shield during his escape from the Castle in the excellent 1990 film Robin Hood. Below: Ray Winstone totally redefined the Will Scarlet character in Robin of Sherwood, setting a standard for those who followed.
Below: Little John (Clive Mantle) engaging in his favourite sport with the Sheriff's men!

Robin Hood and his bow.

Richard Greene in Sword of Sherwood forest.
Barry Ingham in Challenge for Robin Hood.
Martin Potter in the Legend of Robin Hood.
Michael Praed in Robin of Sherwood.

Patrick Bergin in Robin Hood.

This is the moment every Robin hood fan waits for; that iconic image which occurs in every Robin Hood film when Robin draws his bow. For more pictures of Robin hood and his bow click here and visit this website.

Alan A'Dale and the singing outlaws...

Robin Hood Quiz Game #1

Match Robin Hood with the correct Little John, and name the film in each case. (Answers in the comments box).

Robin Hood pictures and image gallery

Above: Alan-a-Dale (Eric Flynn) drops his aggressive attitude to serenade Robin Hood and his Merry Men around the camp fire in an unintentionally hilarious scene from A Challenge for Robin Hood. Below: Little John fights Robin Hood in their legendary encounter on the bridge. David Morrissey played Little John with a "scouse" accent, in the excellent Robin Hood (1991).

Above: Robin Hood (Patrick Bergin) proves his archery skills to the other outlaws in Robin Hood. Below: A more placid view of Sherwood Forest, as Robin Hood (Richard Greene), Little John (Nigel Green) and Friar Tuck (Niall MacGinnis) take a break from fighting the Sheriff's men in Sword of Sherwood.

Above: Richard Greene and Patricia Driscoll strike a pose as the classic image of Robin Hood and Maid Marian. Below: Maid Marian (Uma Thurman), disguised as a young boy in order to spy on Robin, and eager to reach around the legendary outlaw as they ride towards Nottingham.

Above: Two more pictures from Walt Disney's The Story of Robin Hood showing the ever popular encounter between Robin (Richard Todd), and Friar Tuck (James Hayter).

Robin Hood picture selection.

Above: Little John (Archie Duncan), engages in a bit of archery practice during the 3rd series of The Adventures of Robin Hood. Maid Marian (Patricia Driscoll) is finding it difficult to get Robin's attention... Below: A rather flirty Maid Marian captures Robin Hood's attention at last with a fine shot. Patricia Driscoll had recently taken over the role from Bernadette O'Farrell.

Above: Robin Hood (Michael Praed) and Maid Marian (Judi Trott) make a dash to safety through gothic castle hallways during the opening episodes of Robin of Sherwood. Below: The style in which the Castle is depicted in any interpretation of the legend of Robin Hood makes an important contribution to the production as a whole. Here Michael Praed dashes towards Castle Bamburgh, situated on the edge of the North Sea, in Northumberland. Note the use of coloured filters to enhance the mystical, Pagan elements of the series.

Above: Walt Disney's Castle designed and painted on glass for all round family entertainment in The Story of Robin Hood. Below: The limited budget of Hammer Horror films were used to great effect, encouraging much location shooting rather than studios. Here Robin Hood, disguised as a minstrel, approaches the rear of Bodium Castle, East Sussex, in Men of Sherwood. The film itself was shot largely in the neighbouring county of Berkshire.

Above: Will Scarlett (Douglas Mitchell, left), was already a firm friend of Robin before he took over the band of outlaws in Challenge for Robin Hood. Alan-a-Dale (Eric Flynn, right), took some convincing. Eric Flynn was the most aggressive Alan-a-Dale to date. Below: When an older Robin Hood returned from the Crusades in Robin and Marian he found only Friar Tuck (Ronnie Barker) and Will Scarlet (Denholm Elliot), still living in the forest.

Robin Hood and Little John images and picture gallery

Richard Greene (Robin) and Nigel Green (John) in Sword of Sherwood Forest.
Michael Praed (Robin) and Clive Mantle (John) in Robin of Sherwood.
Barry Ingham (Robin) and Leon Greene (John) in Challenge for Robin Hood.
Nicol Williamson (John) and Sean Connery (Robin) in Robin and Marian.
More about Robin Hood and Little John here, here, and here.

Robin Hood website http://robinhoodtree.blogspot.com/

Hammer Films of Robin Hood.

