Things I've learned from Sharp on TV.

[fsn]

Sharpe is actually from Sheffield, and not from where Cornwell wrote. [Where was it Sharpe's from in the books? Anyway, Sean Bean, man of a thousand voices, each one the same  ]

From London was outr Mr Sharpie, from the Rookery.

[Westmarcher]

 ... and he had dark hair. 

[Ithoriel]

I remember seeing an interview with Bernard Cornwell where he said that, after the making of the TV series, when he thought of Sharpe he imagined Sean Bean not his original vision of the character.

[Roy]

My understanding was that the actor playing Cooper had a falling out with the production company and walked out early from the series being shot and that his appearance in The Legend was all archive shots. Anyone know if I'm right or misremembering?

Ah, pity if that is true because I quite liked the character.
Cooper's use in The Legend, has him sat in a pub, drinking, and recounting the tales of what you've already seen. His bits are 'new' but the rest is just clips from the TV films.



On the subject of the other Chosen Men, it was great to see John Tams (Hagman) appear in ITV's Jericho in his acting and musical capacity.

Back to things I've learned from Sharpe;

Liz Hurley should always be complimented on her breasts. 

The correct use of cavalry on the battlefield is best demonstrated with peas on a plate.

[Leman]

In the books Sharpe is born in a very rough part of London known as the Roockery, but when apprenticed to a chimney sweep he runs away, eventually ending up in Yorkshire, where he commits murder at the age of 15, and joins the army (33rd Foot), being recruited by Hakeswill, to escape the gallows. In the books he is a very, very rough diamond.

[Ithoriel]

In the books Sharpe is born in a very rough part of London known as the Roockery, but when apprenticed to a chimney sweep he runs away, eventually ending up in Yorkshire, where he commits murder at the age of 15, and joins the army (33rd Foot), being recruited by Hakeswill, to escape the gallows. In the books he is a very, very rough diamond.

Sharpe runs away to Yorkshire in the books to explain Sean Bean's accent in the TV series.

[d_Guy]

Thankfully the US didn't get their hands on the series or the American's would have won entering the game at the 11th hour, capturing the French code books in the process and tanks would have been involved as a 'what if'.

Actually here IS our version  :

The 95th is pictured briefly in one of the slides (several companies of the 3rd battalion were present).

[Ithoriel]

I guess this is the Canadian Sharpe then

[d_Guy]

Well that seems entirely fair    (We had burned the Capitol of Upper Canada the year before after all). No 95th involved however (maybe elements of the 60th?)

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

One of the McGann brothers was originally slated to play Sharpe, but smashed his leg playing football during a lunch break in rehearsals, so Sean Bean was free and dropped into the role!

[Leman]

Oh God - Sharpe would've been a scouser and hanged for robbing a wild chicken (pronounced chi-chen - ch as in Scottish loch whilst trying to get up phlegm at the same time - the pronunciation is a sheer delight).

Learnt something else tonight whilst watching Sharpe's Sword; you can indeed receive a sword cut to the shoulder that goes through to the bone and get a musket ball in the gut and within three days lead a spirited charge.

[d_Guy]

Learnt something else tonight whilst watching Sharpe's Sword; you can indeed receive a sword cut to the shoulder that goes through to the bone and get a musket ball in the gut and within three days lead a spirited charge.

Entirely possible if "spirited" here means staggering drunk on rum spritzers.

[Obsidian23]

Didn't Hagman and Tongue die at Waterloo after they left Hougamont or Le Hay Sainte???

[Leman]

Hagman certainly did. I'm now up to disc 7 of 8 and Tongue seemed to disappear ages ago.

[O Dinas Powys]

Didn't Hagman and Tongue die at Waterloo after they left Hougamont or Le Hay Sainte???

It Hagman and Harris - their final act being to link hands as they expire.