July 29, 2024: The Twilight Zone rewatch continues with the final episodes of season 1!

Episode 33, “Mr. Bevis”

This episode was first broadcast June 3, 1960.

This episode was originally conceived as a pilot for a new ongoing series. Serling generated a half dozen episode ideas, one of which ended up serving as the plot for season 2’s “The Whole Truth”.

The role of Bevis (originally Bemis) was offered to Burgess Meredith and, when he passed, the idea for the series was scrapped.

The stairway outside Bevis’s apartment was last glimpsed in “Nightmare Child”. When Bevis and his guardian angel are looking out at the office skyline, it’s the same view out the office window from “A Stop at Willoughby”.

The organ grinder and monkey who appear in this episode were originally contracted to appear in “Walking Distance”, but never made the cut.

Bevis’s car, the 1924 Rickenbacker was built by an automobile company established by WWI flying ace Eddie Rickenbacker. It went out of business in 1927. The cool new replacement sports car Bevis is offered is a 1958 Austin-Healey 100/6-seater.

This is one of four episodes to use the eerie eye instead of the spiral in the show’s opening sequence.

Orson Bean, who plays Mr. Bevis in this episode, was blacklisted by Hollywood in the 1950’s and so he found succcess on Broadway. He then turned his attention to television where he became a frequent guest on many quiz and talk shows. Later in his career, he would play Loren Bray in Dr. Quinn Medecine Woman. He was walking in Los Angeles when he was struck and killed in a two-car accident.

Henry Jones who played the part of Mr. Bevis’s guardian angel, J. Harry Hampstead, was actually considered for the part of Bevis. He enjoyed a long and varied career on Broadway, film, and television. He won a 1958 Tony Award for Best Supporting or Featured Actor for “Sunrise at Campobello”. Jones was a favorite of Alfred Hitchcock and one of his most recognizable performances was as the coroner in Vertigo (1958).

Charles Lane, who played the part of Bevis’s demanding boss, Mr. Peckinpaugh, started out as an insurance salesman before switching to acting – which turned out to be a very smart decision. He apparently appeared in so many films that, on occasion, he would watch one and recognize himself on screen having totally forgotten he’d had a role in the movie. Whereas Jones was a favorite of Hitchcock, Lane was a favorite of director Frank Capra who cast him in ten of his films. In fact, one of Lane’s most cherished possessions was a hand-written letter from Capra that read: “Well, Charlie, you’ve been my No. 1 crutch.” Lane occasionally guested opposite his good friend Lucille Ball, often as a thorn in her side. He played a similar role in Petticoat Junction (1963), his character Homer Bedloe forever scheming to shut down the Hooterville Cannonball. In 2005, Lane was honored at the TVLand Awards. He accepted the award at the age of 100 and, as part of his speech, informed the audience: “”In case anyone’s interested, I’m still available!” Horace McMahon who played the part of the bartender in this episode would go on to build a successful career playing cops on television.

William Schallert, who plays the ticketing officer at episode’s end, enjoyed a busy career in film and television as well. Genre fans may recognize him as Nilz Baris, the Federation Undersecretary of Agricultural Affairs, in Star Trek’s “The Trouble with Tribbles” (1967).

Finally, Victor Scotti who plays the animated Italian organ grinder in “Mr. Bevis” had a hugely successful career playing villains, comic reliefs, and a variety of ethnic characters. He was also said to be an excellent chef.

It’s interesting that this episode follows so closely on the heels of “A Passage for Trumpet” given their parallel themes of “Be happy with what you have” and their comparatively happy endings. This episode is criticized by some fans for being too silly, but I thought it a nice change of pace. I honestly don’t see how the premise could have sustained an entire series (as was the original plan) but thought it made for a perfectly fine episode of The Twilight Zone.

Episode 34, “The After Hours”

This episode was first broadcast June 10, 1960.

“The Afters Hours” possesses a lot of similarities to the 1951 short story “Evening Primrose” by John Collier about living mannequins in a parallel dimenson. This episode was remade 26 years later. The updated version leaned more into the suspense of the mystery and had Marsha resist giving up her humanity, not accepting her fate as readily as the Marsha in this episode.

Revered make-up artist William J. Tuttle created a face mask from actress Anne Francis that was used for the mannequin doppelganger in the episode’s final shot.

Anne Francis who played Marsha White in this episode got her start as a model, eventually debuting on Broadway at the age of 11. Even though she enjoyed a solid career in film and television, Francis (as well as many of her fans) were disappointed in the caliber of her roles, often supporting/sexy parts that under-utilized her incredible acting skills.

Elizabeth Allen who played the saleswoman (Betty Ellen) who sells Marsha the golden thimble also got her start as a model. She is best remembered as “The Away We Go” girl from The Jackie Gleason Show (1966) who introduced the show with that memorable catchphrase. In the 70’s, she and Charles Nelson Reilly made several appearances as a couple on Tattletales even though they weren’t married and Reilly was gay.

