Science Fiction Theatre

In the mind of this 10 year old during the fifties, sci-fi was as much or perhaps more, science fantasy. Back then the possibility of 'Martians' could still not be discounted.!! True. What space travel and science that lay in store for the future was open to one's imagination. Truman Bradley, who opened the show from his laboratory somewhere alone and high in the western desert, would discuss a particular science fact and its possible ramifications and speculations. From this seed a teleplay would ensue. I loved the show. Real science and fantasy all in the same 1/2 hour program. Wish I could see them again.. Alas and alack..

A 225 mph super-hurricane--a stone that froze ancient, terrified voices from Pompeii--the odd new neighbors from next door who vanished one night during an electrical storm!---What an impact these stories had on a 9 yr. old kid! I never forgot them. What a blast to be able to see these shows again. Thank you, Mr. Bradley for making them resonate for all these years!

And what thought-provoking titles, too! And then of course, there was that theme music---!!

Science Fiction Theater was one of my favorites when I was a kid. (Sea Hunt, also from Ivan Tors and Ziv, with Lloyd Bridges, was another) I, born in 1950, remember hurrying home from school to see the show. I'm not sure what year this was--late '50s probably--it must already have been in reruns, being on in the afternoon. My mom wasn't thrilled that my brother and I watched it--science fiction was inherently not to be trusted--but it was good enough that she tolerated it in preference to things like the forbidden "Wednesdayville"--on, not surprisingly, only on Wednesday afternoon, showing Three Stooges shorts--and frankly, I preferred it myself. Much more better to a kid interested in sciences. I remember the intros with Truman Bradley--I can almost conjure up his face, but not quite--and, though I remember most of the shows mentioned by other writers, the one I remember especially was about a young mammoth found in the permafrost, thawed and revived, and what this led to for the animal and the people involved with it. I remember Truman Bradley's intro to that show, taking a fish frozen in ice, dropping it in water, and, when the ice melted--just a few seconds--the fish swimming away. That was the sort of thing that fascinated me.

I think I first saw "Science Fiction Theater" in about 1961 or 1962 (so I was 11 or 12)sitting around my family's den on an early Saturday morning or perhaps Saturday afternoon. I think the show was already considered "re-run filler" at that point and only on local stations, but I really enjoyed the stories...they were as good as anything else being shown at the time...the acting was pretty good and the stories interesting and thought-provoking...I recall the Space colonists test episode a little and bits and pieces of others...there was one where a scientist was trying to enhance human physical strength and endurance by using animal hormones...I specifically recall the main character in it was trying (and succeeding) in running a mile in under 3-minutes. But the hormones did a number on him in other ways and he died as a result. Anyway, I'm glad it's around on DVD, the other thing I recall about the show was that the music to the opening sound-track was ALWAYS warped and distorted when I saw the show...I even remember the first few distorted notes and how they sounded...I wonder if the DVD versions have cleaned that up...I might not recognize them if they did...

This terrific, imaginative sci-fi anthology TV series was the first intelligent, dramatic sci-fi anthology series made for television, and lasted two seasons, 1955-1957. It was produced by legendary sci-fi and nature film producer Ivan Tors, for Bernard Ziv, of ZIV-TV Productions, and featured well-written half-hour episodes, many based on sci-fi short stories from sci-fi pulp magazines of the 1940s and 1950s; what it lacked in visual effects was often made up for by fine writing, acting, production values and direction. Host Truman Bradley was perfect to announce each eerie story of the week, as well as add a few words at the end of each program on how science could solve a mystery. Underrated by today's standards, this was one of TV's finest dramatic series of the 1950s, featuring many famous B-movie stars in fascinating roles. Highly recommended!