History Trivia / TalesFromTheCrypt

* WildfireFranchise: The series was very popular in TheNineties due to being based on the comic book of the same name. It lead to a LighterAndSofter cartoon series, reprints of the original comic series that inspired episodes of the show, a game show based on it and two movies (''Film/DemonKnight'' and ''Film/BordelloOfBlood''). But after ''Bordello of Blood'' flopped, the franchise went dormant with only the occasional comic book in the late 2000s since then.

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: The film is full to bursting with early-'70s clothing and decor.

** [[http://www.geocities.ws/imb210/fattuesday.html According to a rumor]], ''Dead Easy'' (retitled ''Fat Tuesday'') '''was''' finished, but due to {{executive meddl|ing}}ers who thought the film wouldn't be commercially viable, a script that called for a large African-American cast ended up being produced with a cast entirely of white actors. Out of fear of UnfortunateImplications, producer Joel Silver stepped in and locked the finished film away, [[Main/OldShame hoping nobody would see or hear about it.]]

** William Sadler plays Talbot in "The Man Who Was Death", [[Film/BillAndTedsExcellentAdventure The Grim Reaper]] in "The Assassin", Brayker in ''Film/DemonKnight'' and a mummy in ''Film/BordelloOfBlood''.

** During the show's run, "Two-Fisted Tales", another more action-based EC comics creation, was to be adapted as a television series and three episodes ("Yellow", "Showdown", and "King of the Road") were produced. However the series was soon scrapped and the episodes were added to seasons three and four of Crypt.

* ScrewedByTheLawyers: See WhatCouldHaveBeen down below

** A reboot of the series for TNT was to premiere in Fall of 2017 and to be produced by Creator/MNightShyamalan of all people. However the series was eventually cancelled before it even started due to rights issues with HBO over the Crypt Keeper.

* MarketBasedTitle: Known as "Hollywood Nightmare" in Japan most likely due to how obscure the American comics are overseas.

** Larry Drake built a career on playing creepy, dangerous villains (and indeed, played ''the'' [[BadSanta most creepy and dangerous villain]] in season 1's "...And All Through the House"), but in season 2's "The Secret" he plays the slightly creepy but very kindhearted butler who befriends the young main character and ultimately [[HeroicSacrifice dies trying to protect him]].
** The dryly unflappable Ben Stein plays a short-tempered and verbally abusive mortuary owner in "Doctor of Horror".

* ActorAllusion:
** Creator/JohnKassir pulls a meta example in the episode "Oil's Well That Ends Well", wherein he plays a con man who at one point chuckles like the Crypt Keeper. [[LampshadeHanging The Crypt Keeper himself then remarks on how awesome THAT particular actor is and how familiar his voice sounds.]]
** It also wasn't rare for more famous directors to be alluded to in the episodes they directed. When Robert Zemeckis made "You, Murderer" using the same footage-insertion technology as he did in ''Film/ForrestGump'', the Crypt Keeper appeared as "Fearest", a slow-witted but kinder version of himself with a box of chocolates on his lap.
** When Creator/MichaelJFox directed "The Trap" and had a cameo as a prosecutor, part of his scene showed him questioning [[Film/BackToTheFuture Mr. Strickland]].
** In "What's Cookin'," landlord Mr. Chumley (played by Music/MeatLoaf) gets [[Film/TheRockyHorrorPictureShow carved up and eaten]].
* AllStarCast: Sort of the entire point. Everyone from Christopher Reeve to Ben Stein showed up at some point. Creator/WhoopiGoldberg even appeared [[AsHimself As Herself]] in the outro to one episode being interviewed by the Crypt Keeper.

** John Kassir pulls a meta example in the episode "Oil's Well That Ends Well", wherein he plays a con man who at one point chuckles like the Crypt Keeper. [[LampshadeHanging The Crypt Keeper himself then remarks on how awesome THAT particular actor is and how familiar his voice sounds.]]

** Well-known horror actor [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Berryman Michael Berryman]], recognized for playing mutants and monsters, plays Rupert Van Helsing (a VampireHunter) in "The Reluctant Vampire". The normally serious Berryman delivers a wonderful comic performance in that episode as well.

* PlayingWithCharacterType: John Astin in "Top Billing". His character is essentially [[Series/TheAddamsFamily Gomez Addams]], only if he was ''really'' a dangerously AxCrazy nuthouse patient instead of just seeming like one.

** Miguel Ferrer appears in prominent roles in "The Thing from the Grave" and "In the Groove", as well as having an uncredited minor role in "As Ye Sow."

* RealitySubtext: Creator/PeterCushing plays Grimsdyke, a widower who attempts to contact his wife via Ouija board. Cushing's own wife had died shortly before he took the role, and he evidently insisted that he would be perfect for it. Ouch. The picture Mr. Grimsdyke is talking to? ''That's a picture of Cushing's late wife.''

** Character actor Marshall Bell first appears in season one's "...And All Through the House" and later in season's five's "Forever Ambergris".

** A reboot of the series for TNT was to premiere in Fall of 2017 and to be produced by Creator/MKnightShyamalan of all people. However the series was eventually cancelled before it even started due to rights issues with HBO over the Crypt Keeper.

** A reboot of the series for TNT was to premiere in Fall of 2017 and to be produced by MKnightShyamalan of all people. However the series was eventually cancelled before it even started due to rights issues with HBO over the Crypt Keeper.

** In "What's Cookin'," landlord Mr. Chumley (played by Creator/MeatLoaf) gets [[Film/TheRockyHorrorPictureShow carved up and eaten]].

** ''Demon Knight'' was supposed to be the second film in the original proposed trilogy, but Creator/UniversalStudios thought it should go first because it was "the most ''Tales''-like" feature out of the three. Ironically, it ended up being the only one made.

** Michael Ironside has roles in both "Come the Dawn" and "The Sacrifice."

** Lance Henriksen appeared in both "Cutting Cards" and "Yellow."

* AllStarCast: Sort of the entire point. Everyone from Christopher Reeve to Ben Stein showed up at some point.

** Creator/SamWaterston appeared in the Season 5 episode "As Ye Sow," playing an unscrupulous private eye who offered to (and did) hire a hitman on behalf of his client. He would debut on ''LawAndOrder'' one year later in the role of Jack [=McCoy=], a prosecutor with an unshakable drive to see justice done.

** John Kassir pulls a meta example in the episode "Oil's Well That Ends Well", wherein he plays a con man who at one point chuckles like the Crypt Keeper. [[LampshadeHanging The Crypt Keeper himself then remarks on how familiar his voice sounds.]]

* EditedForSyndication: You better believe it. FOX used to run repeats in their prime-time line-up during the mid-1990s (mostly on Saturday nights after the local news), and the series later turned up on basic cable channels, like the [[Creator/{{Syfy}} Sci-Fi Channel]] and Creator/{{AMC}}. The show on all three networks was edited for gore, sexual content, nudity, violence, explicit language, and, of course, making room for commercial breaks.

* InMemoriam: The end of the pinball game's credits reads "In Loving Memory of William Gaines", the publisher and co-editor of the original Creator/ECComics.

** Creator/SamWaterston appeared in the Season 5 episode "As Ye Sow," playing an unscrupulous private eye who offered to hire a hitman on behalf of his client. He would debut on ''LawAndOrder'' one year later in the role of Jack [=McCoy=], a prosecutor with an unshakable drive to see justice done.