The Story of Tales From The Cryptkeeper: EC Comics, the HBO Show, the Game Show & Its Many Deaths

Summary

The video script delves into the history of 'Tales from the Crypt Keeper,' an animated series that aired in the 90s, known for its horror-themed stories with moral lessons. It traces the franchise's origins back to EC Comics, discusses the impact of the Comics Code Authority, and the series' various iterations, including an HBO live-action series and a game show. The script highlights the character's enduring popularity and its ability to adapt and resurrect across different media.

Takeaways

• 🎃 Halloween is a time to embrace fear and the fun of spooky creatures.
• 📺 'Tales from the Crypt Keeper' was an animated series that ran for two seasons in 1993 and 1994, known for its horror-themed storytelling with educational undertones.
• 👻 The show was set in the fictional Gravenhurst and was hosted by the Crypt Keeper, who introduced stories with moral lessons.
• 🤝 In the second season, the Crypt Keeper was joined by the Vault Keeper and the Old Witch, adding a competitive dynamic to the show.
• 📚 The series was educational, using supernatural elements to engage the audience and teach life lessons.
• 🔄 The show was revived in 1999 as 'New Tales from the Crypt Keeper' with 13 more episodes, demonstrating the franchise's resilience.
• 🕰️ The Crypt Keeper's origins date back to 1938 with the founding of a comic book publisher, which later became part of DC Comics.
• 📚 The character first appeared in a 1949 comic book, and the series 'Tales from the Crypt' was born, influencing the creation of the Comics Code Authority due to concerns over content.
• 🚫 The Comics Code Authority led to the decline of the horror comic genre, including 'Tales from the Crypt', but EC Comics survived by shifting to humor with 'MAD' magazine.
• 🧩 The franchise expanded into various merchandise, including action figures, board games, and a pinball machine, capitalizing on its pop culture status.
• 🎬 An HBO live-action series of the same name was successful, leading to feature films and further cementing the Crypt Keeper's iconic status.
• 🏆 The live-action series won awards and was known for its adult content, in contrast to the animated series aimed at children.
• 🔄 The franchise faced multiple 'deaths' and revivals, including the animated series' cancellation and the end of the HBO series, but it always found a way to return.
• 📽️ Attempts to revive the series continued into the 2010s, with various projects being proposed but ultimately not coming to fruition due to rights issues.

Q & A

What is the main theme of 'Tales from the Crypt Keeper'?

The main theme of 'Tales from the Crypt Keeper' is to celebrate the things that scare us the most, using horror conventions to deliver a lesson in morality under the guise of fear and humor.

When did 'Tales from the Crypt Keeper' originally air as an animated series?

'Tales from the Crypt Keeper' originally aired as an animated series in 1993 and 1994, running for 26 episodes over two seasons.

Who were the main characters introduced in the second season of 'Tales from the Crypt Keeper'?

In the second season, the Crypt Keeper was joined by rivals the Vault Keeper and the Old Witch, who compete for control of the show.

What was the original purpose of the 'Crypt Keeper' character in the EC Comics?

The original purpose of the 'Crypt Keeper' character in the EC Comics was to serve as the storyteller, tying the tone, subject matter, and character together in the horror-themed comic series.

What event led to the decline of the EC Comics and the first death of 'Tales from the Crypt'?

The publication of 'Seduction of the Innocent' by psychiatrist Frederick Wortham, which blamed comic books for juvenile delinquency and illiteracy, led to Senate hearings and the self-imposition of the Comics Code Authority, resulting in the decline of EC Comics and the first death of 'Tales from the Crypt' in 1955.

How did 'Tales from the Crypt Keeper' adapt to television censorship for a younger audience?

'Tales from the Crypt Keeper' adapted to television censorship by moving away from its heritage of blood and gore, incorporating humor, curiosity, trust, and the risk-reward of breaking rules to engage its audience.

What was the connection between 'Tales from the Crypt Keeper' and the HBO series 'Tales from the Crypt'?

The HBO series 'Tales from the Crypt' was an adult-oriented live-action series that pulled most of its story ideas directly from the EC Comics, which also inspired the creation of the 'Tales from the Crypt Keeper' animated series for a younger audience.

What merchandise was produced in connection with 'Tales from the Crypt Keeper'?

Merchandise produced in connection with 'Tales from the Crypt Keeper' included action figures, freaky balls, a board game called 'Tales from the Crypt Keeper Search for the Lost Tales', and various other licensed items.

