Media

The Twits

Sections: Information | Covers

Information

Adapted by David Wood
Published by:
- Samuel French, USA.
- Puffin, UK.

Based on:
- The Twits

Covers

: Puffin, 2003

: Puffin

: Puffin, 2007

: Samuel French, 2015

: Puffin, 2017

James and the Giant Peach: A Play

Sections: Information | Description | Covers | French Covers

Information

Adapted by Richard R. George
Published by:
- Puffin, 1983, USA.

Based on:
- James and the Giant Peach

Description

Roald Dahl fans will rejoice at the opportunity to bring their favorite books and characters to life. Five of Dahl’s hugely popular, beloved books have been adapted into winning plays for children. With useful tips on staging, props, and costumes, these plays can be produced with a minimum amount of resources and experience. Teachers, parents, and children everywhere will recognize Quentin Blake’s appealing classic cover art and will find these easy-to-perform plays to be a great source of entertainment!

Covers

: Puffin, 1983

: Trumpet, 1990

: Puffin

: Puffin, 2007

: Puffin, 2017

French Covers – James et la grosse pêche

: Gallimard, 2003

The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me (Acting Edition)

Sections: Information | Covers

Information

Adapted by Vicky Ireland
Published by:
- Samuel French Ltd.

Based on:
- The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me

Covers

: Samuel French

Fantastic Mr. Fox: A Play

Sections: Information | Covers

Information

Adapted by Sally Reid
Published by:
- Puffin, UK.

Based on:
- Fantastic Mr. Fox

Covers

: Puffin

: Puffin

: Puffin

Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator: A Play

Sections: Information | Covers

Information

Adapted by Richard R. George
With an introduction by Roald Dahl
Published by:
- Allen and Unwin, 1984, UK.

Based on:
- Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator

Covers

: Puffin, 1979

: Puffin

: Puffin

: Puffin, 2007

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: A Play

Sections: Information | Description | Covers | French Covers

Information

Adapted by Richard R. George
Published by:
- Viking Press, 1983, USA.
- Puffin, UK.

Based on:
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Description

Covers

: Puffin, 1979

: Puffin

: Puffin

: Puffin, 2007

: Puffin, 2017

French Covers – Charlie et la chocolaterie

: Gallimard, 2011

The BFG

Sections: Information | Description | Covers | French Covers

Information

Adapted by David Wood
Published by:
- Samuel French, USA.
- Puffin, UK.

