Howard Hill in Robin Hood Movie

[LongStick64]

I know that Howard Hill coached Errol Flynn and supposed to have made that famous shot, but did he actually play one of the Norman archers. There is one scene where I swear it is Howard shooting. It is part of the scene where Robin Hood shows up at the castle with the deer. When he fights his way out, there is a scene where Robin Hood is at the top of a staircase, if you watch the archer below shoot up at him, looks like Howard.

[Don Batten]

i think he was Sir Guy? I know he was in the movie as another person. Good stuff in Craig Elkins book "the man and the legend". DB

[Killdeer]

In the credits he is "The Captain of Archers". Here is a link to a pic.

http://www.cedmagic.com/featured/robin-hood/11-howard-hill.jpg

Google up Howard Hill, and look at the image results. This still came from the archery tournament.

Killdeer

[Wiley Coyote]

Howard was captain of the archers.  

[LongStick64]

So it was him, cool. If you watch the scene, it is a nice shot of him shooting the way he shot. Very clear too.

[SpankyNeal]

He was also Errol Flynns shooting double performing some of the shots for him. He split 9 arrows on command for that scene in the archery tournament! Truly amazing!

[sidebuster]

Get the double DVD version of the movie at Borders or online.  The first DVD is the movie.  The second DVD is the making of the movie.  You will the whole story of HH role in making the movie and yes he is in the movie in the shoot off competition.  Plus several shorts dedicated strictly to HH and his shooting.

Here is a link showing him in the movie

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Hill

[Jock Whisky]

Interesting scene, that shot from the staircase. If you watch the flight of the arrow that Flynn supposedly shoots it looks like it is actually being shot from someone positioned higher than Flynn. I wonder if Howard actually made that shot.

JW

[GingivitisKahn]

Supposedly the shots you see being made into the bad guys are all Howard's work.  Apparently, they had a metal shield in their shirts and balsa over that - they got extra cash if they 'took an arrow' from Howard.

That's trust (and questionable judgment even if it was Howard dropping the string).

[Pointer]

THe staircase scene was Hill actually shooting arrows into the door. He also shot the truncheon out of Basil Rathbone's hand at the beginning of the film....that's why when Rathbone raises it up he is holding it so far away from his body.

[Jock Whisky]

Thanks Pointer. I always wondered about that one.

JW

[Earthdog]

I've heard the the term "extras" came about from that movie,,,apparantly getting hit by an arrow even with a body shield "kind of hurts" an not to many wanted a second time round.
All good stuff what ever the story.

[Brian Krebs]

Basil Rathbone also became an archery fan.
I have shot 'robinhoods' but if the math of 100,000 shots to get one is correct - I am not that good a shot.
I did though do it in competition - we had a new target; and everyone was shooting practice rounds at the middle- so I shot off to the side to make sure I was 'on' without loosing an arrow to the other guys. I got laughed at for 'missing so bad' and nobody believed I had shot where I had intentionally. So I called my next shot as the first arrow; and got a perfect robinhood.  A 30 yard shot.
That might sound neat- but I found out that day that I don't have a single humble bone in my body.
I admire Hill for being able to not only keep up the good shooting- but the good sportsmanship; and personality.
I think Hill could have done it. But in the number of takes they had budgeted - well- that might have been a factor in what 'did' happen.