On October 2, 1959 the anthology series “The Twilight Zone” aired on CBS, created and hosted by Rod Serling.
The opening theme was handled by Bernard Hermann (Season 1) and Marius Constant (Seasons 2 through 5).
Each episode presents a stand-alone story in which characters find themselves dealing with often disturbing or unusual events, an experience described as entering “The Twilight Zone,” often with a surprise ending and a moral.
Although predominantly science-fiction, the show’s paranormal and Kafkaesque events leaned the show towards fantasy and horror. The phrase “twilight zone,” inspired by the series, is used to describe surreal experiences.
In Season 1, Episode 26, “Execution,” modern-day scientist George Manion (Russell Johnson — aka “The Professor” from Gilligan’s Island) tests his new time machine.
He does this by randomly snatching someone out of the past. It could be anyone.
Unfortunately, Manion inadvertently transports outlaw Joe Caswell (Albert Salmi) from 1880 just moments before the scoundrel was to be hanged for murder.
The scientist quickly realizes he has made a big mistake. Not surprisingly, Caswell will do anything to avoid going back. He wants to stay away from the necktie party where he was guest of honor.
Host and narrator Rod Serling served as executive producer and head writer; he wrote or co-wrote 92 of the show’s 156 episodes.
In the second season, another western themed episode entitled “A Hundred Yards Over the Rim,” features Cliff Robertson. He gives an exceptionally compelling performance as Christian Horn.
Horn is the leader of an 1847 California-bound wagon train. He has an adventure more bizarre than most westward journeys.
When his son falls ill during their long trek through the desert, and his fellow travelers consider turning back because water and food supplies are running out
Horn goes ahead alone to scout the territory — and miraculously winds up in a then-contemporary (i.e., 1961) New Mexico diner.
Like many fictional time-travelers, Horn discovers the future will be critically affected by actions taken in his own time. This will happen only if he can make a return trip.
On October 11, 1963 The Twilight Zone episode “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” aired! Directed by Richard Donner (The Omen) and based on the short story of the same name by Richard Matheson (I Am Legend), first published in the short story anthology Alone by Night (1961).
The story follows a passenger on an airline flight, played by William Shatner, who notices a hideous creature trying to sabotage the aircraft during flight.
It also features Christine White, Edward Kemmer, and Nick Cravat as the gremlin. This is the first of six episodes to be directed by Donner.
The episode is considered one of the most popular and iconic of the series and parts of the plot have been repeated and parodied several times in popular culture, including television shows, films, radio and music.
The series has seen three revivals (1985-1989, 2002-2003 and 2019-2020).
The series features appearances by Theodore Bikel, Bill Bixby, Lloyd Bochner, Morgan Brittany, Charles Bronson, Carol Burnett, Donna Douglas, and Robert Duvall.
Other notable appearances include Peter Falk, Constance Ford, Joan Hackett, and Dennis Hopper. Ron Howard, Jim Hutton, Jack Klugman, and Martin Landau also appear. Additional stars feature Cloris Leachman, Jean Marsh, Elizabeth Montgomery, Billy Mumy, and Julie Newmar.
The series includes Barbara Nichols, Leonard Nimoy, Robert Redford, and Burt Reynolds. Some episodes showcase Janice Rule, William Shatner, Dean Stockwell, and George Takei. Joyce Van Patten, Jack Warden, Jonathan Winters, and Dick York make appearances.
Dana Andrews, Joan Blondell, Ann Blyth, and Art Carney are part of the cast. Audiences see Jack Carson, Gladys Cooper, William Demarest, and Andy Devine as well.
Cedric Hardwicke, Josephine Hutchinson, Buster Keaton, and Ida Lupino feature prominently.
Other actors include Kevin McCarthy, Burgess Meredith, Agnes Moorehead, and Alan Napier.
The series stars Franchot Tone, Mickey Rooney, Ed Wynn, and John Anderson among others. Other memorable appearances are from John Dehner, Betty Garde, Sandra Gould, and Nancy Kulp. Celia Lovsky, Eve McVeagh, Nehemiah Persoff, and Albert Salmi are included.
Vito Scotti, Olan Soule, Harold J. Stone, Estelle Winwood, and Robert McCord also appear. The final episode of the original run aired on June 19, 1964.
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Rod Serling also wrote the screenplay for the iconic Seven Days in May (1964) starring Kirk Douglas, Bert Lancaster, Fredric March, Ava Gardner, Edmond O’Brian and every great character actor in Hollywood that wasn’t doing anything else.
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What fun! I really enjoyed the Twilight Zone. Still watch it sometimes these days.
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As a child, “The Twilight Zone” used to creep me out. Even without their moral lessons at the end, I’d have been too frightened to do wrong anyway. 🙂
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Definitely nail biters.
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As a child, way up in the North of New Hampshire, I don’t even think we got “The Twilight Zone;” we only got one channel, CBS. If they were on that, it was past my bedtime. Reruns, later, and I have to agree, they creeped me out. I think Jack must have been a devotee who got to stay up late!
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Primetime here
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There were a bunch of TV series similar back in the 50s and 60s, who can remember , Shock Theater with goofy host John Zacherley who used to color his face kind of like a vampire and would use cauliflowers to represent brains, he would show old horror movies, he was similar to our modern Svengoolie, he was funny, then there was One Step Beyond, Way out, Out There, Outer Limits, and others, 50s and 60s, spooky stuff for us kids, but it was fun and entertaining
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Fun memories
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Loved The Twilight Zone!
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