Based on:
- The BFG

Description

Covers

: Samuel French

: Puffin

: Puffin

: Puffin

: Puffin

: Puffin, 2007

: Puffin, 2017

French Covers – Le Bon Gros Géant

: Gallimard, 2013

Tales of the Unexpected

Information

British Television Program produced from 1979-84
What Dahl Did: hosted program during first two seasons and provided his short stories for adaptation
Please note: While there are 112 episodes of this program, Dahl was only involved with 33 of them as a writer or host. Only those episodes are detailed on this site.
All Program Information
- General Details
- Crew
- Episode 1.1: “Man From the South”
  - Originally aired on March 24, 1979
  - Episode Information
- Episode 1.2: “Mrs. Bixby and the Colonel’s Coat”
  - Originally aired on March 31, 1979
  - Episode Information
- Episode 1.3: “William and Mary”
  - Originally aired on April 7, 1979
  - Episode Information
- Episode 1.4: “Lamb to the Slaughter”
  - Originally aired on April 14, 1979
  - Episode Information
- Episode 1.5: “The Landlady”
  - Originally aired on April 21, 1979
  - Episode information
- Episode 1.6: “Neck”
  - Originally aired on April 28, 1979
  - Episode Information
- Episode 1.7: “Edward the Conquerer”
  - Originally aired on May 5, 1979
  - Episode Information
- Episode 1.8: “A Dip in the Pool”
  - Originally aired on May 12, 1979
  - Episode Information
- Episode 1.9: “The Way Up to Heaven”
  - Originally aired on May 19, 1979
  - Episode Information
- Episode 2.1: “Royal Jelly”
  - Originally aired on March 1, 1980
  - Episode Information
- Episode 2.2: “Skin”
  - Originally aired on March 8, 1980
  - Episode Information
- Episode 2.3: “Galloping Foxley”
  - Originally aired on March 15, 1980
  - Episode Information
- Episode 2.4: “The Hitch-Hiker”
  - Originally aired on March 22, 1980
  - Episode Information
- Episode 2.5: “Poison”
  - Originally aired on March 29, 1980
  - Episode Information
- Episode 2.6: “Fat Chance”
  - Originally aired on April 5, 1980
  - Episode Information
- Episode 2.7: “Taste”
  - Originally aired on April 12, 1980
  - Episode Information
- Episode 2.8: “My Lady Love, My Dove”
  - Originally aird on April 19, 1980
  - Episode Information
- Episode 2.9: “Georgy Porgy”
  - Originally aired on April 26, 1980
  - Episode Information
- Episode 2.10: “Depart in Peace”
  - Originally aired on May 3, 1980
  - Episode Information
- Episode 2.11: “The Umbrella Man”
  - Originally aired on May 10, 1980
  - Episode Information
- Episode 2.12: “Genesis and Catastrophe”
  - Originally aired on May 17, 1980
  - Episode Information
- Episode 2.13: “Mr. Botibol’s First Love”
  - Originally aired on May 24, 1980
  - Episode Information
- Episode 2.14: “Back for Christmas”
  - Originally aired on May 31, 1980
  - Episode Information
- Episode 2.15: “The Orderly World of Mr. Appleby”
  - Originally aired on June 7, 1980
  - Episode Information
- Episode 2.16: “The Man at the Top”
  - Originally aired on June 14, 1980
  - Episode Information
- Episode 3.1: “The Flypaper”
  - Originally aired on August 9, 1980
  - Episode Information
- Episode 3.2: “A Picture of a Place”
  - Originally aired on August 16, 1980
  - Episode Information
- Episode 3.4: “Vengeance Is Mine Inc.”
  - Originally aired on August 30, 1980
  - Episode Information
- Episode 3.6: “Parson’s Pleasure”
  - Originally aired in 1980
  - Episode Information
- Episode 4.3: “The Boy Who Talked With Animals”
  - Original aired on April 19, 1981
  - Episode Information
- Episode 4.7: “The Sound Machine”
  - Original aired on May 17, 1981
  - Episode Information
- Episode 9.3: “The Surgeon”
  - Original aired on January 15, 1988
  - Episode Information

Description

A British anthology series featuring tales of horror, mystery and suspense. Most episodes featured a twist ending, and many of them were based on short stories by well-known writer Roald Dahl, who also served as the show’s host during its first two seasons.

Dahl’s First Introduction:

Dahl’s introductory words to “Man From the South”, which was the first episode:

“I ought to warn you, if you haven’t read any of my stories, that you may be a little disturbed by some of the things that happen in them. When I’m writing a short story, I’m haunted by the thought that I’ve got to hold the reader’s attention for literally every second, otherwise I’m dead. The one you’re going to see now is the first of a series based on stories that have taken me thirty-five years to write. I find them difficult to do well, so I work slowly. About two a year. This one was filmed in its real setting: Jamaica. I hope you like it.”

Reviews

“Fingering” by Richard Ingrams from the April 7, 1979 issue of The Spectator (UK) (read online)
- Note: this review accuses BBC presenter Ronald Harwood of providing favourable reviews and promotion for the program, which he was involved in adapting. This resulted in letters to the editor, a retraction (of sorts) by Ingrams, and a subsequent rebuttal by a BBC producer.

Opening Titles and Closing Credits

Fun Stuff

Press Release from Anglia Television
“I Love 1980” television program (aired on January 13, 2001 on BBC2)
Elsewhere on the web:
- Tales of the Unexpected TV Series Episode Guide
- Roald Dahl: Tales of the Unexpected

Articles

“A Cat and Mouse Interview with Roald Dahl” – interview by Nicholas Leahy from October 1980 issue of Starburst Magazine
“Tales of the Unexpected!” – article by Tony Crawley from May 1979 issue of Starburst Magazine
Fangoria Magazine #3 – “Roald Dahl’s Tales of the Unexpected” by Bob Martin
- Scan courtesy of Geoff Kessell. Thanks Geoff!
- Text

: Page 1

: Page 2

: Page 3

: Roald Dahl

: “The Landlady”

: “Neck”

: “Royal Jelly”

: “Man From the South”

: “William and Mary”

: “Skin”

DVD Covers

: Set 1

: Set 2

: Set 3

: Set 4

: Set 1

: Set 2

: Complete Series

: 10 Disc Set

Soundtrack Album Covers

Note: This album consists of many selections from composter Ron Grainer’s work, but the only track from Tales of the Unexpected is the theme!

Grainer notes: “The theme for the series is a cheekily innocent counterpoint to Roald’s wicked sense of humour.”

