Sunday, November 26, 2006

Djaq, the girl outlaw, and the Night Watchman.

Above: Lucy Griffiths as the excellent Night Watchman in BBC's Robin Hood (2006)
Above: Was this the inspiration for the Night Watchman? Marian makes her entrance in disguise in "Robin Hood Prince of Thieves".
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.

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Wednesday, November 22, 2006

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!

John Arnatt would also play the role of the Sheriff of Nottingham in Hammer's "Challenge for Robin Hood".
Too see where the Sheriff of Nottingham is said to have lived visit THIS LINK. To see his tomb slab visit THIS LINK. For more much Sheriff of Nottingham pictures and info visit THIS LINK.

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Saturday, November 11, 2006

Robin Hood double take!

Above: Alan Hale was Little John to Douglas Fairbanks, Errol Flynn, and (here) John Derek.

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.

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