Hammer Films made four Robin Hood films of variable but entertaining quality. However, the dark style of Hammer will always ensure them a loyal audience.
Men of Sherwood Forest saw Robin Hood and his Merry Men use a dark cave for their base of operations.
Will Scarlet faces the Sherif of Nottingham's dungeons in A Challenge For Robin Hood.
Robin Hood gives Maid Marian a passionate kiss in Sword of Sherwood Forest.
Oliver Reed made a brief yet powerful and villianous appearance in Sword of Sherwood Forest.
Maid Marian is seriously injured in A Challenge For Robin Hood.
Robin Hood and Will Scarlet on the Hammer Horror style gallows in Challenge for Robin Hood.

Click on the titles above to read film review. Also visit the main Robin Hood website for more information about Robin Hood films http://robinhoodtree.blogspot.com/ .

Maid Marian and Robin Hood costumes.

Above and below: Maid Marian and Robin Hood as they appear in The Adventures of Robin Hood. Olivia De Havilland wore a seemingly endless series of exotic costumes throughout the colourful film.

Above and below: Maid Marian costumes as they appear in Sword of Sherwood Forest and A Challenge for Robin Hood. The costumes are still colourful but possibly more realistic than the earlier Hollywood style.

Above: Maid Marian costumes in Robin of Sherwood took on a more austere and realistic look.

Maid Marian pictures can also be found here, here, here, and throughout the Robin Hood website http://robinhoodtree.blogspot.com/ To see an aerial photograph of the church where Robin and Marian were married click here. (Comments box has further advice).

Robin Hood and his Merry Men

Above: Robin Hood and his Merry Men as depicted in A Challenge for Robin Hood.
Above: Robin Hood and his Merry Men hide in Sherwood Forest in Errol Flynn's The Adventures of Robin Hood.
Above: Robin and Merry Men Will Scarlet and Friar Tuck, in the Walt Disney film The Story of Robin Hood, which continues to gain in popularity.
Above: The Merry Men don't look quite so merry as they take shelter from the Sheriff of Nottingham in an early episode of the Richard Greene television series.
Above: Richard Greene as Robin Hood with his outlaws in Sword of Sherwood Forest.
Above: Don Taylor as Robin Hood with his Merry Men in The Men of Sherwood Forest.
Above: Robin Hood and his Merry Men as depicted in an emotional funeral scene from Robin of Sherwood.

You can see more pictures of Robin Hood and his merry men by clicking on this link, this link, and throughout the Robin Hood website http://robinhoodtree.blogspot.com/

Hammer Horror and Robin Hood

Even in their first colour film there was something unmistakably evident of what would soon be referred to as the Hammer Horror style. These pictures are from The Men of Sherwood, the first Robin Hood film to be made by the famous Bray Studios. To find more information about The Men of Sherwood click here. Or simply visit the Robin Hood website http://robinhoodtree.blogspot.com/ for this and many other Robin Hood film reviews.

Alan A Dale, outlaw of Sherwood Forest

Alan A'Dale was an accomplished balladeer, able to provide humorous comment on the news of the day, or even embellish the many stories about Robin Hood himself as they sprang up across Nottinghamshire. He has become almost inextricably confused with Will Scarlet in many versions of the Robin Hood story, but they were two entirely different characters. Alan A Dale was not the best of archers or swordsmen, but his skills as a woodsman, trapping and hunting, were highly valued. He could also deliver a sentimental folk song around the camp fire to outlaws who were a long way from their sweethearts.
Above left: Elton Hayes as Alan A'Dale was central to the structure of the Walt Disney film The Story of Robin Hood, his musical appearances being used to move the plot along in much the style of an Olde English ballad. Above right: Alan A'Dale (John Schlesinger) makes his first appearance in television's The Adventures of Robin Hood, the early series of which would always be introduced with a ballad in the same manner.

For more information about Alan A Dale (Alan A'Dale) follow this link.

Robin Hood and Will Scarlet (Scarlett)

Robin Hood (Erroll Flynn) and Will Scarlet (Patric Knowles) would have been hard pressed to hide from the Sheriff of Nottingham in these clothes in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938).
Ronald Howard would continue the concept of Will Scarlet as being a combination of fashion conscious dandy and minstrel in the 1950s Robin Hood television series. But his Will Scarlet certainly has more of an eye for the ladies than for Robin.
Ray Winstone restored the credibility of the outlaw Will Scarlet as Robin Hood's loyal, though somewhat argumentative follower in Robin of Sherwood.

