The Storyteller - Definition and Overview

The Storyteller is a television series devised and produced by Jim Henson, and first aired in 1988. The series retold various fairy tales, created with a combination of actors and puppets. The framing device had an old storyteller (John Hurt) sitting by a fire telling each tale to his (talking) dog (a puppet, performed and voiced by Brian Henson).

Each half-hour episode was written by Anthony Minghella. Only nine were completed:

1. The Soldier and Death
2. Fearnot
3. The Luck Child
4. A Story Short
5. Hans My Hedgehog
6. The Three Ravens
7. Sapsorrow
8. The Heartless Giant
9. The True Bride

Henson later attempted a follow-up, The Storyteller: Greek Myths, which had a different story-teller (Michael Gambon), but the same dog. Only four episodes of this series were made:

1. Daedalus and Icarus
2. Orpheus and Eurydice
3. Perseus and the Gorgon
4. Theseus and the Minotaur