Broadcast: 28 September 1955 to 22 June 1956 ITC

Synopsis: Sir Percy Blakeney, Baronet, is a notorious fop and hedonistic member of the Prince of Wales's court, but he is secretly the 'Scarlet Pimpernel', a mysterious figure who rescues innocents from the Reign of Terror taking place in France and transports them to safety in England.

Comment: This is the first drama series to appear on the newly launched ITV in 1955. Marius is so absolutely delightful and funny, I wish that that they had gone on to make a second series and introduce the character of Percy's wife Marguerite St Just. They did have plans to make further episodes but the budget per episode was cut from about £3500 to £2000 which would have severely hampered the quality of the series, so no more were filmed. Costumes sketches exist by the Motley Group for Sir Percy/The Scarlet Pimpernel for episodes that were never made.

Trivia: The large pink signet ring that Marius wears as Sir Percy is one he wore throughout his career, starting in the film Highly Dangerous (1950) and featuring in a number of films and television shows thereafter.

Availability: DVD (Network) of all eighteen episodes in a 3-disc set is available online. Release Date: 30 July 2012.

The Scarlet Pimpernel review by Jill Craigie in the Evening Standard 28 December 1955

The Scarlet Pimpernel article in The Daily Mirror 5 October 1955

The Scarlet Pimpernel review by Roberta Leigh in the Evening Standard 8 February 1956

The Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel Ep 1 - The Hostage review in The Daily Telegraph 29 September 1955

The Scarlet Pimpernel unfilmed scripts with handwritten notes by Marius Goring. From our personal collection, previously in the personal collection of Marius Goring.

Marius Goring as Sir Percy with quizzing glass

Marius Goring as Chang Ling Soo in Episode 3 'The Tale of Two Pigtails'

Marius Goring as an old woman in Episode 5 'The Lady in Distress'

Marius Goring in The Scarlet Pimpernel Episode 8 'The Sword of Justice'

Marius Goring disguised as a chimneysweep in Episode 9 Thanksgiving Day

Marius Goring as The Scarlet Pimpernel in disguise as Citizen Max in Episode 10 'Sir Andrew's Fate'

Marius Goring in disguise as The Blind Beggar in The Scarlet Pimpernel Episode 13 'The Flower Woman'

Marius Goring as Judge Amare in The Scarlet Pimpernel Episode 15 'Antoine and Antoinette'

Marius Goring as Marius Olivier in Episode 18 'The Farmer's Boy'

Lucie Mannheim as the Countess la Valliere

Lucie Mannheim as The Flower Woman in Episode 13 'The Flower Woman'

Stanley Van Beers as Chauvelin in The Scarlet Pimpernel

Anthony Newlands as Lord Richard Hastings in The Scarlet Pimpernel

Patrick Troughton as Sir Andrew Ffoulkes in disguise in The Scarlet Pimpernel

Robert Shaw as Lord Anthony Dewhurst in Episode 1 'The Hostage'

Yvonne Furneaux as Suzanne de Fleury in Episode 1 'The Hostage'

Peggy Thorpe Bates as Lady Caroline Wells in Episode 2 'Sir Percy's Wager'

Susan Lyall Grant as Ginette in Episode 3 'The Princess'

Ingeborg Wells as Cecille in The Scarlet Pimpernel Episode 4 'The Lady in Distress'

Simone Lovell as Madame de Fleury in Episode 11 'The Ambassador's Lady'

The Scarlet Pimpernel Episode 8 'The Sword of Justice'

Renee Goddard as Madeleine in Episode 16 'The Winged Madonna'

Eric Lindsay as Antoine in Episode 15 'Antoine and Antoinette'

Greta Watson as Antoinette in Episode 15 'Antoine and Antoinette'

Elvi Hale as Jeanette in Episode 18 'The Farmer's Boy'

Robert Shaw as Lord Anthony Dewhurst and Marius Goring as Sir Percy Blakeney in Episode 1 'The Hostage'

Marius Goring as Sir Percy Blakeney and Stanley Van Beers as Chauvelin in Episode 1 'The Hostage'

Paddy Brannigan, Robert Shaw & Marius Goring in Episode 1 'The Hostage'

Stanley Van Beers as Chauvelin, Robert Shaw as Lord Anthony Dewhurst and Marius Goring as Sir Percy Blakeney (in disguise as a coachman) in Episode 1 'The Hostage'

Marius Goring as Sir Percy Blakeney/The Scarlet Pimpernel and Yvonne Furneaux as Suzanne de Fleury in Episode 1 'The Hostage'

Marius Goring as Sir Percy Blakeney and Lucie Mannheim as the Countess la Valliere in Episode 2 'Sir Percy's Wager'

Marius Goring as Sir Percy Blakeney and Anthony Newlands as Lord Richard Hastings in Episode 2 'Sir Percy's Wager'

Marius Goring as Sir Percy Blakeney in Episode 2 'Sir Percy's Wager'

Marius Goring as The Scarlet Pimpernel in disguise as Pierre Duclos in Episode 3 'The Princess'

Marius Goring as Sir Percy Blakeney/The Scarlet Pimpernel in disguise as Pierre Duclos in Episode 3 'The Princess'

Marius Goring as Sir Percy Blakeney (in disguise as Pierre Duclos) and Susan Lyall Grant as Ginette in Episode 3 'The Princess'

Marius Goring as Sir Percy Blakeney/The Scarlet Pimpernel in disguise as Pierre Duclos and Susan Lyall Grant as Ginette in Episode 3 'The Princess'

Susan Lyall Grant as Ginette and Marius Goring as Sir Percy Blakeney/The Scarlet Pimpernel in disguise as Pierre Duclos in Episode 3 'The Princess'

Alexander Gauge as the Prince of Wales and Marius Goring as Sir Percy Blakeney in Episode 3 'The Princess'

Susan Lyall Grant as Ginette and Marius Goring as Sir Percy Blakeney in Episode 3 'The Princess'

Alexander Gauge as the Prince of Wales, Anthony Newlands as Lord Richard Hastings, Stanley Van Beers as Chauvelin & Marius Goring in disguise as Chang Ling Soo in Episode 4 'A Tale of Two Pigtails'

The Motley Group sketch of Blakeney in Court Costume

The Motley Group sketch of Blakeney in Indoor Costume

The Motley Group sketch of Blakeney in Riding Costume

The Motley Group sketch of Blakeney Walking Costume

The Motley Group sketch of Blakeney in Episode 9 'Thanksgiving Day'

The Motley Group sketch of Pimpernel in disguise, probably as Gaston de Long in Episode 14 'The Imaginary Invalids'

The Motley Group sketch of the Pimpernel as a peasant, probably as Marius Olivier in Episode 18 'The Farmer's Boy'

The Motley Group sketch of the Pimpernel as an old peasant in an episode 'An English Gold Piece' that was never filmed

The Motley Group costume sketch of the Pimpernel in disguise as a pickpocket in 'The Gaol Delivery' an episode that was never filmed

The Motley Group sketch of the Pimpernel as a sailor in an episode that was never filmed

The Motley Group sketch of the Pimpernel as a drunken labourer for an episode that was never filmed

Marius Goring

The Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel 1955-1956

estd. May 2020
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