50 years later, Twilight Zone bridges time [50th anniversary of sci-fi series]

AP via Yahoo News ^ | September 29, 2009 | WILLIAM KATES

[ETL]

By WILLIAM KATES, Associated Press Writer

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — On a Friday night in October 1959, Americans began slipping into a dimension of imagination as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. They've really never returned.

"The Twilight Zone," first submitted for the public's approval by a reluctant CBS, has resonated with viewers from generation to generation with memorable stories carrying universal messages about society's ills and the human condition.

Like the time-space warps that anchored so many of the show's plots, Rod Serling's veiled commentary remains as soul-baring today as it did a half-century ago, and the show's popularity endures in multiple facets of American pop culture.

[ETL]

"There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call The Twilight Zone." - Rod Serling

Episodes List - About - Gallery

One of television's most rightly revered series, The Twilight Zone (CBS, 1959-64) stands as the role model for TV anthologies. Its trenchant sci-fi/fantasy parables explore humanity's hopes, despairs, prides and prejudices in metaphoric ways conventional drama cannot.

Creator Rod Serling wrote the majority of the scripts, and produced those of such now-legendary writers as Richard Matheson and Charles Beaumont. The series featured such soon-to-be-famous actors as Robert Redford, William Shatner, Burt Reynolds, Robert Duvall, Dennis Hopper, Carol Burnett, James Coburn, Charles Bronson, Lee Marvin, Peter Falk and Bill Mumy, as well as such established stars as silent-film giant Buster Keaton, Art Carney, Mickey Rooney, Ida Lupino and John Carradine.

The "SyFy Channel", formerly known as the "Sci-Fi Channel" (why the dopey change?):
http://www.syfy.com/twilightzone/index.php

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"Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" with William Shatner

"Waxman on the (left) wing"
Photoshop supplied by FReeper armymarinemom

FYI: You can watch many classic episodes of the Twilight Zone free online at this CBS link below. Unfortunately, they do not have this one with William Shatner available ('Nightmare at 20,000 Feet'), because it was from season 5 and they only have vids for the first 3.

Note that on each of the 3 'seasons pages' there are 2 pages of episodes listed (click the little arrow for the 2nd page):

http://www.cbs.com/classics/the_twilight_zone/

"Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" with William Shatner

"Waxman on the (left) wing"
Photoshop supplied by FReeper armymarinemom

FYI: You can watch many classic episodes of the Twilight Zone free online at this CBS link below. Unfortunately, they do not have this one with William Shatner available ('Nightmare at 20,000 Feet'), because it was from season 5 and they only have vids for the first 3.

Note that on each of the 3 'seasons pages' there are 2 pages of episodes listed (click the little arrow for the 2nd page):

http://www.cbs.com/classics/the_twilight_zone/

[ETL]

To Serve Man
Series: The Twilight Zone
Writer: Rod Serling, based on the story by Damon Knight
Director: Richard L. Bare

Apparently benign alien emissaries show mankind how to end the misery of war, plague and famine. The Kanamits, nine-foot tall aliens, arrive on Earth with one lofty goal: To Serve Man. They end war, they end famine. They make the military wonder: what's the catch?

CAST: Richard Kiel, Hardie Albright, Robert Tafur, Lloyd Bochner, Lomax Study, Theodore Marcuse, Susan Cummings, Nelson Olmstead.
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[xsmommy]

OMG i was a little kid and remember that face in the plane window episode, it scared me to death!

[DManA]

After viewing your photoshop work I’m too scared to go there now. Thanks a lot.

[ReleaseTheHounds]

It’s a cook book!

[GonzoGOP]

The "SyFy Channel", formerly known as the "Sci-Fi Channel" (why the dopey change?):

The rumor I got about the name change was that Sci-Fi was ruled to be in common use and could not be copyrighted. Kind of like why Intel changed the name of the 586 chip to the Pentium.

[Sybeck1]

[YankeeReb]

OMG!!! It isn’t a Health Care Bill!!! ... ITS A COOKBOOK!!!