: Front

: Back

Terry Fisk, a blogger and Grainer aficionado, emailed me and mentioned that other Grainer fans have been trying for years to get a full Tales soundtrack released. He also mentioned an intriguing bit of trivia:

Earlier this year an unconfirmed research tipoff said that Ron Grainer wrote a musical with Ned Sherrin and Caryl Brahms based on the “Kiss Kiss” book around 1965 but eventually abandoned it and recycled the melodies for other projects like “Comes The Time” their 1966 Eurovision song entry sung by Kenneth McKeller.

‘Way Out

Sections: Information | Description | Fun Stuff

Information

CBS Television Program produced in 1961
What Dahl Did: hosted the show and contributed the first story
All Program Information
- General Details
- Episode 1: “William and Mary”
  - Originally aired on March 31, 1961
  - Episode information
- Episode 2: “The Down Car”
  - Originally aired on April 7, 1961
  - Episode information
- Episode 3: “The Sisters”
  - Originally aired on April 14, 1961
  - Episode information
- Episode 4: “Button, Button”
  - Originally aired on April 28, 1961
  - Episode information
- Episode 5: “I Heard You Calling Me”
  - Originally aired on May 5, 1961
  - Episode information
- Episode 6: “The Croaker”
  - Originally aired on May 12, 1961
  - Episode information
- Episode 7: “False Face”
  - Originally aired on May 26, 1961
  - Episode information
- Episode 8: “Dissolve to Black”
  - Originally aired on June 2, 1961
  - Episode information
- Episode 9: “Death Wish”
  - Originally aired on June 9, 1961
  - Episode information
- Episode 10: “The Overnight Case”
  - Originally aired on June 16, 1961
  - Episode information
- Episode 11: “Hush-Hush”
  - Originally aired on June 23, 1961
  - Episode information
- Episode 12: “Side Show”
  - Originally aired on June 30, 1961
  - Episode information
- Episode 13: “Soft Focus”
  - Originally aired on July 7, 1961
  - Episode information
- Episode 14: “20/20”
  - Originally aired on July 14, 1961
  - Episode information

Description

A new drama in the macabre genre was broadcast each week. The program was hosted by Roald Dahl.

Fun Stuff

Watch a few episodes online on YouTube
FILMFAX Magazine – “Inside the Dahl House of Horror”
- Scan courtesy of Keith Folk. Thanks Keith!
- Text
- Episode Guide

: Page 1

: Page 2

: Page 3

: Page 4

: Page 5

Related Books

: ‘Way Out: A History and Episode Guide to Roald Dahl’s Spooky 1961 Television Program by Martin Grams, Jr.

Elsewhere on the web:
- Blog post from “The 60’s at 50” blog
- “The Lost Episodes of Roald Dahl’s classic TV series ‘Way Out’ from 1961” from Dangerous Minds

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

Sections: Information | Description | Video Covers | DVD Covers

Information

CBS (Later NBC) Television Program produced from 1955–1962
What Dahl Did: contributed several stories and teleplays for the show
All Program Information
- General Details
- Awards
- Episode 106 (Season 3, No. 28): “Lamb to the Slaughter”
  - Originally aired on April 13, 1958
  - Episode information
- Episode 113 (Season 3, No. 35): “Dip in the Pool”
  - Originally aired on June 1, 1958
  - Episode information
- Episode 118 (Season 4, No. 1): “Poison”
  - Originally aired on October 5, 1958
  - Episode information
- Episode 168 (Season 5, No. 15): “Man From the South”
  - Originally aired on January 3, 1960
  - Episode information
- Episode 192 (Season 6, No. 1): “Mrs. Bixby and the Colonel’s Coat”
  - Originally aired on September 27, 1960
  - Episode information
- Episode 210 (Season 6, No. 19): “The Landlady”
  - Originally aired on February 21, 1961
  - Episode information

Description

This series was hosted by noted filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock and welcomed viewers to stories of terror, horror, suspense and twisted endings. The stories would often appear to end with evil triumphant – in strict violation of the television code of ethics. This situation was always resolved following the last commercial, when Hitchcock would return to explain what silly mistake or chance occurrence had finally done the villain in. When the show was expanded to an hour in the fall of 1962, the title was changed to The Alfred Hitchcock Hour.

Several of Roald Dahl’s stories were adapted for this program, many directed by Hitchcock himself. “Lamb to the Slaughter” is undoubtedly the most famous and well-remembered.

Video Covers

DVD Covers