Ivanhoe (1958 TV series)

Ivanhoe is a British television adventure series that aired on the ITV network from 1957 to 1958. It marked Roger Moore’s first leading role in a television series, playing Sir Wilfred of Ivanhoe in stories intended for a young audience, with characters loosely based on Sir Walter Scott’s 1819 novel *Ivanhoe*.

Set in 12th-century England during the reign of King Richard the Lionheart—who had left for the Crusades and not returned—the series follows the heroic knight Ivanhoe as he opposes the king’s ambitious and wicked younger brother, Prince John, who seeks to strip people of their rights and land. Alongside his companions, Gurth and Bart (whom he freed from the evil Sir Maurice), Ivanhoe works to right wrongs, secure justice, aid the needy, and thwart Prince John and his allies.

Swashbuckling adventures for younger viewers, such as *The Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel*, *The Adventures of Robin Hood*, and *The Adventures of Sir Lancelot*, were a staple of ITV’s mid-1950s programming. In December 1956, Columbia Pictures signed Roger Moore—then working with limited success in Hollywood—to play the title role in a series intended for both American and British audiences. The show was a co-production between Columbia’s subsidiary Screen Gems and British producer Sydney Box.

The budget exceeded that of the concurrent *Robin Hood* series, and filming began in early 1957. The pilot was shot at ABPC studios in Elstree, with the series filmed at Beaconsfield Studios and on location around Buckinghamshire, England, along with some shooting in California. The series premiered on ITV in January 1958, and all 39 episodes were filmed by June 1958. The pilot and the rest of the series were shot in black and white. Executive producer Peter Rogers was also beginning the *Carry On* film series around this time. Guest stars included Christopher Lee, and supporting actors featured John Schlesinger, Jon Pertwee, Paul Eddington, Leonard Sachs, Kenneth Cope, John Warner, and Adrienne Corri.

Moore insisted on performing much of his own stunt work, leading to several injuries: three cracked ribs from a fight scene and a knock unconscious when a battleaxe struck his helmeted skull. Moore later remarked, “I felt a complete Charlie riding around in all that armour and damned stupid plumed helmet. I felt like a medieval fireman.” The series concluded after a planned two-season