[Jagman]

I love the original Twilight Zone even now because the stories were so good. Just goes to show good storytelling will trump big special effects budgets every day of the year.

[gussiefinknottle]

OMGosh! LOL!

[Joe 6-pack]

Rod Serling was a paratrooper in WWII, serving in the 11th Airborne Division...

[ETL]

I love the original Twilight Zone even now because the stories were so good. Just goes to show good storytelling will trump big special effects budgets every day of the year.

Also great cast selection. Many of the actors were perfect for their roles.

[rlmorel]

These are great! You can watch them online at CBS.com (if you don’t mind dirtying your browser by going there)

I saw the episode “An Occurence at Owl Creek Bridge” which I last saw in high school, and it was so different from what you see on television today (not that I watch any mind you, except NFL football...:)

I am coming back later to steal the Photochops...:)

Great thread!

[ETL]

>Rod Serling was a paratrooper in WWII,
>serving in the 11th Airborne Divisio

“Rodman Edward Serling was born in Syracuse, N.Y., on December 25, 1924, and grew up in Binghamton, the son of a wholesale meat dealer. By his own account, he had no early literary ambitions, though from an early age, he and his older brother, Robert, immersed themselves in movies and in such magazines as Astounding Stories and Weird Tales.

On the day he graduated from high school, Serling enlisted in the U.S. Army 11th Airborne Division paratroopers, and after basic training (during which time he took up boxing and won 17 out of 18 bouts) he was sent into combat in the Philippines and wounded by shrapnel.”

http://www.syfy.com/twilightzone/about/

[Katdaddy]

I never wanted to be beautiful, I just wanted children to stop screaming whenever they saw my face (Eye of the Beholder).

[incredulous in PA]

As I recall, Shatner’s character saves the plane by drawing his revolver and releasing the emergency window to shoot the creature. Hmmmm, concealed carry on a commercial flight saves the day.

[ETL]

Waxman on the wing ping!

[ETL]

These are great! You can watch them online at CBS.com

http://www.cbs.com/classics/the_twilight_zone/

Note: there are 3 seasons in all, each seasons page has 2 pages of listings.

[Joe 6-pack]

I liked Rod, even though his politics were a little left of center. Like Gene Roddenberry and Kurt Vonnegut who also trended liberal, I’m willing to cut them plenty of slack in their world views.

[pabianice]

Who can forget?It changed the life of millions of lonely, 13-year-old, unathletic kids who took refuge in science fiction.

[swain_forkbeard]

I think that one starred Donna Douglas of Beverly Hillbillies fame.

[Kickass Conservative]

The gun was stolen by Shatner’s character from a sleeping Policeman that was on the Plane.

No TSA back then. LOL

[ConservativeStatement]

The Obsolete Man. It is frightening that the vision of Obama and the Lefties are somewhat comparable from that episode.

[ConservativeStatement]

^ “is.”

[ETL]

Who can forget? It changed the life of millions of lonely, 13-year-old, unathletic kids who took refuge in science fiction.

Yeah, "normal" kids played sports 24/7.

[pikachu]

I was watching the creature on the wind episode last Christmas with my 16 year old. He was shocked by a) people smoking on the plane, b) the amount of room each passenger had, c) that the guard on the plane was able to carry a hand gun, d) how nice the flight crew was to the passengers, and e) that a show in black in white could be good.

[The Great RJ]

The Twilight Zone was extremely well written and generally well acted. This is a far cry from the idiocy that passes for television entertainment today. Most of today's TV shows rely on cheap sexual innuendos or even blatant sexual references to attract an audience to watch their poorly written and poorly acted shows.

[ETL]

The Twilight Zone was extremely well written and generally well acted. This is a far cry from the idiocy that passes for television entertainment today.

Couldn't agree more. Same goes for music and films. I feel sorry for the past couple generations.

[spectre]

There are so many of my "favorite episodes".

The little boy who sent people to the "corn field".

The Devil being held captive in a monestary.

The children escaping divorcing parents thru a window in their swimming pool.

