THE MOVING PICTURE BOY ARCHIVE

THE BOY MERLIN

Title: The Boy Merlin
Production type: TV Mini-Series
Year of first transmission: 1979. The series began as a one-off play in the anthology series Shadows, before being expanded into a 6-episode miniseries. The Shadows episode (entitled The Boy Merlin) was transmitted 11 October 1978. The series was repeated in 1980.
Director: Vic Hughes directed the initial Shadows episode, as well as episodes 3, 4 and 6 of the series proper. Episodes 1 and 5 were directed by Joe Boyer, and episode 2 by Darrol Blake.
Screenwriters: All the episodes, including the Shadows episode, were written by Stewart Farrar.
Country of Production: Britain
Genre: Drama, fantasy
Length: 6 episodes, plus the initial Shadows episode, each approximately 25 minutes in length
Language: English
Availability: The complete series, including the Shadows episode, was released on DVD by Network.

Synopsis (from the sleeve of the Network DVD)
"Set in Wales during the Dark Ages, the series tells the story of the young apprentice magician Merlin - the grandson of King Conaan, fostered by the family of Dafydd Ismena. Merlin's father is unknown; some say he was a demon of the night. His foster-grandmother, Myfanwy, who also possesses magical powers, is the only one to realise that Merlin's destiny lies at the court of King Arthur, and it is she who schools him in magic and witchcraft. However, because of the circumstances surrounding his birth, Merlin is in constant danger from Vortigern, the Saxon High King, and his beautiful queen Rowena."

The series was produced by Thames Television for the ITV network.

Below: Listing in TV Times (Apr 26-May 2 1980) for 1980 repeat of episode 4 (Editor's collection)

Detail from above showing Ian Rowlands as Merlin

Page for series in Look-in magazine (w/e 5 May 1979) (Editor's collection)

Selection of stills of production photos featuring Ian Rowlands (no larger size available)

Screencaps from final episode, 'The Lady and the Sword'