How many times has the 'Tales from the Crypt' franchise been revived or adapted after its initial decline?

The 'Tales from the Crypt' franchise has been revived or adapted multiple times, including the animated series 'Tales from the Crypt Keeper', the HBO live-action series, feature films, and a game show called 'Secrets of the Crypt Keeper's Haunted House'.

What was the educational aspect of the 'Tales from the Crypt Keeper' animated series?

The 'Tales from the Crypt Keeper' animated series was considered not only instructional but legitimately educational, using supernatural situations and moral lessons to engage and teach its audience.

Why was there a legal concern over the rights to characters for a potential new series by M. Night Shyamalan?

There was a legal concern over the rights to characters for a potential new series by M. Night Shyamalan because the rights were still held by Tales from the Crypt Holdings, which ultimately led to the project not reaching production.

Outlines

00:00

🎃 The Evolution of 'Tales from the Crypt Keeper'

This paragraph delves into the origins and evolution of 'Tales from the Crypt Keeper,' an animated series that aired in the 1990s. It discusses the show's unique position within the realm of horror-themed children's programming, its educational aspects, and the character dynamics introduced in the second season. The paragraph also traces the history of the 'Crypt Keeper' back to the 1938 establishment of a comic book publisher, the creation of EC Comics, and the impact of the Comics Code Authority on the industry. The narrative touches on the cultural significance of the show and its connection to the HBO series 'Tales from the Crypt,' which featured more adult-oriented content.

05:00

🧩 The Resilience and Adaptability of the Crypt Keeper

This section highlights the various iterations and resurrections of the 'Crypt Keeper' character and franchise. It discusses the transition from the original comic book series to an animated children's show, the impact of the HBO series, and the subsequent merchandise and tie-in products that capitalized on the character's popularity. The paragraph also addresses the challenges faced by the franchise, including the initial decline of the comic book industry and the eventual cancellation of the animated series. It concludes with the character's return in different formats, such as a game show host and a continuation of the animated series, demonstrating the enduring appeal of the 'Crypt Keeper.'

10:01

📚 The Educational and Cultural Impact of 'Tales from the Crypt Keeper'

The final paragraph examines the franchise's return to educational programming with 'New Tales from the Crypt Keeper' and its certification as an educational show. It discusses the self-imposed television content rating system and the industry's response to societal concerns about violent programming. The paragraph also touches on the various attempts to revive the 'Tales from the Crypt' brand in different formats, including a potential new series and the release of feature films. It concludes with the current availability of the series on various platforms and reflects on the franchise's ability to reinvent itself while maintaining its core identity.

Keywords

💡Halloween

Halloween is a holiday celebrated on October 31st, often associated with costumes, trick-or-treating, and various activities related to the supernatural and horror. In the context of the video, Halloween is used to introduce the theme of embracing fears and the supernatural, setting the stage for the discussion about 'Tales from the Crypt Keeper'.

💡Tales from the Crypt Keeper

This refers to an animated series that ran in the 1990s, known for its horror-themed stories aimed at younger audiences. The show is central to the video's narrative, illustrating the evolution of horror storytelling in media and its impact on popular culture.

💡Censorship

Censorship in this context refers to the regulation of content in media to adhere to societal norms and restrictions. The video discusses how 'Tales from the Crypt Keeper' navigated television censorship, maintaining its horror theme while being suitable for children.

💡Narrative Format

The narrative format in storytelling involves a structure where a story is told through narration, often by a central character. The video explains how 'Tales from the Crypt Keeper' used this format to deliver moral lessons within its horror stories.

💡Moral Lessons

Moral lessons are teachings or principles derived from stories that impart values or life lessons. The video highlights that 'Tales from the Crypt Keeper' was not only entertaining but also educational, using horror as a medium to convey important messages.

💡Gravenhurst

Gravenhurst is the fictional city where the episodes of 'Tales from the Crypt Keeper' are set. It serves as a recurring location that adds a sense of continuity and familiarity to the series.

💡Vault Keeper

The Vault Keeper is a character from the 'Tales from the Crypt' franchise, similar to the Crypt Keeper but associated with the 'Vault of Horror'. The video mentions the Vault Keeper as one of the rivals in the animated series, adding a layer of competition to the storytelling.

💡Seduction of the Innocent

This is a book by psychiatrist Fredric Wertham that criticized the influence of comic books on children, leading to public outcry and increased censorship. The video discusses its impact on the comic book industry, including the creation of the Comics Code Authority.

