"The Time Tunnel" (1966) TV series 1966-1967

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Creator:

Irwin Allen
(more)

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

9 September 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Sci-Fi

Plot:

Scientists Tony Newman and Doug Phillips are the young heads of Project Tic-Toc, a multi-billion dollar...

Plot Keywords:

Titanic | Historical | Cult Favorite | Cult TV | 1910s

Cast

James Darren	...	Dr. Tony Newman / ... (30 episodes, 1966-1967)
Robert Colbert	...	Dr. Doug Phillips / ... (30 episodes, 1966-1967)
Whit Bissell	...	Army Lt. Gen. Heywood Kirk / ... (30 episodes, 1966-1967)
John Zaremba	...	Dr. Raymond Swain (30 episodes, 1966-1967)
Lee Meriwether	...	Dr. Ann MacGregor (30 episodes, 1966-1967)
Dick Tufeld	...	Announcer / ... (22 episodes, 1966-1967)

(more)

Series Directed by
Sobey Martin		(14 episodes, 1966-1967)
Nathan Juran		(5 episodes, 1966-1967)
William Hale		(4 episodes, 1966)
Harry Harris		(2 episodes, 1966-1967)
Herschel Daugherty		(2 episodes, 1967)

Series Writing credits
Irwin Allen		(29 episodes, 1966-1967)
Bob Duncan		(9 episodes, 1966-1967)
Wanda Duncan		(9 episodes, 1966-1967)
William Welch		(8 episodes, 1966-1967)
Leonard Stadd		(3 episodes, 1966-1967)
Carey Wilber		(3 episodes, 1966-1967)
Ellis St. Joseph		(2 episodes, 1966-1967)

Series Produced by
Irwin Allen	....	producer (30 episodes, 1966-1967)
Jerry Briskin	....	associate producer (29 episodes, 1966-1967)

Series Original Music by
Herman Stein		(18 episodes, 1966-1967)
Lyn Murray		(3 episodes, 1966)
Robert Drasnin		(2 episodes, 1966)
Paul Sawtell		(2 episodes, 1966)
Leith Stevens		(2 episodes, 1966)
Daniele Amfitheatrof		(unknown episodes)

Series Cinematography by
Winton C. Hoch		(30 episodes, 1966-1967)

Series Film Editing by
James Baiotto		(11 episodes, 1966-1967)
Dick Wormell		(10 episodes, 1966-1967)
Axel Hubert Sr.		(9 episodes, 1966-1967)

Series Art Direction by
Jack Martin Smith		(30 episodes, 1966-1967)
Rodger Maus		(27 episodes, 1966-1967)
William J. Creber		(3 episodes, 1966)

Series Set Decoration by
Norman Rockett		(30 episodes, 1966-1967)
Walter M. Scott		(30 episodes, 1966-1967)

Series Makeup Department
Margaret Donovan	....	hair style supervisor / hair stylist supervisor (30 episodes, 1966-1967)
Ben Nye	....	makeup supervisor (30 episodes, 1966-1967)

Series Production Management
William Self	....	executive in charge of production (30 episodes, 1966-1967)
Jack Sonntag	....	production supervisor (30 episodes, 1966-1967)
George E. Swink	....	post-production supervisor (30 episodes, 1966-1967)
Robert J. Anderson	....	unit production manager (29 episodes, 1966-1967)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Fred R. Simpson	....	assistant director (15 episodes, 1966-1967)
Steven Bernhardt	....	assistant director (7 episodes, 1966-1967)
Ted Butcher	....	assistant director (7 episodes, 1966)

Series Art Department
Noel Quinn	....	storyboard artist (30 episodes, 1966-1967)

Series Sound Department
Bob Cornett	....	sound effects editor (29 episodes, 1966-1967)
Don Hall	....	supervising sound effects editor (29 episodes, 1966-1967)

Series Special Effects by
L.B. Abbott	....	special photographic effects (30 episodes, 1966-1967)

Series Stunts
Charlie Picerni	....	stunt double: James Darren (20 episodes, 1966-1967)
David Sharpe	....	stunt double: James Darren / stunts (4 episodes, 1966-1967)

Series Editorial Department
Robert Mintz	....	post-production coordinator (29 episodes, 1966-1967)

Series Music Department
Leonard A. Engel	....	supervising music editor (30 episodes, 1966-1967)
Lionel Newman	....	music supervisor (29 episodes, 1966-1967)
John Williams	....	composer: theme music (29 episodes, 1966-1967)
Sam E. Levin	....	music editor (28 episodes, 1966-1967)

Series Transportation Department
Chris Haynes	....	driver (2 episodes, 1967)

Series Other crew
Hal Herman	....	production associate (29 episodes, 1966-1967)
Paul Zastupnevich	....	assistant to producer / assistant to producers (29 episodes, 1966-1967)
Les Warner	....	production coordinator (28 episodes, 1966-1967)
Arthur Weiss	....	story editor (28 episodes, 1966-1967)

Production Companies

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1966-1967)
• 20th Century Fox Television
• Irwin Allen Productions
• Kent Productions

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1966-1967) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Television
• World Beyond Video (????) (USA) (VHS)

Runtime:

60 min (30 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

USA:TV-PG

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

American Broadcasting Company (ABC)

Trivia:

Due to the cancellation of the series after one season, Doug and Tony never returned home.

Quotes:

Announcer: [opening narration for most episodes] Two American scientists are lost in the swirling maze of past and future ages, during the first experiments on America's greatest and most secret project, the Time Tunnel. Tony Newman and Doug Phillips now tumble helplessly toward a new fantastic adventure, somewhere along the infinite corridors of time.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Boom! Hollywood's Greatest Disaster Movies (2000) (V)

Fantastic Show!

I was 9 years old when "Time Tunnel" came on the air, and to an impressionable kid, this series was not so much a stretch as it would be when you're older. I used to love Friday nites on ABC, IIRC the lineup was Green Hornet, Rango (w/Tim Conway), Time Tunnel, Pruitts of Southampton (w/Phillis Diller). Memory is a little weak on the exact order, but I think that's close.

From the moment I saw the slide they put on just before the show began that said "The Time Tunnel, IN COLOR!" I was jealous of everyone that had a color TV (we had an old 21" B&W Olympic brand TV from the 50's). It wouldn't be until years later that I could see it in color. I was never that crazy about "Land of the Giants" or "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea", but I never missed "Lost in Space". I never understood as a kid why TT was cancelled (What do kids know? I was just upset my favorite show wasn't on anymore!)

Over the years I would see it pop up once in a great while on some UHF station where I lived in Florida (WTOG-44 in St.Pete in the early 70's). I didn't see it again for years until it reappeared on SciFi. I taped almost all the shows but missed a few. Now I keep hoping for them to come out on DVD as I keep reading, but they still haven't appeared.

I always especially loved the theme music at the beginning of the show, and used my cassette recorder in the 70's to get the theme music so I could hear it when I wanted (no vcr's then!). Sure the show inspired disbelief, but it's pure escapism. Even as a kid, I wondered out loud why they always landed where trouble was about to begin. It didn't matter though, it became my favorite show of all time and still is. I watched it on it's premiere night in 1966 and when I see "Rendevous with yesterday" it takes me back like a Time Tunnel to 1966 and laying on the floor in front of that old TV and being mesmerized by the effects and story...it's like listening to an old song and remembering the time and place where you heard it the first time.

I think it will always be a classic, even if it got (unjustly) cancelled after it's first season. Obviously, I'm not alone, with all the websites devoted to it and all the comments in forums, it will live on for a long time to come. I hope the DVD's come soon.