The Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel

The Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel
Genre	Swashbuckler
Based on	Book by Baroness Orczy
Directed by	David MacDonald Dennis Vance Michael McCarthy Wolf Rilla
Starring	Marius Goring
Composer(s)	Sydney Torch John Bath Edwin Astley
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language(s)	English
No. of series	1
No. of episodes	18 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Harry Alan Towers
Producer(s)	Anthony Gilkison Dennis Vance David MacDonald Marius Goring
Cinematography	Lionel Banes
Running time	23-26 mins
Production company(s)	Towers of London
Distributor	ITPC/Official Films
Release
Original network	ITV
Picture format	35 mm film 4:3 Black and white
Audio format	Mono
Original release	24 February 1956 – 22 June 1956

The Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel is a British television series based on the adventure novel of the same name by Baroness Emmuska Orczy. The series, produced by the Towers of London for Incorporated Television Programmes, was created by writer Michael Hogan; it ran from 1956 for a total of eighteen episodes.

Cast and characters

• Marius Goring as Sir Percy Blakeney (aka the Scarlet Pimpernel)
• Stanley Van Beers as Chauvelin
• Patrick Troughton as Sir Andrew Ffoulkes
• Anthony Newlands as Lord Richard Hastings
• Alexander Gauge as George, The Prince Regent
• Lucie Mannheim as Countess La Valliere

Production notes

• Lucie Mannheim was married to Marius Goring
• Filming was at Elstree Studios, London
• The series' sets were designed by the art director Duncan Sutherland.
• Marius Goring previously played the role of Sir Percy in a radio show which lasted from 1952 to 1953 in a total of 50 episodes. The series is now available to listen to for free on the Internet Archive.^[1]

Guest stars

Many guest stars went on to appear in other ITC series:

• Ivor Dean
• Roger Delgado
• William Franklyn
• Conrad Phillips
• Robert Shaw

Episode list

Airdate is for ATV Midlands. ITV^[2] regions varied date and order.