💡Comics Code Authority

The Comics Code Authority was a self-regulatory body established by the comic book industry in response to criticism and legal pressure. The video explains how this led to the decline of horror comics, including 'Tales from the Crypt', due to stricter content guidelines.

💡HBO

HBO refers to Home Box Office, a premium cable network known for its original programming. The video mentions an HBO live-action series also called 'Tales from the Crypt', which was more adult-oriented and contributed to the franchise's popularity.

💡Pop Culture Phenomenon

A pop culture phenomenon refers to something that becomes widely popular and influential in society. The video describes how the 'Crypt Keeper' character became a pop culture icon, with various merchandise and adaptations across different media.

Highlights

Halloween is a time to embrace fears and the fun of creatures in the darkness.

Tales from the Crypt Keeper is an animated series that ran for two seasons in 1993 and 1994.

The show was a horror-themed cartoon that delivered moral lessons under the guise of horror conventions.

Set in the fictional city of Gravenhurst, the show was hosted by the Crypt Keeper who introduced stories and reinforced moral lessons.

In the second season, the Crypt Keeper was joined by rivals the Vault Keeper and the Old Witch, adding competition for control of the show.

The show used supernatural situations and played with elements like humor, curiosity, and fear to engage its audience.

Tales from the Crypt Keeper was revived for 13 more episodes in 1999 as New Tales from the Crypt Keeper.

The franchise began in 1938 with the co-founding of a comic book publisher called All American Publications.

In 1948, EC Comics introduced the Crypt Keeper as a storyteller in the comic book Tales from the Crypt.

The success of Tales from the Crypt led to the creation of two similar series, The Vault of Horror and The Haunt of Fear.

The 1954 book 'Seduction of the Innocent' led to Senate hearings and the creation of the Comics Code Authority, affecting the comic book industry.

Tales from the Crypt Keeper was created by Nelvana for YTV in Canada and ABC in the United States as a replacement for the Beetlejuice animated series.

The show was adapted to be suitable for children, avoiding the blood and gore of its adult-oriented counterpart on HBO.

The Crypt Keeper became a pop culture phenomenon, with various merchandise including action figures, a board game, and a pinball machine.

The live-action HBO series Tales from the Crypt was in its fifth season and was known for its adult content.

The Crypt Keeper was voiced by John Kassir and was performed by a collection of puppeteers, amplifying the creep factor.

The franchise has experienced multiple 'deaths' and revivals, including the cancellation of the animated series and the live-action HBO series.

The Crypt Keeper returned in 1999 for New Tales from the Crypt Keeper, which was officially certified as educational.

The franchise's resilience is demonstrated by its ability to adapt and come back from perceived 'deaths' multiple times.

Transcripts

halloween is the time to celebrate the

things that scare us the most

to look our fears right in their cold

dead eyes and embrace the rush of

emotion they inspire

to acknowledge how much fun the

creatures in the darkness can be and to

recognize that some things won't stay

dead no matter how many times you try to

kill them

hi i'm dan larsen and this is the

history of tales from the crypt keeper

[Music]

so

[Music]

tales from the crypt keeper is an

animated series produced by nelvana that

ran for 26 episodes over two seasons in

1993 and 1994.

