Sir Francis Drake (TV series)

Production

The series was a joint ABC/ATV production, made at Associated British Elstree Studios and on historical sites in England.

A replica of the Golden Hind was constructed at a cost of £25,000 and was used for filming in and around the bays of Torbay and Dartmouth. In 1963 the ship was permanently moored in Brixham harbour in Devon where it became a tourist attraction. The ship was wrecked in a storm in 1987, after which it was towed to Dartmouth and replaced with the current replica.

Additional production staff

Historical research was provided by E. Hayter Preston. Beatrice Dawson designed the many period costumes worn in the show. Ian Stuart Black was story editor. The fight scenes were arranged by Peter Diamond, who also appeared in four episodes.

Broadcast history

The series was originally shown on UK network ATV from 12 November 1961, until 20 May 1962. It later aired in the US on NBC from 24 June 1962, to 9 September 1962 as a summer replacement for Car 54, Where Are You?. In 2020, it began being broadcast on Talking Pictures TV.

Cast and characters

• Terence Morgan as Sir Francis Drake
• Jean Kent as Queen Elizabeth I
• Michael Crawford as John Drake
• Roger Delgado as Count Bernardino de Mendoza
• Patrick McLoughlin as Trevelyan
• Alex Scott as Don Pedro
• Milton Reid as Diego
• Richard Warner as Walsingham
• Ewan Roberts as Munro
• Howard Lang as Richard Grenville
• Glynn Edwards as Will Martin
• Peter Diamond as Bosun

Guest appearances

• David McCallum as Lord Oakeshott
• Delphi Lawrence as the Countess
• Raymond Huntley as Dr John Dee
• Noelle Middleton as Mary Queen of Scots
• Michael Anderson Jr. as John Harington
• Clive Morton as English Ambassador
• Ronald Leigh-Hunt as Hawkins
• Nanette Newman as Yana
• Olive McFarland as Jenny Smellitt
• Michael Ripper as Almighty Jones
• Mark Eden as Agila
• Anthony Bushell as Tom Doughty
• Frederick Jaeger as Vicary
• William Lucas as Count Julio
• Neil McCallum as Sir Martin
• Francesca Annis as Mariella of Naples
• Ferdy Mayne as Joos
• Mary Merrall as Duchess
• Nigel Davenport as Miguel de Cervantes
• Reginald Beckwith as Sir Henry Rainsford
• Brian Bedford as Estaban
• Barry Morse as Governor
• Pamela Brown as Catherine de' Medici
• Patrick Allen as Henry of Navarre
• Natasha Parry as Countess Inez

Episode list

Airdate is for ATV London ITV regions varied date and order. The episode also stars Michael Golden as Rafe and Edward Cast as captain of the Guard and Michael Crawford sings "Greensleeves". The episode also stars Michael Peake as the (Spanish) Governor, Leon Peers as Eastwood, Joanne Dainton as Laura and Peter Diamond as Bosun. The episode also stars Henry Vidon as The Prefect and Howard Lang as Grenville. As Grenville certainly looked the part as Drake's second in command he became a permanent character in the show. Drake and Jack find themselves in a tavern full of Spanish soldiers where the ambassador is held captive. There was a point early in the story where it was shown that the ship's crew lived on very poor food. In the sword fight near the end, the ship's cook (Victor Maddern) is seen grabbing all the Spanish food he could to take back to the ship. There were two models used to show Royal residences of the time. Also starred John Moffatt as a Spanish Captain, Timothy Pearce as a Spanish soldier, Isobel Black as Sophia and Peter Diamond as Bosun. The cast includes Patrick Wymark as Captain Williams (of the garrison), Peter Diamond as Bosun, Bill Dancy as Master Gunner, Brian Cant as Corporal, Grodon Gardner as Lacey and Michael Bell as Captain of the Guard. The episode also stars Bryan Coleman as Ambassador Wenham and Catherine Woodville as daughter Anne/Suzanne. The episode also stars Richard Huggett as Alonzo and Helen Christie as Lady Amyas. The cast also includes Marie Burke as Dona Inez, Maureen Moore as Isabel, Pauline Letts as Dona Clara, John Bennett as Tomas and Will Stampe as Don Gonzalo. The cast includes Nanette Newman as Yana, Michael Ripper as Almighty Jones, Derek Sydney as the Spanish Governor and Catherine Finn as his wife, Marshall Jones as Garrett, Dallas Cavell as a Lieutenant and Colin Rix as a prisoner. The episode also stars Frederick Jaeger as Vicary, Victor Maddern as Brewer, Glynn Edwards as Martin, Bob Grant as Clements, Marshall Jones as Cooper and Rory MacDermot as Fletcher.

