Great Ghost Tales
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| Great Ghost Tales | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Horror |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 12 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Production company | Talent Associates |
| Original release | |
| Network | NBC |
| Release | July 6 – September 21, 1961 |
Great Ghost Tales is an American horror television series that aired live from July 6 until September 21, 1961.[1] The program was the summer replacement for The Ford Show.[2]
An anthology of scary stories. Authors whose works were presented included William Fryer Harvey.[3]
Cast
Actors featured in the series included Judith Evelyn, Richard Thomas,[1] Robert Duvall, Joanne Linville,[4] Laurie Main,[5] Lee Grant, Arthur Hill, Lois Nettleton,[2] Salome Jens, Ruth White,[6] Mildred Dunnock, R. G. Armstrong,[7] Janet Ward, Edmon Ryan, David J. Stewart, Collin Wilcox,[8] James Broderick, Vincent Gardenia, Virginia Leith, Herbert Voland,[9] John Abbott[10] Blanche Yurka, Clifford David, Ann Williams, Eric Berry,[11] William Redfield, Diana Van Der Vlis,[12] Walter Matthau,[13] and Kevin McCarthy.[14]
Episodes
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "William Wilson" | Daniel Petrie | James Lee | July 6, 1961 | |
|
The lookalike of a drifter keeps following him everywhere. (Based on the short story by Edgar Allan Poe.) | |||||
| 2 | "Lucy" | Allen Reisner | Joel Davenport | July 13, 1961 | |
|
Lucy gets her wish when she wishes that the director of her play would die. | |||||
| 3 | "The Monkey's Paw" | Karl Genus | Audrey Maas | July 20, 1961 | |
|
The holder of a monkey's paw gets three wishes. (Based on the short story by W. W. Jacobs.) | |||||
| 4 | "Bye Bye Baby" | Unknown | Elliott Baker | July 27, 1961 | |
|
A hypnotist promises Ralph that he will be a young man again if he follows his instructions. | |||||
| 5 | "August Heat" | Ron Winston | Robert Thom | August 3, 1961 | |
|
An artist keeps sketching a face he sees in his imagination. (Based on the short story by William Fryer Harvey.) | |||||
| 6 | "Summer Rental" | William A. Graham | Nicholas Pryor | August 10, 1961 | |
|
A villainous couple, who have recently committed a murder rent out a cottage in Devon, however strange happenings begin to occur. | |||||
| 7 | "Mr. Arcularis" | Karl Genus | Audrey Maas | August 17, 1961 | |
|
Mr. Arcularis has nightmares about a coffin on a cruise ship. (Based on the short story by Conrad Aiken; Aiken had also adapted the story in dramatic form, though whether the teleplay is based on his play is not certain.) | |||||
| 8 | "Sredni Vashtar" | Ronald Winston | Irving Gaynor Neiman | August 24, 1961 | |
|
A young boy uses his strange pet to get revenge on his overprotective guardians. (Based on the short story by "Saki", the pseudonym of H. H. Munro.) | |||||
| 9 | "A Phantom of Delight" | Seymour Robbie | Douglas Taylor | August 31, 1961 | |
|
Danny Walton feels compelled to follow the sound of a young girl singing. | |||||
| 10 | "Room 13" | Lewis Freedman | Philip H. Reisman Jr. | September 7, 1961 | |
|
A theological researcher rents a room where a 12th-century bishop made a pact with the devil. (Based on the short story "Number 13" by M. R. James.) | |||||
| 11 | "The Wendigo" | Lewis Freedman | Gordon Russell | September 14, 1961 | |
|
Canadian hunters track a legendary monster. (Based on the novella by Algernon Blackwood.) | |||||
| 12 | "Who's the Fairest One of All" | Unknown | Unknown | September 21, 1961 | |
|
A young schoolteacher looks into an antique mirror, but the reflection it throws back is a different version of herself. | |||||
Production
The series was broadcast in color,[1] with each episode produced live in New York. It was on Thursday nights from 9:30 to 10 p.m. Eastern Time.[2] Directors included Daniel Petrie. Writers included James Lee.[4] Talent Associates — Paramount Limited produced the series, and Ford sponsored it.[15] It was replaced by Hazel.[16]
