Beauty and the Beast is an American
television series which first aired on CBS
in 1987. Creator Ron Koslow's updated version of the fairy tale
has a double focus: the relationship between Vincent (Ron Perlman
), a mythic, noble man-beast, and his Catherine (Linda Hamilton
), a savvy assistant District attorney
in New York
; and a secret Utopian community of social outcasts living in a subterranean sanctuary. Through an empathic bond, Vincent senses Catherine's emotions, and becomes her guardian. The series follows the developing relationship between the characters and the division between New York and the hidden world beneath it. In a twist from the original tale, however, this "beast" does not transform into society's idea of beauty after gaining the love of Catherine. Rather, Vincent's inner beauty is allowed to remain the focus of who he is, and it is Catherine's life which transforms from her relationship to Vincent.
Vincent's makeup was devised by veteran Hollywood makeup artist Rick Baker.
In the third season, after the death of the character Catherine, Jo Anderson
became the new female lead, playing Diana Bennet, a police woman investigating Catherine's murder.
As the title indicates, the premise of the series is inspired by the fairy tale
"Beauty and the Beast
"; in particular, there is some connection to the Jean Cocteau
French
film of 1946, La Belle et la Bête
.
The series debuted on NBC Universal
's horror/suspense-themed cable channel Chiller
with a 24-hour marathon on Valentine's Day
February 14, 2009.
When Catherine Chandler is abducted, beaten and slashed and left to die in Central Park
, she is rescued and cared for by Vincent, who has taken her to his Father (Roy Dotrice
), to their hidden community of people dwelling in tunnels below the city of New York. Ten days later, she returns to the surface with the promise of keeping Vincent's secret and the challenge to go on after her terrible attack. After completing her recovery, her life begins a serious transition: she takes self-defense lessons, leaves her comfortable job at her father's law firm and joins the Manhattan District Attorney
's office as an Assistant District attorney.
During the course of the first season, the production team fashioned a blend of romance and crime drama which used both Catherine's position as an ADA and her will to help Vincent and his world to place her in moments of physical danger which would bring the idealized romantic figure of Vincent to the surface world as her guardian angel.
During its second season, the series shifted its focus slightly to add more character development, as the central characters spent considerable time exploring their relationship and with the inhabitants of the Tunnel World, where Catherine had now finally been accepted as a friend and "Helper" (someone who assists the Tunnel community with what they need to survive and by keeping their secret). More people from the world Above turned up for emotional support and healing in the World Below's welcomingly secure environment.
Near the end of the season, however, in an effort to boost faltering ratings
, the action orientation returned as a result of the misleadings of the recurrent villain
Paracelsus (Tony Jay
). (See also: Personality
). In a cliff hanger final episode, Catherine is seen walking down a tunnel into a chamber, where Vincent is suffering from a violent madness.
When the series returned for its abbreviated third season late in 1989, Linda Hamilton had announced her decision to leave the series. It was a decision that, along with the network's desire to attract more male viewers, would have serious repercussions for the show's continued survival. In the resolution to the previous season's cliffhanger, Catherine rescued Vincent from his inner demons but was kidnapped by "Gabriel" (played by Stephen McHattie
), the ruthless head of a huge criminal empire she had been investigating, which was trying to corrupt the D.A.'s office. She was killed, but not before giving birth to Vincent's son, who was held hostage by the evil Gabriel. Catherine's boss and close friend Joe Maxwell (played by Jay Acovone
) hired Diana Bennett (Jo Anderson
), a criminal profiler with the police department, to track down Catherine's killer. Quite naturally, her investigation ultimately led her to the now darkly obsessed and grieving Vincent.
Although still popular with its dedicated fans, the darker, more resolutely violent aspects of the reworked concept, coupled with the fatal loss of the all-important central relationship between Catherine and Vincent, led to further declining ratings and cancellation.
Avon Books published three books novelizing various episodes from the series.
