Return to Treasure Island
Encyclopedia
Return to Treasure Island is a Disney mini-series, starring Brian Blessed
as Long John Silver
.
Disney Channel contracted the UK ITV broadcaster HTV Wales to actually produce the series, and it was shot in Wales, Spain and Jamaica. It was written by John Goldsmith, and directed by Piers Haggard
and Alex Kirby.
HTV Wales' staff had little experience of high-end TV drama, but Director of Photography Tony Impey headed a crew which surpassed themselves in producing a very classy-looking series.
Brian Blessed
played Long John Silver and one crew-member commented on the amount of preparation Blessed must have done - his Long John character was in place from the first day: a cunning, dominating man with boundless energy. Blessed had to appear to only have one leg, so one was bound up under his long coat while shooting, and his other developed massive muscles as it took his whole weight over the months.
The chief stunt man was Alf Joint
, one of Britain's top action supervisors. He was particularly well-known in his trade for doubling Richard Burton
in Where Eagles Dare
.
Consternation was caused at HTV Wales when Geoff Shepherd was introduced to the editing crews as their Supervising Editor. Shepherd, editor of several drama series and TV films was a staff-member of sister-company HTV West, and the Welsh editors resented his appointment. In fact, many editors, assistants and dubbing crews came and went during the long months of post-production - many staff-members simply didn't have the skills to complete a drama series.
Director Piers Haggard
was injured while shooting at Almeria in Spain. Riding a horse, he was thrown forward when the animal stopped suddenly, and his pelvis hit the tall horn on his saddle. In hospital, he continued to work, as Geoff Shepherd brought 16mm editing equipment into the room and played him the latest edits for his comments.
Music for the series was composed by Terry Oldfield, whose score for the BBC history series "In Search Of The Trojan War" had impressed Piers Haggard.
Series producer Alan Clayton played one of the pirates, Jed. During the shooting of the final episode, in which the treasure is actually dug up, the production crew resigned themselves to the fact that if their producer couldn't be found, it was because he was off somewhere dressed as a pirate.
The final close-ups of Long John Silver rowing away from Jim Hawkins' ship and revealing that he had stolen all the diamonds from the treasure casket (inside a secret compartment of his crutch) were actually filmed on the roof of HTV's Pontcanna Studio (since demolished) in Cardiff.
Just before the series was transmitted in the UK, an author who had written a novel years earlier entitled "Return To Treasure Island" contacted HTV, seeking a small remuneration for what he saw as the use of his title. Rather than deal with him, HTV very quickly (and expensively) added the words "John Silver's" to the "Return To Treasure Island" title on every episode.
The series was aired in 1986. John Goldsmith rewrote his scripts as a novel published by Pan Books in the UK. The series' first video release was in a drastically shortened form, but subsequent releases have retained its full 10-episode format.
(References: Interview with Roger Mitchell, one of the series' assistant Editors).
Brian Blessed
Brian Blessed is an English actor, known for his sonorous voice and "hearty, king-sized portrayals".-Early life:The son of William Blessed, a socialist miner, and Hilda Wall, Blessed was born in the town of Goldthorpe, West Riding of Yorkshire, England...
as Long John Silver
Long John Silver
Long John Silver is a fictional character and the primary antagonist of the novel Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson. Silver is also known by the nicknames "Barbecue" and the "Sea-Cook".- Profile :...
.
Disney Channel contracted the UK ITV broadcaster HTV Wales to actually produce the series, and it was shot in Wales, Spain and Jamaica. It was written by John Goldsmith, and directed by Piers Haggard
Piers Haggard
Piers Inigo Haggard is a British film and television director, although he has worked mostly in the latter medium.He is the great grandnephew of H...
and Alex Kirby.
HTV Wales' staff had little experience of high-end TV drama, but Director of Photography Tony Impey headed a crew which surpassed themselves in producing a very classy-looking series.
Brian Blessed
Brian Blessed
Brian Blessed is an English actor, known for his sonorous voice and "hearty, king-sized portrayals".-Early life:The son of William Blessed, a socialist miner, and Hilda Wall, Blessed was born in the town of Goldthorpe, West Riding of Yorkshire, England...
played Long John Silver and one crew-member commented on the amount of preparation Blessed must have done - his Long John character was in place from the first day: a cunning, dominating man with boundless energy. Blessed had to appear to only have one leg, so one was bound up under his long coat while shooting, and his other developed massive muscles as it took his whole weight over the months.
The chief stunt man was Alf Joint
Alf Joint
Alf Joint was a British movie and television stunt performer, stunt coordinator and arranger....
