Tales from the Crypt

A typical "Tales from the Vet" intro, modeled after Tales from the Crypt

Tales from the Crypt is a TV horror anthology mixing black humor, broadcast on HBO from 1989-1996. Adapted from the 1950s EC comic books (with art by Harvey Kurtzman and Jack Davis), the show was hosted by the rotting Cryptkeeper, a puppet character who dropped morbid puns.

The series spawned assorted spin-offs including movies, multiple Saturday morning series, and an online audio drama.

References

• The show's title was reworked for the recurring "Tales from the Vet" segment on Muppets Tonight. The intro mimicked the Crypt opening, a tracking shot into a creepy old mansion, using animals in cages leading to the vet's office instead, while music similar to the theme plays.

Muppet Mentions

• In a 1997 book documenting the series, executive producer Robert Zemeckis recalls, "At the very first screening when we unveiled the first three episodes, [fellow executive producer] Joel Silver stood up and said, 'Ladies and gentlemen, this is Tales from the Crypt. This is not Tales from Sesame Street.'"

Connections

• Alun Armstrong played Inspector Herbert in "Confession" (1996)
• Roger Ashton-Griffiths played Valdemar Tymark in "Report from the Grave" (1996)
• Hank Azaria played Charlie in "Doctor of Horror" (1995)
• Paul Benedict played Beaks in "Top Billing" (1992)
• Sandra Bernhard played Sheila Winters in "Top Billing" (1992)
• Sônia Braga played Sophie Wagner in "This'll Kill Ya" (1992)
• Corey Burton voiced Police Chief Wolf in "The Third Pig" (1996)
• Julius Carry played Detective Connors in "Creep Course" (1993)
• Cam Clarke voiced Dudley and the bailiff wolf in "The Third Pig" (1996)
• Jim Cummings voiced Judge Wolf in "The Third Pig" (1996)
• Tim Curry played Pa Brackett, Ma Brackett, and Winona Brackett in "Death of Some Salesmen" (1993)
• Paul Dooley played Randolph in "Forever Ambergris" (1993)
• Corey Feldman played Todd in "The Assassin" (1994)
• Charles Fleischer played Carl Rechek in "Werewolf Concerto" (1992)
• Thom Fountain was one of the Cryptkeeper puppeteers
• Michael J. Fox directed and played the prosecutor in "The Trap" (1991)
• Teri Garr played Irene Paloma in "The Trap" (1991)
• Brad Garrett voiced Drinky in "The Third Pig" (1996)
• John Glover played Sebastian Esbrook in "Undertaking Palor" (1991)
• Whoopi Goldberg played Peligre in "Dead Wait" (1991)
• Annabelle Gurwitch played Louise in "Spoiled" (1991)
• Tom Hanks directed and played Baxter in "None But the Lonely Heart" (1992)
• Teri Hatcher played Stacy in "The Thing from the Grave" (1990)
• Eddie Izzard played Evans in "Confession" (1996)
• Carol Kane played Judy in "Judy, You're Not Yourself Today" (1990)
• Mimi Kennedy played a distraught woman in "The Man Who Was Death" (1989)
• John Lithgow played Dr. Oscar Charles in "You, Murderer" (1995)
• Cleavon Little played Pack Brightman in "This'll Kill Ya" (1992)
• Jon Lovitz played Barry Blye in "Top Billing" (1992)
• Demi Moore played Cathy Marno in "Dead Right" (1990)
• Catherine O'Hara played Geraldine Ferrett in "Let the Punishment Fit the Crime" (1994)
• Joe Pantoliano played Ulric in "Dig That Cat... He's Real Gone" (1989) and a casino dealer in "Split Personality" (1992)
• Austin Pendleton played Dr. Orloff in "Doctor of Horror" (1995)
• Joe Pesci played Vic Stenson in "Split Personality" (1992)
• Jon Polito played Nikos Stano in "Deadline" (1992)
• Wolfgang Puck appeared as himself in "Werewolf Concerto" (1992)
• Christopher Reeve played Fred in "What's Cookin'" (1992)
• Don Rickles played Mr. Ingels in "The Ventriloquist's Dummy" (1990)
• Isabella Rossellini played Betty Spinelli in "You, Murderer" (1995)
• Martin Sheen played Kraygen, Thomas Miller, and Zorbin the Magnificent in "Well Cooked Hams" (1993)
• Brooke Shields played Norman in "Came the Dawn" (1993)
• Ben Stein played Mr. Andrews in "Doctor of Horror" (1995)
• Imelda Staunton played Sarah in "About Face" (1996)
• Frances Sternhagen played Effie Gluckman in "None But the Lonely Heart" (1992)
• Jeffrey Tambor played Charlie Marno in "Dead Right" (1990)
• Lea Thompson played Sylvia Vane in "Only Sin Deep" (1989)
• Travis Tritt played Charlie in "Doctor of Horror" (1995)
• Edward Tudor-Pole played Lou in "Horror in the Night" (1996)
• Twiggy played Bonnie in "The New Arrival" (1992)
• John Vernon played Mr. Chalmers in "Seance" (1992)
• David Warner played Dr. Alan Goetz in "The New Arrival" (1992)
• George Wendt played Mr. Crosswhite in "The Reluctant Vampire" (1991)
• Wil Wheaton played Arling in "House of Horror" (1993)
• James Wilby played Nick Marvin in "Horror in the Night" (1996)
• Rita Wilson played Jess Glichrist in "Mournin' Mess" (1992)
• David Wohl played Warden Havers in "The Man Who Was Death" (1989)