Buck Houghton Movies

After briefly experimenting with the videotape format, The Twilight Zone wisely returned to film with this episode, which originally aired April 7, 1961. The story begins in the California desert in 1847; Chris Horn (Cliff Robertson), leader of a bedraggled wagon train, sets out to search for food, water, and medicine for himself, his ailing child, and the rest of his party. Upon climbing "over the rim," Chris finds himself in a roadside diner -- in the year 1961. The supporting cast includes future TV-series stars Ed Platt (Get Smart) and John Astin (The Addams Family), as well as actress Evans Evans, who later played Gene Wilder's wife in the 1967 film classic Bonnie and Clyde. Written by Rod Serling, "A Hundred Yards over the Rim" benefits immeasurably from a driving musical score by Fred Steiner, which would pop up in truncated form in dozens of films and TV series throughout the '60s and '70s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Thrown off course by a freak tailwind, a passenger jet finds itself flying over a prehistoric landscape, festooned with dinosaurs. Deducing that they've somehow passed through a time warp, the crew of Flight 33, headed by Captain Farver (John Anderson), desperately seek out a way of returning to their own time. Managing to retrieve the tailwind, the crew succeeds in its goal -- almost. Written by Rod Serling, with technical advice from his novelist brother Robert J. Serling (then an aviation writer for American Airlines), this Twilight Zone episode is highlighted by some disturbingly convincing "monster" animation, courtesy of film producer Jack H. Harris (of Dinosaurus! fame) and the special-effects wizards at Project Unlimited. "The Odyssey of Flight 33" first aired February 24, 1961. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Dean Jagger stars as Ed Lindsay, a cranky middle-aged man living in a boarding house with several other old-timers, including his former fiancée Vinnie Brown (Carmen Mathews). Fed up with television, Ed squirrels himself away in his room, where he begins tooling around with the antique radio he's found in the cellar. Before long, he is receiving broadcasts from the 1930s and 1940s -- live broadcasts, not reruns. Having opened a window to the past, Ed desperately tries to correct several mistakes he's made in life. Scripted by Charles Beaumont from a story by OCee Ritch, "Static" was one of six videotaped Twilight Zone episodes and was originally telecast March 10, 1961 (and yes, that voice emanating from Ed's old-time radio does belong to future Hogan's Heroes star Bob Crane). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Jack Carson stars as Harvey Hunnicutt, a fast-talking used car salesman to whom The Truth is a total stranger. Hunnicutt's prevaricating nature undergoes a terrifying about-face when a spooky old man (George Chandler sells Harvey a dilapidated Model A Ford -- one which compels its owner to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. The punchline of this episode will be amusing only to those who lived through the darkest days of the Cold War (though a passing reference to "Jack Kennedy" has been excised from most existing prints). Future Laugh-In regular Arte Johnson appears as Hunnicutt's long-suffering assistant. One of six Twilight Zone episodes shot on videotape, "The Whole Truth" was written by Rod Serling and was initially telecast on January 20, 1961. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Long before he costarred in Bewitched, Dick York was forced to contend with unwelcome magical powers in this Twilight Zone episode. York is cast as bank clerk Hector Poole, who suddenly finds himself gifted with the power to read other people's minds. Hoping to use this power to his advantage, Hector ends up with a heap o' trouble instead. This being a comic episode, however, there's a happy (or at least satisfying ending). Watch for Hayden Rorke, Dr. Bellows from I Dream of Jeannie, in a key supporting role. The first Twilight Zone script written by George Clayton Johnson, "A Penny for Your Thoughts" originally aired February 3, 1961. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A predominantly black cast appears in this episode of Twilight Zone, which was originally broadcast on April 8, 1960. Ivan Dixon stars as Bolie Jackson, an aging prizefighter. Hoping for a comeback. Bolie manages to win an important bout, only to discover that he scored his K.O. thanks to a "big tall wish" made by neighborhood kid Henry (Kim Hamilton). Unfortunately, Bolie does not believe in wishes -- and he suffers mightily because of his lack of faith. Also starring Kim Hamilton and Walter Burke, "The Big Tall Wish" was written by series creator Rod Serling. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Having scoffed at his colleague Warren Marcusson's (Paul Comi) assertion that "People are alike all over the universe," Astronaut Sam Conrad (Roddy McDowall) is given the opportunity to find out if Marcusson was telling the truth when his spaceship crash-lands on Mars. Though Marcusson is killed, Sam survives and is given the "red carpet" treatment by the humanlike Martians. Falling in love with the beautiful Teenya (Susan Oliver) and provided with a fully furnished luxury apartment, Sam is willing to concede that people everywhere are the same -- but just as the episode comes to an end, he realizes that this "sameness" is not an altogether good thing. Vic Perrin, who later provided the "control voice" on The Outer Limits, plays one of the Martian elders. Scripted by Rod Serling from Paul Fairman's short story "Brothers Beyond the Void," "People Are Alike All Over" made it Twilight Zone debut on March 25, 1960. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Scripted by Robert Presnell, Jr. from a short story by John Collier, this Twilight Zone episode focuses on Robert Shackleforth (George Grizzard), a lovestruck young man who cannot get the girl of his dreams, the ravishing Leila (Patricia Barry), to acknowledge his existence. In desperation, Robert pays a visit to the mysterious Professor Daemon (John McIntyre), who gives the young would-be romeo a potion that transforms the icy Leila into Robert's "love slave." Before long, however, Robert regrets having Leila hanging upon him like a clinging vine, leading him to contemplate using Daemon's special antidote: The dreaded "glove cleaner." Previously dramatized in 1951 on Billy Rose Television Theater, "The Chaser" made its Twilight Zone bow on May 13, 1960. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

