Tales from the Crypt (TV series)

This show tells many scary stories.

A funny puppet hosts the show. He is called the Cryptkeeper. He tells silly jokes and puns. He often says, "Hello, Boils and Ghouls."

The show came from old comic books. Each story is different. Some stories were filmed in the United Kingdom.

There is even a cartoon for kids. The cartoon host is much kinder. He does not use scary jokes.

Many famous actors were in the show. People still enjoy these stories today.

Tales from the Crypt is a famous TV show. It tells many scary stories. The show began in 1989 on HBO. It ran for seven seasons. It had 93 episodes in total. The show is based on old comic books. These books were made by William Gaines.

A funny puppet hosts each episode. His name is the Cryptkeeper. He is a living corpse who tells silly jokes. He often uses puns to greet people. He might say, "Hello, Boils and Ghouls." Many people worked to move the puppet. A man named John Kassir gave him a voice.

Because the show was on HBO, it was not censored. This means it could show more intense things. Some episodes were filmed in the United Kingdom.

The show was so popular it made other things. There were movies like Demon Knight. There was also a cartoon for kids. This cartoon was called Tales from the Cryptkeeper. The host in the cartoon was much kinder. A child psychologist helped make sure the stories were safe for young viewers. Many famous actors appeared in the episodes too.

Tales from the Crypt is a famous American horror anthology series. An anthology is a collection of different stories. Each episode tells a new tale. The show ran for seven seasons on HBO. It aired from June 10, 1989, to July 19, 1996. There were 93 episodes in total. The show was based on EC Comics from the 1950s. These comics were published by William Gaines.

A funny puppet hosts every episode. His name is the Cryptkeeper. He is an animated corpse who tells silly jokes. He uses many puns to greet the audience. He might say, "Hello, Boils and Ghouls." A team of puppeteers moved the character. These people included Van Snowden and Mike Elizalde. John Kassir provided the voice for the host.

Each episode follows a specific pattern. The camera moves through a dark, old mansion. It travels down the hallways and the stairs. The camera finally reaches the basement. The Cryptkeeper then jumps out of a coffin. He cackles loudly as green slime pours down the screen. This starts the main title of the show.

The show was very different from other TV shows. It aired on HBO, which is a premium cable channel. This meant the show did not have to follow strict rules. Because of this, it included intense violence and strong language. Some episodes were filmed in the United Kingdom. These episodes featured British characters. The show even won Golden Reel Awards for sound editing.

The success of the series created many other things. Universal Pictures made three films based on the brand. One film was called Demon Knight, released in 1995. There was also a cartoon for children. It was called Tales from the Cryptkeeper. A child psychologist helped write the cartoon scripts. This made the stories safe for young viewers.

Tales from the Crypt is a famous American horror anthology television series. An anthology is a collection of separate stories within one series. Each episode presents a new, self-contained tale. The show aired on the premium cable channel HBO. It ran for seven seasons from June 10, 1989, to July 19, 1996. In total, the series produced 93 episodes. The show's title comes from a 1950s EC Comics series. That comic series was published by William Gaines and edited by Al Feldstein.

The series features a unique and memorable host. He is known as the Cryptkeeper, an animated, wisecracking corpse. While the original comics showed him as a living human, the TV version uses a puppet. A team of puppeteers brought him to life. These performers included Van Snowden, Mike Elizalde, Frank Charles Lutkus, and Patty Maloney. Others included David Arthur Nelson, Anton Rupprecht, Shaun Smith, David Stinnent, Mike Trcic, and Brock Winkless. John Kassir provided the voice for the character. The Cryptkeeper uses puns and stereotyped jokes to greet viewers. He often says, "Hello, Boils and Ghouls" or "Hello, Kiddies."

Each episode follows a very specific visual sequence. First, a tracking shot moves toward the front door of a decrepit mansion. This mansion belongs to the Cryptkeeper. Once inside, the camera tilts down from the foyer. It moves through the hallways and down the stairways. Finally, the camera descends into the basement. The Cryptkeeper then emerges from a coffin while cackling wildly. Green slime pours down over the screen as the main title appears. This sequence sets the mood for the horror story to follow.

Because the show aired on HBO, it had different rules than other networks. HBO is a premium cable channel. This meant the series did not have to follow the strict censorship of standard networks. The show included content like graphic violence, strong language, and explicit nudity. These elements were not common on television at that time. When the show was re-aired on basic cable or networks like Fox and CBS, the episodes were edited. The production also changed locations over time. While it began in the United States, the final season was filmed mostly in the United Kingdom. This resulted in many episodes featuring British characters.

The success of the series led to many different spin-offs. Universal Pictures created a three-picture deal to make feature films. The first film, Demon Knight, was released in 1995 and directed by Ernest Dickerson. It was a commercial success. Another film in the series was Bordello of Blood. A third film, Ritual, was released in 2002 and is considered part of the series. There was also a science fiction spin-off called Perversions of Science. It premiered on HBO in June 1997 but only lasted for one month. It featured a stylized female robot host instead of the Cryptkeeper.

There were also versions of the show made for younger audiences. In 1993, a Saturday morning cartoon called Tales from the Cryptkeeper was produced by Nelvana. This cartoon aired on ABC in the United States and YTV in Canada. To make the show safe, the violence was toned down and gore was removed. Nelvana even hired a child psychologist to review the scripts. They chose to use an animated Cryptkeeper instead of a puppet. This was because they feared the puppet might frighten children. John Kassir returned to voice this gentler version of the character.

The franchise even expanded into other media like radio and music. In 2000, several radio shows were recorded for Seeing Ear Theatre. These were available as streaming files and on CD. There were also several music releases. In 1991, a soundtrack album was released featuring music by Danny Elfman and James Horner. Another album, Monsters of Metal, featured heavy metal songs with narration by the Cryptkeeper. The series was also recognized for its technical skill. It won several Golden Reel Awards from the Motion Picture Sound Editors for best sound editing in 1991, 1992, and 1993.