Results of initial attempts to grow cubic‐phase CdTe films on sapphire by molecular beam epitaxy are reported. Depositions have been completed on (11¯02)R‐plane, (12¯10)A‐plane, and (0001) basal plane substrates. Substrate temperatures in the range 260–350 °C were employed along with deposition rates of 1.5–7.5 A˚/s. Depositions on (11¯02) sapphire generally produced films containing some elements of the hexagonal phase, as disclosed by x‐ray diffraction and UV reflectance measurements. Sharp cubic‐phase epitaxy was obtained for thick (∼5 &mgr;m) CdTe films grown on (12¯10) and (0001) sapphire substrates. The epitaxial films are smooth and mirrorlike in appearance. Nomarski micrographs show a featureless CdTe surface.