The Black Messiah who saved a Jewish boys ailing grandfather.

The old man and his hunting dog who had to choose the right path to heaven..

My absolute favorite was the Santa Claus episode with Art Carney.

[Tallguy]

I remember reading that Rod Serling saw some pretty heavy action in the Pacific. I think one of his “Twilight Zone” episodes dealt with it.

[Tallguy]

As I recall, Shatner’s character saves the plane by drawing his revolver and releasing the emergency window to shoot the creature. Hmmmm, concealed carry on a commercial flight saves the day.

As I recall, Shatner missed the creature. Maybe he should have used his phaser?

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

My favorite series! Each story was different. Often a surprise ending.
It was so good that another network competed with THE OUTER LIMITS, another good show.

In the 1970’s Rod Serling narrated NIGHT GALLERY, with the same type stories as TWILIGHT ZONE. Then he suddenly died.

The network then filled out NIGHT GALLERY with a failed series about a psychic solving strange happenings. The Serling magic was gone.

IT’S NOT FAIR! IT’S NOT FAIR!...Henery Bemmish

[FreeManWhoCan]

A great one that no one ever mentions is caled (I think) “Bunny, Come Home” about a movie star who has a sudden urge to come home and visit her small home town. One of the few episodes that puts a lump in my throat. I wish I knew the name of the episode you are referring to where the devil is in a church.

[SmokingJoe]

“The Twilight Zone was extremely well written and generally well acted”

Best TV series ever, in my opinion.
When it comes to writing and producing chilling, scifi TV series, no one even comes close to Rod Serling. He is the Master before whom all must bow.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

There were two versions of AN OCCURANCE AT OWL CREEK BRIDGE. One one THE TWILIGHT ZONE and one on THE ALFRED HITCHCOCK SHOW.

[RenegadeNC]

I agree. Out of my many childhood memories of “Twilight Zone”, that is the one scene that gave me nightmares and stayed with me for years!

[xsmommy]

and i had totally forgotten about it, til i saw that face in that post! LOL!

[Republican Red]

My all time favorite Twighlit Zone episode was the one that starred Burgess Merideth as a hen-pecked geeky kind of guy who only wants to be left alone to read. When a nuclear bomb explodes and he is the only one left on the planet he finds all the books he could ever want to read only to then break his glasses.

Great episode

[mkjessup]

[Bookie1066]

Nobody has mentioned my favorite, A Game of Pool. with Jack Klugman and Jonathan Winters. A study on what it means to truely be the best.

[ETL]

Out of my many childhood memories of “Twilight Zone”, that is the one scene that gave me nightmares and stayed with me for years!

But the creature in the photo appears to be wearing a suit jacket (not Waxman, the other beast). I could have sworn the creature in the TZ episode was in a full-body fur suit, similar to a "Big Foot" costume, but lighter in color.

[rlmorel]

Very cool...:)

[spectre]

The episode was called "The Howling Man". I'm sure you must have seen it..A stranded traveler is taken in by some Brothers who have the devil captive in a cage held closed only with a staff.

sw

[spectre]

Yes, that's another classic. Heck, they all were!

sw

[Oratam]

"I'm Talky Tina . . . and I'm going to kill you."

[ETL]

RE: But the creature in the photo appears to be wearing a suit jacket (not Waxman, the other beast). I could have sworn the creature in the TZ episode was in a full-body fur suit, similar to a "Big Foot" costume, but lighter in color. -me (etl)

I was right!

Nightmare at 20,000 Feet Part 2 of 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFE-yMMWCvc&feature=related

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightmare_at_20,000_Feet_%28The_Twilight_Zone%29

[Nateman]

[tang-soo]

A great one that no one ever mentions is caled (I think) “Bunny, Come Home” about a movie star who has a sudden urge to come home and visit her small home town. One of the few episodes that puts a lump in my throat. I wish I knew the name of the episode you are referring to where the devil is in a church.

Ring-A-Ding Girl here.

[ETL]

Thanks! Have you tried ‘shopping’ a laptop in Shatner’s hands?