Tales of Tomorrow
Live anthology of science fiction from the early 1950s.
Tales of Tomorrow is an American anthology science fiction series that was performed and broadcast live on ABC from 1951 to 1953. It featured adaptations of stories such as Frankenstein starring Lon Chaney Jr. and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea with Thomas Mitchell as Captain Nemo. The series is notable for its early live television production and its roster of prominent guest actors.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Anthology; Science fiction
- Director
- Charles S. Dubin
- Don Medford
- Leslie Gorall
- Franklin J. Schaffner
- Leonard Valenta
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
- Seasons
- 2
- Episodes
- 85
- Runtime
- 25 minutes
- Network
- ABC
Facts from the source article.
Cast
The series featured a wide range of performers including Boris Karloff, James Dean, Brian Keith, Lee J. Cobb, Eva Gabor, Veronica Lake, Rod Steiger, Bruce Cabot, Franchot Tone, Louis Hector, Gene Lockhart, Walter Abel, Cloris Leachman, Leslie Nielsen, Joanne Woodward, Burgess Meredith, and Paul Newman. Many similarities existed between this show and the later Twilight Zone, which also adapted the story "What You Need."
Production
The idea for the series was developed by Theodore Sturgeon and Mort Abrahams, presented under the auspices of the Science Fiction League of America, which may have been a creation of the producers. Author Robert Heinlein was contacted in 1951 about a plan to form a league of science fiction authors to write television screenplays for the proposed series, originally titled Tomorrow is Yours. A deal with Richard Gordon and George Foley gave the producers first choice of stories from the league's members. Tales of Tomorrow was the first dramatized showcase for several authors, including Arthur C. Clarke, and also featured works by Fredric Brown, Philip Wylie, C. M. Kornbluth, and Stanley G. Weinbaum. The show was intended for adults, aiming to blend mystery and science fiction with fast pacing and suspense.
Radio series
In 1953, ABC launched a radio version of the television series Tales of Tomorrow, which ran from January 1 to April 9. Unlike the TV show, this radio program adapted its scripts from stories in Galaxy Science Fiction, a connection similar to that between the earlier series Dimension X and Astounding Science Fiction. The radio series struggled and, after just a few episodes, moved to CBS on February 26 to finish its 15-episode run. It was ultimately unsuccessful. Later, the radio series X Minus One, a 1955 revival of Dimension X, also drew from Galaxy and reused four Tales of Tomorrow episodes: "The Stars Are the Styx," "The Moon Is Green," "The Girls from Earth," and "The Old Die Rich."
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes of Tales of Tomorrow are there?
Tales of Tomorrow has 85 episodes across 2 seasons.
When did Tales of Tomorrow first air?
Tales of Tomorrow first aired on 3 August 1951.
When did Tales of Tomorrow end?
Tales of Tomorrow last aired on 12 June 1953.
More in Science Fiction Anthology Television Series
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