"Robin of Sherwood" (1984)TV series 1984-1986

Creator:

Richard Carpenter
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3

Release Date:

28 April 1984 (UK)

Genre:

Action | Fantasy | Drama

Plot:

A forest mystical being appoints two men in succession as the legendary outlaw defender of the oppressed.

Plot Keywords:

Swashbuckler | Archery | Fencing | Magic | Medieval

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Peter Llewellyn Williams	...	Much (24 episodes, 1984-1986)
Ray Winstone	...	Will Scarlet (24 episodes, 1984-1986)
Clive Mantle	...	Little John (24 episodes, 1984-1986)
Mark Ryan	...	Nasir (24 episodes, 1984-1986)
Judi Trott	...	Lady Marion / ... (24 episodes, 1984-1986)
Phil Rose	...	Friar Tuck / ... (24 episodes, 1984-1986)
Robert Addie	...	Sir Guy of Gisburne (21 episodes, 1984-1986)
Nickolas Grace	...	Robert de Rainault / ... (17 episodes, 1984-1986)
John Abineri	...	Herne the Hunter (17 episodes, 1984-1986)
Jason Connery	...	Robert of Huntingdon / ... (13 episodes, 1986)
Michael Praed	...	Robin of Loxley (11 episodes, 1984-1985)

(more)

Series Directed by
Robert Young		(6 episodes, 1985-1986)
Ian Sharp		(5 episodes, 1984)
Gerry Mill		(4 episodes, 1986)
James Allen		(3 episodes, 1985-1986)
Sid Roberson		(2 episodes, 1986)
Alex Kirby		(1 episode, 1985)

Series Writing credits
Richard Carpenter		(22 episodes, 1984-1986)
Anthony Horowitz		(5 episodes, 1986)
John Flanagan		(1 episode, 1986)
Andrew McCulloch		(1 episode, 1986)

Series Produced by
Patrick Dromgoole	....	executive producer (23 episodes, 1984-1986)
Paul Knight	....	producer (22 episodes, 1984-1986)
Esta Charkham	....	producer / associate producer / ... (18 episodes, 1985-1986)

Series Original Music by
Clannad		(23 episodes, 1984-1986)

Series Cinematography by
Brian Morgan		(9 episodes, 1984-1986)
Bob Edwards		(4 episodes, 1984-1986)
David Hillier		(2 episodes, 1986)

Series Film Editing by
Andrew Findlay		(6 episodes, 1984-1986)
Nigel Bell		(4 episodes, 1985-1986)
Terry Maisey		(2 episodes, 1984)
Lyndon Matthews		(2 episodes, 1986)
Robin Inger		(1 episode, 1985)
Thomas Schwalm		(1 episode, 1986)
David Williams		(1 episode, 1986)
Brian Freemantle		(unknown episodes)
David McCormick		(unknown episodes)

Series Casting by
Beth Charkham		(18 episodes, 1985-1986)
Esta Charkham		(5 episodes, 1984)

Series Production Design by
John Biggs		(16 episodes, 1984-1986)
Ken Sharp		(1 episode, 1986)

Series Art Direction by
Diane Dancklefsen		(7 episodes, 1986)
Kate Barnett		(5 episodes, 1985)
David McHenry		(4 episodes, 1986)

Series Costume Design by
Lynnette Cummin		(23 episodes, 1984-1986)

Series Makeup Department
Cherry West	....	makeup supervisor (21 episodes, 1984-1986)
Ros Wilkins	....	makeup supervisor (4 episodes, 1986)

Series Production Management
Keith Webber	....	production supervisor / production manager (19 episodes, 1984-1986)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jon Older	....	second assistant director (10 episodes, 1985-1986)
Michael Murray	....	first assistant director (5 episodes, 1984)
Robert Champion	....	assistant director (5 episodes, 1986)
Harold Messias	....	assistant director (5 episodes, 1986)
John Parris	....	second assistant director (4 episodes, 1984)
John Watson	....	first assistant director (4 episodes, 1985-1986)
Richard Hoult	....	first assistant director (4 episodes, 1986)
Anthony Boyle	....	first assistant director (3 episodes, 1986)
Paddy Carpenter	....	first assistant director (1 episode, 1985)
Christopher Dando	....	first assistant director (1 episode, 1985)
Tim Dowd	....	first assistant director (1 episode, 1986)

