BEING A SORT OF Robin Hood of the Continental set; as well as having a sort of World-wide fame in History and Legend, WILLIAM TELL was a natural for the TV producers to bring to the small screen. With the medieval costumes and sets, it was as if it could be made as a carbon copy of Richard Greene's ROBIN HOOD.
THERE WOULD BE some fundamental differences, of course. For starters, Will used a Crossbow. Being much more accurate and having a great deal more penetrating power, it was once considered to be the "Ultimate Weapon!" (Well, at least of the hand carried variety.)
BUT THAT IS only incidental. Tell's story is set in the 15th Century A.D. and is a Swiss patriot. The series makes him much more like Robin Hood than a military guerrilla leader, which was most likely the truth. Either way, both Robin and William have basis in historical fact, but their exploits and stature have grown considerably in Legend.
ONE THING SEEMS to have veracity is that he was locked in a struggle with Austrian Governor, Gessler, whom he eventually killed. The series kicks off with Gessler's forcing William Tell into shooting the apple off of his own son's head. After being successful, Gessler asks why Tell has two arrows; to which William replies, "Because, if my Son had been harmed, the next one was for you!"
THEN WILLIAM TELL flees off to the woods and organizes a revolt to establish a new country, which he says will be called, "Switzerland!" (a lot of playing it loose with what History there was on William Tell!)
THE SERIES, WHICH lasted but one season had a cast featuring Conrad Phillips (William Tell), Willoughby Goddard (Gessler), Jennifer Jayne (Mrs. Tell) and Richard Rogers (as young Walter Tell, son of Apple on head fame). We are familiar with it during its run in syndication on American TV.
IN PERHAPS ONE attempt to add some accuracy in the series, the opening theme song (see Summary above) includes a sort of musical quotation lifted from both the Rossini overture of the same name and from Swiss traditional music. Now that's accuracy for you!
THERE WOULD BE some fundamental differences, of course. For starters, Will used a Crossbow. Being much more accurate and having a great deal more penetrating power, it was once considered to be the "Ultimate Weapon!" (Well, at least of the hand carried variety.)
BUT THAT IS only incidental. Tell's story is set in the 15th Century A.D. and is a Swiss patriot. The series makes him much more like Robin Hood than a military guerrilla leader, which was most likely the truth. Either way, both Robin and William have basis in historical fact, but their exploits and stature have grown considerably in Legend.
ONE THING SEEMS to have veracity is that he was locked in a struggle with Austrian Governor, Gessler, whom he eventually killed. The series kicks off with Gessler's forcing William Tell into shooting the apple off of his own son's head. After being successful, Gessler asks why Tell has two arrows; to which William replies, "Because, if my Son had been harmed, the next one was for you!"
THEN WILLIAM TELL flees off to the woods and organizes a revolt to establish a new country, which he says will be called, "Switzerland!" (a lot of playing it loose with what History there was on William Tell!)
THE SERIES, WHICH lasted but one season had a cast featuring Conrad Phillips (William Tell), Willoughby Goddard (Gessler), Jennifer Jayne (Mrs. Tell) and Richard Rogers (as young Walter Tell, son of Apple on head fame). We are familiar with it during its run in syndication on American TV.
IN PERHAPS ONE attempt to add some accuracy in the series, the opening theme song (see Summary above) includes a sort of musical quotation lifted from both the Rossini overture of the same name and from Swiss traditional music. Now that's accuracy for you!