Hi folks.

I've been busying myself putting together a website documenting Bradbury's work in the media. So far there's only a modest amount of material in it, but I will be adding to it as time permits.

Care to visit? It's at:
http://home.wlv.ac.uk/~in5379

(Go to the Film&TV section for an idea of what I'm trying to achieve with it.)

In the near future I will be adding pages covering a 1980 BBC documentary ("Ray Bradbury: The Illustrated Man"), radio series BRADBURY THIRTEEN and TALES OF THE BIZARRE, and some background information from Ray Bradbury Theater producer/director Tom Cotter.

Let me know what you think of it so far (and please be kind - I've spent three days getting the structure sorted out; haven't had much time for the content!)

Phil

email: bradburymedia@yahoo.co.uk

philnic:
Wow! This is great. We look forward to watching this website as it's under construction. Are we talking "plays", too? Or Film and TV only....

Thanks, Phil

It looks great! I've bookmarked it and will be watching it grow!

Nard and Mr Dark, thanks for your comments.

I do intend to have some coverage of Bradbury's plays on the site, but this will necessarily be based largely on the play scripts - not too many productions of them happen on this side of the Atlantic. (Having said that, I do hope to see Fahrenheit 451 when it performed in Nottingham next month.)

I've been developing this idea that when Bradbury adapts his own material for stage or screen, he is effectively continuing the story (he has written that he doesn't look back at the short story when he does an adaptation, except after the first draft to check whether he has missed anything; this means that the results of his adaptation is different to what we might find if another writer did the screenwriting chores). On the site, you will find that I make a point of comparing the screen versions and the original short stories.

I've recently been reading the playscripts of F451, Martian Chronicles and Dandelion Wine, and I hope to put up some pages about those adaptations in the future.

Phil

Great work. Spent an enjoyable time browsing the site. I look forward to more.

Pete

Very informative collection and nice start. I will visit again to enjoy the progress of your site.

A few titles from my collection also include: The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit, Any Friend of Nicholas Nickelby is a Friend of Mine, Ray Bradbury: An American Icon, and Walking on Air.

Keep us updated as you add more great stuff!
It's a nice recognition of his creative efforts on screen.

Oh, yes -- hope you've all sent your Happy 83rd BD wishes to Mr.RB!!

Wow! What a great resource that'll be. It would be cool if you could find the different cover art for all the different printings of the books. I'm definately gonna bookmark this site, and look forward to seeing more! Keep it up!

philnic, I can help fill in one of the blanks. I have a copy of "The Jar" as presented on THE ALFRED HITCHCOCK HOUR. The year was 1964. The teleplay was written by James Bridges, adopted from Ray's short story. The show was produced and directed by Norman Lloyd. You have a fantastic website. I will be checking back often!

[This message has been edited by Richard (edited 08-24-2003).]

fjpalumbo: I'll be checking out those titles you listed and adding them to the site when I get round to it.

groon: the biggest collection of cover art of all different editions of the books is in the book Ray Bradbury: An Illustrated Life. I thought of scanning them all in and putting htem on my site, but I'd rather concentrate on stuff that isn't easily found elsewhere, hence the film/TV/radio material.

Richard: thanks for the "Jar" info. I've updated the film & TV page to incorporate it.

I've just done another update - more cover scans, more story listings, new links: http://home.wlv.ac.uk/~in5379

- Phil

philnic, I also have a videotaped copy of the television production of THE JAIL, and can help provide some missing information. This 1962 TV show was written by Ray, produced by Joan Harrison, and directed by Norman Lloyd.

PN: It is getting better with every visit!!

Q: Would capturing graphics from on-line sources be considered for your listing (as "public domain") and, therefore, made readily available for inclusion on your web-work?

If this were the case, with a simple reference of the publisher (ie., Morrow, Avon, Knopf, Doubleday, etc.), cover illustrations found on-line could be added. This would allow you to include as many different versions as could be found or brought to your attention via regular RB "searchers" and detail fanatics who (you all know who you are!!) offer insights and supplementation to the conversations on this site.

Sending you web addresses and a brief note (via your e-mail, rather than through this forum) could make the process of gathering the volumes of titles/covers/graphics/video covers/posters/promos a bit more manageable. 60 yrs of materials - "Many hands make light work" so to speak!

The work you are doing is becoming worthy of a publication on the printed page, I might add.

Maybe someone out there could clarify the possibility of such an approach and the copyright guidelines that would need to be met. (Suggestions?)

Richard: thanks for the info on "The Jail". Can you supply any other details, or maybe even some frame grabs? (Is there any indication of whether this is based on an existing story?)

fjpalumbo: good point about book scans from publisher/bookshop sites, and I have considered it. I don't suppose what you suggest is any more or less legal than individual fans sending me scans of the copies they own! I have found, though, that there is a lot of variability in size, resolution and quality of images on publishers' sites. The main benefit of forum members sending me scans is that I might be able to build up a collection of rarer covers, especially those long out of print.

But yes, by all means send me links to good cover scans.

- Phil

"The Jail" is one of several stories which were original for TV and have never appeared in printed form. Others are "Dial Double Zero," "The Elevator," and "Walking on Air." Anyone know of more?

philnic, dandelion is right...this was an original story that Ray wrote for television. Unfortunately, I do not have the ability to provide any pictures or frame scans. As for more details, the story is set in the future, at a time when criminal trials are held by the state secretly, and the judge and jury are computers. It starred John Gavin (one of the stars of "Psycho")as the accused and Barry Morse (the police office from the TV series, "The Fugitive") as the prosecutor.