Sir Francis Drake (TV series)
British adventure series starring Terence Morgan as Sir Francis Drake.
Sir Francis Drake (also known as *The Adventures of Sir Francis Drake*) is a British adventure series that aired from 1961 to 1962. It stars Terence Morgan as the title character, the commander of the ship *Golden Hind*. The show features naval battles, sword fights, and political scheming at the court of Queen Elizabeth I.
The series was a co-production between ABC and ATV, filmed at Associated British Elstree Studios and at historical locations across England. A replica of the *Golden Hind* was built for £25,000 and used for shooting in and around Torbay and Dartmouth. In 1963, this ship was permanently docked in Brixham harbour, Devon, as a tourist attraction. It was destroyed in a storm in 1987, then towed to Dartmouth and replaced by the current replica.
Historical research was handled by E. Hayter Preston. Beatrice Dawson designed the period costumes. Ian Stuart Black served as story editor. Fight scenes were choreographed by Peter Diamond, who also appeared in four episodes.
The series originally aired on UK network ATV from 12 November 1961 to 20 May 1962. It later aired in the US on NBC from 24 June to 9 September 1962, as a summer replacement for *Car 54, Where Are You?*. In 2020, it began broadcasting on Talking Pictures TV.
The cast includes Terence Morgan as Sir Francis Drake, Jean Kent as Queen Elizabeth I, Michael Crawford as John Drake, Roger Delgado as Count Bernardino de Mendoza, Patrick McLoughlin as Trevelyan, Alex Scott as Don Pedro, Milton Reid as Diego, Richard Warner as Walsingham, Ewan Roberts as Munro, Howard Lang as Richard Grenville, Glynn Edwards as Will Martin, and Peter Diamond as Bosun. Guest stars include David McCallum, Delphi Lawrence, Raymond Huntley, Noelle Middleton, Michael Anderson Jr., Clive Morton, Ronald Leigh-Hunt, Nanette Newman, Olive McFarland, Michael Ripper, Mark Eden, Anthony Bushell, Frederick Jaeger, William Lucas, Neil McCallum, Francesca Annis, Ferdy Mayne, Mary Merrall, Nigel Davenport, Reginald Beckwith, Brian Bedford, Barry Morse, Pamela Brown, Patrick Allen, and Natasha Parry.
The complete series is available on DVD. The release includes a still of Terence Morgan as Sir Francis Drake playing bowls, referencing the famous incident when the Spanish Armada was sighted.
- field
- Television
- nationality
- British
- known_for
- Adventure series about Sir Francis Drake
- first_aired
- 12 November 1961
- last_aired
- 20 May 1962
- network
- ATV (UK), NBC (US)
Lore & Background
The series was a joint ABC/ATV production, made at Associated British Elstree Studios and on historical sites in England. A replica of the Golden Hind was constructed at a cost of £25,000 and used for filming in and around the bays of Torbay and Dartmouth. In 1963 the ship was permanently moored in Brixham harbour in Devon, becoming a tourist attraction until it was wrecked in a storm in 1987, after which it was towed to Dartmouth and replaced with the current replica.
Historical research was provided by E. Hayter Preston. Beatrice Dawson designed the period costumes. Ian Stuart Black was story editor. Fight scenes were arranged by Peter Diamond, who also appeared in four episodes. The series originally aired on UK network ATV from 12 November 1961 until 20 May 1962, and later aired in the US on NBC from 24 June 1962 to 9 September 1962 as a summer replacement for Car 54, Where Are You?. In 2020, it began being broadcast on Talking Pictures TV.
The cast included Terence Morgan as Sir Francis Drake, Jean Kent as Queen Elizabeth I, Michael Crawford as John Drake, Roger Delgado as Count Bernardino de Mendoza, and many others. Guest appearances included David McCallum, Delphi Lawrence, Raymond Huntley, Noelle Middleton, and Nigel Davenport as Miguel de Cervantes.
Reader's Guide
The series represents a mid-20th-century British television adventure drama, notable for its historical setting and the construction of a replica ship for filming. Its legacy includes the replica Golden Hind, which became a tourist attraction in Brixham before being wrecked in 1987. The show's broadcast history includes a US run as a summer replacement for Car 54, Where Are You? and a later revival on Talking Pictures TV in 2020. The DVD release includes a still of Terence Morgan as Sir Francis Drake playing bowls, alluding to the famous incident when the Spanish Armada was sighted. The series is remembered for its period costumes, fight choreography, and historical research, though it remains a relatively obscure entry in television history.
Did You Know?
- A replica of the Golden Hind was built for the series at a cost of £25,000.
- The replica ship was wrecked in a storm in 1987.
- The series aired in the US as a summer replacement for Car 54, Where Are You?.
- Nigel Davenport appeared as Miguel de Cervantes in a guest role.
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