For more Will Scarlet information follow this link, and also visit the main Robin hood website http://robinhoodtree.blogspot.com/

sheriff of nottingham pictures

Above: Alan Wheatley as the Sheriff of Nottingham in the Richard Greene television series The Adventures of Robin Hood. Wheatley's superb performance would establish him for all time as the definitive version of this dastardly villain.
Above left: Robert Shaw as the aging Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin and Marian. Robert Shaw's Sheriff of Nottingham has the temperament of an army general, craving the action packed battles of his youth. Above centre: The accomplished actor Peter Finch was inexcusably poor as the Sheriff of Nottingham in the first Walt Disney film of The Story of Robin Hood. Maybe he was having a bad hair day. Above right: Nicholas Grace played the Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin of Sherwood, giving a superb performance which had to match Robert Addie as Guy of Gisburne as Robin Hood's main adversary.
Above: The arrows from Robin Hood and his Merry Men find their target in the early episodes of The Adventures of Robin Hood. For more Robin Hood pictures and information visit the main Robin Hood website http://robinhoodtree.blogspot.com/.

Robin Hood

Three very different depictions of Robin Hood.
Above: Robin swaggers into Nottingham Castle to confront both the Sheriff of Nottingham and Guy of Gisburne with one of their own deer, poached from the forest. Errol Flynn plays the famous outlaw in his own inimitable style.
Above: Robin of Sherwood depicted an England divided by poverty, superstition, and differing spiritual beliefs. Michaed Praed portrayed a more realistically youthful Robin.

Above: Robin Hood reaching the end of his days, disillusioned by King Richard's Crusades, and seeking perhaps a young man's death in one final fight against the Sheriff of Nottingham. Sean Connery gave perhaps one of his career's best performances in the role.

For more pictures of Robin hood visit the main Robin Hood website.

Friar Tuck gallery

Above: Eugene Pallette as Friar Tuck in The Adventures of Robin Hood.
Middle and below: The great James Hayter as Friar Tuck in the Disney production The Story of Robin Hood .

The story of Robin Hood would not be quite the same without the greedy cantankerous Friar Tuck among Robin's ranks of Outlaws. And yet his fate is currently very much in the balance as the forthcoming new BBC version seems intent on dropping him from the story. "Political correctness gone wrong", scream the fans. But time will tell. For more information about Friar Tuck click here. To see how Friar Tuck met Robin Hood click here. Friar Tuck also appears in the main Robin Hood website http://robinhoodtree.blogspot.com/

To see two possible locations for where the real Friar Tuck lived click here and here.

Nasir, "Robin of Sherwood".

Nasir (Mark Ryan) in Robin of Sherwood was an innovative addition to Robin Hood and his Merry Men. The concept of a black and/or Arabic outlaw has now become a firm fixture to the legend (albeit under slightly different names). For more information about Nasir the Outlaw follow this link.

Robin Hood Maid Marian picture gallery.

Above: Robin Hood and Maid Marion as they appear in the Hammer film A Challenge for Robin Hood.
Above: Robin Hood and Maid Marian (Olivia de Havilland) from The Adventures of Robin Hood. This depiction of the couple persists in the public imagination to this day.
Above: Walt Disney filmed The Story of Robin Hood and gave cinema audiences the first attempt at a youthful Robin and Marian. Towards the end of the film this Maid Marian (Joan Rice) also got to wear the famous Lincoln green, complete with Robin Hood style hat, something Olivia De Havilland would never have done!
Above: Robin of Sherwood, the cult television series of the 1980's, portrayed the romantic couple in a much more sensual way with Judi Trott in the leading lady's role.

See also: Maid Marian, and Robin Hood and Maid Marian marry, and the main Robin Hood website for film reviews http://robinhoodtree.blogspot.com/ .

Robin Hood and Maid Marion (Marian)

Above: Robin Hood and Maid Marian were married under the supervision of King Richard the Lionheart in many versions of the tale. This idealized version of events, seen here in Robin Prince of Thieves, is not true. To see where Robin Hood and Maid Marion were actually married click here. To see the Robin Hood statue dedicated to their marriage click here.
Above: In Robin of Sherwood Robin Hood and Maid Marian are married in a pagan service by Herne the Hunter.

Too see an aerial picture of the church in which Robin Hood and Maid Marian were married click here. (The comments box has further advice).