William Telll

[MrColigings]

I'm not sure as I was very young back then. But I think we used to watch this as kids. Of course, we used to confuse William Tell with Robin Hood back then.

[RoshniAtMidnite]

At 34 seconds - "There's pungent smell "?

[ferociousgumby]

What a day, what a day, when the apple fell.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

[s10m0t10n]

I'm going to have to stop indulging myself with all these intros and episodes of black and white TV programmes. I recall so many of them and suddenly feel very old. William Tell, Whirlybirds, Buccaneers, Casey Jones, Hawkeye, Ivanhoe and all the others......*sigh*....so many happy memories.

[metafis]

@s10m0t10n

Same here, every theme tune reminds me of so many different things.

[bondsee]

i thought willy tell was jewish !

[ferociousgumby]

From Wikipedia: The series featured a long-remembered theme song, with music based on the William Tell Overture by Rossini. For the show, the song lyrics were by Harold Purcell and were sung by David Whitfield. Because this portion of Rossini's overture was the theme of The Lone Ranger in the United States, a different portion of the overture, with lyrics added, became the theme song there, titled: The Freedom Song - "Marching Behind William Tell" by Geoffrey Parsons.

[ferociousgumby]

I remember that end theme with "free, will will fight to be free", from another part of the William Tell Overture (the pastoral part with the oboe playing the theme, right before the Hi-yo Silver! part). We used to make fun of the fact that we couldn't make out half the lyrics: "Marching behind William Tell, we will blell, ga-ful forful a faf", etc.

[swissdeath13]

Än ächte schwiizer held

[ferark]

MAGIC MEMORIES.

ANYONE ELSE TRY AND MAKE THAT CROSSBOW AS KID ?

[blackhawknj]

I recall the closing theme, it was a male chorus singing about "marching behind William Tell"-of course I last saw it 50 years ago here in the USA.

[MrEasyLife]

@blackhawknj Hey blackhawk, I remember this as well from the early 60's. I just bought a DVD of the old TV series. It is really enjoyable to watch.

[papamac630]

Now I thought that the theme was different...with a male chorus singing to a tune that wasn't the Overture...anyone else remember that?

[raherecolston]

@papamac630 You may well be right Papamac. The music in this clip is just as I remembered it from watching this as a boy. You ,I see ,are from the usa, and it could well be the theme was changed for N American consumption. In the final scene, anyone recognise the bearded villain knocked out against the rock face? I thought it might be Nigel Green.

[NickAllardyce]

@raherecolston Yep, Nigel Green was the fine actor in the clip playing The Bear; the 'bearded villain' joined Tell's outlaws and became his trusted sidekick for several episodes.

[raherecolston]

@NickAllardyce Thanks for that Nick. I always enjoyed watching Nigel Green, a quite underated actor who turned out many fine performances. I thought his finest hour was Colour Sergeant Bourne in Zulu.

[Huperdano]

@papamac630 I recall as a little boy hearing a male chorus sing the closing theme: "Marching behind William Tell, William Tell...You must fight to be free!"

I have not seen these episodes since so many moons ago. I tell you, now I have evidence I didn't just imagine it all

[papamac630]

@Huperdano ...That's it! And it wasn't your imagination, my friend...I saw and enjoyed it too!

[fromthesidelines]

Produced in England (by the same people who gave you "THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD"), and syndicated in the U.S. during the 1958-'59 season.

[raherecolston]

Great to watch this. Thanx Timeless media, I never thought I'd ever see this again!

[traverscm]

Could not agree more!! Great memories of my childhood!

[salstream]

so did i holmsatlarge... in fact i wish they would re-screen it... better than the load of crap we get on tv now... mate.

[holmsatlarge]

enjoyed this show as a kid.