One for the Angels
"One for the Angels" | |
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The Twilight Zone episode | |
Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 2 |
Directed by | Robert Parrish |
Written by | Rod Serling |
Featured music | Stock (mostly from Bernard Herrmann's "Outer Space Suite") |
Cinematography by | George T. Clemens |
Production code | 173-3608 |
Original air date | October 9, 1959 |
Guest appearances | |
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"One for the Angels" is the second episode of the American
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.
Plot
Lew Bookman is a kindly sidewalk pitchman who sells and repairs toys,
Maggie is hit by a truck and falls into a
Death observes that by making that great sales pitch, Bookman has met the original terms of their deal. Now content and willing to accept his fate, Bookman goes to leave with Death. He fetches his case of wares to bring with him, remarking that "you never know who might need something up there". He looks to Death, adding hopefully, "Up there?" and Death replies, "Up there, Mr. Bookman. You made it."
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.
Preview for next week's story
Next week, we invite you to take a walk down a Western frontier street at the elbow of a doomed gunman, whose salvation lies in nothing less than a magic potion, and a Colt 45. Mr. Dan Duryea stars in "Mr. Denton on Doomsday." Next week on The Twilight Zone. We hope you'll be able to be with us. Thank you and good night.
Further reading
- Zicree, Marc Scott (1982). The Twilight Zone Companion (second ed.). Sillman-James Press.
- DeVoe, Bill (2008). Trivia from The Twilight Zone. Albany, GA: Bear Manor Media. ISBN 978-1-59393-136-0.
- Grams, Martin (2008). The Twilight Zone: Unlocking the Door to a Television Classic. Churchville, MD: OTR Publishing. ISBN 978-0-9703310-9-0.
- Sander, Gordon F. (1992). Serling: the rise and twilight of television's last angry man. New York: Penguin Books. ISBN 0-525-93550-9.
References
External links
- "One for the Angels" at IMDb