THE STORYTELLER
(The Storyteller)
Season 1
(9 Episodes)
Episode Guide for the 1st Season
1. HANS, MY HEDGEHOG
Original Title: Hans, My Hedgehog
First Aired: 01/31/1987 (USA)(HBO) - 06/12/1988 (UK) Director: Steve Barron Writing Credits: Anthony Minghella Cast: Eric Richard (Farmer), Maggie Wilkinson (Farmer's Wife), David Swift (King), Helen Lindsay (Queen), Abigail Cruttenden (Princess), Jason Carter (Man), Robin Summers (Jailer), Ailsa Berk (Grovelhog), Stephen Garlick (Young Grovelhog (voice)), Terence Harvey (Grovelhog (voice)) The Story: Hans, a hedgehog-boy, feels ostracized in his town so he tuns away. Twenty years later, Hans helps a king lost in the woods find his way back to his kingdom. The king rewards Hans with the first thing that the king will see when he re-enters his kingdom. But when the first thing he sees turns out to be his beautiful daughter, will despair take hold or can love prevail? 2. FEARNOT
Original Title: Fearnot
First Aired: 10/26/1987 (USA)(HBO) - 05/22/1988 (UK) Director: Steve Barron Writing Credits: Anthony Minghella Cast: Reece Dinsdale (Fearnot), Willie Ross (Tinker), Frederick Warder (Half Man), Gabrielle Anwar (Lidia), James Donnelly (Lidia's Father), Peter Jonfield (Fearnot's Father), Mark Williams (Fearnot's Brother), Lucy Harte (Water Nymphs), Michael Cuckson (Pond Sprite), Michael Kilgarriff (Pond Sprite (voice)) The Story: Fearnot is a young man who is incapable of feeling fear. He leaves his home and his true love to embark on a vast journey to experience the shudder of fear. No monster or creature that he meets, however horrible or terrifying, makes him afraid. It is only upon his return that he learns that true fear exists in the places which are closest to us. 3. A STORY SHORT
Original Title: A Story Short
First Aired: 01/22/1988 (USA)(HBO) - 06/05/1988 (UK) Director: Charles Sturridge Writing Credits: Anthony Minghella Cast: Bryan Pringle (Cook), John Kavanagh (Beggar), Brenda Blethyn (Storyteller's Wife), Richard Vernon (King), Sarah Crowden (Queen), Jackson Kyle (Prince), Arthur Hewlett (Page), Alistair Fullarton (Hare (puppet)), Tony O'Leary (Courtier) The Story: The Storyteller recalls his days of servitude to the king for bamboozling the royal cook out of a free meal. A story a day was his punishment -- or else boil in the cook's cauldron of oil! All goes well until the final day... when he can't think of a story to save his life! 4. THE LUCK CHILD
Original Title: The Luck Child
First Aired: 04/16/1988 (USA)(HBO) - 05/29/1988 (UK) Director: Jon Amiel Writing Credits: Anthony Minghella Cast: Steven Mackintosh (Lucky), Philip Jackson (King), Anthony O'Donnell (Little Man), Paul Brooke (Chancellor), Robert Eddison (Ferryman), Pauline Moran (Queen), Catherine Bradshaw (Princess), Timothy Kightley (Miller), Diana Payan (Miller's Wife), Colin Farrell (Lucky's Father), Merelina Kendall (Lucky's Mother), Ross Boatman (Page), Alistair Fullarton (Griffin), George Little (Griffin (voice)), Brian Henson (Storyteller's Dog / Griffin) The Story: Upon news of the birth of a Luck Child -- a peasant boy predicted by wise men to one day wear the crown -- the cruel-hearted king seeks out the boy, pretending to take him under his terrible wing. Will the luck indeed play a part in our hero's final destiny? 5. THE SOLDIER & DEATH
Original Title: The Soldier & Death
First Aired: 05/15/1988 (UK) - 04/28/1989 (USA)(HBO) Director: Jim Henson Writing Credits: Anthony Minghella Cast: Bob Peck (Soldier), Stuart Richman (Fiddling Beggar), Walter Sparrow (Card Trick Beggar), John Franklyn- Robbins (Tzar), Ishia Bennison (Tzar's Wife), Jan Chappell (Soldier's Wife), Gavin Knights (Soldier's Son), David Fleeshman (Innkeeper), Alistair Fullarton (Death / Devil (puppet)), Brian Henson (Storyteller's Dog / Devil), David Alan-Barclay (Devil (puppet)), Michael Bayliss (Devil (puppet)), Marcus Clarke (Devil (puppet)), Richard Coombes (Devil (puppet)), John Eccleston (Devil (puppet)), Geoff Felix (Devil (puppet)), Mike Quinn (Devil (puppet)), Francis Wright (Devil (puppet)), Tony Jackson (Devil (voice)), Peter Hawkins (Devil (voice)), Peter Marinker (Devil (voice)) The Story: Returning from war, a young soldier trades his last biscuit for a magical sack... into which anything summoned will enter! Trapping devils and even Death itself, the soldier brings peace to his country. But Death soon proves a greater enemy captured than free! 6. THE THREE RAVENS
