The series was produced by Ralph Smart, who wrote a number of stories for the series and also created and produced Danger Man.[2][3] The show was made at the National Studios in Elstree.[4]
The outdoor scenes were filmed around the mountains and lakes of Snowdonia in Wales. The film base and make-up were at a small farm in Cwm-y-glo in Snowdonia. This is beside Llyn Padarn, a lake which can be seen in many shots (as can cars on the A4086 road on the opposite side of the lake!). The crew used to walk up the mountain from their base, as there was no vehicle access, and brought work for at least three yearly shoots to a tiny corner of North Wales before tourism took off.
An accident early occurred to the star, Conrad Phillips, during filming in Snowdonia. He was asked to keep stepping back until he stepped off a 12-foot drop, injuring his knee – which eventually led to his retirement from acting. Phillips had to wear support bandages during filming but sometimes forgot, causing him to struggle with some action scenes.[5]
Daily rushes were viewed at the only cinema in the area, at Llanberis, which was taken over from 8.00 until noon every morning. The film was taken to Soho in London for developing and the rushes returned to Llanberis by 8.30 next morning.
Although all three series had location scenes, the third was more studio based and location scenes were mostly taken from unused and reused stock shots from the first and second series. A smaller crew went to Wales for this series and more money was saved by shooting without synchronised sound. In the days of enforced demarcation, this saved several technicians' wages.
Though in some ways the same as The Adventures of Robin Hood, a brave bowman fighting against a tyrant, William Tell was an even harder show with crossbow bolts killing people and Tell fighting hand-to-hand, which often resulted in the death of the bad guy. Unlike the courtly Sheriff of Nottingham, Gessler was a pig of a man, unshaven, often eating or drinking without manners and throwing his metaphorical as well as literal weight around. Nevertheless, the interaction between the hero and the Sheriff and Land burger respectively, was a strong point in both series, bringing out the quality diction and crispness of both Alan Wheatley's and Willoughby Goddard's acting. In contrast, the absence of a regular enemy in the TV series Sir Francis Drake weakened that series.
The Adventures of William Tell series was repeated well into the 1960s. In June 2020 the series began a rerun on the British Talking Pictures TV channel.
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. This is on The Network DVD episode Castle of Fear.
1. Come away, come away with William Tell,
Come away to the land he loved so well;
What a day, what a day when the apple fell,
For Tell and Switzerland
2. Come away with Tell to the mountainside
Look down to the pass where the tyrants ride.
Fit a bolt to your bow and down they go,
For Tell and Switzerland
3. We are simple peasant folk
We will not bear a foreign yoke
Our freedom song will echo on
To fight for what is right.
4. Hurry on, hurry on, there's a dungeon cell;
Hurry on, hurry on, there's a noose as well;
But we'll escape from the jaws of hell
For Tell and Switzerland.
5. We lived our lives, we loved our friends,
We never wanted more.
We had the skill to plough and till,
But not the art of war,
But now the tyrant from the plains
Steals up to take our lands,
Instead of spade we wield the blade
Our life is in our hands.
6. Follow on, follow on, at the leader's heel
With a thrust of a pike and a clash of steel
Follow on with the fight till the tyrants reel
For Tell and Switzerland.
7. Give 'em one for the day they burned the grain,
Give 'em two for the night that Fritz was slain,
Give 'em three, give 'em four and hooray for more,
For Tell and Switzerland.
8. The shepherd's crook, the reaping hook
Has taken on a warlike look.
With blades we've beaten from the plough
We'll reap a harvest now.
9. Come away, come away with William Tell,
Come away to the land he loved so well
Fit a bolt to your bow, and away we go
For Te-e-e-ell, and Switzerland.
Verses 1, 2, 4 with the opening titles, 6, 7, 8, 9 with the closing credits.[7]
Episodes
Airdate is for ATV Midlands.[8]ITV regions varied date and order.[9]
The Swiss are subject to heavy taxes and cruel laws by the conquering Austrians and have to show respect to the Emperor's hat placed in each village. William Tell refuses and is arrested and hearing of his prowess with the crossbow Landburgher Gessler forces Tell to shoot at an apple on his son's head. Adapted from the original play by Friedrich von Schiller. Stars Derren Nesbitt and Norman Mitchell.
Gessler orders William Tell's arrest, after he steals a cache of arms, and takes six innocent men hostage who will be executed if Tell does not surrender. Stars James Booth and Roy Purcell.
The Gauntlet of St. Gerhardt is a religious relic that the Swiss rally round and carry into battle. Gessler plans to steal the relic by killing the abbot that guards it. Stars Derren Nesbitt, Edward Judd and Ian Wallace.
Gessler falsely imprisons two men, Jules Gunther and Judge Furst who is William Tell's father-in- law. Tell has to expose his replacement Judge and free the men. Stars Ronald Leigh-Hunt, Michael Ripper and Derren Nesbitt.
Prince Karl, the cousin of the Austrian emperor is assassinated and Gessler arrests two men but gives them the chance to save themselves if they find William Tell and kill him. Stars Alfred Burke, Edwin Richfield and Roy Purcell.
A beautiful woman seeks William Tell's help as she is being blackmailed by her bailiff for helping a resistance fighter. Hedda Tell suspects a plot and follows her husband. Stars Delphi Lawrence and Bruce Seton.
A local monastery is making money from the wine they make, with the proceeds going to founding a school, comes to the attention of Gessler and he wants the recipe in lieu of taxes. Stars Jack Watling and Ian Wallace.
