The legend of Robin Hood has captivated people’s imagination for hundreds of years and inspired dozens of movies, TV series and cartoons. In the memorable Disney version, Robin is a cunning brown fox and many consider Errol Flynn’s 1938 turn as the Prince of Thieves to be the best version out there. In the mid-50s however, Robin Hood was Richard Greene who starred in the TV show The Adventures of Robin Hood.

The series was British and prided itself on authenticity. Shooting took place at Sherwood Forest, the outlaw’s famed hideout, in addition to soundstage filming; costumes and props were given the green light by historians and medieval experts; sets were built according to specifications from castles of that era. To top it all off, Richard Greene was handsome and dashing as Robin, with a devil-may-care smile and impressive fencing ability.

The whole gang of Merry Men was there as well. Friar Tuck, Little John, Will Scarlet and not one, but two Maid Marians (the actress portraying Robin’ love interest left after two seasons) accompanied Robin on his adventures. The inimitable Donald Pleasance played Robin Hood’s perennial foe, Prince John, and Alan Wheatly filled the role of the dastardly Sheriff of Nottingham.

The series became very popular in England and in America, as well, drawing about 30 million viewers.  Notably, writers who were blacklisted at the time, like Ring Lardner, Jr. and Waldo Salt, penned many of the show’s scripts. They all used pseudonyms to escape the notice of McCarthyites and found an appropriate outlet in the tale of an outlaw holding the moral high ground and helping the poor, oppressed masses.
 
The show ran for four seasons on CBS and then made the transition to Saturday mornings where it was as popular as ever. Many other adaptations of Robin Hood and his Merry Men have been produced since then but none has had the humor and gallantry of this Richard Greene vehicle.