While visiting the apartment house where she grew up, schoolteacher Helen Foley (Janice Rule) makes the acquaintance of a strange little girl named Markie (Terry Burnham). It gradually develops that Markie holds a clue as to the identity of the person who murdered Helen's mother many years earlier. Without saying any more, we can note that the supporting cast includes Sheppard Strudwick and Michael Fox; also appearing is a cute child actress named Suzanne Cupito, who enjoyed a substantial adult career under the name Morgan Brittany. Scripted by Rod Serling and graced with a subtly sinister musical score by Jerry Goldsmith, "Nightmare as a Child" was the April 29, 1960, installment of Twilight Zone. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

William Reynolds stars as Fitzgerald, a WWII army lieutenant with an unusual and most unwelcome gift. Much to his dismay, Lt. Fitzgerald can stare into the faces of his fellow soldiers and determine who among them will die in combat. Begging to be transferred, Fitzgerald finally gets his wish, but that's not the end of the story. The stellar supporting cast includes Dick York as Captain Riker, Barney Phillips as Capt. Gunther, Warren Oates as a jeep driver, and future director Paul Mazursky (in the first of his three Twilight Zone appearances). Written by Rod Serling, with a musical score by old CBS radio hand Lucien Moraweck, "The Purple Testament" originally aired February 12, 1960. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Everett Sloane, who previously starred in Rod Serling's award-winning TV play Patterns, was reunited with Serling for this January 29, 1960, Twilight Zone installment. Having won an all-expense-paid trip to Las Vegas, parsimonious Franklin Gibbs (Everett Sloane) refuses to enter into the spirit of things by gambling. Alas, Franklin is not strong enough to resist the lure of a strange-looking slot machine -- and thus begins Franklin's slow but inevitable descent into poverty and madness, as his wife Flora (Vivia Janiss) looks on in helpless horror. This may well have been the first TV program in which a slot machine ever "spoke." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

While sitting in his office and discussing business matters with his secretary, Arthur Curtis (Howard Duff) is suddenly interrupted by a shout of "Cut!" Looking up from his desk, Arthur finds that the wall of his office has disappeared, and in its place is a movie camera crew and director (Robert Cornthwaithe). He then is told that he is not happily married Arthur Curtis, but instead unhappily married, alcoholic film star Jerry Raigan -- and that his entire life has merely been someone else's movie. This Pirandellian Twilight Zone episode was written by Richard Matheson and boasts a spinetingling "vibraphonic" musical score by Van Cleave. The supporting cast includes future Bewitched costar David White and prolific writer-director William Idelson. "A World of Difference" was originally telecast March 11, 1960. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide