The Time Tunnel
| Fandom | |
|---|---|
| Name: | The Time Tunnel |
| Abbreviation(s): | |
| Creator: | Irwin Allen |
| Date(s): | September 9, 1966 – April 7, 1967 |
| Medium: | TV series |
| Country of Origin: | United States |
| External Links: | Wikipedia |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
This article is a stub. Please help us out by adding more content. |
The Time Tunnel is an ABC 1960s science fiction TV series, using the theme of time travel to ensure that its two main characters experienced a variety of both historical or science fictional (futuristic) adventures. It starred James Darren and Robert Colbert, with Lee Meriwether, Whit Bissell and John Zaremba. The show was creator-producer Irwin Allen's third science fiction television series and was released by 20th Century Fox Television and broadcast on ABC. The show ran for one season of 30 episodes from 1966 to 1967. Five feature-length television films were assembled from 10 individual episodes in 1982.[1]
The series was telecast (featuring comedic subtitles) on Australian television during the 1960s.
A new pilot was produced in 2002 but did not proceed to a series.[1]
It can be suggested that Quantum Leap and Sliders both owe their initial concept, and some story elements, to this earlier series.
Production Treasure and Trivia
In 1967, the show won a Primetime Emmy Award for "Individual Achievements in Cinematography - Photographic Special Effects". In 1968, it was nominated for another Primetime Emmy Award for "Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography".[2]
Pop culture historian Martin Grams has written an extensive book on the series, including "dates of production, location shooting, production costs, differences between first and final draft of the scripts, memories from cast and crew, exclusive never-before-published behind-the-scenes photos, music cues, trivia, inside jokes and much more!" Among his many observations, he notes:
Doug and Tony actually made it back home, thanks to Dr. Ann MacGregor’s quick thinking. In the event the $500,000 television pilot never sold, the entire film was going to be released theatrically and the alternate ending would have been used. This book features a reprint of the script and photographs showing Doug and Tony’s triumphant return. The script and photographs of the filming are included in the book.Observant fans of The Time Tunnel will notice repetition in Planet of the Apes (1968), a 20th Century-Fox theatrical release. As Taylor’s spaceship enters the planet’s atmosphere, before crash-landing in a lake, the sound of the engines are replicated using the same sound effect used to power up the Time Tunnel.[3]
Canon
Novels
Prolific sci-fi author Murray Leinster wrote two tie-in novels based on The Time Tunnel. [The] first one was published in January 1967 and was titled simply The Time Tunnel. Confusingly, in 1964 Leinster published an original novel called Time Tunnel which involved a physical tunnel connecting 1964 and 1805. Wikipedia suggests that this novel was the inspiration for the TV series and that the rights were purchased by 20th-Century Fox. I’m not sure that has ever been confirmed, only speculated.[4]
Fandom
The Time Tunnel Fan Forum was a Yahoo Groups mailing list for fans. It was active from 2003 to roughly 2014, when activity started to decrease. The forum didn’t close until 2019.
Fan Comments
Oh god — TIME TUNNEL. Don't speak to me of TIME TUNNEL. This is the series which claimed to be educational, then completely mystified and irritated me with the episode on Greek mythology. (I know quite a bit about Greek mythology ~ it's one of my pet subjects, along with volcanoes, but I digress). Not only was Odeysseus [sic] running the entire show (Odeysseus????? What happened to Agammamnon [sic], for crying out loud?), but they insisted on referring to the gods by their Roman names. So Zeus became Jupiter, Hera became Juno, and the only one to remain the same was Apollo, whose name is the same in both religions anyway! Athene i became Diana...gee, it was so teeth-gritting! I had to switch it off in the end, I was so disgusted. If they were doing something so simple then why didn't Allen at least hire a research assistant? All she needed to do then was refer to the Iliad, or indeed, any of the classics!
- That was Allen's problem in every series he did — no research, even less continuity. He had the attitude of 'Throw anything in, the kids won't notice.' Well, some of the kids noticed even then, and we're still noticing now. A certain degree of fantasy is acceptable, but he went overboard.
- I don't 'loathe' TIME TUNNEL. I love watching it! Yeah, the plots are real sucky and the logic stinks, but Allen's real talent lay in his characterizations and in choosing actors (not actresses; the guy concentrated on the male members of his cast! No objections here, girls) who were attractive, intelligent and interrelated beautifully. I enjoyed it for the people, if nothing else.[5]
Fanworks
Skits
The opening ceremony of Time-Warped convention in Sydney, Australia, featured a Harpic Productions' skit with Doug and Tony. They arrive in 1986 just in time for a science fiction media convention. Colleague Ann twiddles some knobs on her console but is unable to assist them.
Doug and Tony emerge from the Time Tunnel into 1986.
Doug has lost his jacket. Tony has lost more than a jacket.
Zines
- Time Tunnel Fanzine
- Visiting Time, a gen V/Time Tunnel zine.
Archives & Fannish Links
- ^ a b Wikipedia
- ^ Internet Movie Database
- ^ Martin Grams, THE TIME TUNNEL: A History of the Television Program, Martin Grams Books. (Advertising page on his website)
- ^ Robert Jay, Bookshelf: The Time Tunnel (book review), 9 April 2015.
- ^ from a Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea fan in Up Bubble #7 (1990)