Read Online Twilight Zone Companion by Marc Scott Zicree - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Marc Scott Zicree
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strength, and humility (and believabilityDenton genuinely looks like a man at the bottom of the barrel). Ably supporting him were Jeanne Cooper as a Twilight Zone version of Gunsmokes Miss Kitty, Malcolm Atterbury as Fate, and, as two gunslingers who play key roles in the action, a young (and wonderfully sadistic) Martin Landau and a very young Doug McClure. Allen Reisner, director of The Time Element, skillfully guided this episode away from the cliched and maudlin, and as a result Serlings story emerges as truly poignant.
One for the Angels
Written by Rod Serling
Producer: Buck Houghton
Director: Robert Parrish
Director of Photography: George T. Clemens
Music: stock
Cast:
Lew Bookman: Ed Wynn Mr. Death: Murray Hamilton Maggie: Dana Dillaway Truck Driver: Merritt Bohn Doctor: Jay Overholts Little Boy: Mickey Maga
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 survivalbecause as of three oclock this hot July afternoon hell be stalked by Mr. Death.
Sidewalk salesman Lew Bookman is confronted by Mr. Death, who informs him that he is to die at midnight. A persuasive man, Bookman succeeds in convincing Death to let him stay on Earth until he has had a chance to do his masterpiece, the Big Pitchone for the angels. But Bookman has no intention of ever making that pitch. Realizing he must now take someone in Bookmans place, Death arranges for a truck to hit Maggie, a neighborhood child. The substitution is proceeding nicely; all that remains is that Death must be in the dying girls room at precisely midnight to claim her. Bookman, determined that Death not take Maggie, makes a pitch so enthralling that Death misses his deadline. The child is saved. Having made his one Big Pitch, Bookman leaves with Mr. Death.
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. Couldnt happen, you say? Probably not in^most placesbut it did happen in the Twilight Zone.
Just after college, Serling wrote a teleplay entitled One for the Angels, which was aired on The Storm in Cincinnati and later nationwide on Danger. The plot concerned an unsuccessful sidewalk pitchman who tries to save his two-bit punk brother from a couple of hitmen by giving a pitch so beguiling that they will always be surrounded by a crowd. Serling wanted to write a special Twilight Zone for Ed Wynn and he felt that this character would suit him ideally. So he borrowed the main character and title from the earlier work and wove an entirely new and superior story.
Director Robert Parrishs problems with this episode have already been discussed, but not those of Wynn. Although the episode was written specifically for him, he seems an odd choice for the role of a fast-talking pitchman, what with his lisp and extremely deliberate way of talking.
It was exactly what Rod thought he could do, says Buck Houghton. And Ed said, My God, I cant say all those words! Rod said, Well, Ed, just concentrate. This is film, you know. We can stop it and pick it up again.
Despite Serlings assurances, Wynn was unable to overcome his inadequacies as a fast-talker, and as a result what was intended to be a spellbinding pitch comes across as thoroughly unconvincing. Fortunately, Wynns compensatory strengths as an actor make this a moot point, and One for the Angels emerges as a moving commentary on mortality and self-sacrifice.
As a concession to Wynns age, all of the episodes night scenes were shot during the day. This was accomplished by pulling tarpaulins over the backlot tenement street, giving the illusion of night. But
One for the Angels
Written by Rod Serling
Producer: Buck Houghton
Director: Robert Parrish
Director of Photography: George T. Clemens
Music: stock
Cast:
Lew Bookman: Ed Wynn Mr. Death: Murray Hamilton Maggie: Dana Dillaway Truck Driver: Merritt Bohn Doctor: Jay Overholts Little Boy: Mickey Maga
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 survivalbecause as of three oclock this hot July afternoon hell be stalked by Mr. Death.
Sidewalk salesman Lew Bookman is confronted by Mr. Death, who informs him that he is to die at midnight. A persuasive man, Bookman succeeds in convincing Death to let him stay on Earth until he has had a chance to do his masterpiece, the Big Pitchone for the angels. But Bookman has no intention of ever making that pitch. Realizing he must now take someone in Bookmans place, Death arranges for a truck to hit Maggie, a neighborhood child. The substitution is proceeding nicely; all that remains is that Death must be in the dying girls room at precisely midnight to claim her. Bookman, determined that Death not take Maggie, makes a pitch so enthralling that Death misses his deadline. The child is saved. Having made his one Big Pitch, Bookman leaves with Mr. Death.
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. Couldnt happen, you say? Probably not in^most placesbut it did happen in the Twilight Zone.
Just after college, Serling wrote a teleplay entitled One for the Angels, which was aired on The Storm in Cincinnati and later nationwide on Danger. The plot concerned an unsuccessful sidewalk pitchman who tries to save his two-bit punk brother from a couple of hitmen by giving a pitch so beguiling that they will always be surrounded by a crowd. Serling wanted to write a special Twilight Zone for Ed Wynn and he felt that this character would suit him ideally. So he borrowed the main character and title from the earlier work and wove an entirely new and superior story.
Director Robert Parrishs problems with this episode have already been discussed, but not those of Wynn. Although the episode was written specifically for him, he seems an odd choice for the role of a fast-talking pitchman, what with his lisp and extremely deliberate way of talking.
It was exactly what Rod thought he could do, says Buck Houghton. And Ed said, My God, I cant say all those words! Rod said, Well, Ed, just concentrate. This is film, you know. We can stop it and pick it up again.
Despite Serlings assurances, Wynn was unable to overcome his inadequacies as a fast-talker, and as a result what was intended to be a spellbinding pitch comes across as thoroughly unconvincing. Fortunately, Wynns compensatory strengths as an actor make this a moot point, and One for the Angels emerges as a moving commentary on mortality and self-sacrifice.
As a concession to Wynns age, all of the episodes night scenes were shot during the day. This was accomplished by pulling tarpaulins over the backlot tenement street, giving the illusion of night. But
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