The Flashing Blade
Encyclopedia
The Flashing Blade is a French
television serial made in the late 1960s, which was broadcast in the UK on BBC children's television during the 1960s, with several re-runs in the 1970s.
Dubbed
from French into English, the action was set in 17th century France, during the War of the Mantuan Succession
(1628–1631) between France and Spain
and its allies including the Duchy of Savoy
. The series of 12 episodes of 22 minutes each, cut from the original four 75-minute episodes involved the besieged French garrison in the city of Casale
, which was the capital of Montferrat
on the Savoie (Savoy) border. Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy
laid siege to Casale but was defeated by French troops on 18 March 1629. The series revolves around the efforts of a dashing spy to engineer the garrison's rescue.
It was perhaps most notorious for the fact that on its last two (conventional) broadcasts, the final episode lost vision through an apparent fault with the film stock; a considerable disappointment to its viewers after it had been running for many episodes over many weeks. The final few minutes of the last episode were later shown on Michael Aspel
's "request a repeat" show Ask Aspel.
.
, Kate Copstick
, Bernadette Nolan
and Terry Randall to produce a spoof
version, which was broadcast on the children's Saturday morning show On the Waterfront
. The scripts for the new comic soundtrack were written by the latterly award-winning dramatist Russell T Davies.
This team reunited in 1995 for a one off episode that was broadcast on Children's BBC for Red Nose Day.
Several cast members from The Flashing Blade appeared in similar serialised action productions for French children's TV. Desert Crusader was virtually identical to The Flashing Blade but set in 12th century Palestine
during the Third Crusade
. The Aeronauts
was set in the present day and featured a couple of daring French Air Force
Mirage
fighter pilots.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
television serial made in the late 1960s, which was broadcast in the UK on BBC children's television during the 1960s, with several re-runs in the 1970s.
Dubbed
Dubbing (filmmaking)
Dubbing is the post-production process of recording and replacing voices on a motion picture or television soundtrack subsequent to the original shooting. The term most commonly refers to the substitution of the voices of the actors shown on the screen by those of different performers, who may be...
from French into English, the action was set in 17th century France, during the War of the Mantuan Succession
War of the Mantuan Succession
The War of the Mantuan Succession was a peripheral part of the Thirty Years' War. Its casus belli was the extinction of the direct male line of the House of Gonzaga in December 1627. Brothers Francesco IV , Ferdinando and Vincenzo II , the last three dukes of Gonzaga, had all died leaving no...
(1628–1631) between France and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and its allies including the Duchy of Savoy
Duchy of Savoy
From 1416 to 1847, the House of Savoy ruled the eponymous Duchy of Savoy . The Duchy was a state in the northern part of the Italian Peninsula, with some territories that are now in France. It was a continuation of the County of Savoy...
. The series of 12 episodes of 22 minutes each, cut from the original four 75-minute episodes involved the besieged French garrison in the city of Casale
Casale Monferrato
Casale Monferrato, population 36,058, is a town and comune in the Piedmont region of north-west Italy, part of the province of Alessandria. It is situated about 60 km east of Turin on the right bank of the Po, where the river runs at the foot of the Montferrato hills. Beyond the river lies the...
, which was the capital of Montferrat
Montferrat
Montferrat is part of the region of Piedmont in Northern Italy. It comprises roughly the modern provinces of Alessandria and Asti. Montferrat is one of the most important wine districts of Italy...
on the Savoie (Savoy) border. Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy
Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy
Charles Emmanuel I , known as the Great, was the Duke of Savoy from 1580 to 1630...
laid siege to Casale but was defeated by French troops on 18 March 1629. The series revolves around the efforts of a dashing spy to engineer the garrison's rescue.
It was perhaps most notorious for the fact that on its last two (conventional) broadcasts, the final episode lost vision through an apparent fault with the film stock; a considerable disappointment to its viewers after it had been running for many episodes over many weeks. The final few minutes of the last episode were later shown on Michael Aspel
Michael Aspel
Michael Terence Aspel, OBE is an English television presenter, known for his reserved demeanour and rich speaking voice. He has been a high-profile TV personality in the United Kingdom since the 1960s, presenting programmes such as Crackerjack, Aspel and Company, This is Your Life, Strange But...
's "request a repeat" show Ask Aspel.
Theme Tune
The theme song was "Fight"http://www.televisiontunes.com/Flashing_Blade_(The).html by The Musketeers (written by Alex Masters), which was issued on a Philips single in 19691969 in music
-Events:Perhaps the two most famous musical events of 1969 were concerts. At a Rolling Stones concert in Altamont, California, a fan was stabbed to death by Hells Angels, a biker gang that had been hired to provide security for the event...
.
Alternative Versions
In 1988, the series was re-dubbed by Andrew O'ConnorAndrew O'Connor
Andrew O'Connor is a British actor, comedian, magician, television presenter and executive producer.-Television career:...
, Kate Copstick
Kate Copstick
Kate Copstick is a Glasgow-born Scottish actress, television presenter, writer, critic, director and producer.-Career:She is best known for her roles on the children's TV shows No. 73 and ChuckleVision. She also played Marlene Marlowe in Marlene Marlowe Investigates and performed as part of the...
, Bernadette Nolan
Bernadette Nolan
Bernadette Therese "Bernie" Nolan is an Irish actress, singer and television personality, formerly lead vocalist of The Nolans. Her siblings are Anne, Brian, Denise, Maureen, Tommy, Linda and Coleen Nolan. She is the second youngest...
and Terry Randall to produce a spoof
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
version, which was broadcast on the children's Saturday morning show On the Waterfront
On The Waterfront (TV Series)
On the Waterfront was a BBC Saturday morning children's programme, filmed at Brunswick Dock, Liverpool. It was hosted by Andrew O'Connor, Kate Copstick, Bernadette Nolan and Terry Randall...
. The scripts for the new comic soundtrack were written by the latterly award-winning dramatist Russell T Davies.
This team reunited in 1995 for a one off episode that was broadcast on Children's BBC for Red Nose Day.
Cast
| Actor | Character |
|---|---|
| Robert Etcheverry | The Chevalier de Recci (Francois) |
| Denise Grey Denise Grey Denise Grey was a French actress.- Selected filmography :* Devil in the Flesh * The Sheep Has Five Legs * Bombs on Monte Carlo * La boum * A Fine Romance... |
La Comtesse – The Duchess |
| Jacques Balutin | Guillot |
| Genevieve Casile | Isabelle de Sospel |
| Jean Martinelli | Duke de Sospel |
| Mario Pilar | Don Alonso |
Several cast members from The Flashing Blade appeared in similar serialised action productions for French children's TV. Desert Crusader was virtually identical to The Flashing Blade but set in 12th century Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
during the Third Crusade
Third Crusade
The Third Crusade , also known as the Kings' Crusade, was an attempt by European leaders to reconquer the Holy Land from Saladin...
. The Aeronauts
The Aeronauts
The Aeronauts was a French children's TV series about two fighter jet pilots and their adventures. It was based on a comic book series by Jean-Michel Charlier and Albert Uderzo....
was set in the present day and featured a couple of daring French Air Force
French Air Force
The French Air Force , literally Army of the Air) is the air force of the French Armed Forces. It was formed in 1909 as the Service Aéronautique, a service arm of the French Army, then was made an independent military arm in 1933...
Mirage
Mirage (aircraft)
Mirage is the name of a series of delta-winged fighters and bombers that have been produced by the French aircraft manufacturer Dassault Aviation, flown by the French Air Force, and widely exported to foreign counties.* Dassault Mirage III...
fighter pilots.