Original Title: The Three Ravens
First Aired: 06/19/1988 (UK) Director: Paul Weiland Writing Credits: Anthony Minghella Cast: Miranda Richardson (Witch), Jonathan Pryce (King), Joely Richardson (Princess), Robert Hines (Prince), Richard Butler (Second King), Alexander Crockatt (Brother #1), Charlie Condou (Brother 2), Jeremy Stuart (Brother #3), Maureen Bennett (Late Queen) The Story: After using her powers to charm the widowed king into marrying her, an evil witch sees his children standing in the way of her power. She uncovers the children's secret hiding place and turns the three princes into ravens. The princess escapes, but only after seeing her stepmother's evil magic. The ravens tell the princess that she cannot speak a word for three years, three months and three days or they will remain forever as birds. But can the princess keep her promise of silence even in the face of death? 7. SAPSORROW
Original Title: Sapsorrow
First Aired: 06/26/1988 (UK) - 07/30/1989 (USA)(HBO) Director: Steve Barron Writing Credits: Anthony Minghella Cast: Alison Doody (Sapsorrow), James Wilby (Prince), Jennifer Saunders (Badsister 1), Dawn French (Badsister 2), Geoffrey Bayldon (King), Tim Barker (Minister), David Greenaway (Badger / Squirrel / Birds (puppet)), Robert Tygner (Badger / Squirrel / Birds (puppet)), Mak Wilson (Badger / Squirrel / Birds (puppet)), Kate Williams (Chief Maid), Angus Barnett (Servant 1), Dawn Archibald (Servant 2), Edward Tudor-Pole (Page), Robin Summers (Town Crier), Craig Givens (Dancer), Anita Griffin (Dancer), Matthew Hawkins (Dancer), Caroline Pope (Dancer), Barbara Rhodes (Dancer), Arthur Sweet (Dancer), Mike Edmonds (Tiny Taylor) The Story: Upon fleeing her kingdom to escape an arranged marriage, the lovely Princess Sapsorrow toils in the kitchen of a faraway palace, disguised as an ugly hag. Her masquerade is no ball, as Sapsorrow has fallen in love with a prince, who sees her only as a peasant! 8. THE HEARTLESS GIANT
Original Title: The Heartless Giant
First Aired: 07/03/1988 (UK) - 04/14/1989 (USA)(HBO) Director: Jim Henson Writing Credits: Anthony Minghella Cast: Frederick Warder (Giant), Elliott Spiers (Leo), Gemma Jones (Queen), Nicholas Selby (King), Richard Lintern (Prince 1), Simon Adams (Prince 2), John Atkinson (Guard), David Greenaway (Wolf / Bird / Salmon (puppet)), Robert Tygner (Wolf / Bird / Salmon (puppet)), Mak Wilson (Wolf / Bird / Salmon (puppet)), Peter Marinker (Wolf (voice)) The Story: A young prince is tricked into helping a heartless giant escape from the king's dungeon. The evil giant unleashes terror across the land and those who go off to fight him never return. The young prince becomes the servant of the giant and tries to find where the giant's heart is hidden. But even if he were able to get the heart, can all be made right once more? 9. THE TRUE BRIDE
Original Title: The True Bride
First Aired: 07/10/1988 (UK) - 07/23/1989 (USA)(HBO) Director: Peter Smith Writing Credits: Anthony Minghella Cast: Jane Horrocks (Anja), Sean Bean (Prince), Frederick Warder (Troll / Trollop), Alun Armstrong (Troll (voice)), Sandra Voe (Trollop (voice)), Colin Hurley (Prisoner 1), Robert Hamilton (Prisoner 2), Sam Howard (Prisoner 3), Diana Payan (Passerby), David Greenaway (Lion), Robert Tygner (Lion), Mak Wilson (Lion), Michael Kilgarriff (Lion (voice)) The Story: A girl who was adopted by an abusive troll finally is freed with the help of a white lion. When her betrothed does not return after a trip, the girl is grief-stricken to learn that the troll's sister had put a spell on him and plans to marry him. The white lion appears again and helps the girl by giving her three magical gifts. But how can she use them to convince her bewitched love that she is his true bride? |