The Life Work of Juan Diaz Review - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Cori aka ChrisSCrush · 03-20-2026, 07:44 PM

The 1964 episode of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, “The Life Work of Juan Diaz,” is based on the story of the same title by Ray Bradbury, with a screenplay by Bradbury. Interestingly, except for Juan Diaz and Chief of Police Ricardo, first names have been changed from those in the original story.

The story concerns Juan Diaz, played by Alejandro Rey. Although only about 38 years old, Juan is terminally ill and soon to leave a young family. His wife is Maria Diaz, played by Pina Pellicer, and they have a boy and two girls all no older than twelve. Jorge Diaz, played by Larry Domasin, helps his father in various enterprises, including selling decorative sugar skulls.

One of the town’s tourist attractions is the local cemetery. Certain conditions of soil and climate cause bodies buried there to be mummified. The cemetery also charges rent on graves and whoever does not pay is exhumed and lined up along a catacomb wall for tourists to gawk at. Knowing his time is near, Juan pays the unscrupulous gravedigger and caretaker, Alejandro, played by Frank Silvera, for two years’ rent, but after barely more than a year Alejandro lies about the arrangement and threatens to dig up Juan and make him into one of his silent friends. Can he be stopped?

Alejandro Rey turns in a commendable performance here and the other actors are also remarkably fine. The episode has a nice eerie feel. The special effects are at times subtle but still evident and extremely well done (except for one fishline which is visible with these pesky new HD pictures). This is certainly one of the best filmed adaptations of any Ray Bradbury story.

03-20-2026, 07:44 PM	#1
Cori aka ChrisSCrush Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 30, 2001 Location: USA and still trying to be proud of it! Posts: 2,068	The Life Work of Juan Diaz Review The 1964 episode of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, “The Life Work of Juan Diaz,” is based on the story of the same title by Ray Bradbury, with a screenplay by Bradbury. Interestingly, except for Juan Diaz and Chief of Police Ricardo, first names have been changed from those in the original story. The story concerns Juan Diaz, played by Alejandro Rey. Although only about 38 years old, Juan is terminally ill and soon to leave a young family. His wife is Maria Diaz, played by Pina Pellicer, and they have a boy and two girls all no older than twelve. Jorge Diaz, played by Larry Domasin, helps his father in various enterprises, including selling decorative sugar skulls. One of the town’s tourist attractions is the local cemetery. Certain conditions of soil and climate cause bodies buried there to be mummified. The cemetery also charges rent on graves and whoever does not pay is exhumed and lined up along a catacomb wall for tourists to gawk at. Knowing his time is near, Juan pays the unscrupulous gravedigger and caretaker, Alejandro, played by Frank Silvera, for two years’ rent, but after barely more than a year Alejandro lies about the arrangement and threatens to dig up Juan and make him into one of his silent friends. Can he be stopped? Alejandro Rey turns in a commendable performance here and the other actors are also remarkably fine. The episode has a nice eerie feel. The special effects are at times subtle but still evident and extremely well done (except for one fishline which is visible with these pesky new HD pictures). This is certainly one of the best filmed adaptations of any Ray Bradbury story.