ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD, THE: TOO MANY EARLS (TV)
Summary
One in this action-adventure series about the famous Robin Hood, the benevolent outlaw of medieval England. In this episode, Robin and the men fret about their lack of money, wondering how they will survive the winter. Marian visits her eccentric environmentalist uncle, the Earl of Rochdale, and he soon gets into a squabble with his neighbor, the Earl of Northgate, over their property boundaries. Marian gets an idea and suggests that they each select a champion for the upcoming archery contest, saying that the winner will keep the land, though the archer will keep the prize money. The earls accept and Marian updates Robin, and though he points out that the Sheriff will surely arrest him if he appears at the competition, she assures him that her uncle can secure a promise of safe conduct for the day. Robin poses as a leader of a group of "nature-lovers" and meets Rochdale in the woods, and when he displays his prowess with a bow and arrow in harvesting pinecones, Rochdale eagerly agrees that he may be his champion. He immediately changes his mind, however, on hearing that Robin is an outlaw, urging him to "mend his ways."
Robin then discovers that one of his men, Loud Lawrence, has a talent for mimicry, and he sends him off to meet with the Sheriff, posing as Rochdale. "Rochdale" tells the Sheriff about the wager and convinces him to sign the deed of safe passage after promising him half of the prize money. Marian points out that Northgate will surely use the land as a hunting ground if he wins the wager, and Rochdale quickly reconsiders and hurries off to plead Robin's case with the Sheriff. The Sheriff's servant is baffled to find a second Rochdale requesting an audience, and Marian and Little John realize the blunder and hurry off to warn Robin. The Sheriff finally understands that he has been tricked and heads for the competition, where "Nottingham Ned" shoots impressively and ties with his competitor. He wins the contest after hitting a moving target, but the Sheriff then moves in to arrest him, declaring the safe-conduct paper invalid. Rochdale intervenes, however, saying that Lawrence was merely acting on his behalf, and the Sheriff is once again forced to release Robin. He attempts to claim half of the prize money, but Marian calls him out on accepting a bribe, and he relents. The considerably richer Merry Men then retire to the forest to enjoy more of Lawrence's comedic talents. Includes commercials.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: April 29, 1957 7:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:24:59
- COLOR/B&W: B&W
- CATALOG ID: B:77960
- GENRE: Drama, action/adventure
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, action/adventure; Legends
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 1955-1959
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Hannah Weinstein … Executive Producer
- Sidney Cole … Producer
- Thelma Connell … Associate Producer
- Robert Day … Director
- Milton Schlesinger … Writer
- Edwin Astley … Music by
- Richard Greene … Cast, Robin Hood
- Bernadette O'Farrell … Cast, Maid Marian
- Alan Wheatley … Cast, Sheriff of Nottingham
- Archie Duncan … Cast, Little John
- Arthur Howard … Cast, Earl of Rochdale
- Victor Platt … Cast, Earl of Northgate
- Victor Woolf … Cast, Derwent
- Nigel Davenport … Cast, Loud Lawrence
- Peter Johnson … Cast, Sheriff's Captain
- Peter Welch … Cast, Sheriff's Servant
- Clive Revill … Cast, Horatio
- Arthur Lawrence … Cast, Judge