"The Ray Bradbury Theater" (1985) TV series 1985-1992

Directors:

Bruce McDonald
Anne Wheeler

Writers:

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Release Date:

21 May 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy | Horror | Sci-Fi

Plot:

A Canadian-produced fantastic anthology series scripted by famed science-fiction author Ray Bradbury...

Plot Keywords:

Anthology | Character Name In Title

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 8 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Desmond Kelly	...	Dr. Steffans / ... (3 episodes, 1989-1992)
Wayne Robson	...	Man in Store / ... (3 episodes, 1986-1992)
Frank Whitten	...	Mailman / ... (3 episodes, 1990-1992)
Frank C. Turner	...	John Webley / ... (2 episodes, 1989)
Ray Bradbury	...	Himself - Host / ... (2 episodes, 1985-1989)
Charles Martin Smith	...	Douglas Rogers / ... (2 episodes, 1986-1989)
Michael Sarrazin	...	John Colt / ... (2 episodes, 1989-1992)
John Bach	...	Lazlo / ... (2 episodes, 1989-1992)
Jayne Eastwood	...	Elmira Brown / ... (2 episodes, 1985-1990)
Patricia Phillips	...	Cynthia Fortnum / ... (2 episodes, 1989-1992)
Helen Moulder	...	Black's Mother / ... (2 episodes, 1990-1992)
Kenneth Welsh	...	Captain Wilder / ... (2 episodes, 1985-1990)
Alan Scarfe	...	John Oatis Kendall / ... (2 episodes, 1986-1989)
Brian Sergent	...	Boltz / ... (2 episodes, 1990-1992)
Michael Copeman	...	Policeman / ... (2 episodes, 1986)
Jennifer Dale	...	The Banshee / ... (2 episodes, 1986-1992)
Neil Munro	...	Father / ... (2 episodes, 1988-1989)
Harold Gould	...	Colonel Stonesteel / ... (2 episodes, 1989-1992)
Bill Meilen	...	Jahdoo / ... (2 episodes, 1989-1992)
Robert Clothier	...	Ralph (2 episodes, 1990-1992)
Michael Hurst	...	Lt. Simmons / ... (2 episodes, 1990-1992)
Sheila Moore	...	Anna / ... (2 episodes, 1990-1992)
Ken Blackburn	...	Policeman / ... (2 episodes, 1992)
Peter Rowley	...	Druggist / ... (2 episodes, 1992)

Also Known As:

Le monde fantastique de Ray Bradbury (Canada: French title)
Mystery Theatre (UK) (rerun title)
Ray Bradbury présente (France)
The Bradbury Trilogy (UK) (rerun title)
The Ray Bradbury Theatre (UK)

Runtime:

25 min (65 episodes)

Country:

France | UK | Canada | USA | New Zealand

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Auckland, New Zealand

Company:

Alberta Filmworks

Childhood favorite

I used to watch this show when I was somewhere between fourth or fifth Grade. I didn't always understand everything. I knew that almost every episode had a twist ending, like Twilight Zone, but I was confused sometimes. Even so, the show changed the way I thought about the world and several episodes, although I haven't seen them in years, still stick with me. Every time someone is yakking on a cell phone, I think of the episode The Murderer, and I think "I want a chocolate milkshake". At a fifth Grade book-fair one fateful day I remember seeing the the name "RAY BRADBURY" blaring on the cover of a shiny book, The Martian Chronicles. I still recall my exact thoughts. I ran up, surprised, and said to myself "Heeeeeeey! thats that guy from TV!." So I bought the book, still sitting on my bookshelf next to numerous other Bradburys. I was impressed by some stories, baffled by others. The Cold War references were lost on me, and for a long time I was confounded looking for a continuous plot. The story "There will Come soft Rains" introduced me to a favorite poet, Sara Teasdale. Although I was left a little confused, I continued to raid the school library for more Bradbury, reading Something Wicked This Way Comes, S is For Space, R is For Rocket, Twice Twenty-Two, Death is a Lonely Business. My only disappointment is that I never got around to reading I Sing the Body Electric.

Now, years later, as a teenager, I found The Ray Bradbury Theater DVD set at a best buy. 68 episodes, and only 30$! Well, needless to say, I grabbed the only copy they had left and clung to it for my life. I got home, and, perusing though episode titles, came across many of my favorite stories, A Sound of Thunder, The Lake, The Murderer, and many others I realized I had read since I watched the series as a child. In fact, I recall my elation at coming across "The Murderer" (always my favorite) as a short story.

In short, Ray Bradbury Theater is a great series for people of all ages. It will make you think, an stick with you, and possibly cause you to read more Ray Bradbury stories than you watch in episodes.