Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre Series

An Entertaining Children's TV Show Dramatizing Famous Fairy Tales

Aug 15, 2009 Emily Chauviere

Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre series adapted famous fairy tales for the small screen, featuring lavish sets and costumes and talented actors.

Faerie Tale Theatre is one of the most imaginative and entertaining children’s TV shows ever produced. From 1982 to 1987, Shelley Duvall produced and hosted six seasons of this popular series. Beautifully filmed and with talented casts of name actors, Faerie Tale Theatre brought many enchanting fairy tales to the small screen.

Entertaining Adaptations of Famous Fairy Tales

Inspired by such anthology shows as The Shirley Temple Storybook Collection, this hour-long show dramatized twenty-six famous fairy tales from such popular sources as the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen, Charles Perrault, and Andrew Lang. Even Washington Irving’s “Rip Van Winkle” got a dramatization, and may have inspired Shelley Duvall to try her hand at other American stories in her Tall Tales & Legends series. The stories are told in different styles, from the dramatic (Beauty and the Beast) to the comedic (Cinderella) to the slightly frightening (The Nightingale).

Each episode is introduced by Shelley Duvall, who also stars in Rapunzel and Rumpelstiltskin. Some episodes were filmed outdoors, but most were staged with elaborate backdrops and scenery inspired by such artists and illustrators as Arthur Rackham and Maxfield Parrish. Each episode was cast with famous actors, such as Christopher Lee (The Boy Who Left Home to Find Out About the Shivers) and Susan Sarandon (Beauty and the Beast). There was even some famous talent behind the scenes, such as directors Tim Burton (Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp) and Francis Ford Coppola (Rip Van Winkle), and an episode written by Eric Idle (The Tale of the Frog Prince).

Shelley Duvall’s Faerie Tale Theatre on DVD

Episodes of Faerie Tale Theatre can be purchased individually or together in several box sets. There were Complete Collection box sets put out in 2005 and 2006. But the definitive Complete Collection came out in 2008, a seven-disc collection with the bonus “Greatest Moments” episode and a 112-page storybook, complete with color photos from the TV show.

Viewers who only want a few episodes can purchase the themed collections, each with four episodes:

  • Tales from the Brothers Grimm: Hansel and Gretel, Rapunzel, Rumpelstiltskin, Little Red Riding Hood
  • Tales from Hans Christian Andersen: The Emperor’s New Clothes, The Nightingale, The Snow Queen, Thumbelina
  • Princess Tales: Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, The Dancing Princesses, The Princess and the Pea
  • Funny Tales: The Tale of the Frog Prince, Pinocchio, The Three Little Pigs, The Princess Who Had Never Laughed
  • Magical Tales: Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp, Beauty and the Beast, Puss in Boots, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves
  • Bedtime Tales: Jack and the Beanstalk, Sleeping Beauty, Rip Van Winkle, Goldilocks and the Three Bears

A Children’s TV Show for the Whole Family

Shelley Duvall’s Faerie Tale Theatre was a lavishly produced show that adapted twenty-six popular fairy tales from such famous sources as the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen. It featured talented actors and directors, and the dramatizations appealed to a wide audience with their variety of styles, from comedic and light-hearted to dramatic and serious. Families can now enjoy this entertaining children’s TV show on DVD.

The copyright of the article Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre Series in Children’s TV is owned by Emily Chauviere. Permission to republish Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre Series in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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