it was a horror themed cartoon that

threaded the needle of television

censorship

due to its still-beating heart tales

from the crypt keeper utilized a

narrative format of delivering a lesson

in morality under the guise of horror

conventions

like a twilight zone for kids it

resulted in a show that was considered

not only

instructional but legitimately

educational it is generally set in the

fictional city of gravenhurst episodes

were hosted by the crypt keeper who

introduces the stories and

at the end reinforces the lessons

learned in the second season cryptkeeper

is joined by rivals the vault keeper

and the old witch who compete for

control of the show

it used the same supernatural situations

the brand was known for but moved away

from its heritage of blood and gore

it played with elements like humor

curiosity trust the risk reward of

breaking rules and above all

fear to engage its audience the same way

it always had

it died in 1994 and then came back to

life for 13 more episodes as

new tales from the crypt keeper in 1999

funny thing though

this wasn't the first time it had died

the tale of this saturday morning

frightfest

cereal begins back in 1938 maxwell

gaines co-founded a comic book publisher

called all american publications

all american introduced several

prominent pop culture characters like

the flash

wonder woman hawkman and green lantern

in 1944 all american publications was

purchased and merged with national

allied publications

to form the company that would

eventually become dc comics

max gaines took the money he received

from the buyout of all american to

create a new company focused on

publishing educational comics

that company was called educational

comics

four years later in 1948 max was killed

in a boating accident or was he

he was his son william gaines inherited

the business william while interested in

publishing comics

wasn't interested in the same kind of

comics his father was in 1949 and 1950

ec comics began publishing a wide array

of genres

including science fiction military

adventure crime and horror

max thought the more profitable market

was reaching kids by selling comics

about science history and the bible to

schools and churches

william wanted to directly target an

older audience with a focus on more

mature

more exciting art and storylines issue

number 15 of ec comics crime patrol hit

stands in late 1949 early 1950

and featured a story called return from

the grave

it marked the debut of the crypt keeper

as the storyteller tying the tone the

subject matter and the character

together the turn to horror from crime

the introduction of the crypt keeper

resulted in crime patrol

officially being retitled crypt of

terror just two issues later

and by issue 20 a full transformation to

tales from the crypt

ec comics introduced two other

practically identical series called the

vault of horror hosted by the vault

keeper

and the haunt of fear hosted by the old

witch the tone for the hosts lightened

to introduce some humor and there was

even a bit of professional tension among

them

surely they kept score as to who got to

tell the most gruesome

stories the business was horror and

business was good

that is until a book called seduction of

the innocent by psychiatrist

frederick wortham asserted that the

leading cause of illiteracy and juvenile

delinquency in the youth of america was

comic books comic books in his opinion

were influencing an entire generation of

american children to grow up as

uneducated devil worshipping

homosexual drug abusing thrill-killing

communist pornography enthusiasts

i'm paraphrasing but just

barely mortham's book resulted in

parents groups getting their butter all

churned up they provoked senate hearings

that essentially put comic books on

trial

while the senate never officially

concluded that comic books like tales

from the crypt were responsible for any

actual crimes that had ever been

or would ever be committed by any actual

person living or dead

they heavily suggested that comics as an

industry

take it down a notch tales from the [ __ ]

died its first death in 1955 with the

self-imposition of the comics code

authority by the comics industry

who agreed to self-regulate their

content in the interest of making sure

that kids weren't exposed to

werewolves sexy ladies or drug use until

they were old enough to injure

themselves in a factory

or serve their country in a war over

resources on foreign

soil 15 different comic publishers went

out of business and were it not for

their focus on their new humor magazine

called mad

ec comics would have gone out of

business as well

today here on abc ready for a scare

you must meet keeper

[Music]

yes i think that's exactly what our

little fans need

[Music]

