| The Swamp Fox |
 |
| ABC Network |
| 1958 |
| Drama |
| 60 Minutes |
Leslie Nielsen starred as Francis Marion
(1732-95), an early American guerrilla fighter
who battled and befuddled the British in the
Charleston, South Carolina area.
"My name is Francis Marion. I fought the
British Redcoats in '76 - hiding in the Carolina
swamps by day, surprising them with swift
strikes at night. They called me a tricky swamp
fox, so a Swamp Fox I became."
Listen to Theme Song
Theme Song Lyrics
Words by Lew
Foster and
Music by Buddy Baker
Swamp Fox! Swamp Fox!
Tail on his hat,
Nobody knows where The Swamp Fox's at.
Swamp Fox! Swamp Fox!
Hiding in the glen,
He runs away to fight again.
We got lead, and we got powder.
We don't fight with an empty gun.
Only makes us shout the louder.
We are men of Marion.
(Chorus)
Got no blankets, got no bed.
Got no roof above our heads.
Got no shelter when it rains.
All we got is Yankee brains.
(Chorus)
Got no cornpone, got no honey.
All we got is Continental money.
Won't buy bacon, hominy or grits.
Roasted ears and possum is all we ever git.
(Chorus)
Other cast of characters in this
revolutionary tale included:
The Ladies:
-
Mary Field as Cathy Marion
- Joy Page/Barbara Eiler as Mary Videau, Marion's
girlfriend. Her parents are loyal to Britain.
-
Eleanor Audley as Mrs. Videau
- Dorothy Green as Mrs. Townes
-
Sherry Jackson as Melanie Culpin, Gabe's love interest.
-
Louise Beavers as Delia
The Officers:
- Robert Douglas as General Cornwallis
- John Sutton as Colonel Banastre Tarleton, of the Green
Dragon Cavalry. Marion's main nemesis.
- Myron Healey as Major Peter Horry
- Henry Daniel as Colonel Townes, Tory Leader
- Sean McClory as Captain Myles
- James Seay as Captain Richardson
- Patrick Macnee as a British Captain
- George N. Neise as Lt. Peters
- Richard Lupino as Lieutenant Wilkes
- Richard Erdman as Sergeant Jasper. He lets the British
think he has contempt for Marion, but all the while he is his
ally.
- John Alderson as Sergeant McDonald
The Rest:
- Tim Considine as Gabe Marion, Marion's teenage nephew
who aspires the heroics of his Uncle.
- Slim Pickens as Ewald Plunkett, one of the Swamp Fox's men.
- Dick Foran as Gabriel Marion
- Smoki Whitfield as Oscar
- Chuck Roberson as American Soldier
- J. Pat O'Malley as British Sentry
- Chuck Roberson as Jenkins
- Parley Baer as Kusak as Storekeeper
- Robert Foulk as Rebel Arsonist Leader
- Denver Pyle/James Anderson as Amos Briggs
- Rhys Williams as Professor Culpin
- J. Pat O'Malley as O'Reilly
- James Anderson as Amos Briggs
- Clarence Muse as Joseph
- Hal Stalmaster as Gwynn
- Alan Caillou as Ken Anakin
- Robin Hughes as Hitchcock
- Donald Randolph as Mr. Videau
- Charlie Briggs as Folger Selby
- Arthur Hunnicutt as Ezra Selby
Memorabilia
TRIVIA NOTE: This
Revolutionary War adventure was aired as part
of the "Frontierland" banner on the DISNEYLAND
(a.k.a., WALT DISNEY PRESENTS).
The series was based on the book "Swamp Fox"
by Robert Bass. The Swamp Fox was the
inspiration for Mel Gibson's character in the
film The Patriot (2000).
During the TV program, Marion's men were
fond of singing the Swamp Fox Theme. They sang
it at their camp fires and they sang as they
rode their horses down a road. Now with all that
shouting and praising their leader, I'm
surprised the British didn't hear them coming.
In his later acting career, Leslie Nielsen
would drop his dramatic persona for that of
the comic cop Frank Drebin in the POLICE SQUAD
television show and the Naked Gun movies.
Joy Page, the first of two actresses to play
the role of Marion's love interest Mary Videau,
was the step-daughter of Jack L.
Warner.
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