Category: Z-View

Z-View Twilight Zone: “A World of His Own” [Season 1, Episode 36]

Twilight Zone: “A World of His Own” [Season 1, Episode 36]
Original Air Date: July 1, 1960

Director: Ralph Nelson

Writer: Richard Matheson

Starring: Keenan Wynn, Phyllis Kirk and Mary LaRoche

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

When Victoria West [Kirk] returns home unexpectedly she spies her husband, successful writer, Gregory [Wynn] with another woman [LaRoche] in his study.  Victoria hurries in the only entrance/exit to the study and finds her husband alone.  Victoria confronts Gregory but his explanation is unbelievable… but as she sadly learns is true.

In addition to a classic Twilight Zone twist ending, we’re treated to an additional surprise before the ending!

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Z-View Twilight Zone: “The Mighty Casey” [Season 1, Episode 35]

Twilight Zone: “The Mighty Casey” [Season 1, Episode 35]
Original Air Date: June 17, 1960

Director: Alvin Ganzer and Robert Parrish

Writer: Rod Serling

Starring: Jack Warden

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Mouth McGarry [Warden] is the manager of the Hoboken Zephyrs, a pro baseball team with a tradition of losing.  This year is no different until McGarry gets an amazing pitcher on the team that single-handedly takes the team to the play-offs.  All is going well until the commission learns that the new pitcher is a robot. McGarry has a plan that will make his robot human enough to play not realizing that this is The Twilight Zone.

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Z-View Twilight Zone: “The After Hours” [Season 1, Episode 34]

Twilight Zone: “The After Hours” [Season 1, Episode 34]
Original Air Date: June 10, 1960

Director: Douglas Heyes

Writer: Rod Serling

Starring: Anne Francis

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Marsha White [Francis] is looking for a gift for her mother.  The elevator operator suggests it can be found on the ninth floor and drops her off there.  Although the floor appears to be deserted a saleswoman appears and sells her just what she is looking for.

As she is leaving the store, White realizes the gift is scratched and goes to exchange it.  When explaining she bought the gift on the ninth floor, she is told that there is no ninth floor.  Things get even stranger when White sees the sales lady who sold her the gift.  The sales lady turns out to be a store mannequin.

White feels that if she can get back to the ninth floor the mystery will be revealed… and she is right.

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Z-View Twilight Zone: “Mr. Bevis” [Season 1, Episode 33]

Twilight Zone: “Mr. Bevis” [Season 1, Episode 33]
Original Air Date: June 3, 1960

Director: William Asher

Writer: Rod Serling

Starring: Orson Bean and Henry Jones

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Bookkeeper Mr. Bevis [Bean] is a remarkably kind but eccentric man.  After being fired from his job, Bevis meets a “Guardian Angel” who can help him turn his life around if he is willing to make some changes.
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Z-View Twilight Zone: “A Passage for a Trumpet”

Twilight Zone: “A Passage for a Trumpet” [Season 1, Episode 32]
Original Air Date: May 20, 1960

Director: Don Medford

Writer: Rod Serling

Starring: Jack Klugman and John Anderson

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Trumpeter Joey Crown [Klugman] is at the end of his rope.  He drinks too much and has burned bridges with his friends.  Crown pawns his trumpet (yet again) and is hit by a truck as he leaves the pawn shop.

When Crown wakes up no one can see him.  Believing himself dead, Crown is surprised when he meets a fellow horn player who convinces Crown that all is not lost.

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Twilight Zone: “The Chaser” [Season 1, Episode 31] / Z-View

Twilight Zone: “The Chaser” [Season 1, Episode 31]
Original Air Date: May 13, 1960

Director: Douglas Heyes

Writer: Robert Presnell Jr. based on a short story by John Collier

Starring: George Grizzard, Patricia Barry and John McIntire

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Roger Shakleforth [Grizzard] is madly in love with a woman [Barry] who will have nothing to do with him.  When Shakleforth learns of a Professor [McIntire] who has created a love potion, Shakleforth knows that he must have it.  Sadly, Shakleforth learns the hard way… be careful what you ask for.

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Twilight Zone: “A Stop at Willoughby” [Season 1, Episode 30] / Z-View

Twilight Zone: “A Stop at Willoughby” [Season 1, Episode 30]
Original Air Date: May 6, 1960

Director: Robert Parrish

Writer: Rod Serling

Starring: James Daly

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Gart Williams [Daly] hates his life.  As an ad agency junior executive the pressure is on and business isn’t good.  His home life is just as bad with a wife who nags and pressures him.  On the train home from the city after a particularly bad day at work Williams falls asleep and wakes up at the stop for Willoughby.  He gets out and finds himself transported to a small town back when life was simpler.  Williams returns back to modern time where the pressures at home and work are still there… He decides to find a way back to Willoughby where he can spend the rest of his life.

