The NFB is committed to respecting your privacy

We use cookies to ensure that our site works efficiently, as well as for advertising purposes.

If you do not wish to have your information used in this way, you can modify your browser settings before continuing your visit.

Learn more
Skip to content Accessibility
My List
Your request could not be processed.
This film is already in your list
New release
Coming 
None

Once upon a Prime Time

1966 16 min
Leaving soon

This short fictional film is a zany spoof of TV content with plenty of violence borrowed from the very source it seeks to parody. Our protagonist is a housewife who has lost her family to the television set. Suddenly, her home is invaded and her life is taken over by characters that seem to spring from the V screen. Initially, she attempts to get the intruders out of her house. But eventually, she begins to see that perhaps a life on TV wouldn’t be so bad after all. Will her distracted husband even notice her departure?

We're sorry, this content is not available in your location.
Your rental expires on
None
You've already purchased this film.
Download it from My purchases.
Not available
Share
Once upon a Prime Time

Details

This short fictional film is a zany spoof of TV content with plenty of violence borrowed from the very source it seeks to parody. Our protagonist is a housewife who has lost her family to the television set. Suddenly, her home is invaded and her life is taken over by characters that seem to spring from the V screen. Initially, she attempts to get the intruders out of her house. But eventually, she begins to see that perhaps a life on TV wouldn’t be so bad after all. Will her distracted husband even notice her departure?
Families Media and Communication All subjects
  • director
    Bernard Devlin
  • producer
    David Bairstow
  • writer
    Stan Daniels
  • photography
    Jean Roy
    Thomas Vamos
  • sound
    André Hourlier
  • editing
    Kathleen Shannon
  • sound editing
    John Knight
  • re-recording
    Ron Alexander
    Roger Lamoureux
  • cast
    Edward Allen
    Paul Berval
    Christien Delmas
    Basil Fitzgibbon
    Gilles Pellerin
    Joan Stuart
    John Vernon
    Tudi Wiggins
    Leslie Yeo
    Ted Zeigler
    Chris Wiggins
    Ned Conlon
    Roland Bédard

Enjoy the NFB experience on your favourite device

Roku Apple TV Fire TV Android TV Apple App Store Google Play Store
Once upon a Prime Time
Purchase options
Also available
DVD
Billing Information
Already paid to see this film?
Payment information

Home licence (worldwide); Classroom licence (Canada only)

You may download this film for private, personal or classroom use only. Public screenings and institutional (non-educational institutions) uses are not permitted. Download films in standard or high definition. (Please note that bonus materials are not available for DTO films.) You can copy each file up to 5 (five) times, onto various devices. DTO films cannot be hosted on a streaming server. To add DTO films to an institutional or educational streaming server, please contact a sales agent to discuss pricing.

Institutional License

The institutional price includes the rights to screen this film in institutional settings and in free public screenings.

Explore