Episode #	Prod #	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original airdate
1	TBA	"The Hostage"	Michael McCarthy	Ralph Gilbert Bettinson	24 February 1956
The Scarlet Pimpernel rescues a Baroness from Chauvelin, but she is reluctant to leave because Chauvelin has her son. The Scarlet Pimpernel must rescue the boy and not give away his identity as Sir Percy Blakeney. Stars Yvonne Furneaux and Robert Shaw.
2	TBA	"Sir Percy's Wager"	Dennis Vance	Joel Murcott and R.G. Bettinson	2 March 1956
Outwardly foppish and simple and always ready to make a wager Sir Percy bets with Countess la Valliere, Chauvelin's agent at court, that the Pimpernel can rescue Lady Caroline Wells and almost loses his freedom.
3	TBA	"The Princess"	David MacDonald	Ralph Gilbert Bettinson	9 March 1956
The Pimpernel rescues the Marquise de Manton and returns to Paris disguised as Pierre, a peasant, to rescue her maid and in making their escape from prison imagines what might have been if he was not aristocracy. Stars Susan Lyall Grant
4	TBA	"A Tale of Two Pigtails"	David MacDonald	Angus McPhail and Diane Morgan	16 March 1956
A Princess is rescued by the Pimpernel and Chauvelin goes to the court of the Prince Regent determined to find The Pimpernel but reckons without the Pimpernel's ability to disguise himself as a visiting Chinese diplomat. Kissing Melanie's hand would be remembered in the episode "Something Remembered". Stars Maureen Connell, Dennis Edwards and early appearance by Peter O'Toole
5	TBA	"The Lady in Distress"	Dennis Vance	Ralph Gilbert Bettinson	23 March 1956
The Pimpernel plans to free a woman from the guillotine but it is a trap by Chauvelin and Cecile, who holds the Pimpernel responsible for her brother's death. In the rescue the Pimpernel is shot and his right arm is wounded with a sword. Stars Cyril Shaps, Alfie Bass and Ingeborg Wells
6	TBA	"Something Remembered"	David MacDonald	Joel Murcott and R.G. Bettinson	30 March 1956
Sir Percy, with his wounded right arm in a sling, is asked by Melaine, whom the Pimpernel once rescued, to aid her brother, Jacques Fleury. The aid wanted is weapons to fight Chauvelin, but the Pimpernel remembers wars fought between Britain and France and only agrees to destroy the weapons. Stars William Franklyn, Maureen Connell and Robert Cawdron.
7	TBA	"The Elusive Chauvelin"	Dennis Vance	Ralph Gilbert Bettinson	6 April 1956
Chauvelin comes to England with a plan to capture the Pimpernel but takes the wrong man. Sir Percy must travel to France to rescue the young man but can only accomplish it disguised as Chauvelin. Stars Theo. Gregory. Uncredited speaking part as, Leon, the chief executioner by Christopher Lee
8	TBA	"The Sword of Justice"	Dennis Vance	Ralph Gilbert Bettinson	13 April 1956
An Englishman murdering French aristocrats is impersonating the Pimpernel. Sir Percy engineers a plan that allows his capture and execution by Chauvelin. Stars Brian Wilde and Theo. Gregory
9	TBA	"Thanksgiving Day"	David MacDonald	Michael Hogan	20 April 1956
An American woman is arrested as the Pimpernel and her brother, Frank Rawlinson, sanctioned by John Adams, needs the Pimpernel's help to rescue her, as he had recently been wounded in a duel with Sir Percy. Stars Phil Brown, William Abney, Arnold Diamond and Dennis Edwards
10	TBA	"Sir Andrew's Fate"	Wolf Rilla	Ralph Gilbert Bettinson	27 April 1956
While smuggling aristocrats out of France Andrew and Richard are pursued by Chauvelin's agents. Andrew is shot and wounded forcing Richard to leave him behind. Sir Percy returns to France to find Andrew and the only clue to his whereabouts is a girl Collette and her friend Madame Tussaud. Stars Balbina, Susan Richmond, and Ivor Dean
11	TBA	"The Ambassador's Lady"	David MacDonald	Joel Murcott and R.G. Bettinson	4 May 1956
Chauvelin, to Sir Percy's amazement, appoints Jacques Fleury as French ambassador and Richard's eye for Fleury's wife becomes the talk of the court. Fleury's wife is complicit in Chauvelin's plan to kill Jacques Fleury and blame Richard so France can declare war on Britain. Stars William Franklyn, Simone Lovell and Robert Cawdron.
12	TBA	"The Christmas Present"	David MacDonald	Ralph Gilbert Bettinson	11 May 1956
Mrs. Burton, Sir Percy's housekeeper, laments Christmases past when many children lived in the house. She is upset when Sir Percy leaves her alone to go to France to rescue four aristocrats that, to his astonishment, are small children. In his effort to save them he collects a donkey and a dog, despite pursuit by Chauvelin's soldiers, and brings them home, much to Mrs Burton's pleasure.
13	TBA	"The Flower Woman"	David MacDonald	Marius Goring	18 May 1956
The Comtesse de la Vallire, a spy of Chauvelin, has known for sometime Percy is the Scarlet Pimpernel and when she hears one of her friends, an imprisoned leader of the revolution, is to be executed by the Committee of Public Safety, she enlists his help. He dressed as a blind man and she as a flower woman try to save the prisoners in an event known as the September massacres but only 30 are saved and her friend has already been executed.
14	TBA	"The Imaginary Invalids"	David MacDonald	John Moore	25 May 1956
Sir Percy discovers that Chauvelin is blackmailing the banker Rothstein by holding his daughter captive. Rothstein is ill with worry, Chauvelin is ill with gout, Rothstein's daughter is also ill. Sir Percy disguised as Chauvelin's doctor effects her rescue. Stars John Laurie
15	TBA	"Antoine & Antoinette"	David MacDonald	Angus McPhail and Diane Morgan	1 June 1956
Antoine and Antoinette are waiting to be married when Chauvelin arrives and arrests them. Elise, the younger sister of Antoinette, who has a crush on the Pimpernel, escapes to try to reach England when she meets Sir Percy and his two associates on the road. Sir Percy disguised as the local judge rescues them and brings all three to England narrowly escaping capture by Chauvelin.
16	TBA	"The Winged Madonna"	Wolf Rilla	Joel Murcott and R.G. Bettinson	8 June 1956
The Winged Madonna is an icon from one of France's dissolved monasteries. A girl trying to sell the icon to raise money for the monks and nuns draws Sir Percy and Hastings into devising not one but two plans of rescue when the Father Guardian refuses to leave so he can attend a pregnant woman. Disguised as an undertaker the Pimpernel visits Chauvelin to arrange a funeral. Stars Walter Rilla
17	TBA	"Gentlemen of the Road"	David MacDonald	Ralph Gilbert Bettinson	15 June 1956
When a beautiful woman shows an unusual interest in the Prince Regent's affairs, Sir Percy uncovers a plot to assassinate the Hanovarian Prince Regent using highwaymen, and restore a Stuart King to the throne of Great Britain. The Scarlet Pimpernel becomes a gentleman of the road to thwart the plan. Stars Conrad Phillips and Celia Hewitt.
18	TBA	"The Farmer's Boy"	David MacDonald	John Moore	22 June 1956
The Pimpernel rescues one of his agents and has to find the man's daughter before Chauvelin does. Disguised as a farm worker, he seeks a job at a farm owned by the girl's miserly uncle and meets the farmer's boy. Stars Elvi Hale, Roger Delgado, Ivor Dean, and Michael Ripper

Other media

Alpha Home Entertainment released Volume 1 of The Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel on DVD in 2006. Volume 2 was released in 2007. Each volume contains four episodes from the television series.

References

1. The Scarlet Pimpernel radio show on the Internet Archive
2. Before 1968 ATV transmitted weekdays in the Midlands and weekends in London. See History of ITV

External links

• The Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel at the Internet Movie Database