The Gay Cavalier (TV series)

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The Gay Cavalier
Created by Brock Williams
Jack Andrews
Starring Christian Marquand
Country of originUnited Kingdom
No. of series1
No. of episodes13 (all missing)
Production
Running time30 minutes
Production company Associated-Rediffusion
Original release
Network ITV
Release12 July (1957-07-12) –
4 October 1957 (1957-10-04)

The Gay Cavalier is 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. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Plot

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. [4] In each of the series 13 episodes, Duval was to be seen embarking on an adventure which required him to undertake such tasks as treasure hunting, thwarting a plot by the Roundheads or saving a damsel in distress. 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).

Cast

The series also featured 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. [5]

Similarities to other historical fiction series

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 has survived. [6] [7]

References

  1. ↑ British Film and Television Year Book. British and American Press. 1962.
  2. ↑ Harvey, Sylvia (2006). Trading Culture: Global Traffic and Local Cultures in Film and Television. John Libbey. ISBN   978-0-86196-669-1.
  3. ↑ The Spotlight. 1958.
  4. ↑ Vahimagi, Tise (1996). British Television: An Illustrated Guide. Oxford University Press. ISBN   978-0-19-815927-8.
  5. ↑ "BFI Screenonline: Gay Cavalier (1957)". www.screenonline.org.uk. Retrieved 8 October 2025.
  6. ↑ Fryer, Ian (17 September 2023). Carrying On: The Carry Ons and Films of Peter Rogers and Gerald Thomas. Fonthill Media.
  7. ↑ Fiddy, Dick (2001). Missing Believed Wiped: Searching for the Lost Treasures of British Television. Bloomsbury Academic. ISBN   978-0-85170-867-6.
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