CBS DVD (distributed by Paramount
) has released all three seasons of Beauty and the Beast on DVD in Region 1. They also released Beauty and the Beast: The Complete Series, a 16-disc boxset featuring all 56 episodes of the series.
Shock Entertainment
has released the entire series on DVD in Region 4.
An active fan community (self-titled "Helpers" and/or "the tunnel community") arose during the show's run, helping organize a petition drive to assure that there would be a third season.. They have published the usual fanzines, fan fiction
and collections of filk music
inspired by the show, and hold various fan conventions around the world.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its forty-eight contiguous states and Washington, D...
television series which first aired on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major American television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of the company's logo...
in 1987. Creator Ron Koslow's updated version of the fairy tale
Fairy tale
Fairy tale is an English language term for a type of short narrative corresponding to the French phrase conte de fée, the German term Märchen, the Italian fiaba, the Polish baśń or the Swedish saga. Only a small number of the stories thus designated explicitly refer to fairies...
has a double focus: the relationship between Vincent (Ron Perlman
Ron Perlman
Ronald Francis "Ron" Perlman is an American television, film and voice over actor. He is known for having played "Vincent" on Beauty and the Beast, Clay Morrow on Sons of Anarchy, and the comic book character Hellboy in the film of the same name and its sequel, Hellboy II: The Golden Army.-Early...
), a mythic, noble man-beast, and his Catherine (Linda Hamilton
Linda Hamilton
Linda Carroll Hamilton is an American actress best known for her portrayal of Sarah Connor in The Terminator and its sequel Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Catherine Chandler in the television series Beauty and the Beast, for which she was nominated for two Golden Globes and an Emmy.-Early...
), a savvy assistant District attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States, and the center of the New York metropolitan area, which is one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. A leading global city, New York exerts a powerful influence over global commerce, finance, media, culture, art, fashion,...
; and a secret Utopian community of social outcasts living in a subterranean sanctuary. Through an empathic bond, Vincent senses Catherine's emotions, and becomes her guardian. The series follows the developing relationship between the characters and the division between New York and the hidden world beneath it. In a twist from the original tale, however, this "beast" does not transform into society's idea of beauty after gaining the love of Catherine. Rather, Vincent's inner beauty is allowed to remain the focus of who he is, and it is Catherine's life which transforms from her relationship to Vincent.
Vincent's makeup was devised by veteran Hollywood makeup artist Rick Baker.
In the third season, after the death of the character Catherine, Jo Anderson
Jo Anderson
-Biography:She was born in Brooklyn, New York. She grew up in suburban Tenafly, New Jersey and was one of four children in her family. She has naturally red hair and blue eyes. She is 5'7½" tall....
became the new female lead, playing Diana Bennet, a police woman investigating Catherine's murder.
As the title indicates, the premise of the series is inspired by the fairy tale
Fairy tale
Fairy tale is an English language term for a type of short narrative corresponding to the French phrase conte de fée, the German term Märchen, the Italian fiaba, the Polish baśń or the Swedish saga. Only a small number of the stories thus designated explicitly refer to fairies...
"Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast is a traditional fairy tale. The first published version of the fairy tale was a rendition by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve, published in La jeune américaine, et les contes marins in 1740...
"; in particular, there is some connection to the Jean Cocteau
Jean Cocteau
Jean Maurice Eugène Clément Cocteau was a French poet, novelist, dramatist, designer, boxing manager, playwright, artist and filmmaker...
French
France
France , officially the French Republic , is a state in Western Europe with several of its overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea,...
film of 1946, La Belle et la Bête
Beauty and the Beast (1946 film)
Beauty and the Beast is a 1946 French romantic fantasy film adaptation of Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont's fairy tale. Directed by French poet/filmmaker Jean Cocteau, the film stars Josette Day as Belle and Jean Marais as both Avenant and The Beast...
.
The series debuted on NBC Universal
NBC Universal
NBC Universal, Inc. is a media and entertainment company engaged in the production and marketing of entertainment, news, and information products and services to a global customer base...
