The Best Swashbuckling Audio Dramas

1. The Mark of Zorro - By far the best swashbuckling audio drama ever made and arguably the best audio drama since the original Star War radio dramas. Based on Zorro creator Johnston McCulley's first ever Zorro story (originally titled The Curse of Capistrano) this one stars Hollywood actors Val Kilmer as Diego de la Vega/Zorro, Ruth Livier as Lolita Pulido, Armin Shimerman as the Tavern Landlord, Meshach Taylor as Sergeant Gonzalez, and Elizabeth Pena as Catalina Pulido. A great story highlighted by great acting and sound design makes this one an instant classic. Produced by Hollywood Theater of the Ear. The Mark of Zorro has been selected by AudioFile Magazine, Parade Magazine, and Sound Commentary as one of the best audio books of 2011 (technically The Mark of Zorro is an audio drama). It is also a 2012 Grammy Award nominee and a 2012 Audie Award nominee. Rumor has it there's a sequel underway though we are still attempting to confirm this.

http://radiodramaspotlight.blogspot.com/2011/07/4-mark-of-zorro.html

2. Zorro The Legend Begins - Absolutely the most fun Zorro radio drama ever made. A great story loaded with action, adventure, drama, comedy and romance. Zorro defends the residents of the Pueblo de Los Angeles from the exploits of corrupt Alcalde Luis Miguel Montero.

3. The Three Musketeers - The BBC's superbly made rendition of Alexander Dumas tale of Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and D'Artagnan vividly brings swashbuckling adventure to life. A great tale featuring great acting and sound design. The Three Musketeers is highly entertaining!

https://radiodramaspotlight.blogspot.com/search?q=zorro+the+legend+begins

http://radiodramaspotlight.blogspot.com/2011/12/123-three-musketeers-bbc.html

4. Zorro and the Pirate Raiders - Based on D.J. Arneson's adaptation of Johnston McCulley's second Zorro story The Further Adventures of Zorro. This tale is reminiscent of the old Saturday matinee cliffhanger serial adventures. A nail biter from start to finish Zorro and the Pirate Raiders is high octane swashbuckling fun. This production features a fine story, good acting, and great sound design. Kevin Cirone, Shonna McEachern, J.T. Turner, Hugh Metzler, Sam Donato, Joseph Zamperelli Jr, and Dan Powell star in this Colonial Radio Theater production.

http://radiodramaspotlight.blogspot.com/2011/07/31-zorro-and-pirate-raiders-crt.html

5. Zorro Rides Again - The third of Johnston McCulley's Zorro stories. Based on the D.J. Arneson adaptation. Once again swashbuckling action comes to life as Zorro rides to save the day. An imposter is defaming the legendary masked hero by means of cruel misdeeds forcing Zorro to take swift action in order to preserve his name and his life. A thrill-a-minute fast paced fun story. Produced by Colonial Radio Theater this presentation features the same fine cast of actors as Zorro and the Pirate Raiders.

http://radiodramaspotlight.blogspot.com/2011/07/32-zorro-rides-again-crt.html

6. The Count of Monte Cristo - The BBC's fantastic production of Alexander Dumas gripping tale of revenge. Well written and wonderfully acted this 7 hour long drama will be certain to delight swashbuckling fans. 

http://radiodramaspotlight.blogspot.com/2011/12/122-count-of-monte-cristo-bbc.html

7. The Scarlet Pimpernel - Though not a product of the modern era of audio drama the 1952 production of The Scarlet Pimpernel starring Marius Goring as Sir Percy Blakely (aka The Scarlet Pimernel) is a great swashbuckling audio adventure. This series featuring 52 half hour shows is undoubtedly the best production of Baroness Emmuska Orczy's fictional book about one man's fight to help those being oppressed by the French revolutionary government of 1792.

Featured above: Leslie Howard and Merle Oberon from the 1934 motion picture version of The Scarlet Pimpernel.