tales from the crypt keeper was created

by nilvana for ytv in canada and abc in

the united states

novana had produced the breakout hit

beetlejuice animated series inspired by

the 1988 feature film

beetlejuice after four seasons on two

different networks nilvana was looking

for something to replace it if

only in spirit a comedy horror themed

animated series a genre that was mostly

unoccupied by competition

as tales from the crypt keeper executive

producer topper taylor stated

quote we saw there was a need for

another horror type property those have

always worked as far back as scooby doo

but abc was clearly not ready for ec

horror on saturday morning we're a lot

more cautious with regard to bloodshed

and the acts of violence underneath it

all end quote

and hey with cartoons come toys and a

whole lot of other stuff that you need

to get to shelves to keep the money

train running

ace novelty produced a variety of tie-in

items including a line of eight action

figures featuring the crypt keeper and

various monsters from the series

freaky balls kind of like mad balls but

more like freaky balls

a board game called tales from the crypt

keeper search for the lost tales and

uh weird glow-in-the-dark googly

eyeballs to replace your regular

eyeballs to look weird maybe people

think you're some kind of

reanimated corpse i don't know data east

produced a tails from the crypt pinball

machine and there was a lot of other

licensed merchandise because the crypt

keeper was officially a

pop culture phenomenon why tales from

the crypt

can i get a meanwhile because meanwhile

on hbo an award-winning live-action

series called tales from the crypt was

in its fifth season

heading for sixth and seventh it was not

for kids and contained a lot of adult

language

violence blood and guts sexual

situations and nudity

tales from the crypt began airing in

1989 pulling most of its story ideas

directly from the ec comics comic books

that resulted in the creation of the

comics code

and the demise of an entire arm of the

comics industry

the success of the 93 episode series

turned the crypt keeper into a legit pop

culture celebrity

cryptkeeper was once again in the

spotlight as the host of the show

setting up and closing out the episodes

firing ghoulish puns on top of puns an

animatronic puppet with the creepiest

hands since the swedish chef

that puppet also established the new

look for the character previously a

creepy dude with stringy hair wearing a

robe sitting in a dark room

now a legit talking corpse and not for

nothing but whether it was supposed to

be a puppet in world or not

because it was a puppet the creep factor

was amplified because

puppets be creeping cryptkeeper was

performed by a collection of puppeteers

and voiced by john cassier

the brand the show was just as much

about the crypt keeper as it was the

stories that were being told

it was a very rare case where you tune

in to watch the host regardless of what

they're talking about because you just

can't get enough

not me guys not me

please like beetlejuice

or more extreme examples aliens robocop

rambo terminator nightmare on elm street

friday the 13th

there was plenty of room for tales from

the crypt to take it down a notch to

make it totally cool for kids as young

as two years old

after they agreed that the live-action

puppet from the hbo series was a no-go

john casira is the voice yes give the

rest a makeover

and that's what they did for two years

before tales from the crypt died its

second

death tales from the crypt keeper the

animated series was cancelled in

december

of 1994 but the hbo series lived on

reaching the next pop culture plateau

with a series of feature films produced

by universal pictures

intended to be a trilogy demon knight

premiered in 1995 followed by bordello

of blood in 1996

which totally bombed killing any hope of

a third release

as well as the tales from the crypt

brand at the theater marking the third

time it died

a movie called ritual was released

direct to video in 2002 which was

presented by tales from the crypt and

officially

unofficially serves as the third movie

in the trilogy

but it doesn't but it does the

collateral damage spilled over to the

hbo series as that two ended in 1996

marking the fourth death for the

franchise but before the body was even

in the ground

the crypt keeper returned to saturday

mornings in a live-action capacity as

the announcer of a game show called

secrets of the crypt keeper's haunted

house john casir reprised his role as

the voice of the crypt keeper for this

1990s spooky ninja warrior for kids type

obstacle course show

produced at universal studios in orlando

it makes the live-action competition

with computer-generated imagery as

two teams battled their way through the

various tricks and traps of crypt

keepers residents

secrets of the crypt keepers haunted

house marked the fifth time the crypt

keeper had been sent back to

the crypt but two years later in 1999 he

would re-emerge as the host of

new tales from the crypt keeper

essentially a continuation of the

previous animated series

with new in the title the animation was

different and it was now on teletune in

canada and cbs in the us

it was also officially certified

educational thanks to a new television

content rating system that was

self-imposed by the television industry

in response to concerns about the

effects of violent programming that got

parents groups

but are all churned up and senate

hearings were held the senate didn't

conclude that kids were murdering each

other because of tv but did suggest that

the industry take it down a notch

or risk turning a generation of kids

into cackling zombies who watch porn and

draw pictures of guns that shoot razor

blades

and eat doritos dipped in chocolate

sauce meanwhile the crypt keeper laughed

for 13 more episodes before getting axed

the sixth time in 2011 gilbert adler one

of the producers of the hbo live action

tales from the crypt series

as well as demon knight bordello of

blood and superman returns was

developing a new series with writer

andrew cosby

the goal was an episodic series that

told a continuing story that had nothing

to do with the crypt keeper

the networks that were offered said pass

in 2016 m night shyamalan was mentioned

with a potential 10-episode tnt series

to launch their new two-hour block of

horror programming in 2017

against sans script keeper the project

ultimately failing to reach production

due to legal concern over the rights to

characters still held by tales from the

crypt holdings

all three seasons of tales from the

crypt keeper were released on dvd and

are as of this video available to stream

on to be tv

or officially here on youtube at the

retro rerun channel

which is operated by nelvana and hosts

many of your nelvana favorites like

dog city wildcats cadillacs and

dinosaurs my pet monster

and tnt tea and tea

tales from the crypt keeper was a rare

divergence for a franchise that had

traditionally pushed the boundaries of

what was considered within the realm of

good taste

it was a full circle redemption for a

franchise that had at one point been

vilified by an entire governing body

it was another example of how this

franchise finds a way to come back from

the dead

no matter how many times they try to

kill it

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and let us know in the comments down

below if you're team cryptkeeper team

vault keeper or

team old witch i'm team crypt keeper

he's got the skills the branding

the focus and determination he works the

entire spectrum of demographics he put

in the time he did the work he rose

above the rest

and signed that contract with hbo the

other two hosts

that's a long one