Treasure Island, original titleDie Schatzinsel, is a German-French mini-series, produced for German television stationZDF in 1966. The screenplay byWalter Ulbrich, who also co-produced the film, remains largely close toRobert Louis Stevenson's classic 1883 novelTreasure Island.

• The first partDer alte Freibeuter ("The Old Pirate", about 80 minutes) tells the relationship between Jim and Billy Bones, as well as the dangerous adventures with the pirates at the Hawkins Inn. It ends with Squire Trelawney chartering a boat in Bristol.
• The second partDer Schiffskoch ("The Ship's cook", about 88 minutes) introduces Long John Silver and the other pirates, as well as the preparations for the journey. At sea, Jim overhears at night that Silver is a pirate and informs the non-pirate crew members.
• The third partDas Blockhaus ("The Block House", about 91 minutes) tells the start of the fight on Treasure Island and the non-pirates hiding in the wooden house, as well as introducing Ben Gunn.
• The fourth partDie Entscheidung ("The Decision", about 84 minutes) shows Jim Hawkins entering the Hispaniola and his fight with Israel Hands, as well as the final outcome which is close to the book.

• Michael Ande as Jim Hawkins
• Ivor Dean asLong John Silver
• Georges Riquier as Dr. David Livesey
• Jacques Dacqmine as Squire John Trelawney
• Jacques Monod as Captain Alexander Smollet
• Dante Maggio as Billy Bones
• Jean Mauvais as Blinder Pew / James Brandon
• Sylvain Lévignac as Black Dog
• Jacques Godin as Israel Hands
• Dominique Maurin as Tom Purcell
• Jean Saudray as Ben Gunn
• Ilsemarie Schnering as Jim Hawkins' mother
• François Darbon as Marc Hawkins, Jim's father
• Hellmut Lange as the narrator

After successful adaptions ofRobinson Crusoe andDon Quijote,Treasure Island was the third in a row of sixteen television adventures mini-series by ZDF between 1964 and 1983.^[1] It was filmed at locations inBrittany, atCorsica and atLake Garda (Italy), with an international cast and crew. Michael Ande, who portrayed Jim, suffered a serious accident during filming and had to be doubled in some scenes.^[2] It was produced on35 mm film with many small details and even in colour, although colour television was introduced on German television only in 1967 (so the first screening had to be in black and white).

After the success of the mini-series, Ivor Dean (who portrayed John Silver) worked on a follow-up film with producer Robert S. Baker, but it never materialised before Dean's death in 1974. Baker continued to develop the project and it was finally made as the 10 part serialReturn to Treasure Island in 1986.^[3]

The mini-series remains well-regarded and popular in the German-language area, it is even considered a "mythos of German television history".^[4] Despite being over 50 years old, it is still screened at least about once a year on television.^[5] It is little-known in other countries.

• Treasure Island atIMDb

• Television series based on Treasure Island
• French adventure television series
• German adventure television series
• Television shows filmed in France
• Television shows filmed in Italy
• 1966 German television series debuts
• 1966 German television series endings
• 1967 French television series debuts
• 1967 French television series endings

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• Articles with dead external links from February 2022
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• Short description matches Wikidata