Those of you of a certain age will remember The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh series on Walt Disney’s Wide World of Color in 1964. Patrick McGoohan played both the meek pastor, Dr. Syn, and by night, The Scarecrow, a smuggler with Robin Hood tendencies who donated all his smuggling profits to the poor people of his community. Disney based their series on Russell Thorndike’s adventure novels. I’ve read them all and enjoyed them all. The books have been reprinted many times and should be relatively easy to come by. If you enjoy classic adventure fiction, the Dr. Syn series delivers.
Doctor Syn: A Tale of the Romney Marsh (1915)
Doctor Syn on the High Seas (1935)
Doctor Syn Returns (1936)
Further Adventures of Doctor Syn (1936)
Courageous Exploits of Doctor Syn (1938)
Amazing Quest of Doctor Syn (1939)
Shadow of Doctor Syn (1944)
An expanded version of Doctor Syn Returns titled The Scarecrow Rides was published by The Dial Press in 1935.
You’re right, George, a very enjoyable series. The Disney film was fun as well, but I always preferred DR SYN (1940?) George Arliss’ last film. He fit the part well and Roy William Neil’s direction was perfect for it.
I don’t think I’ve seen that George Arliss film, Dan. I’ll see if it’s available on DVD. Thanks for the heads up!
I was too much a girly girl. I see that now.
Disney released a 2-DVD set of DR. SYN: THE SCARECROW OF ROMNEY MARSH in their Disney Treasures series in 2008, Patti. But they only make a certain number of sets, probably 100,000, and now they’re all sold out. Fortunately, my local Library bought a set so I could watch it and relive some old memories.
This sounds great, and the guy on the cover looks like Solomon Kane.
If you like high adventure, Evan, you’ll like the DR. SYN books.
Just checking in to see what you picked. I have no recollection of this at all, film, book, Disney or anything.
The original SCARECROW episodes were broadcast early in 1964, Rick. You were still a baby.
I used to sell a number of the Arrow paperback editions from the 1970’s, mostly, but never read them.
You would like the DR. SYN books, Jeff. I still see copies around from time to time. If you’d like, I’ll ship them to you when I find them.
NIGHT CREATURES, a handsome 1961 Hammer film with Peter Cushing and Oliver Reed, was also based on DR. SYN. Reportedly, Disney had already acquired rights to the character, so in the Cushing version he was renamed Blyss. Available on DVD as part of a Hammer set from Universal.
SCARECROW OF ROMNEY MARSH was based on an odd book, CHRISTOPHER SYN, credited to Russell Thorndike and William Buchanan; Buchanan rewrote and revised one of Thorndike’s earlier Syn titles. As I recall — and maybe this was why Disney used that book and not one of Thorndike’s — Buchanan added a youngster to the cast of characters.
Used copies of the Thorndike books are pricey, or at least they were a few years ago, even the Arrow and Ballantine paperbacks from the early ’70s.
I’ll seek out NIGHT CREATURES, Fred. Thanks for the recommendation!
Another bit of trivia: if memory serves, the Beatles’ first performances on the Ed Sullivan Show were parcelled out over three weeks, and all three ran on the same Sunday nights as the three Disney’s Scarecrow episodes. Might even have been on opposite one another; I have a sketchy memory of flipping back and forth between the two channels.
Impressive memory, Fred! You’re right: The Beatles were on Ed Sullivan February 1964 which is the same time Disney was broadcasting THE SCARECROW. That might explain why many people missed those episodes.
George, I wish. I was 19.
I just received the Criders’ alligator Christmas card, Rick. Bill told me you’re responsible. Nice.
I’ve never read the books, but I love the original series with McGoohan. When I was a kid, I found it creepy and thrilling all at the same time. Even today, pictures of McGoohan in the mask creep me out. It’s a cheap but very effective scare.
I apologize for the long link (I don’t know how to shorten them), but I thought it was appropriate for the above comments. On a friend of mine’s blog he posts the story of a mutual friend who wanted The Scarecrow but ended up watching The Beatles. His story is toward the bottom of the post (but the whole post is Scarecrow-related)
http://funnybookfanatic.wordpress.com/2009/01/16/walt-disney-thought-the-scarecrow-was-real-plus-a-fact-you-wont-find-anywhere-else/
Thanks, Tom. I had forgotten all about The Beatles performing during the SCARECROW run. The link is great!