26 films were made in 1956 at Bray Studios. According to a 1956 report, Flynn and his partners invested $1,200,000 in this project. "We aim to make a film in six days," he told reporters. "Sometimes I've taken a little longer, but this is the first series and we're getting better as we go along."
Errol Flynn himself stars in some of the stories (eg Strange Auction, Fortunes of War, The Duel etc) and his wife also stars in several tales (eg Strange Auction, The Model, The Ordeals of Carol Kennedy).
Other minor Hollywood stars also have starring roles, eg June Havoc, Phyllis Kirk, though the behind-the-scenes personnel on the series were British. Some British stars also appear, Christopher Lee notably, but others in more than one story include Peter Reynolds, Glynis Johns and Philip Friend.
Can you identify either of these well known actors? answer

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Strange Auction
Lazing happily outside the studios, Errol introduces this piece of Irish blarney. He seems in very jovial mood. It's very much a family affair for co-starring with Errol is his wife Patrice Wymore, and his son Sean also figures prominently, though he's not too convincing an actor.
Sean is a restless orphan whose mother Laura Bateman one day attends a strange auction. It's "the bargain of the day," announces a hobo, who is auctioning "meself." She "buys this scarecrow and is willing to turn him into a man" by his working for three months on her farm.
Sean does not welcome him at first, but hobo 'Trace' soon teaches him lessons in manners. Together they also chop logs, mend fences and repair the van. "It's nice to have a man about the home," sings Bridget the maid.
"He's done wonders for her too-" Laura that is, and at the end of the contract she asks him to stay on. But the wanderer needs be on his way, but Laura, disappointed as she is, is even more upset when she finds out Sean wants to "hit the road" with Trace. The problem is the script and acting are not convincing enough to reflect the sadness of the situation.
Laura waits and waits, hoping Sean wlll come home. Trace doesn't force the lad to return, though maybe he knows that sleeping under the stars will soon pall for the lad. But Trace does come to realise that Sean has a responsibility for his lonely mother, and at last the pair come back. Sean is reunited with his mother. Trace kisses her too in a happy ending.