's horror/suspense-themed cable channel Chiller
Chiller (TV channel)
Chiller is a 24-hour American cable television channel specializing in horror and suspense programming. Chiller's new tagline is "scary good." It is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBC Universal.- Origin :...
with a 24-hour marathon on Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day
Saint Valentine's Day is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Valentine and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 500 AD...
February 14, 2009.
Season 1
When Catherine Chandler is abducted, beaten and slashed and left to die in Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public urban park in the heart of Manhattan in New York City. It is visited by approximately twenty-five million visitors each year. Central Park was first opened in 1857, on 770 acres of city owned land...
, she is rescued and cared for by Vincent, who has taken her to his Father (Roy Dotrice
Roy Dotrice
Roy Dotrice OBE is a British actor known for his Tony Award-winning Broadway performance in the revival of A Moon for the Misbegotten.-Life and career:...
), to their hidden community of people dwelling in tunnels below the city of New York. Ten days later, she returns to the surface with the promise of keeping Vincent's secret and the challenge to go on after her terrible attack. After completing her recovery, her life begins a serious transition: she takes self-defense lessons, leaves her comfortable job at her father's law firm and joins the Manhattan District Attorney
New York County District Attorney
The New York County District Attorney is the elected district attorney for New York County , New York. The office is responsible for the prosecution of violations of New York state laws....
's office as an Assistant District attorney.
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
During the course of the first season, the production team fashioned a blend of romance and crime drama which used both Catherine's position as an ADA and her will to help Vincent and his world to place her in moments of physical danger which would bring the idealized romantic figure of Vincent to the surface world as her guardian angel.
Season 2
During its second season, the series shifted its focus slightly to add more character development, as the central characters spent considerable time exploring their relationship and with the inhabitants of the Tunnel World, where Catherine had now finally been accepted as a friend and "Helper" (someone who assists the Tunnel community with what they need to survive and by keeping their secret). More people from the world Above turned up for emotional support and healing in the World Below's welcomingly secure environment.
Near the end of the season, however, in an effort to boost faltering ratings
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
, the action orientation returned as a result of the misleadings of the recurrent villain
Villain
A villain is an "evil" character in a story, whether a historical narrative or, especially, a work of fiction. The villain usually is the antagonist, the character who tends to have a negative effect on other characters...
Paracelsus (Tony Jay
Tony Jay
Tony Jay was an English-American actor and voice actor. A former member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, he was known for his voice work in animation, film and computer games...
). (See also: Personality
Personality Development
An individual's personality is an aggregate conglomeration of decisions we've made throughout our lives . There are inherent natural, genetic, and environmental factors that contribute to the development of our personality. According to process of socialization, "personality also colors our values,...
). In a cliff hanger final episode, Catherine is seen walking down a tunnel into a chamber, where Vincent is suffering from a violent madness.
Season 3
When the series returned for its abbreviated third season late in 1989, Linda Hamilton had announced her decision to leave the series. It was a decision that, along with the network's desire to attract more male viewers, would have serious repercussions for the show's continued survival. In the resolution to the previous season's cliffhanger, Catherine rescued Vincent from his inner demons but was kidnapped by "Gabriel" (played by Stephen McHattie
Stephen McHattie
Stephen McHattie is an English-Canadian actor.-Life and career:McHattie was born in Antigonish, Nova Scotia...
), the ruthless head of a huge criminal empire she had been investigating, which was trying to corrupt the D.A.'s office. She was killed, but not before giving birth to Vincent's son, who was held hostage by the evil Gabriel. Catherine's boss and close friend Joe Maxwell (played by Jay Acovone
Jay Acovone
Jay Acovone is an American actor who was born in Mahopac, New York as the son of a dry-cleaning business owners.-Career:...
) hired Diana Bennett (Jo Anderson
Jo Anderson
-Biography:She was born in Brooklyn, New York. She grew up in suburban Tenafly, New Jersey and was one of four children in her family. She has naturally red hair and blue eyes. She is 5'7½" tall....
