Crossbow (TV series)
Crossbow is a 1987 historical drama action-adventure television series that aired on CBN Cable Network. The series was produced by Steven North and Richard Schlesinger for Robert Halmi Inc., in co-production with French television network FR3. It was filmed entirely on location in France, mostly in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, and in the Occitania region.
Premise
Set in 14th-century Switzerland, Crossbow follows the adventures of William Tell, a legendary folk hero and expert marksman. The story begins with Tell and his son, Matthew, imprisoned by the tyrannical Governor Hermann Gessler, who seeks to suppress a Swiss uprising against Austrian rule. When Tell is forced to shoot an apple off his son’s head with a crossbow—a feat he successfully accomplishes—he becomes a symbol of resistance. Using his exceptional skills, Tell escapes captivity and leads a rebellion against Gessler’s oppressive regime, encountering both allies and formidable adversaries along the way.Cast and characters
Main characters
- William Tell, played by Will Lyman
- Governor Hermann Gessler, played by Jeremy Clyde
- Blade, played by Melinda Mullins
- Roland, played by Valentine Pelka
- Matthew Tell, played by David Barry Gray
- Katrina Tell, played by Anne Lonnberg
- Tyroll, played by Hans Meyer
- Horst, played by Nick Brimble
- Conrad, played by John Otway
- Arris, played by Robert Addie
- Weevil, played by Bernard Spiegel
- Ambrose, played by Bertie Cortez
Guest stars
- Eleanor, played by Dana Barron
- The Emperor, played by Guy Rolfe
- Prince Ignatius, played by Johnny Crawford
- Gaston, played by Brian Blessed
- Princess, played by Valerie Steffen
- Captain of the Guard, played by Steve Buscemi
- François Arconciel, played by Roger Daltrey
- Sara Guidotti, played by Sarah Michelle Gellar
- Vogel "The Alchemist", played by David Warner
- Stefan, William Tell's mentor, played by Conrad Phillips
- Pamenta, played by Imogen Annesley
Media
A television film, Crossbow: The Movie, edited from combined episodes of the series, was released on DVD in 2005, under the title The Adventures of William Tell. The complete series was later released in 2018 on six DVD discs.An action-adventure game titled Crossbow: the Legend of William Tell, based on the series, was released in 1989 for the Amiga and the Atari ST.
Marvel Comics released several issues of a tie-in comic book, with the characters of Tell and Gessler drawn to the likenesses of Will Lyman and Jeremy Clyde. An illustrated storybook and a novelization were released as well.
The musical score for the series was composed by Stanisław Syrewicz, and used an arrangement of the William Tell Overture by Gioachino Rossini in one of the tracks. A limited printing of the score was released in 1989 on CD and on LP record.