Series Art Department
Gwenda Foord	....	props / production buyer (16 episodes, 1985-1986)
Alan Burnham	....	carpenter (13 episodes, 1984-1986)
Christopher Morris	....	assistant designer (13 episodes, 1985-1986)
Gordon Brewer	....	construction manager (9 episodes, 1984-1986)
Charles Long	....	graphic artist (9 episodes, 1986)
John Maher	....	construction manager (8 episodes, 1986)
Fred Rawnsley	....	carpenter (6 episodes, 1986)
Peter Smith	....	props / props buyer (4 episodes, 1984)
Derek Nice	....	assistant designer (3 episodes, 1984)
Ken Bridgeman	....	assistant designer (1 episode, 1984)
Pilar Foy	....	assistant designer (1 episode, 1986)

Series Sound Department
Alan Eagling	....	dubbing mixer (16 episodes, 1984-1986)
Jonathan Hays	....	sound editor (11 episodes, 1984-1986)
Gus Lloyd	....	boom operator (10 episodes, 1984-1985)
Gordon Kethro	....	sound mixer (10 episodes, 1985-1986)
Pat Boxshall	....	sound editor / assistant sound editor (9 episodes, 1984-1986)
Graham Pearson	....	boom operator (7 episodes, 1986)
Mike Davey	....	sound mixer (6 episodes, 1984-1986)
Andy Kennedy	....	sound editor (5 episodes, 1986)
David Holloway	....	sound editor (4 episodes, 1985-1986)
Jim Roddan	....	sound editor (3 episodes, 1984)
Ken Alderman	....	sound mixer (3 episodes, 1986)
Ken Schrivener	....	dubbing mixer (2 episodes, 1984)
Hugh Strain	....	dubbing mixer (2 episodes, 1984)
John Biddlecombe	....	boom operator (2 episodes, 1986)
Richard King	....	dubbing mixer (1 episode, 1985)
James Mather	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
Martin Pearce	....	sound assistant (unknown episodes)

Series Special Effects by
Malcolm King	....	special effects (2 episodes, 1986)
Ken Lailey	....	special effects supervisor (unknown episodes)

Series Stunts
Terry Walsh	....	stunt coordinator (23 episodes, 1984-1986)
Steve Dent	....	stunts (12 episodes, 1984-1986)
Wayne Michaels	....	stunts (8 episodes, 1984-1986)
Max Faulkner	....	stunts (5 episodes, 1984-1986)
Graeme Crowther	....	stunts (5 episodes, 1985-1986)
Brian Bowes	....	stunts (3 episodes, 1984-1986)
Tom Delmar	....	stunt double (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Des Coles	....	gaffer (16 episodes, 1984-1986)
Roger Pearce	....	camera operator (12 episodes, 1984-1986)
Gary Breckon	....	camera operator (4 episodes, 1985-1986)
Howard Rockliffe	....	camera operator / focus puller (4 episodes, 1986)
Robin Carlyle	....	focus puller (3 episodes, 1986)
Ray Gallard	....	focus puller (3 episodes, 1986)
Alan Gibbs	....	gaffer (1 episode, 1986)

Series Animation Department
Chris Lyons	....	animator (1 episode, 1986)

Series Casting Department
Elizabeth Jeffreys	....	casting assistant (10 episodes, 1985-1986)
Laura Cairns	....	casting assistant (8 episodes, 1984-1985)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Anne Crawford	....	costume supervisor (15 episodes, 1985-1986)
Yvonne Hellin	....	wardrobe mistress (6 episodes, 1985-1986)
Ken Lawton	....	wardrobe master (3 episodes, 1985)