8. Black Bartlemy's Treasure - Jeffrey Farnol's swashbuckling novel of pirates, vengeance, love and death is expertly brought to sonic life in the outstanding BBC production. Set in England and on a desert island Martin Conisby seeks vengeance on Sir Richard Brandon.

9. Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale of pirates is well produced by the BBC. Captain Flint's treasure map has fallen into the hands of young Jim Hawkins. With the map comes adventure and danger. But the ship's crew is made up almost entirely of pirates who are lead by the one legged Long John Silver.

http://radiodramaspotlight.blogspot.com/2011/08/74-treasure-island-bbc.html

10. Captain Blood - Rafael Sabatini's great swashbuckling adventure is dramatized by Colonial Radio Theater. A rousing tale of pirates, love and high seas adventure awaits in this production.

http://radiodramaspotlight.blogspot.com/2011/08/73-captain-blood-crt.html

11. The Man in the Iron Mask - Though not from the modern era, George Edwards 1948 Australian made production of Alexander Dumas classic novel is highly entertaining and well worth hearing. The series consists of Fifty-two 13 minute episodes.

#123 The Three Musketeers (BBC)

Athos, Porthos, Aramis are sworn to protect the King and Queen of France. As musketeers, bodyguards of the royalty, it's their duty. Young D'Artagnan has come to Paris to join the musketeers. No sooner does he arrive and he finds himself in a series of duels. First with the sinister Comte de Rochefort then with Athos, Porthos and Aramis.  However, what seems to be ill fated luck turns out to be good fortune for D'Artagnan as he quickly becomes a close friend to The Three Musketeers. Soon the four of them find themselves caught up in the adventure of a life time. It's up to these four brave men to upset the plans of the scheming and villainous Cardinal Richelieu, his evil agent the stunningly beautiful and equally deadly Milady de Winter and the sinister Comte de Rochefort. If they fail the Queen will be dead and perhaps the King with her, the country will be at war and the Cardinal will rule the country with an iron hand.

"Come d'Artagnan, we're off to save the Queen!" It's "All for one and one for all" in this remarkable full-cast audio production of Alexander Dumas' The Three Musketeers. This is no doubt one of the best audio adaptations in the BBC archives. This three hours of swashbuckling fun will not disappoint.

Starring:
Jamie Glover, Robert Glenister, Timothy Spall, Anton Lesser, Nicholas Boulton, Julian Glover, Malcom Ward, Imelda Staunton, Michael Cochrane, Helen Abreck, Dominic Letz, Tom Bevin, Theresa Gallagher, Gerth Armstrong, Lyndon Greggory, Frances Jeter, Stewart Organ, Michael Onslow, John Roe.

From the BBC:


'All for one and one for all' ...

17th Century France. Dashing young swordsman D'Artagnan heads for Paris, dreaming of serving the King as a member of his elite guard. On arrival, he meets the three musketeers - Athos, Porthos and Aramis - and the four men soon become fast friends.Together, they strive to outwit the murderous schemes of power-hungry Cardinal Richelieu, and save the Queen from a plot to dishonour her. Their adventures take them on a perilous journey through the French countryside and across the Channel to England...



http://www.amazon.com/Three-Musketeers-Full-Cast-Radio-Drama/dp/product-description/1609984854

#122 The Count of Monte Cristo (BBC)

Alexander Dumas classic tale The Count of Monte Cristo is splendidly played out in this BBC production. As Edmond Dantes returns from sea to the girl and job of his dreams his meddling "friends" become jealous and have him unjustly imprisoned. He later escapes, acquires a fortune and sets out to exact revenge on the men who destroyed his life. Originally aired in 1987 this nearly 7 hour long production stars  Andrew Sachs, Nigel Anthony, Steve Hodson, Paul Gregory, Geoffrey Matthews, Melinda Walker and Leslie Sands. Unfortunately this program has not yet been released for purchase by the BBC. If you didn't catch the re-airing of it in 2011 on BBC 7 it might be awhile before it's available to hear again.