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The Girl in the Blue Jeans
Errol, grinning, tells us that love is a disease- "I'd never have guessed!"
This trite story begins with a girl breaking in to an old house. Upstairs the master stirs. Hearing a suspicious noise, he dons his dressing gown to go downstairs. There he prevents the intruder from escaping with one hefty swipe. "You hit me!"
Realising it's a girl, he fetches something for her bruise. She's called Doris (Glynis Johns), and she's running away from home. She bursts into tears. She recognises him as Steve Ferrier (Herbert Lom), a cinema star and writer.
He forces her to admit that she came to steal the manuscript of his latest play. Now she confesses that she did it for fun, and that her real name is Janet.
"Forgive me, I'm just a little slow," admits Steve, and he's not the only one. Her lies are a trifle overwhelming.
She claims she's one of Steve's fans, and had had a bet with her friend that she could find out the plot of his latest play. He kindly enlightens her- it's about a girl who falls in love with a film star. But Steve has yet to cast the female lead, auditions are being held tomorrow.
His Academy Award, his "most prized possession," is admired before they retire for the night.
Next morning she's gone, and so has his Oscar. Steve gets a call from the police saying the girl has been picked up trying to sell it. She has been handing out another pack of lies, now admitting she is really an actress, Susan Tracey, and all this has been a trick to get the part in Steve's play. "You win," he concedes, "I've found the girl we want."
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The Duel
"He's dead!" Thus ends a duel. "Of course, my dear fellow," yawns Lord Brandt (Errol Flynn), "return matches are such a bore!" And off he gallops to the Star and Garter. Yes, you could say Flynn was playing a role he knew well.
19 year old Ann (Ann Stephens) and Lt John Wynham (Tim Turner) are in love, but can they wait to marry until she is of age? Her irascible guardian, Lord Brandt, comes up with a counter proposal- "why, I've always wanted to marry you." As he sips over a morning drink, and comes over a little faint, he explains that if he marries her, his financial worries will be over. For he's been gambling heavily- "frittered away my fortune." There's a veiled threat too- "unless you agree to marry me, I may be compelled to remove Master Wynham." How? A duel, for Brandt is a master swordsman.
Ann learns from a servant that Brandt had killed her father is such a duel. That does it!
"You murderer!" she screams at her guardian. "I'm leaving."
"All I want is your money," he tells her. To which she can only observe
"I didn't know there was such evil in the world." To which he only laughs.
One stormy night, another wild gambling party, John Wynham is watching and accuses Brandt of cheating. "Why, you insolent....!" Wynham is given choice of weapons and wisely selects pistols. It's a showdown in the very room Ann's father died! "This is madness!" The room is cleared, as the men face each other, thunder rolling and lightning flashing.
Brandt is ready to use his hidden pistol, but the cheat is overcome by another of his dizzy spells.
Dr Charles Darnley pronounces his verdict: Apoplexy. "Thank God you're safe," cries Ann.
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The Sealed Room
In a smart suit, Errol introduces a true story of deju vu.
Just married are Americans Walter and Lou (Patrick Allen and Glynis Johns). They're enjoying their honeymoon on a Rhine cruise when Lou gets this "strange feeling, as though something cold touched me." She says she knows the whole landscape, even though she's never been to Europe before, never seen pictures of the Rhine before. "Round the next bend, there are two churches." She's right.
"This isn't funny." She becomes hysterical until an expert in hypertension, who happens to be on board, Professor Harman (Herbert Lom) calms her. "There's no need to be afraid," it's rather a gift, he reassures her.
At a hotel a doctor prescribes complete rest. However Harman says inactivity will be bad for her, so she embarks on a short walk, which takes her, like a magnet, to a castle. "Nobody lives there now," except the caretaker Johann. "It has a bad name," as the old owners had a bad reputation. "I wouldn't be up there after dark."
Johann reluctantly gives the trio a tour. The "gnadige Frau" demands to be shown the Knight's Hall. "She's changed so completely," observes her husband. 'Tis like a bad dream.
In this hall the late Count had accused his wife of heresy and adultery and she was to be hanged as a witch. Now Lou demands to go into a sealed room. Even Johann has never been in there, as the key to the heavy door is lost. Lou knows it's in the recesses of a cupboard, and the door is opened. Skeletons are in here, she tells them.
But there is only one. The count's wife had escaped via a window.
Next day, on the steamer, Lou is "completely normal again." Walter wants to know "what's all this got to do with you, darling?" Prof Harman provides some kind of explanation before Errol winds it up with a line from Hamlet. If he had but known it, this could have made the pilot for One Step Beyond

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19 - Rescued
A young lad refuses to be brownbeaten by Lord Tremaine (Hugh Moxey) into revealing the hiding place of his father, Lord Alton. Tremaine is one of Cromwell's men tracking down a fleeing King Charles, and Alton knows his whereabouts. The boy is silent, but still the hiding place is discovered behind a panel in Alton's castle. But Alton's leg has been amputated, and he cannot be taken to Cromwell until his health improves. So ironically Cromwell's soldiers have to nurse him in his bedroom. Twenty local women are seized as hostages, to discourage any attempt at rescue.
At the local inn there's thus a sombre atmosphere to greet Major Hugh Morton (Errol Flynn). As a Royalist, he offers help. He dons the armour of one of Cromwell's Roundheads to take some broth to Alton's house. By a secret passage he gains access to the bedroom, where Alton is laid on a stretcher and carried secretly away, Morton being heavily wrapped in bandages to take the sick man's place.
Next day the women hostages are released as the patient is taken by Tremaine on his journey to Lord Cromwell. However the soldiers taking him have been replaced with Cavaliers!
Cromwell (Cameron Hall) is at first pleased, for he will persuade Alton to reveal where the King is in hiding. But when the prisoner's face is revealed, it is one of Tremaine's own soldiers!
Major Hugh gives a toast: "Gentlemen- the King!"

