Series 1 (1958)
| Episode # | Prod # | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 101 | "Francesca" | Terry Bishop | Lewis Hunt | 21 February 1958 |
| The Duke de Medici, seeking to forge an alliance with the Duke of Granada promises the hand of his young sister, Francesca, in marriage to the Spanish nobleman. Marco and, indeed, Francesca herself have other ideas. Stars Ferdy Mayne, Richard Beckwith played Sandro in this episode and Bryan Coleman. | |||||
| 2 | 115 | "The Suspects" | Terence Fisher | George Baxt | 28 February 1958 |
| Marco, Sandro, Bosti, Varenza, Sebastiano, and Procelli meet in Marco's studio to discuss the distribution of republican pamphlets but one of the men is a traitor. Stars Leonard Sachs, Charles Gray, Basil Dignam, Richard Wordsworth. | |||||
| 3 | 102 | "The Sicilian" | Terry Bishop | Samuel B. West | 7 March 1958 |
| Marco enlists the pickpocket Angelica to recover republican money cheated from Sandro by a cardsharp. Stars Peter Wyngarde. | |||||
| 4 | 106 | "Portrait in Emerald Green" | Bernard Knowles | Leighton Reynolds | 14 March 1958 |
| Master butcher Guilo Basti opposes a tax levied by de Medici who orders Rodrigo to kill him. Marco is painting a portrait of Basti's beautiful young wife Lucrezia. Rodrigo decides to create a situation whereas Basti believes that Marco and Lucrezia are lovers and Lucrezia sees a way to rid herself of a husband. Stars John Le Mesurier, June Rodney and Dennis Edwards. | |||||
| 5 | 121 | "Forgery in Red Chalk" | Terry Bishop | Leighton Reynolds | 21 March 1958 |
| De Medici is determined to get hold of plans of an under the sea machine designed by Leonardo da Vinci and holds da Vinci's mute servant hostage. Marco has to forge a de Vinci sketch. Stars Andrew Keir. | |||||
| 6 | 122 | "Vespucci" | Anthony Squire | Michael Connor | 28 March 1958 |
| Captain Amerigo Vespucci anxious to raise money from de Medici for another voyage has to produces Little Fawn, a native of the strange new land, who has been kidnapped and Marco has to find her. Stars Patrick Troughton, John Gabriel and Luciana Paoluzzi. | |||||
| 7 | 120 | "The Woman in the Picture" | Anthony Squire | Michael Connor | 4 April 1958 |
| Marco battles to stop Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa being sold by de Medici to Count Ugo. Stars Andrew Keir, Joan Plowright and John Arnatt. | |||||
| 8 | 104 | "Caterina" | Bernard Knowles | Robert Westerby | 11 April 1958 |
| Baglione, General of de Medici's Guard, wants a portrait of his beautiful daughter Caterina. Marco expecting the commission is both annoyed and dismayed when Sandro tells him that another artist is to do the portrait. Stars William Lucas, George Murcell, Neville Jason and Howard Lang. | |||||
| 9 | 107 | "The Duke" | Terry Bishop | Robert Westerby | 18 April 1958 |
| The taxes de Medici has imposed on the merchants of Florence are causing unrest which may lead to rebellion so he hires Spanish mercenaries from the Duke of Ferrara who will not be bothered about killing the citizens. De Medici plans to marry his sister Francesca to the Duke to the horror of Marco. Stars Richard Pasco. | |||||
| 10 | 108 | "The Eye of the Artist" | Terry Bishop | Willliam Templeton | 25 April 1958 |
| A courier carrying a message to the republicans of Florence is ambushed and killed by one of de Medici's agents. The message was to be delivered to Orsini whose beautiful young wife Lisa is having her portrait painted by Marco del Monte. Stars John Carson and Paul Eddington. | |||||
| 11 | 112 | "The Bracelet" | Terry Bishop | Robert Westerby | 2 May 1958 |
| Francesca is thrown from her horse losing her bracelet. Marco goes to her aid but is sent away by Paolo, the worthless nephew of Count Orlando. Marco discovers that Francesca's bracelet has become attached to his cloak and is attacked when he tries to return it. Stars Ronald Hines, Ronald Leigh-Hunt | |||||
| 12 | 105 | "The Hero" | Bernard Knowles | Robert Westerby | 9 May 1958 |
| Marco is incensed when a hero of the revolution, General Ferrucci, accepts a pardon from de Medici. Stars John Robinson and John Bailey. | |||||
| 13 | 118 | "The Value of Paper" | Terry Bishop | Michael Connor | 16 May 1958 |
| Marco's friend Umberto has written a treatise on republicanism which would prove dangerous to him if de Medici were to find out. Umberto is parchment maker and forbids his daughter to marry Luigi, a rival printer and paper maker. Stars Jennifer Jayne. | |||||
| 14 | 103 | "Choice of Weapons" | Terry Bishop | Samuel B. West | 23 May 1958 |
| De Medici attempts to impose a tax on the Guild of Painters only to be foiled by Marco. De Medici then challenges Marco to a duel and Marco accepts only to find that the cowardly Duke has no intention of fighting the duel himself. Stars Charles Gray, Geoffrey Bayldon and John Dearth. | |||||
| 15 | 117 | "Marriage of Convenience" | Terry Bishop | William Templeton | 30 May 1958 |
