Faerie Tale Theater

1 9 8 2 – 1 9 8 9 (USA)
27 x 60 minute episodes

This engaging hour-long series from Showtime provided innovative live-action adaptations of classic children’s fairy tales.

Actress Shelley Duvall served as executive producer, host, and occasional star. She also succeeded in attracting some of the industry’s top stars and directors, even though her budget was limited.

Twenty-seven episodes were made, including The Tale of the Frog Prince with Robin Williams and Teri Garr; Pinocchio with Pee-wee Herman; and Rip Van Winkle with Harry Dean Stanton (directed by Francis Ford Coppola).

Narrators included Eric Idle, Vincent Price, David Hemmings, Malcolm McDowell, Roddy McDowall, and Timothy Dalton.

Stars who appeared in the cast included Mick Jagger, Carrie Fisher, Tatum O’Neal, Christopher Lee, Helen Mirren, Anjelica Huston, Joan Collins, Tom Conti, Susan Sarandon, Vanessa Redgrave, Klaus Kinski, Jennifer Beals, James Coburn, Liza Minnelli, Billy Crystal, Beverly D’Angelo, Jeff Bridges, Christopher Reeve, Elliott Gould, Melissa Gilbert, Burgess Meredith, Pam Dawber, Jerry Hall, Karen Black, Valerie Bertinelli, John Lithgow, Lee Remick, Lesley Ann Warren, James Earl Jones, Bernadette Peters, Leonard Nimoy, Matthew Broderick, Jeff Goldblum and Ben Vereen.

Duvall developed a second series (Tall Tales) for Showtime. Among the presentations were Annie Oakley with Jamie Lee Curtis (20 December 1985); Darlin’ Clementine with Duvall (30 December 1987); and John Henry with Danny Glover (22 April 1988).

Episodes

The Tale of the Frog Prince | Rumpelstiltskin | Rapunzel | The Nightingale | Sleeping Beauty | Jack and the Beanstalk | Little Red Riding Hood | Hansel and Gretel | Goldilocks and the 3 Bears | The Princess and the Pea | Pinocchio | Thumbelina | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Beauty and the Beast | The Boy Who Left Home to Find Out About the Shivers | The Three Little Pigs | The Snow Queen | The Pied Piper of Hamelin | Grimm Party | Cinderella | Puss in Boots | The Emperor’s New Clothes | Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp | The Princess Who Had Never Laughed | Rip Van Winkle | The Little Mermaid | The Dancing Princesses

Video