he life of this hero (or outlaw, depending on your point of view) is one of adventure and excitement. Robin's a foxy master of disguise who uses his wiles to help the poor, overtaxed people of Nottingham. "Steal from the rich and give to the poor" is his motto. But Robin doesn't think of it as stealing. Along with his sidekick, Little John, he considers it only "borrowing" from those who can afford it. His favorite target is greedy Prince John, and he manages to "borrow" the very rings from the usurper's fingers. Even though such audacity reserves him a place at the hangman's gallows, Robin's not worried. He doesn't do it just for the adventure, but for Nottingham. The welfare of the people is more important to him than his own neck. Disney had been looking to do an all-animal animated feature based on "Robin Hood" since the early 1930s. Initially they had been considering the 12th century "Reynard the Fox" stories, but Walt was concerned that Reynard was basically a "crook" and wouldn't provide an appropriate hero. Ken Anderson, however, kept the approach alive and eventually applied some elements to Disney's "Robin Hood." The studio already had one version of this classic under their belt; a lavish Technicolor® film, "The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men," was produced in England by Walt Disney in 1954. Starring Richard Todd as the daring bandit, this adaptation told a more detailed and dramatic story than the animated version, but clearly served as its narrative inspiration. Film: "Robin Hood " (1974) Voice Artist: Brian Bedford Download images for your desktop.