), a criminal profiler with the police department, to track down Catherine's killer. Quite naturally, her investigation ultimately led her to the now darkly obsessed and grieving Vincent.
Although still popular with its dedicated fans, the darker, more resolutely violent aspects of the reworked concept, coupled with the fatal loss of the all-important central relationship between Catherine and Vincent, led to further declining ratings and cancellation.
Season 1
- 1. Once Upon a Time in the City of New York
- 2. Terrible Savior
- 3. Siege
- 4. No Way Down
- 5. Masques
- 6. The Beast Within
- 7. Nor Iron Bars a Cage
- 8. Song of Orpheus
- 9. Dark Spirit
- 10. A Children's Story
- 11. An Impossible Silence
- 12. Shades of Gray
- 13. China Moon
- 14. The Alchemist
- 15. Temptation
- 16. Promises of Someday
- 17. Down to a Sunless Sea
- 18. Fever
- 19. Everything is Everything
- 20. To Reign in Hell
- 21. Ozymandias
- 22. A Happy Life
Season 2
- 23 (2x1) Chamber Music
- 24 (2x2) Remember Love
- 25 (2x3) Ashes, Ashes
- 26 (2x4) Dead of Winter
- 27 (2x5) God Bless the Child
- 28 (2x6) Sticks and Stones
- 29 (2x7) A Fair and Perfect Knight
- 30 (2x8) Labyrinths
- 31 (2x9) Brothers
- 32 (2x10) A Gentle Rain
- 33 (2x11) The Outsiders
- 34 (2x12) Orphans
- 35 (2x13) Arabesque
- 36 (2x14) When the Bluebird Sings
- 37 (2x15) The Watcher
- 38 (2x16) A Distant Shore
- 39 (2x17) Trial
- 40 (2x18) A Kingdom by the Sea
- 41 (2x19) The Hollow Men
- 42 (2x20) What Rough Beast
- 43 (2x21) Ceremony of Innocence
- 44 (2x22) The Rest is Silence
Season 3
- 45 (3x1) Though Lovers be Lost, Part 1
- 46 (3x2) Though Lovers be Lost, Part 2
- 47 (3x3) Walk Slowly
- 48 (3x4) Nevermore
- 49 (3x5) Snow
- 50 (3x6) Beggar's Comet
- 51 (3x7) A Time to Heal
- 52 (3x8) In the Forests of the Night
- 53 (3x9) Chimes at Midnight
- 54 (3x10) Invictus
- 55 (3x11) The Reckoning
- 56 (3x12) Legacies
The "World Above"
- Catherine Chandler (Linda Hamilton
Linda HamiltonLinda Carroll Hamilton is an American actress best known for her portrayal of Sarah Connor in The Terminator and its sequel Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Catherine Chandler in the television series Beauty and the Beast, for which she was nominated for two Golden Globes and an Emmy.-Early...
) - a corporate attorney in her father's law firm who, after being abducted, beat and her face slashed then rescued and tended to by Vincent, changes her life completely and becomes an investigator for the Manhattan District Attorney's Office.
- Joe Maxwell (Jay Acovone
Jay AcovoneJay Acovone is an American actor who was born in Mahopac, New York as the son of a dry-cleaning business owners.-Career:...
) - a Deputy District Attorney for the Borough of Manhattan, and Catherine's immediate superior in the office.
- Jenny Aronson (Terri Hanauer) - Friend of Catherine's.
- Elliot Burch (Edward Albert
Edward AlbertEdward Albert was an American film and television actor. He was also known as Edward Laurence Albert and occasionally Eddie Albert, Jr.-Early life:...
) - A self-made millionaire and New York building developer, who is in love with Catherine.
- Charles Chandler (John McMartin
John McMartinJohn McMartin is an American actor of stage, film and television.McMartin was born in Warsaw, Indiana and raised in Minnesota. He attended college in Illinois and New York. He made his off-Broadway debut in Little Mary Sunshine in 1959, playing opposite Eileen Brennan...