Series Editorial Department
Hedley England	....	assistant editor (2 episodes, 1984)
David Holloway	....	assistant editor (2 episodes, 1984)
Maya Brandt	....	assistant editor (1 episode, 1985)
Sally Gould	....	assistant editor (1 episode, 1985)
James Mather	....	assistant editor (1 episode, 1985)
Bruce Jones	....	assistant editor (1 episode, 1986)
Roger Keen	....	assistant editor (1 episode, 1986)
Danny Longhurst	....	assistant editor (1 episode, 1986)
Jacky Norrie	....	assistant editor (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Steve Dent	....	horse master (23 episodes, 1984-1986)
Laura Woolford	....	production secretary (14 episodes, 1985-1986)
Sue Binding	....	secretary to producer (11 episodes, 1986)
Dave Aubrey	....	production accountant (10 episodes, 1984-1986)
Patsy Lightfoot	....	liaison: Goldcrest (9 episodes, 1986)
Jan Lovell	....	production assistant (9 episodes, 1986)
Douglas Thorpe	....	location manager (9 episodes, 1986)
Alan Pinniger	....	location manager (8 episodes, 1985-1986)
Ann Simpson	....	continuity (7 episodes, 1985-1986)
Paul Knight	....	story consultant (7 episodes, 1986)
Barry Beckett	....	location manager (6 episodes, 1986)
Elaine Matthews	....	continuity (5 episodes, 1984-1985)
Christopher Dando	....	location manager (5 episodes, 1984)
Richard Carpenter	....	script editor (5 episodes, 1986)
Julie Baines	....	production assistant (4 episodes, 1984)
Moira Brenard	....	production secretary (4 episodes, 1984)
Ralph Tobert	....	choreographer (4 episodes, 1985-1986)
Val Demeter	....	production assistant (4 episodes, 1985)
Steve Cronick	....	production accountant (4 episodes, 1986)
David Jenkins	....	production accountant (4 episodes, 1986)
John Parris	....	location manager (3 episodes, 1985)
Grainne Ferris	....	continuity (2 episodes, 1986)
Lesley Morgan	....	continuity (2 episodes, 1986)
Gabe Cronnelly	....	archery advisor (1 episode, 1984)
Denise Cockram	....	continuity (1 episode, 1985)
Shirley Lock	....	continuity (1 episode, 1986)

Production Companies

• Goldcrest Films International
• Harlech Television (HTV)

Distributors

• Independent Television (ITV) (1984) (UK) (TV)
• Playhouse Home Video (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Brian Terry Productions  titles

Also Known As:

Robin Hood (USA)

Runtime:

60 min (24 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Certification:

UK:PG

Filming Locations:

Alnwick Castle, Alnwick, Northumberland, England, UK

Company:

Goldcrest Films International

Trivia:

Filmed on location in woods outside Bristol, where all the trees still sported leafs of the period, as opposed to Fir trees brought to England in the nineteenth century.

Quotes:

Herne the Hunter: String the bow.
Robin of Loxley: Why?
Herne the Hunter: To give it purpose.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Unauthorized 'Star Wars' Story (1999) (V)

Soundtrack:

Darkmere

Timeless Escapism

As listed and stated in many previous comments, this unique series has many excellent elements and ingredients to its credit. Indeed, more than 20 years after it was originally transmitted, it is still watched, and watched again, and has a huge global fan-following, something which must indicate that the makers of this series undeniably got something right.

The root of the series' brilliance and remarkable appeal has however got to be that it rests on wonderfully written dialogue and timeless characters – all of which are brought to life by marvellous actors. The characters are wonderful in particular because of their complexity. In contrast to many other Robin Hood adaptations, and indeed many other film and TV-productions in general, the good guys in this series often make mistakes and can be seen to have apparent flaws, while the baddies, although put forward as evil and ruthless, frequently can be understood and even on occasion seem quite sympathetic. This very much makes Robin of Sherwood into a story about multifaceted, REAL people – rather than of good and bad people – something which very much adds to its uniqueness and remarkable appeal. Also, although very much being an action-packed series featuring numerous amazing stunts (which are remarkable in themselves seeing as this was made long before today's computer animation, green screens, and so forth. Thus, behind every one of those endless guys falling off castle walls, horses, and catching fire, there actually is a real person who at some point DID fall off a castle wall or a horse or catch fire), there is always amazing dialogue going on between the different characters in each episode. In the final analysis, however, it is generally the series' baddies – Nickolas Grace as The Sheriff of Nottingham, Robert Addie as Sir Guy of Gisburne, and Philip Jackson as The Abbot Hugo de Rainault – who get the very best lines and who more than often steal the show with their arguments full of wit and cant. "It's a wedding, not a celebration!" is just one of their many timeless "pearls of wisdom" which seems to follow one through life :-).

20 years after the fact, it is indeed hard to believe that Robin of Sherwood was originally something made for television – and apparently not with a great deal of money – in order to provide fleeting Saturday afternoon amusement for small children in Great Britain. Filmed in beautiful locations, with clever, amazing scripts and featuring remarkable stunts and fantastic actors – many of whom give the performance of their lives in this show – this in numerous ways seems to be more professionally made and have more production value than many a Hollywood film.