Treasure Island (1977 television series)
Encyclopedia
Treasure Island is a 1977
television
adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson
’s famous 1883 novel
. It was filmed in 1977 on location in Plymouth and Dartford, and in Corsica, and also at BBC Television Centre at Wood Lane, London.
Jim Hawkins
(Ashley Knight) discovers a treasure map and embarks on a journey to find the treasure, but pirates
led by Long John Silver
(Alfred Burke
) have plans to take the treasure for themselves by way of mutiny. This four-episode adaptation by John Lucarotti, while particularly faithful to the original, adds an expanded narrative concerning the declining Daniel Hawkins, as well as clarifying Squire Trelawney's naiveté in trusting Blandly and Silver.
This takes place in the first episode; Billy Bones tempts Jim's father into arranging a two man treasure voyage, the corrupt shipping agent Ezra Blandly guesses their intentions and tips off Silver, who hoodwinks and then cruelly tortures the information out of a hapless alcoholic Mr Arrow. Billy Bones plans founder, and Hawkins snr catches pneumonia in the rain, which finishes him.
Lucarotti's additions to the original provide useful backstory, and the pirate idiom is sufficiently well captured for these additions not to be too obvious.
While the director, Michael E Briant, has clearly made sure that all the characters are much more strongly defined on screen than they are in the novel, and has cast most of the great TV character actors of the 70s, Alfred Burke is a quite astonishing Sea Cook; slick, violent, cunning, and dangerously plausible. The characterisation bears comparison with that of Robert Newton.
1977 in television
The year 1977 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1977.For the American TV schedule, see: 1977-78 American network television schedule.-Events:...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer. His best-known books include Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde....
’s famous 1883 novel
Treasure Island
Treasure Island is an adventure novel by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson, narrating a tale of "pirates and buried gold". First published as a book on May 23, 1883, it was originally serialized in the children's magazine Young Folks between 1881–82 under the title Treasure Island; or, the...
. It was filmed in 1977 on location in Plymouth and Dartford, and in Corsica, and also at BBC Television Centre at Wood Lane, London.
Jim Hawkins
Jim Hawkins (character)
James "Jim" Hawkins is a fictional character in Robert Louis Stevenson's novel Treasure Island. He is both the protagonist and narrator of the story.-Appearances:...
(Ashley Knight) discovers a treasure map and embarks on a journey to find the treasure, but pirates
Piracy
Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence at sea. The term can include acts committed on land, in the air, or in other major bodies of water or on a shore. It does not normally include crimes committed against persons traveling on the same vessel as the perpetrator...
led by Long John Silver
Long John Silver
Long John Silver is a fictional character and the primary antagonist of the novel Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson. Silver is also known by the nicknames "Barbecue" and the "Sea-Cook".- Profile :...
(Alfred Burke
Alfred Burke
Alfred Burke was a British actor, best known for his portrayal of Frank Marker in the drama series Public Eye, which ran on television for ten years.-Early life:...
) have plans to take the treasure for themselves by way of mutiny. This four-episode adaptation by John Lucarotti, while particularly faithful to the original, adds an expanded narrative concerning the declining Daniel Hawkins, as well as clarifying Squire Trelawney's naiveté in trusting Blandly and Silver.
This takes place in the first episode; Billy Bones tempts Jim's father into arranging a two man treasure voyage, the corrupt shipping agent Ezra Blandly guesses their intentions and tips off Silver, who hoodwinks and then cruelly tortures the information out of a hapless alcoholic Mr Arrow. Billy Bones plans founder, and Hawkins snr catches pneumonia in the rain, which finishes him.
Lucarotti's additions to the original provide useful backstory, and the pirate idiom is sufficiently well captured for these additions not to be too obvious.
While the director, Michael E Briant, has clearly made sure that all the characters are much more strongly defined on screen than they are in the novel, and has cast most of the great TV character actors of the 70s, Alfred Burke is a quite astonishing Sea Cook; slick, violent, cunning, and dangerously plausible. The characterisation bears comparison with that of Robert Newton.
Cast
- Alfred BurkeAlfred BurkeAlfred Burke was a British actor, best known for his portrayal of Frank Marker in the drama series Public Eye, which ran on television for ten years.-Early life:...
as Long John SilverLong John SilverLong John Silver is a fictional character and the primary antagonist of the novel Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson. Silver is also known by the nicknames "Barbecue" and the "Sea-Cook".- Profile :... - Ashley Knight as Jim HawkinsJim Hawkins (character)James "Jim" Hawkins is a fictional character in Robert Louis Stevenson's novel Treasure Island. He is both the protagonist and narrator of the story.-Appearances:...
