Honestly, if you grew up in the late eighties, you probably have a very specific, slightly traumatizing memory of a gingerbread house that looked a little too real. We aren't talking about the animated Disney fluff or the high-budget action reboots of the 2010s. I’m talking about the Hansel and Gretel cast 1987 version, a film that feels like a fever dream produced by the Golan-Globus powerhouse, Cannon Group. It was part of their "Cannon Movie Tales" series—a bizarre, ambitious attempt to film nine fairy tales simultaneously in Israel to save on production costs.
It worked. Sorta.
The 1987 film is a strange beast. It’s got a musical score that leans heavily on Engelbert Humperdinck (the composer, not the "After the Lovin'" singer), and a cast that ranges from literal Hollywood legends to child actors who basically vanished into thin air after the credits rolled. Most people remember Cloris Leachman. How could you not? She played the witch with such a terrifying, squinty-eyed glee that she became the blueprint for "creepy forest lady" for an entire generation. But the rest of the Hansel and Gretel cast 1987 is just as fascinating when you dig into where they came from and where they went.
The Legends and the Little Ones: Breaking Down the Cast
When you look at the names attached to this thing, it’s wild. Cannon Group was known for B-movie action flicks like Missing in Action, yet here they were, hiring Oscar winners for fairy tales.
Cloris Leachman as Griselda the Witch
Let’s be real: Cloris Leachman carried this movie on her back. Fresh off decades of success in The Mary Tyler Moore Show and her Academy Award-winning turn in The Last Picture Show, she didn’t phone this in. She played Griselda (the witch) with a frantic, hungry energy. She wasn't just a lady in a mask; she used her actual face—contorted and layered with just enough prosthetic work—to look genuinely decayed. Her performance is the reason the film transitioned from a "kids' movie" to something that felt slightly dangerous.
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Hugh Pollard and Nicola Stapleton: The Kids
Finding the right Hansel and Gretel is tough. You need kids who are vulnerable but not annoying. Hugh Pollard (Hansel) and Nicola Stapleton (Gretel) had a genuine chemistry that felt like actual siblings who were five minutes away from a meltdown.
Nicola Stapleton is a name you might actually recognize if you’re a fan of British television. While Hansel and Gretel was an early gig, she went on to become a massive star in the UK, most notably playing Mandy Salter in EastEnders. It’s a trip to watch her as a dirt-smudged kid in a German forest knowing she’d eventually become a staple of British soap opera drama.
Hugh Pollard, on the other hand, is the mystery man. After the Cannon Movie Tales wrapped, he didn't stick around the limelight. He did a bit of work in Simon and the Witch, but largely stepped back from the industry. It happens. Not every child star wants to navigate the meat grinder of adult Hollywood.
David Warner and the "Grown-Up" Drama
If you need a father figure who looks like he’s carrying the weight of the world, you call David Warner. He played the father, Stefan. Warner is one of those "Oh, it's that guy!" actors who appeared in everything from Titanic (as Spicer Lovejoy) to Star Trek and Tron.
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In the 1987 film, he brings a gravitas that the script probably didn't even deserve. He’s a poor woodcutter, sure, but Warner plays him with a palpable sense of guilt. He isn't just "the dad"; he's a man pushed to the brink by poverty. Then you have Emily Richard as Maria, the mother. Unlike some versions where the mother is a "wicked stepmother," this version keeps it biological, which somehow makes the abandonment in the woods feel much more visceral and upsetting.
Why the 1987 Version Hits Different
Most people search for the Hansel and Gretel cast 1987 because they saw it on VHS as a kid and can’t quite place why it felt so different from other versions. The secret is the production design and the music.
- The Soundtrack: They used the 19th-century opera music by Engelbert Humperdinck. It gives the whole movie a "high art" feel that clashes—in a good way—with the low-budget sets.
- The Sets: Everything was filmed in Israel. The forests don't look like North American woods; they have a dusty, ancient quality that adds to the disorientation.
- The Gingerbread House: It didn't look like plastic. It looked like actual, sticky, rotting cake.
The Cannon Group was notorious for cutting corners, but the director, Len Talan, managed to squeeze every bit of atmosphere out of those limitations. They didn't have CGI. They had practical makeup and real fire. When the witch goes into the oven, it feels final.
Where Are They Now?
It’s been decades. Cloris Leachman passed away in 2021 at the age of 94, leaving behind a legacy that few can match. David Warner also left us in 2022. Seeing them together in this weird little fairy tale is like looking at a time capsule of professional actors who treated every job—even a Golan-Globus production—with total seriousness.
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Nicola Stapleton remains active in the London acting scene. If you track down her more recent work, you can still see that same grit she had as a kid outsmarting a witch in the woods.
Practical Tips for Rewatching
If you’re going back to revisit this 1987 classic, don't expect 4K Marvel-quality visuals. That's not the point.
- Look for the "Cannon Movie Tales" Collection: You can often find this as part of a box set with The Frog Prince and Rumpelstiltskin.
- Watch the Background: Because it was filmed in Israel with a localized crew, the background extras and the architecture have a very specific Mediterranean-meets-European-Fairytale vibe.
- Check the Credits: Look for the name Itzik Hanooka. He was the makeup artist who helped Cloris Leachman transform. His work here is a masterclass in 80s practical effects.
The Hansel and Gretel cast 1987 wasn't just a random group of actors; they were a mix of old Hollywood royalty and rising European talent. They took a dark, grim story and made it a staple of the home video era. It’s clunky, it’s weird, and the singing is sometimes a bit much, but it has a soul that modern remakes completely lack.
If you want to dive deeper into the world of 80s fantasy, your next step is to track down the other eight Cannon Movie Tales. Specifically, look for Snow White starring Diana Rigg. It carries that same DNA—high-caliber acting meeting "creative" low-budget filmmaking. It's a rabbit hole worth falling down.
Go watch the 1987 version again. Just maybe don't eat any gingerbread while you do it.
Next Steps for the Fan:
- Locate the remastered DVD version to see the practical effects in better detail.
- Research the "Cannon Movie Tales" production history to understand how they filmed nine movies at once.
- Compare the Humperdinck opera lyrics used in the film to the original 1893 libretto.