In 1984 Richard Carpenter brought back to life Britain's favorite villain who robbed from the rich and gave to the poor with some of the county's finest actors and actresses. Series creator Richard Carpenter introduced the theme of pagan mysticism and merged it with the ethereal soundtrack by Clannad to re-ignite the legend of Robin of Sherwood.

I am afraid that is all I am going to say about the series in this article because of a change in events whilst doing my research but my reason for this will become clear at the end of the article.

In 1998 on a platform on Paddington Station, on gazing up at the timetables I realised my train had been delayed so I go to get a coffee and sit down for a cigarette to read the newspaper. The only problem is I have lost my lighter so I ask a gentleman sitting next  to me if he has light, he does and as he says "yes of course" to my request. Surprised, I recognised the the voice and face of the gentleman. It is actor Robert Addie who played Sir Guy of Gisbourne in Robin Of Sherwood.

I am not one who is impressed much by being in the company of the famous. But this man was one of the main characters in my favorite television show of all time. I used to re-enact the show with my friends in the local woods with swords made out of branches and some serious stick fighting, usually developing into one or more of us running home in tears.

He was an absolute gentleman and I had to say how much of an impact the show had on me as a young boy to which his eyes lit up and we have a brief chat about the show. As luck would have it he is also catching the same train as myself and him being a smoker we sit together in the smoking section of the train. Upon parting company I have a request that he point at me in public and say that famous line I had heard so many times as a child, 'Its Robin hood….men, get him' he laughs at the suggestion and declines and walks off the train after a polite goodbye.

Then he gets back on the train and points at me with an angry expression and shouts 'Its Robin Hood….men, get him' then he smiles and says farewell.

It was one of the sweetest moments that you could imagine and he was gracious enough to go along with my bizarre request. Once I arrive home the phone is red hot with calls to any childhood friend I maintained contact with who participated in those ferocious battles with me in our mock up Sherwood Forest.

I had not heard much of Robert in the media so I was hoping to find him secretly working on some project in my research and one day have one of those moments like I did finding Bernard Cribbins on Dr Who. But I am very sad to say that I found out that in 2003 Robert died aged 43, shortly after being diagnosed with lung cancer.

My brief encounter told me all that I needed to know about the man. That he was kind, very funny, intelligent and would put himself out for others, even if I did make him look a little silly thinking back on it. But if it had not been for that I would not writing this piece.

Robert should be remembered as one of Britain's finest actors and given the recognition that he deserved. I am now going to dig out my complete Robin of Sherwood series to do more research on the second piece to the article on the series but as I am sure the cast and all involved in Robin of Sherwood would agree, we need to remember this great British Actor.

God Bless you Robert.

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