A young girl is accused of spying for the Austrians and Tell has to prove her innocence before the townspeople hang her. Stars Edward Judd, Tommy Duggan and Sheila Raynor.
Gessler is under pressure from the Emperor to collect more taxes but his sleep is disturbed by a persistent cuckoo outside his bedroom. Stars Jack Watling
The son of a robber known, because of his size, as The Bear joins the resistance against his father's wishes. The Bear challengers Tell to a fight and if Tell wins his son can stay with the resistance. Stars Nigel Green and John Howard Davies.
Tell and Gessler meet unexpectedly at the castle of Dr. Kleine, a scientist experimenting with explosives. Gessler wants the magic powder for warfare. Stars Gerald Cross.
Gessler discovers the location of resistance funds being channelled to Italy by a Swiss banker, Hanzler, to buy arms. William Tell has to save the banker. Stars Patrick Troughton and Derek Godfrey.
Maddelena, a beautiful countess, is kidnapped by Austrian soldiers on the orders of Gessler so that he can marry her. Tell sees an opportunity; his wife Hedda is not so sure. Stars Glyn Owen and Nadja Regin.
Outraged when a boy knocks his hat off, Gessler cancels an agreement to release young slave labourers. When the boy gives himself up, Gessler decides to hang him. Stars Frazer Hines and Derren Nesbitt.
Escaping the Austrians, William Tell and his wife Hedda, who has been injured, seek refuge with the Countess von Markhein. The Countess's servant recognises the pair and threatens to inform unless the Countess agrees to marry him. Stars Melissa Stribling.
The Bear is rescued by Peter von Brechet who claims to be a fugitive but has Gessler a plan to smash the resistance. Stars Robert Shaw and Walter Gotell.
Accused of murder and theft of a partisan, William Tell has to prove his innocence in the face of his main accuser who he believes is the real killer. Stars Richard Vernon, Derek Godfrey and Kevin Stoney.
Fritz, a young Austrian officer, faces a conflict between duty and conscience and turns unexpectedly to William Tell for help. Stars John Carson, Edward Evans and John Maxim.
Tell travels to the sword making village of Linzen to find out why they have stopped the supply and finds himself under suspicion and the villagers wanting him gone. Stars David de Keyser, Derren Nesbitt and John Maxim.
Two envoys sent to negotiate a peace treaty have disappeared and William Tell suspects the beautiful Anna might be involved. Stars John Le Mesurier, Derek Waring and Ralph Michael.
Tell searches for one of his men, sent to make contact with a rival resistance leader, and whom may have been murdered, but a bandit is operating in the area under Gessler's orders. Stars Kenneth Cope, Brian Rawlinson, Maurice Kaufmann and Robert Raglan.
The Bear is captured when a young Swiss patriot, Stephan, is handing food to the partisans. Tell must rescue him and determine whether Stephan is a traitor. Stars Michael Caine and Bruce Seton.
Visiting Werner castle to track down a murderer of a resistance leader, the gateman gives Tell a dire warning of death with his own life at stake. Stars Ferdy Mayne, Edwin Richfield, Alan Rowe and Erik Chitty.
Without realising it, Gessler is walking about with a letter for which he is searching in the sole of his boot. William Tell must retrieve it to save the lives of resistance workers. Stars Derren Nesbitt and John Dearth.
William Tell and Hedda receive a visit from a friendly resistance leader needing help to find a traitor in his camp. They soon find they are in a trap. Stars William Lucas, Bruce Seton and Derren Nesbitt.
A ruthless Austrian commander nicknamed The Spider capture two of Tell's men demanding to know of under threat of torture the whereabouts of Tell's camp. Using false documents Tell infiltrates The Spider's ranks. Stars Donald Pleasence and Deborah Watling.
A beautiful naive girl is rescued by William Tell from Austrian soldiers and finds his life and reputation endangered. Stars Lee Montague, James Booth and John Dearth.
Tell goes deep into Austrian territory after the death of a partisan whose sources of information go as far as the emperor's daughter. Stars Derek Bond and Peter Welch.
Home media
The entire series is available on a 5-disc region 2 DVD set from Network Distributing Ltd Home Entertainment/Granada Ventures in 2007. The complete series is also available on a 3-disc region 1 DVD set.
Related series
Conrad Phillips later played William Tell's sidekick, Stefan, in the series Crossbow which ran from August 1987 till February 1989. William Tell was played by Will Lyman. The series ran for 72 thirty-minute colour episodes over three seasons, 24 each, with the third season unaired in America. Other members of the cast were Jeremy Clyde as Hermann Gessler, Valentine Pelka as Roland, Melinda Mullins as Blade and David Barry Gray as
Tell's son Matthew.
There was a series derived from William Tell in New Zealand entitled The Legend of William Tell, which lasted one season of 16 episodes of sixty minutes from August till December 1998. In the cast were Kieren Hutchison as William Tell, Andrew Binns as Xax, Nathaniel Lees as Leon, Katrina Browne as Aruna, Ray Henwood as Kreel, Sharon Tyrell as Kalem, Beth Allen as Princess Varga and Drew Neemia as Drogo.
References
^McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television (4th ed.). New York: Penguin Books. ISBN0-14-024916-8.
^The whole song is on the album "The Very Best of David Whitfield Volume Two"[1]
^Before 1968 ATV transmitted weekdays in the Midlands and weekends in London. See History of ITV
^For example, the first episode was broadcast on ATV London two days earlier on Saturday 13 September 1958: "Saturday Sept 13". TV Times: London Edition. London: Associated-Rediffusion Ltd. 7 September 1958. p. 36.