) (Seasons 1 and 2) - Catherine's father.
- Edie (Ren Woods
Ren WoodsRen Woods is an American film and television actress/singer, best known for her role as Fanta in Roots, and also as the girl with flowers in her hair who sang "Aquarius" in the film version of Hair. Ren Woods began her singing career as a child and released two solo albums before returning her...
) (Season 1) - Works in the computer division of the DA's office.
- Diana Bennett (Jo Anderson
Jo Anderson-Biography:She was born in Brooklyn, New York. She grew up in suburban Tenafly, New Jersey and was one of four children in her family. She has naturally red hair and blue eyes. She is 5'7½" tall....
) (Season 3) - Diana is a criminal profilerOffender profilingOffender profiling is a behavioral and investigative tool that is intended to help investigators to profile unknown criminal subjects or offenders...
with the "210 Division" of the New York Police DepartmentNew York City Police DepartmentThe New York City Police Department , established in 1845, is currently the largest police force in the United States, with primary responsibilities in law enforcement and investigation within the five boroughs of New York City. The NYPD was the first police department established in the United...
, which investigates unusual cases beyond the scope of the normal police, called to investigate Catherine's murder.
- Gabriel (Stephen McHattie
Stephen McHattieStephen McHattie is an English-Canadian actor.-Life and career:McHattie was born in Antigonish, Nova Scotia...
) (Season 3) - A highly-influential crime bossCrime bossA crime boss or boss is a person in charge of a criminal organization. A boss typically has unquestioned command over his subordinates, is greatly feared by his subordinates for his ruthlessness and willingness to take lives in order to exert his influence, and profits come from the criminal...
and the biggest drug trafficker on the East Coast, responsible for Catherine's death and the kidnapping of her baby.
The "World Below"
- Vincent (Ron Perlman
Ron PerlmanRonald Francis "Ron" Perlman is an American television, film and voice over actor. He is known for having played "Vincent" on Beauty and the Beast, Clay Morrow on Sons of Anarchy, and the comic book character Hellboy in the film of the same name and its sequel, Hellboy II: The Golden Army.-Early...
) - a man of extremely large build, with the facial characteristics of a lionLionThe lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
(fanged teeth, a flattened nose and a cleft upper lip) and fingers tipped with claw-like nails. He wears a cloak and hood to hide his appearance from strangers while walking the city streets at night. His parentage is unknown: He was found as a baby near Saint Vincent's Hospital and brought to Father by Anna, wife of Paracelsus.
- Father (Roy Dotrice
Roy DotriceRoy Dotrice OBE is a British actor known for his Tony Award-winning Broadway performance in the revival of A Moon for the Misbegotten.-Life and career:...
) - Loved and respected as the patriarch of the Tunnel world, Jacob Wells is a physician who left the world Above after having been unjustly blacklistBlacklistA blacklist is a list or register of persons who, for one reason or another, are being denied a particular privilege, service, mobility, access or recognition. As a verb, to blacklist can mean to deny someone work in a particular field, or to ostracize a person from a certain social circle...
ed, fired from his job and having his license to practice medicine stripped from him. He found sanctuary in an early Tunnel community, and became its leader.
- Mouse (David Greenlee
David GreenleeDavid Greenlee is an American voice actor and actor best known for his portrayal of the nerdy hall monitor Dwight in the 1982 television series Fame from season 2 through to season 5 .-Anime Roles:...
) - A child-like young tunnel dweller (possibly autistic) with the mind of a genius.
- Mary (Ellen Geer
Ellen GeerEllen Ware Geer is an American actress, professor, screenwriter, film director and theatre director.-Personal life:Geer was born in New York City, New York, the daughter of actors Herta Ware and Will Geer. She is currently married to children's musician Peter Alsop, and was previously married to...
) - The Tunnels' midwife.
