Twilight Zone – One for the Angels

★★★½   October 9, 1959 Season 1 Episode 2

If you want to see where we are…HERE is a list of the episodes.

This is a good episode of The Twilight Zone. It’s the first time we meet Death. He comes in different forms in the Twilight Zone. 73 year old Ed Wynn does a superb job as a salesman and a Santa Claus figure in the neighborhood. He is beloved by people but especially kids.

Murray Hamilton also is great as Mr. Death. He is very business like and he treats the job like any other job with deadlines and commitments. I must wonder what people thought in 1959 watching a show with Death stalking someone so businesslike.

Murray Hamilton is probably better remembered for his role playing Mr. Robinson in the 1967 film The Graduate.

Dana Dillaway who played Maggie: The scene where I was hit by the car was kind of morbid… I remember they kept spritzing the actor who was driving the car with a water spray bottle, who came around to see if I was okay while laying in the street… there is a publicity shot of me laying there and it’s kind of morbid!”

This show was written by Rod Serling

Rod Serling’s Opening Narration: 

Street scene: Summer. The present. Man on a sidewalk named Lew Bookman, age sixtyish. Occupation: pitchman. Lew Bookman, a fixture of the summer, a rather minor component to a hot July, a nondescript, commonplace little man whose life is a treadmill built out of sidewalks. And in just a moment, Lew Bookman will have to concern himself with survival – because as of three o’clock this hot July afternoon, he’ll be stalked by Mr. Death.

Lou Bookman is a street vendor; a pitchman, making a living selling what he can from his valise – radios, toys, ties and the like. After a long day, he returns to his shabby apartment to find someone waiting for him, someone he saw near where he had been selling that day. That person turns out to be Mr. Death who is there to tell Lou that his time on Earth has come to an end and that his “departure” will be at midnight. Lou tries to forestall his death by asking for a delay until he’s able to make a big sales pitch. It’s all a ruse however and Mr. Death shows him that his actions have consequences. As a result, Lou makes the pitch of his life.

Rod Serling’s Closing Narration:

Lewis J. Bookman, age sixtyish. Occupation: pitchman. Formerly a fixture of the summer, formerly a rather minor component to a hot July. But, throughout his life, a man beloved by the children, and therefore, a most important man. Couldn’t happen, you say? Probably not in most places – but it did happen in the Twilight Zone.

CAST

Rod Serling … Narrator (voice)
Ed Wynn … Lou Bookman
Murray Hamilton … Mr. Death
Dana Dillaway … Maggie Polanski
Jay Overholts … Doctor
Merritt Bohn … Truck Driver

Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player.

33 thoughts on “Twilight Zone – One for the Angels”

  1. The acting of Ed Wynn and Murray Hamilton made this episode both perfect for their roles. I can’t argue with 3 1/2 stars- the only drawback was the outcome was predictable early on in the show.

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    1. I went back and forth… I had a 3 and it was that til yesterday…I then thought…you know…it’s a little above the first one but not a 4.

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      1. I think you nailed it- the actors fit the parts so well.. the other day I watched the first seven episodes.. it’s hard to stop.

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      3. some really stand out as unforgettable… off topic your Trolley Dodgers are on a roll.. Pirates gave them some help last night- they gave up 6 hits- walked 13 and hit 2 batters and still won easily 8-4… baseball is a funny game.

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      4. You know how happy I was when the Pirates hit Snell like that? They did that with two outs…that was impressive.
        Mookie and Bellinger haven’t played in a while. Mookie played last night for the first time in 4 games…and they just kept rolling. They have the luxury of resting people at anytime.

        This is a novel now…but Hans what is impressing me is…whenever they bring a kid up…he is ready to go. Their development is something. Zack McKinstry is the latest…he didn’t play last night though.

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  3. It sounds like another good one – I think I did see it, years ago, but it’s worth a re-viewing! Serling’s intro speech is almost reason enough to watch half these episodes

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    1. The way he would word things has always impressed me. Only 154 more to go! Well actually 144 because I did 10 to start with.

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  6. I enjoyed this one – as Hans said was predictable but I enjoyed the interaction between Bookman and the devil esp when bookman is making the big pitch and getting the devil to buy all his stuff just like anyone else.

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      2. I am rating them pretty hard nose…a 3 1/2 is very good….3 is average…average for a Twilight Zone but great compared to most other shows.

        I love the Flight of 33 one…tell me when you are finished and I’ll load them up

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  9. Pingback: Twilight Zone Season 1 Review – PowerPop… An Eclectic Collection of Pop Culture

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