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
Rabbit Hood shorts included as special features on the 2014 DVD release of Rankin/Bass Productions' animated version of "The Hobbit" (along with "Knight-mare Hare" and "Knighty Knight Bugs"), made possible by Warner Bros.' acquisition of much of the Rankin-Bass home video library. "Robin Hood Daffy" (1958), in which Daffy Duck played Robin Hood with Porky Pig as a Friar Tuck-like character. "Wagon Heels" (1945), another cartoon (also a Merrie Melodies cartoon) [but featuring Porky Pig instead of Bugs Bunny] which has a reference to "London Bridge Is Falling Down" (Sloppy Mo singing 'I know something I won't tell' to the tune of