| Girolamo and Zanobi are two of the most powerful families in Italy. Their houses are to be united by the marriage of their children. The couple have never met and so Marco is hired to paint a portrait of the girl causing him a dilemma as the girl has a scar on her cheek. Stars Anthony Nicholls, Edwin Richfield and Maurice Kaufmann. | |||||
| 16 | 114 | "The Bell" | Terence Fisher | Michael Connor | 6 June 1958 |
| Marco and Sandro are annoyed when Sandro's uncle Beppo, the bellringer, has been prevented by de Medici's guards from ringing The Liberty Bell in defiance of de Medici orders. Marco is determined to ring the bell before midnight but needs Francesca de Medici help. Stars Wilfrid Brambell and John Dearth. | |||||
| 17 | 109 | "The Tower" | Terence Fisher | George Baxt | 13 June 1958 |
| The Duke de Medici has commissioned designs for the decorations he hopes will impress the Duke of Valencia, but he has no intention of paying for them. Marco organises the artists to band together and demonstrate from the highest tower in Florence to shame de Medici into paying. Stars Patrick Troughton | |||||
| 18 | 111 | "The Ship" | Bernard Knowles | William Templeton | 20 June 1958 |
| Shipwrecked Stephano, a merchant, tries to raise money to build another ship with money from The Duke of Urbino but de Medici is trying to borrow money from him to take control of the Florence wool trade. Marco plans to help Stephano and thwart de Medici's plans. Stars Andrew Cruickshank, Geoffrey Bayldon, Joseph O'Conor and Patricia Burke. | |||||
| 19 | 128 | "The Besieged Duchess" | Terry Bishop | George Baxt | 11 July 1958 |
| The Duke de Medici orders Machiavelli, his chief adviser, to negotiate with the eccentric Duchess Di Crespi for her derelict castle necessary for the city's defence. Marco helps Machiavelli to appease the Duchess. Stars Martita Hunt and Tom Clegg. | |||||
| 20 | 119 | "The Pagan Venus" | Anthony Squire | Robert Westerby | 18 July 1958 |
| De Medici needs money to buy cannon to strengthen his grip on the people and confiscates pagan art and antiquities like the Pagan Venus to sell to the Duke of Milan. Marco decides to help the art dealers whose livelihood is threatened. Stars Leonard Sachs, Bill Fraser, John Carson and Alan Rowe. | |||||
| 21 | 113 | "The Slave" | Terry Bishop | George Baxt | 1 August 1958 |
| Disturbed by news of the arrival of a new batch of slaves Marco hatches a plan to free, Safiye, a Turkish Princess. Angelica is jealous of the beautiful girl and gives the game away to slavemaster Di Santi. Stars Thomas Heathcote, Ziki Arnot. | |||||
| 22 | 123 | "The School" | Terry Bishop | William Templeton | 8 August 1958 |
| Marco's friend the printer of a secret republican manifesto has his shop smashed up by de Medici's men and a spy is suspected at the school his son attends. Marco takes a job there as a teacher. Stars Patrick Troughton and Kenneth Williams. | |||||
| 23 | 125 | "The Ambassador" | Peter Maxwell | William Templeton | 15 August 1958 |
| De Medici is negotiating a loan from the English government to Marco's dismay and Angelica decides to intercept the English ambassador on his way to Florence and take him to Marco to learn of de Medici's tyranny. Stars Patrick Troughton and Peter Hammond | |||||
| 24 | 126 | "The Lion and the Mouse" | Anthony Squire | George Baxt | 22 August 1958 |
| The price of Alum under de Medici's control is rising causing the price of paint and cosmetics to soar and when Marco's attempt to liberate a shipload of Turkish Alum is foiled the women of Florence deprived of expensive cosmetics decide to take action with Marco's prompting. Stars Jean Kent | |||||
| 25 | 127 | "Angelica's Past" | Coby Ruskin | Michael Connor | 29 August 1958 |
| Virelli, Angelica's criminal mentor returns to claim her and fearful for Marco's safety agrees to go with him and return to her life of pickpocketing and face a trial from the guild of thieves. Stars Roger Delgado, Richard Wordsworth and John Barron. | |||||
| 26 | 129 | "Cristina" | Coby Ruskin | Michael Connor | 5 September 1958 |
| Cristina, a girl who 8 years earlier Marco had loved and planned to marry but who jilted him returns to Florence needing protection from the Duke of Sienna's assassins who are after her husband. Marco's feelings for her lead him to plot with the assassins. Stars Julia Arnall George A. Cooper and George Murcell. | |||||
| 27 | 130 | "Strange Intruder" | Peter Maxwell | George Baxt | 12 September 1958 |
| De Medici plans an alliance with the French Bourbons and wants his sister Francesca to marry the Count Rene d' Albert, a master swordsman, but she seems strangely reluctant because she has her own plans to dispose of her brother even if it kills Marco whom Machiavelli wants to influence Francesca away from any marriage. Stars William Russell |
Read more about this topic: Sword Of Freedom, Episode List
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