- Jack WatsonJack Watson (actor)Jack Watson , was an English actor who appeared in many British films and television dramas from the 1950s onwards....
as Capt. Billy Bones - David CollingsDavid CollingsDavid Collings is a British actor. He has played many different roles on various television programmes, including the leading dramatic role in Fyodor Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment in 1964....
as Blind Pew - Thorley WaltersThorley WaltersThorley Walters was an English character actor.He is probably best remembered for his comedy film roles such as in Two-Way Stretch and Carlton-Browne of the FO...
as Squire John Trelawney - Anthony BateAnthony BateAnthony Bate is an English actor.He is possibly best known for his role as Oliver Lacon in the BBC television adaptations of the John le Carré novels Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and Smiley's People....
as Dr. David Livesey - Roy BoydRoy BoydRoy Boyd is an English actor best known for his roles on television. He has three children.His credits include: The Saint, Counterstrike, The Borderers, Codename, Colditz, The Zoo Gang, The Sweeney, Warship, Doctor Who , Survivors, The New Avengers, Space: 1999, The...
as George Merry - Patrick TroughtonPatrick TroughtonPatrick George Troughton was an English actor most widely known for his roles in fantasy, science fiction and horror films, particularly in his role as the second incarnation of the Doctor in the long-running British science-fiction television series Doctor Who, which he played from 1966 to 1969,...
as Israel HandsIsrael HandsIsrael Hands was an 18th century pirate, also known as Basilica Hands. Hands is best known for being second in command to Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard... - Stephen GreifStephen GreifStephen Greif is an award-winning English actor.His television appearances include Waking the Dead , Spooks , Mistresses 2 , He Kills Coppers , Holby City , The Last Days of Pompeii as Sporus, Judge John Deed , Space Race , EastEnders , The Bill and...
as Job Anderson - Talfryn ThomasTalfryn ThomasTalfryn Thomas was a British character actor, best known for supporting roles on British television in the 1970s.-Biography:Talfryn Thomas was born in Swansea on 31 October 1922....
as Tom Morgan - Tim Condren as Seamus O'Brien
- Richard BealeRichard BealeRichard Beale is a British actor. He has had a long career in television, stage and film, stemming back to the 1950s.Beale served as a lieutenant in the Royal Navy during the Second World War.Selected filmography:*Compact...
as Capt. Alexander Smollett - Roy EvansRoy Evans (actor)Roy Evans is an actor who has appeared in British Television from 1960s onwards appearing in a wide range of productions including Doctor Who , Blake's 7 and Porterhouse Blue .-External links:...
as Richard Joyce - Brian CroucherBrian CroucherBrian Croucher is an English actor and director perhaps best known for his role as Ted Hills, which he played from 1995 to 1997, in the soap opera EastEnders....
as John Hunter - Royston TicknerRoyston TicknerRoyston Tickner was a British actor.He was born in Leicester and trained as an actor at Scarborough repertory theatre...
as Tom Redruth - Edward PeelEdward PeelEdward Peel is a British actor.He has mostly appeared on television, his roles include Shogun , Juliet Bravo , Cracker , Emmerdale Farm and London's Burning...
as Abraham Grey - Jo KendallJo KendallJo Kendall is a British actress.She played Desdemona in a production of Othello at the A.D.C. Theatre, Cambridge in 1962.In August 1963 she appeared in the West End in London, New Zealand and Broadway, in the Cambridge University revue Cambridge Circus directed by Humphrey Barclay, alongside Graham...
as Sarah Hawkins - Terry ScullyTerry ScullyTerry Scully was a British theatre and television actor.After making his name in the theatre, from the 1960s onwards he became more known for TV work...
as Daniel Hawkins - Christopher Burgess as Black Dog
- Ena Cabayo as Louisa Silver
- Stephen Boswell as Dick Johnson
- John BaskcombJohn BaskcombJohn Baskcomb was an English character actor who made numerous television and film appearances over a 35 year period....
as Ezra Blandly - Keith Bartlett as John
- Max Faulkner as Sgt. Dance
- Linal HaftLinal HaftLinal Haft, sometimes known as Lionel Haft, is a British actor.- Biography :Haft made his acting debut in an episode of Homicide as Harry Bruce in 1968. He went on to play his second role later the same year, as Adams in an episode of Contrabandits...
as Joshua Arrow - Henry Knowles as Bill
- Derrick Slater as Tom
- Clive WoodClive Wood-Film and television:Wood's first starring TV role was as Vic Brown, opposite Joanne Whalley and Susan Penhaligon, in the 1982 ITV drama series based on the novel A Kind of Loving. He has played Matt Kerr in Press Gang, DCI Gordon Wray in The Bill and Jack Morgan in London's Burning...
as Dirk - John Dearth as Jeb