The Gay Cavalier
Encyclopedia
The Gay Cavalier was a 1957
British
television adventure series set during the English Civil War
and starring Christian Marquand
as a fictionalised Captain Claude Duval
. The series was made by Associated Rediffusion and shown on ITV
between May and August 1957.
In truth, Duval was a successful gentleman highwayman
who came from France
to post-Restoration England
, but The Gay Cavalier portrayed him in heroic fashion. In each of the series 13 episodes, Duval was to be seen emnbarking on an adventure which required him to undertake such tasks as retrieving a piece of treasure, thwarting a plot by the Roundheads or saving a woman in trouble. Each of the adventures was self-contained and Duval was often accompanied on these exploits by a female companion (usually a different one in each episode).
The series also starred a number of other actors who generally appeared in one of the adventures. These included Christopher Lee
, John Le Mesurier
, Conrad Phillips
, Nigel Stock and Sam Kydd
.
The series was similar in genre to others of the time, such as The Adventures of Robin Hood
, and though it was shot on film, it is unique in that not one of its episodes have survived.
1957 in television
The year 1957 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1957.-Events:*January 6 – Elvis Presley makes final appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show....
British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
television adventure series set during the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
and starring Christian Marquand
Christian Marquand
Christian Marquand was a French director, actor and screenwriter working in French cinema. A native of Marseille, he was born to a Spanish father and an Arabic mother his sister was film director Nadine Trintignant, and he can be seen as a heartthrob in French movies of the 1950s.His first film...
as a fictionalised Captain Claude Duval
Claude Duval
For other uses, see Claude Duval Claude Du Vall was a French-born gentleman highwayman in post-Restoration Britain.-Early life:...
. The series was made by Associated Rediffusion and shown on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
between May and August 1957.
In truth, Duval was a successful gentleman highwayman
Highwayman
A highwayman was a thief and brigand who preyed on travellers. This type of outlaw, usually, travelled and robbed by horse, as compared to a footpad who traveled and robbed on foot. Mounted robbers were widely considered to be socially superior to footpads...
who came from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
to post-Restoration England
English Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
, but The Gay Cavalier portrayed him in heroic fashion. In each of the series 13 episodes, Duval was to be seen emnbarking on an adventure which required him to undertake such tasks as retrieving a piece of treasure, thwarting a plot by the Roundheads or saving a woman in trouble. Each of the adventures was self-contained and Duval was often accompanied on these exploits by a female companion (usually a different one in each episode).
The series also starred a number of other actors who generally appeared in one of the adventures. These included Christopher Lee
Christopher Lee
Sir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee, CBE, CStJ is an English actor and musician. Lee initially portrayed villains and became famous for his role as Count Dracula in a string of Hammer Horror films...
, John Le Mesurier
John Le Mesurier
John Le Mesurier was a BAFTA Award-winning English actor. He is most famous for his role as Sergeant Arthur Wilson in the popular 1970s BBC comedy Dad's Army.-Career:...
, Conrad Phillips
Conrad Phillips
Conrad Phillips is a British film and television actor, born in London. His real name is Conrad Philip Havord.He is best known for portraying William Tell in the popular ITV television series The Adventures of William Tell which ran for 39 episodes from 1958 to 1959. Philips also played Stefan,...
, Nigel Stock and Sam Kydd
Sam Kydd
Sam Kydd was an Ulster-born English actor. An army officer's son, he was born in Belfast, but moved to London, England when he was a child. He was educated at Dunstable Grammar School in Dunstable, Bedfordshire, England....
.
The series was similar in genre to others of the time, such as The Adventures of Robin Hood
The Adventures of Robin Hood (TV series)
The Adventures of Robin Hood is a popular British television series comprising 143 half-hour, black and white episodes. It starred Richard Greene as the outlaw Robin Hood and Alan Wheatley as his nemesis, the Sheriff of Nottingham. The show aired weekly between 1955 and 1959 on ITV in London in the...
, and though it was shot on film, it is unique in that not one of its episodes have survived.