News article: Western Daily Press, 11 September 1972
Monday, 11 September 1972 06:00 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
arthur_of_the_britonsBack to school for King Arthur’s knights
Stars of stage and screen have been going back to school in Stroud over the past few weeks, to polish up their riding skills.
They have been going to a riding school in Beeches Green to become accomplished horsemen for a TV film about the legendary King Arthur.
Involved
Among well-known actors involved are Jack Watson, who lives in Biddestone, near Chippenham; Rupert (Maigret) Davies and Oliver Tobias1, who takes the name role in the commercial TV film.
Also very much involved is Mr. Bernard Ford2, who owns the carriage museum and stables.
He has been recruited as horse master in charge of 22 horses required for various battle scenes.
His niece, 21-year-old Maria Tolwinska, has also been riding, and acting as serving wench during filming in the West Country.
Battle
Mr Ford’s sister, Mrs. Dorothy Tolwinska, told me the horses are changed most evenings.
“If they get supposedly hurt in a battle scene, or wet in the water, the television people have to use new ones in the next scene or they would be recognised,” she said.3
Work in the 24 episodes continues until December.
1 This is probably inaccurate. As the Saxon leader, Cerdig, Rupert Davies is never seen on horseback in the series, and Oliver Tobias was already an accomplished horseman, as seen in the film, “Romance of a Horsethief.”
2 This probably refers to Ben Ford.
3 In fact, this happened on just one occasion: in “Rowena”, when horses ridden by Arthur and Kai have supposedly been stolen in an ambush, Arthur is seen riding a dark horse for the only time in the series, as well as a white horse who is never seen again in the series. There are other occasions, such as in, “The Gift of Life”, when Kai is seen riding two different horses, when he should have been on the same one throughout the episode.
Further details on the Equine stars of "Arthur of the Britons" can be found here.
Stars of stage and screen have been going back to school in Stroud over the past few weeks, to polish up their riding skills.
They have been going to a riding school in Beeches Green to become accomplished horsemen for a TV film about the legendary King Arthur.
Involved
Among well-known actors involved are Jack Watson, who lives in Biddestone, near Chippenham; Rupert (Maigret) Davies and Oliver Tobias1, who takes the name role in the commercial TV film.
Also very much involved is Mr. Bernard Ford2, who owns the carriage museum and stables.
He has been recruited as horse master in charge of 22 horses required for various battle scenes.
His niece, 21-year-old Maria Tolwinska, has also been riding, and acting as serving wench during filming in the West Country.
Battle
Mr Ford’s sister, Mrs. Dorothy Tolwinska, told me the horses are changed most evenings.
“If they get supposedly hurt in a battle scene, or wet in the water, the television people have to use new ones in the next scene or they would be recognised,” she said.3
Work in the 24 episodes continues until December.
1 This is probably inaccurate. As the Saxon leader, Cerdig, Rupert Davies is never seen on horseback in the series, and Oliver Tobias was already an accomplished horseman, as seen in the film, “Romance of a Horsethief.”
2 This probably refers to Ben Ford.
3 In fact, this happened on just one occasion: in “Rowena”, when horses ridden by Arthur and Kai have supposedly been stolen in an ambush, Arthur is seen riding a dark horse for the only time in the series, as well as a white horse who is never seen again in the series. There are other occasions, such as in, “The Gift of Life”, when Kai is seen riding two different horses, when he should have been on the same one throughout the episode.
Further details on the Equine stars of "Arthur of the Britons" can be found here.