I remember being haunted by this episode when I was a kid and, decades later, I’m pleased to say it still holds up. Anne Francis is fantastic as the increasingly distressed Marsha and the episode does a nice job of building the mystery towards a satsifying and spooky climax. I thought it would have been nice to see Marsha resist her fate a little more, but it’s a small quibble. This episode neatly slides into my Season 1 Top 10 list, squeezing “A Nice Place to Visit” out from its #10 slot. Hope you’re all working on YOUR lists!

Episode 35, “The Mighty Casey”

This episode was first broadcast June 17, 1960.

“The Mighty Casey” was based on a play Rod Serling wrote prior to his creation of The Twilight Zone.

The episode title is a variation on “Casey at the Bat”, a poem written by Ernest Lawrence Thayerand in 1888.

The episode was originally shot with actor Paul Douglas in the role of baseball coach Mouth McGarry. Douglas had received a handwritten letter by Serling inviting him to guest on the series, and Douglas accepted. But Douglas was very ill during shooting and suffered a fatal heart attack two weeks after wrap. According to Serling: “We who were assocaiateed with him on the set know how hard he tried not to let his loss of health show up in the picture, but the prying, probing eye of the motion picture camera was too cruel.  Heaven knows he turned in a performance that was outstanding for a a man in his physical condition.  Only a fine actor could have done so well in such a state of health.” Serling requested permission from CBS to reshoot the episode. CBS refused, so Serling bore the costs of the reshoot. Again, according to Serling: “The tremendous exploitation and publicity possibliities of having Douglas ‘ final performance on the Twilight Zone were pointed out to us by members of our staff, but in the final analysis, it was decided to do the right thing that was right for Paul and remake the film.”

Actor Jack Warden, who previously appeared in season 1’s “The Lonely”, was brought in to take over the role. The decision was also made to replace original director Alvin Ganzer with Robert Parrish. No footage of the original version of the episode exists.

The ballpark scenes were filmed at Wrigley Field (in Los Angeles) after the Dodgers granted permission.

Among the players who welcome Casey back after his hospital visit is an uncredited Dom DeLuise.

Eagle-eyed viewers will note that, in the hospital scene, an oil can sits beside Casey’s bed.

Actor Robert Sorrellis who played Casey the robot in this episode, was a vegetarian who practicied yoga – and also a heavy drinker. On July 24, 2004, he walked into The Regency Lounge in Simi Valley and shot two customers, killing one. He was arrested and died in prison fifteen years later at the age of 88.

To be honest, I was kind of dreading this episode, and the early silly sound effects and kooky music initially confirmed my worst fears, but as it progressed – I have to admit – it kind of grew on me, and there were a few instances that had me laughing. Well, chuckling anyway. Overall, not top tier but, then again, not as bad as I was expecting, especially given the fact that this was the lowest rated episode of the show’s first season.

Episode 36, “A World of His Own”

This episode was first broadcast July 1, 1960.

Writer Richard Matheson’s first version of the script was much darker but Serling requested a more comedic rewrite. Matheson vehemently protested the change in tone but went ahead and honored Serling’s request. I can’t help but feel Serling made the wrong call here.

Matheson would later write a short story, “And Now I’m Waiting”, based on this episode for The Twilight Zone Magazine which would reflect that original darker tone.

Many stories, t.v. episodes and films seem to have drawn inspiration from this episode including Stephen King’s “Wod Processor of the Gods”.

Rod Serling kept wearing out his typewriters, so he ended up switching to a dictaphone like the one featured in this episode.

“A World of His Own” would mark Rod Serling’s first on-camera appearance in an episode. CBS liked it so much that Serling began making on-camera appearances starting in the show’s second season – but this was the sole episode in which he interacted with a character.

The living room set in which most of this episode takes place was last glimpsed in “A Stop at Willoughby”.

Keenan Wynn, who played the part of author Gregory West in this episode, was the son of actor/comedian Ed Wynn who appeared in season 1’s “One for the Angels”. Keenan Wynn enjoyed a busy onscreen career, mostly playing character parts and Disney movie villains. He would co-star with his father in Requiem for a Heavyweight (1956). In his later years, Wynn suffered from tinitus, the result of many years of racing – boats and cars alike.

Phyllis Kirk, who played the part of the perturbed wife, Victoria West, was a waitress and a perfume counter girl before eventually finding success, first as a model and then as an actress. She is probably best known as the fast-talking Nora Charles, partner to Peter Lawford’s Nick Charles in the television series The Thin Man (1957-1959). An outspoken activist and critic of capital punishment, her criticism of the death sentence given to Caryl Chessman, the “Red Light Bandit”, effectively ended her acting career.

Modoc the elephant went uncredited for his small but crucial scene.

The “funny ones” are my least favorite episodes, and this one follows in that tradition. It’s all a little too silly and over-the-top, although I really did like Serling’s surrpise cameo at episode’s end. Still, I can’t help but feel this was a blown opportunity and really wish we had gotten Matheson’s original dark version of this story.

With season 1 concluded, I would now love to see your ranking of the Top 10 Twilight Zone episodes so far. Here are mine:

10) The Lonely

9)  Third from the Sun

8)  And When the Sky Was Opened

7) Mirror Image

6)  The After Hours

5)  The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street

4)  Walking Distance

3)  Time Enough at Last

2)  The Hitch-Hiker

1)  A Stop at Willoughby

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