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Twilight Zone: “Nightmare as a Child” [Season 1, Episode 29] / Z-View

Twilight Zone: “Nightmare as a Child” [Season 1, Episode 29]
Original Air Date: April 29, 1960

Director: Alvin Ganzer

Writer: Rod Serling

Starring: Janice Rule and Shepperd Strudwick.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Helen Foley [Rule] returns to her apartment one day to meet a young girl sitting on the steps outside her door.  The girl knows things about Foley that no one else should know.  Next comes a mysterious man from Foley’s distant past.  What do the little girl and the man have in common and will Foley figure it out before it is too late?

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Twilight Zone: “A Nice Place to Visit” [Season 1, Episode 28] / Z-View

Twilight Zone: “A Nice Place to Visit” [Season 1, Episode 28]
Original Air Date: April 15, 1960

Director: John Brahm

Writer: Charles Beaumont

Starring: Sebastian Cabot and Larry Blyden.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

When Rocky Valentine [Blyden] wakes up dead after a shootout with the police he meets Pip [Cabot] who is there to help him get accustomed to where Valentine will spend eternity.  Valentine is shocked that he made it to heaven…

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Z-View Twilight Zone: “The Big Tall Wish” [Season 1, Episode 27]

Twilight Zone: “The Big Tall Wish” [Season 1, Episode 27]
Original Air Date: April 8, 1960

Director: Ronald Winston

Writer: Rod Serling

Starring: Ivan Dixon and Steven Perry.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Bolie Jackson [Dixon] is a prize fighter whose best years are behind him.  A six year old boy has the ability to turn things around for Jackson… if Jackson will only believe.

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Twilight Zone: “Execution” [Season 1, Episode 26] / Z-View

Twilight Zone: “Execution” [Season 1, Episode 26]
Original Air Date: April 1, 1960

Director: David Orrick McDearmon

Writer: Rod Serling from a story by George Clayton Johnson

Starring: Albert Salmi and Russell Johnson.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Professor Manion [Russell] accidentally transports an outlaw [Salmi] from the old west who is about to be hanged to modern times.  The outlaw believes he has escaped justice, but this is the Twilight Zone!

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Z-View Twilight Zone: “People Are Alike All Over” [Season 1, Episode 25]

Twilight Zone: “People Are Alike All Over” [Season 1, Episode 25]
Original Air Date: March 25, 1960

Director: Mitchell Leisen

Writer: Rod Serling from a story by Paul Fairman

Starring: Roddy McDowall, Susan Oliver and Paul Comi.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

The first manned mission to Mars consists of a two man crew, Sam Conrad [McDowall] and Mark Marcusson [Comi].  Conrad is concerned that whatever life they find there will be dangerous.  Marcusson is convinced that all life is made in God’s image and will therefore be like humans.

Marcusson is killed when the ship crash lands on Mars.  Conrad is terrified at first, but then sees that Martians look like humans and are friendly.  They promise to provide him a home and take care of him… sadly, Conrad comes to discover that people are indeed alike all over.

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Z-View Twilight Zone: “Long Live Walter Jameson” [Season 1, Episode 24]

Twilight Zone: “Long Live Walter Jameson” [Season 1, Episode 24]
Original Air Date: March 18, 1960

Director: Tony [Anton] Leader

Writer: Charles Beaumont 

Starring: Kevin McCarthy and Edgar Stehli.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Professor Walter Jameson [McCarthy] plans to marry his friend’s much younger daughter.  When his friend discovers that Jameson has been hiding a secret for years and someone from Jameson’s past shows up, well, you know you’ve entered the Twilight Zone.

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Z-View Twilight Zone: “A World of Difference” [Season 1, Episode 23]

Twilight Zone: “A World of Difference” [Season 1, Episode 23]
Original Air Date: March 11, 1960

Director: Ted Post

Writer: Richard Matheson 

Starring: Howard Duff and David White.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Arthur Curtis [Duff] is working in his office when suddenly someone yells, “Cut” and he finds himself on a movie set.  He is led to believe he is Gerry Reagan, an actor with a drinking problem… yet he knows he is Arthur Curtis… or is he?

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Twilight Zone: “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street” [Season 1, Episode 22] / Z-View

Twilight Zone: “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street” [Season 1, Episode 22]
Original Air Date: March 4, 1960

Director: Ronald Winston

Writer: Rod Serling 

Starring: Claude Akins, Barry Atwater and Jack Weston.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

It’s a beautiful summer afternoon until a strange sound and vibration brings neighbors outside.  Paranoia soon takes over as the thought of an alien invasion takes hold.  Who among them isn’t human?

Final Thoughts: One of the best Twilight Zone episodes.  A true classic.

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