Friar Tuck royal writs in 1417 refer to Robert Stafford, a Sussex chaplain who had assumed the alias of Frere Tuk. This "Friar Tuck" was still at large in 1429. These are the earliest surviving references to a character by that name. In the 1891 romantic opera "Ivanhoe" by Sir Arthur Sullivan and Julian Sturgis, Friar Tuck was played by Avon Saxon. In the film "Robin Hood" (1922) he was portrayed by Willard Louis. In the film, "The Adventures of Robin Hood" (1938) the character Friar Tuck was played by actor Eugene Pallette as a fat individual fond of food but also
James Hayter (actor) James Hayter (actor) Henry James Goodenough Hayter (23 April 1907 – 27 March 1983), better known as James Hayter, was a British actor. He is best remembered for his roles as Friar Tuck in the film "The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men" (1952) and as Samuel Pickwick in the film "The Pickwick Papers" (1952), the latter earned him a BAFTA Award for Best British Actor nomination. He was born in Lonavala, India, and brought up in Scotland. His best remembered film roles include Friar Tuck in the 1952 film "The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie