William Tell (TV series)

The tale of William Tell harkens back to medieval Switzerland, in the Alpine village of Altdorf. Legend has it that the Austrian warlord Governor Landburgher Gessler ruled Switzerland with an iron hand, demanding the citizenry to pay their respects daily. A revolutionary at heart, William Tell ignored the dictum, and was seized by soldiers. Gessler, who had heard of Tell's skill as an archer, told Tell that he could avoid execution by shooting an apple off his son's head, from twenty paces. Tell succeeded in the feat, and later slew Gessler, signaling the start of the movement that secured Switzerland's independence from Austria. Fact or folklore, the myth remains in Altdorf, where William Tell is regarded as a national hero. This DVD disc set from TMG brings you thirty episodes based on the legendary William Tell, over 750 minutes in all three discs. Produced on location in Snowdonia, England and at the studios of ITC, one of Britain's leading independent production companies, the series features many of England's finest actors. Joining Conrad Phillips in the role of William Tell and Willoughby Goddard as Gessler, are many fine cameos, including performances by Michael Caine, Wilfred Brambell, Donald Pleasence and Robert Shaw.