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The legend of Robin Hood is one that has transcended its origins in English medieval society and is still told around the world.
From its beginnings as a subversive folktale to the early days of cinema, the tales of an outlaw and his 'Merry men' have continued to captivate successive generations.

Since television began there have been at least three versions of the legend brought to screen, with varying levels of success.
The first, and arguably best remembered, was in the 1950's with Richard Greene in the title role and shot in glorious black & white! This series is still remembered fondly today by many, with it's memorable title music "...Robin Hood, Robin Hood with his merry men...”
Most recently, in the 1990's there was an American made series which was made in the same vein as 'Hercules' and was somewhat less than convincing in it's execution; with likely plots including aliens and time travellers landing in Nottingham!

From 1983 to 1985 though was perhaps the single best version of the legend to be thus far produced, for either television or the cinema.

"The blinded, the maimed, the men locked in the stinking dark, all wait for you. Children with swollen bellies - crouching in ditches - wait. The poor, the dispossessed. All are waiting. You are their hope." - Herne

The Outlaws

'Robin of Sherwood' was the creation of writer Richard Carpenter who was and still is one of televisions most respected writers with classic serials such as 'Catweazle', 'Dick Turpin' & ' I was a Rat' to his credit. Carpenter conceived and wrote much of the ethos and storylines for Robin of Sherwood, and was remarkable in that he deliberately wanted to ground the mythos into a more historically accurate portrayal of life in the 12th century - where previous adaptations had displayed a very rose tinted view of life as an outlaw.
Right back to the original Robin Hood ballads the stories of Robin Hood had always been highly embellished and subsequently altered till the point that they actually bore little relation to what was really occurring in 12th century England!

Carpenter decided he would strip away the barnacles that had attached themselves to the myth and would present his own, more plausible, version with for the first time elements of the 12th century's superstitions and folklore injected into the legend.

While the series has never been repeated (due to a clause in the original cast contracts) its reworking of the myth and the quality of its production has influenced every version of Robin Hood since.
The 1989 'Prince of Thieves' film with Kevin Costner owes a heavy debt to Robin of Sherwood's legacy, with the mercenary Saracen who befriends Robin being one example!

There are many, many sites on the World Wide Web where you can get in depth information on the production and nut and bolts of the R.O.S series, and there is little I feel I can personally add to that. However, I have been a keen collector of autographs for quite a while now with Robin of Sherwood being a hobby within that hobby.

The following pages are peppered with appropriate Links that will guide you to some of the best R.O.S sites out there if you want more hard facts and information on the series, this site though will deal with the actors and characters from that series.

'The Sheriff's Register' is a purely non-profit fan produced site designed to inform and entertain, all images used are for display purposes only and ultimately are property of Goldcrest Films & Network Videos' and no infringement is intended.