- Pascal (Armin Shimerman
Armin ShimermanArmin Shimerman is an American actor. Shimerman is best known for playing the Ferengi bartender Quark in the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Principal Snyder in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and for voicing Andrew Ryan, the antagonist of Bioshock.-Early life:Shimerman was born in...
) - The shy and gentle "pipe master", supervisor of the tunnels' communication system.
- Winslow (James Avery) - One very influential member of the underground community, a blacksmith by trade.
- Paracelsus (Tony Jay
Tony JayTony Jay was an English-American actor and voice actor. A former member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, he was known for his voice work in animation, film and computer games...
) - John Pater was a scientist and former friend of Father's who helped organize the Tunnel World, but when he eventually desired power for himself, the community was forced to exile him. Father describes him as a "philosopher, scientist, magician", like the real ParacelsusParacelsusParacelsus was a Renaissance physician, botanist, alchemist, astrologer, and general occultist...
, the name Pater eventually takes for himself (after the 15th-century alchemist). He is a recurring antagonist in the series.
Novelizations
Avon Books published three books novelizing various episodes from the series.
- Beauty and the Beast by Barbara Hambly
Barbara HamblyBarbara Hambly is an award winning and prolific American novelist and screenwriter within the genres of fantasy, science fiction, mystery, and historical fiction...
- October 1989 ISBN 0-380-75795-8, a novelization and expanding of the pilot episode - Masques by Ru Emerson - September 1990 ISBN 0-380-76194-7, a novelization of the episodes Arabesque
ArabesqueThe arabesque is an artistic motif that is characterized by the application of repeating geometric forms and fancifully combined patterns; these forms often echo those of plants and animals. Arabesques are, as their name indicates, elements of Islamic art often found decorating the walls of mosques...
, Masques and The Watcher - Song of Orpheus by Barbara Hambly
Barbara HamblyBarbara Hambly is an award winning and prolific American novelist and screenwriter within the genres of fantasy, science fiction, mystery, and historical fiction...
- November 1990 ISBN 0-380-75798-2, a novelization of the episodes FeverFeverFever is a common medical sign characterized by an elevation of temperature above the normal range of due to an increase in the body temperature regulatory set-point...
, Song of Orpheus and Shades of Grey - WaRP Graphics
WaRP GraphicsWaRP Graphics, later Warp Graphics, is an alternative comics publisher best known for being the original publisher of the Elfquest comic books. It was created in 1977 by Wendy and Richard Pini...
also published two graphic novels based on the series.
DVD releases
CBS DVD (distributed by Paramount
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still headquartered in the...
) has released all three seasons of Beauty and the Beast on DVD in Region 1. They also released Beauty and the Beast: The Complete Series, a 16-disc boxset featuring all 56 episodes of the series.
Shock Entertainment
Shock Records
Shock Records is Australia's largest independent record label. It helps distribute records from overseas records labels such as Epitaph Records, and also for small record labels designed specifically for that band such as Cement Records...
has released the entire series on DVD in Region 4.
| DVD Name | Ep # | Region 1 | Region 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beauty and the Beast: The Complete First Season | 22 | February 13, 2007 | April 20, 2009 |
| Beauty and the Beast: The Complete Second Season | 22 | July 10, 2007 | September 10, 2009 |
| Beauty and the Beast: The Complete Third Season | 12 | February 5, 2008 | February 10, 2010 |
| Beauty and the Beast: The Complete Series | 56 | September 30, 2008 | April 14, 2010 |
Fandom
An active fan community (self-titled "Helpers" and/or "the tunnel community") arose during the show's run, helping organize a petition drive to assure that there would be a third season.. They have published the usual fanzines, fan fiction
Fan fiction
Fan fiction is a broadly-defined term for fan labor regarding stories about characters or settings written by fans of the original work, rather than by the original creator...
and collections of filk music
Filk music
Filk is a musical culture, genre, and community tied to science fiction/fantasy fandom and a type of fan labor. The genre has been active since the early 1950s, and played primarily since the mid-1970s...
inspired by the show, and hold various fan conventions around the world.