The episode also stars Susan Hampshire as Celia, Charles Hill as the Spanish Admiral, Walter Randall as the Spanish Captain and Frederick Rawlings as the Indian Chief. This episode is very loosely based on Thomas Stukeley's failed attempt to set up a colony in Florida in 1563. Stars William Lucas as Count Julio, Michael Forest as Jan, Gerard Heinz as Alva, Robert Rietti as Captain Riccardo, George Little as a Lieutenant and David Grahame as a banker. The episode also stars Peter Stephens as Counsellor, Arnold Diamond as Governor, Richard Shaw as Captain Vanderhof, David Davies as Sykes, Tom Bowman as a Mate and Stanley Morgan as Lieutenant. The cast includes Zena Marshall as Maria, Dennis Edwards as De Vazim, Bill Nagy as Corsia, Anthony Bate as Tilsto, John Ronane as Spanish Officer and Vicki Woolf as a prisoner. The episode also stars Katherine Blake as The Dark Lady, Lawrence Davidson as Lord Marmont, Duncan Burns as a boy actor, Barry Shawzin as Chamberlain and Lawrence Taylor as Janitor. The episode also stars Patrick Allen as Navarre, Michael Ripper as Caylus, Peter Diamond as De Luc, Desmond Newling as Rietti, Ryan Jeffs as Martier and Yvonne Buckingham as Heloise. The cast includes Basil Dignam as Duke of Alva, Andrew Faulds as Count Toledo, Susan Burnett as Lady Elena and Kenneth Gilbert as Sergeant. The episode also stars Sarah Branch as Sara, Harry Lockhart as Rafael, Christopher Carlos as Baltasar, Larry Burns as Obadiah, William Abney as Don Pedro The episode also stars Bernard Archard as Sir Christopher, Ewan Roberts as Munro, John Arnatt as Spanish ambassador, Charles Carson as Spanish admiral, Edward Woodward as Spanish captain, Colin Jeavons as an officer, Michael Mellinger as a servant. The episode also stars Paul Stassino as Hassan Bey, Jack Melford as Sir Owen Tudor, Marne Maitland as Uluch Ali, Guy Deghy as Zarque, Kim Tracy as Zaharra, Wavenley Lee as Olwen, and Norman Scace as Stephens. The cast includes Charles Heslop as Withers, Brian Bedford as Estaban, Barry Keegan as Gomez and Martin Boddey as The Colonel.

DVD release

The complete series is out on DVD and includes a still showing Terence Morgan as Sir Francis Drake playing bowls, alluding to the famous incident when the Spanish Armada was sighted.

References

• Alex McNeil, Total Television. New York City: Penguin Books, 1984 ed.

References

1. British Pathe news 1964 http://www.britishpathe.com/video/golden-hind/query/Devon retrieved 7 January 2013
2. Wreck of the ''Golden Hind'' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tz-4UlKsaH8 retrieved 30 May 2013
3. (2007). "The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946–Present". [[Ballantine Books]].
4. Before 1968 ATV transmitted weekdays in the Midlands and weekends in London. See [[History of ITV]]