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A Wife for the Csar
"A Venus, born of the sea, light as foam, for ever changing, mortal yet eternal... a woman can turn a man into a poet," as a jovial Errol Flynn pronounces in his introduction.
Beauty is the theme of this tale set in 1670 Moscow, "the capital of Russia," Errol informs us, in case we didn't know!
Alexis has now been on the throne for 25 years, enjoying a carefree life pursuing young beauties. His mother warns him to be careful. "Who's talking about marriage?" replies Alexis, though his mother knows it is high time for him to settle down. Tradition has it he must choose from a selection of eligible females chosen by the boyars.
"They say the czar is looking for a wife!" the gossip flies around the country, with families with unmarried daughters preparing them to parade before the czar.
Whilst Alexis is out one day, orphan Natalie (Patrice Wymore) and her "nightingale" voice attracts Alexis, but she is wilful, not knowing who Alexis is. He wants to marry her like a commoner, but her guardian (Francis de Wolff) insists on a proper state wedding, knowing it will bring himself much power in the land.
Yet Natalie, though attracted to Alexis, refuses anything arranged by her guardian. He however promises Alexis he will bring Natalie to the Parade, so Alexis can officially choose her. Headstrong Natalie however refuses to parade "like a head of cattle." "I won't marry the czar," she cries," still not realising who he is.
"From all over the empire, pretty and plain girls" are introduced to the czar.
The czar listens to flattery, all the while awaiting Natalie. But she will not attend. So it's he who goes to her: "you fool," is his greeting. She faints and he picks her in his arms and carries her to his palace.
"They lived happily ever after," concludes Errol, adding that their son became the famous Peter the Great.

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The Kinsman
In a smart suit, Errol explains the theory that Love is a Disease. "How about that?" is his comment, "I'd never have guessed!"
Uncle Marcel (Roland Culver) is short of money, but as he's the only living relative of young Francois (Peter Reynolds) maybe the reports that Francois is going mad will be to uncle's advantage. The rich nephew has fallen in love with a young lady, but he cannot bring himself to ask her father's permission as he's so shy. At last he plucks up the courage and requests the caretaker for permission to marry Claire. Responds the father: his daughter is already married.
Next Francois asks his uncle for his consent to marry Claire- but Marcel isn't even married. Clearly Francois is becoming deranged.
He's dragged to the doctor: "it's all a terrible mistake!" Francois wonders if it's "a deep plot" on Marcel's behalf to take control of his money. This doctor (Peter Illing) is a leading expert on Monomania, a partial insanity, domination by a single passion. By a clever ruse Francois persuades this physician that it's his uncle who's the patient. He's got monomania, explains the nephew, he's poor and nurses a resentment against his rich nephew. The doctor laps up Francois' explanation, despite Marcel's protests: "people might take me for the crazy one!"
"We will look after you," coos the doctor. "Don't excite yourself."
Then Marcel plays his trump card, and gets Francois to seek the doctor's agreement to his marriage to Claire. But by a stroke of fortune, the doctor is agreeable, as he is the one who is Claire's father. The happy couple kiss as poor Marcel is carted away
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24 Declassee

At the start, Errol is sighing for the good old Edwardian days of optimism. A rigid code of honour, he tells us smilingly, and "those who broke it were cast into the outer darkness." Perhaps he would know.

Hugh (Philip Friend) is a prominent MP who's "going to be Prime Minister one of these days." But for the moment, he's more concerned about "notorious American widower" Marian, as he proposes to her, in the best manner, on one knee.
The "very enchanting" Marian (Phyllis Kirk) has however secrets to hide. And old admirer Stewart Rawlings (Ivan Craig) knows them! He is one guest at the party where Hugh is to announce their engagement, and Marian is "not very happy" to see Stewart. He will tell about her ex-husband's bankruptcy and her resultant conviction for fraud, even though he happens to know she was innocent. Stewart will tell, unless she agrees to marry him.
So when Hugh prepares to make the big announcement, she faints. Privately she explains her dilemma to her fiance, adding that it's all off. "In the eyes of all your friends, you would become.... declasse."
However Hugh rallies, declaring their love is more than his career, and together they resolve to have it out with Stewart. She meets the blackmailer privately. He confesses that it was he who ruined her first husband. In return she says she is going to sign away her own fortune to Hugh, so she can marry Stewart: "we can be poor together." Of course, this is not what the villain wants and he agrees to be paid off, in return for signing a confession that he has blackmailed them. That will be sufficient to stop him from ever bothering them again.
Thus it's a very unsatisfactory conclusion, blackmail rewarded, but at least Hugh and Marian are so happy now they can announce their engagement

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In The Kinsman, it's Peter Illing and Roland Culver
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