, one of Britain's top action supervisors. He was particularly well-known in his trade for doubling Richard Burton
Richard Burton
Richard Burton, CBE was a Welsh actor. He was nominated seven times for an Academy Award, six of which were for Best Actor in a Leading Role , and was a recipient of BAFTA, Golden Globe and Tony Awards for Best Actor. Although never trained as an actor, Burton was, at one time, the highest-paid...
in Where Eagles Dare
Where Eagles Dare
Where Eagles Dare is a 1968 World War II action-adventure spy film starring Richard Burton, Clint Eastwood and Mary Ure. It was directed by Brian G. Hutton and shot on location in Upper Austria and Bavaria....
.
Consternation was caused at HTV Wales when Geoff Shepherd was introduced to the editing crews as their Supervising Editor. Shepherd, editor of several drama series and TV films was a staff-member of sister-company HTV West, and the Welsh editors resented his appointment. In fact, many editors, assistants and dubbing crews came and went during the long months of post-production - many staff-members simply didn't have the skills to complete a drama series.
Director Piers Haggard
Piers Haggard
Piers Inigo Haggard is a British film and television director, although he has worked mostly in the latter medium.He is the great grandnephew of H...
was injured while shooting at Almeria in Spain. Riding a horse, he was thrown forward when the animal stopped suddenly, and his pelvis hit the tall horn on his saddle. In hospital, he continued to work, as Geoff Shepherd brought 16mm editing equipment into the room and played him the latest edits for his comments.
Music for the series was composed by Terry Oldfield, whose score for the BBC history series "In Search Of The Trojan War" had impressed Piers Haggard.
Series producer Alan Clayton played one of the pirates, Jed. During the shooting of the final episode, in which the treasure is actually dug up, the production crew resigned themselves to the fact that if their producer couldn't be found, it was because he was off somewhere dressed as a pirate.
The final close-ups of Long John Silver rowing away from Jim Hawkins' ship and revealing that he had stolen all the diamonds from the treasure casket (inside a secret compartment of his crutch) were actually filmed on the roof of HTV's Pontcanna Studio (since demolished) in Cardiff.
Just before the series was transmitted in the UK, an author who had written a novel years earlier entitled "Return To Treasure Island" contacted HTV, seeking a small remuneration for what he saw as the use of his title. Rather than deal with him, HTV very quickly (and expensively) added the words "John Silver's" to the "Return To Treasure Island" title on every episode.
The series was aired in 1986. John Goldsmith rewrote his scripts as a novel published by Pan Books in the UK. The series' first video release was in a drastically shortened form, but subsequent releases have retained its full 10-episode format.
(References: Interview with Roger Mitchell, one of the series' assistant Editors).
Cast
- Brian BlessedBrian BlessedBrian Blessed is an English actor, known for his sonorous voice and "hearty, king-sized portrayals".-Early life:The son of William Blessed, a socialist miner, and Hilda Wall, Blessed was born in the town of Goldthorpe, West Riding of Yorkshire, England...
- Christopher GuardChristopher GuardChristopher Guard is an English actor.Educated at Latymer Upper School, Guard was a member of the National Theatre aged 20. He has appeared in Vienna 1900 , Memoirs of a Survivor and Return to Treasure Island...
- Deborah Poplett
- Aixa Moreno
- Kenneth ColleyKenneth ColleyKenneth Colley is an English actor. A long-time character actor, he came to wider prominence through his role as Admiral Piett in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi....
- Dicken AshworthDicken AshworthDicken Ashworth is an English actor who has made several appearances in film and television.His film credits include: Force 10 from Navarone, Tess, Krull, and Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit.On television, can be a regular cast member in several soap operas - playing Alan Partridge...
- Richard BealeRichard BealeRichard Beale is a British actor. He has had a long career in television, stage and film, stemming back to the 1950s.Beale served as a lieutenant in the Royal Navy during the Second World War.Selected filmography:*Compact...
- John BennettJohn Bennett (actor)John Bennett was an English actor. Born in Beckenham, Kent, he was educated at Bradfield College in Berkshire, then trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama, followed by a wide Rep experience including Bromley, Bristol Old Vic, Dundee, Edinburgh Festival and Watford before going to...
- Arthur BostromArthur BostromArthur Bostrom is an English actor, most famous for his role as Officer Crabtree, in the long-running BBC sitcom Allo 'Allo!.-Biography:...
- Roy BoydRoy BoydRoy Boyd is an English actor best known for his roles on television. He has three children.His credits include: The Saint, Counterstrike, The Borderers, Codename, Colditz, The Zoo Gang, The Sweeney, Warship, Doctor Who , Survivors, The New Avengers, Space: 1999, The...
- Nick BrimbleNick BrimbleNick Brimble , is an English actor known for his performance as Little John in the film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and his appearances on various television shows....
- John CaterJohn CaterJohn Edward Cater was an English actor.His television credits include: Danger Man, Z Cars, The Avengers, The Baron, Doctor Who , Follyfoot, Softly, Softly, Department S, Up Pompeii!, Dad's Army, The Naked Civil Servant, I, Claudius, Alcock and Gander, The Duchess of...