A Classic Batman Villain Starred In One Of The Twilight Zone’s Earliest And Best Episodes

Before everyone started talking about seeds in the matrix to describe scary activities, everything that is bizarre or potentially inexplicable, it was like entering “the twilight zone”. Some ancients always use this comparison, perhaps humming a boring interpretation of the theme melody for an additional effect. You cannot blame them, really, because few television shows have created a cultural imprint the size of the visionary series of Rod Serling. Three alarm clocks, an unequal anthology film and a range of other media have firmly kept the show in the consciousness of the public, but none has completely equaled to the quality of the original hosted by Serling himself. With the presence and the assured teleplays of Serling of some of the best science fiction and speculative fiction writers of the day, “The Twilight Zone” was filled with emblematic episodes.

“Twilight Zone: The Movie” opened with two guys (played by Dan Aykroyd and Albert Brooks) discussing their favorite episodes, and they certainly had a lot of choices. Essential episodes that everyone should watch at least once Include “Monsters are due on Maple Street”, “Nightmare at 20,000 feet” (superbly redone by George Miller in the film of 1983), and one of the personal favorites of Serling, “Time fairly”. The latter, verified by Aykroyd and Brooks, is also memorable to present an actor who would become a classic “Batman” villain: Burgess Meredith.

Meredith had a long career and he was already a veteran of dozens of films when he played in the classic episode, which was broadcast seven years before joining the colorful series of the gallery of the 60s gallery “Batman” as Penguin. He made a memorable impression alongside the Joker of Cesar Romero and Riddler by Frank Gorshin, and he received even more important praise in recent years when he has won two Oscar nominations for his supports for the “Day of the Locust” and “Rocky”. Although its performance as Oswald Cobblepot and the grumpy coach of the Italian stallion Mickey are undoubtedly better known today, his role in “Time Autom Awing” was a real showcase for his capacity consumed as an actor. Meredith would continue to play in three other episodes of “The Twilight Zone”, but “Time quite finally” is the one that everyone remembers – largely to this punch of the suction cup of an end. Don’t worry, we’re not going to spoil it!

The role of Burgess Meredith in “Time fairly last” (“The Twilight Zone” season 1, episode 8) is very different from its flamboyant tour as a caquque penguin in the television series “Batman”. He embodies Henry Bismis, a sweet and very close bank cashier who is still in trouble with his manager to have his nose in a book when he should work. He faces similar problems at home with his authoritarian wife, forcing him to store books around the house like an alcoholic hiding alcohol.

Things change spectacularly for Henry one day when he sneaks for the bank’s safe to read on his lunch break. The ground is shaking and it is knocked out. When he emerges, he notes that his city has been reduced to smoking rubble by a nuclear attack and that he is the only person who remains alive. He finds a lot of food supplies, but relief soon transforms towards panic and despair. Fortunately, he trips on the ruins of the public library, where all the books miraculously survived devastation. Suddenly, Henry is overwhelmed with joy when he realizes that he has all the time of the world to read and that there is no one around to stop him.

I will not give what will happen next, but it is one of the most famous conclusions in any episode of “The Twilight Zone”. The subject must have struck quite strong during these first years of the Cold War where the world was confronted with a very real threat of nuclear annihilation, but Rod Serling’s teleplay obtains the right balance. He has often discussed the concerns of the atomic era in his writing and a game could become rather dark, but he understands moments of humor to prevent the dark subject from becoming too disappointing. It also helps when you have such sincere and friendly performance by Meredith Front and Center.

A theme of anti-intellectualism crosses the episode, something that strikes particularly hard (for a library rat like me, at least) when Henry’s wife destroys a collection of poetry. His devotion to the written word seems picturesque and almost heroic from a modern perspective where so many people would rather scroll without thinking about their smartphones. The bitter irony of the botter of the episode makes it one of the The most sad endings in television history.

Thanks to his four appearances on “The Twilight Zone” (the other episodes being “the obsolete man”, “Mr. Dingle, The Strong” and “The Printer’s Devil”) Burgess Meredith was by far the actor “Batman” the most regular to appear in the Rod Serling show. However, he was not the only one. Among the most visible were Julie Newmar, the original and the best catwoman, playing an attractive devil in “Hary I think in Cliffordville”; David Wayne (The Mad Hatter) concluding an agreement with the Devil in “Escape Clause”; And Stafford Repp (Chef O’Hara) with support roles in three stories: “Nick of Time”, “César et moi” and “The Grave”.

One of the most remarkable things about “The Twilight Zone” was his variety of actor talents, ranging from Hollywood veterans to emerging stars. Buster Keaton, Lee Marvin, Mickey Rooney, Robert Redford, Donald Pleancence and Charles Bronson have all made memorable appearances, as well as a crowd of actors who would become more famous for other television shows.

“Star Trek” was particularly well represented in this regard. William Shatner appeared in “Nick of Time” and the classic of all time “Nightmare at 20,000 feet“In which he plays an air nerve passenger who spots a Gremlin tearing the wing of the plane. Leonard Nimoy and George Takei also appeared in” A Quality of Mercy “and the controversial” the meeting “respectively.

Jack Klugman, who is linked to Meredith for the actor with the most main characters of “The Twilight Zone”, won two Emmy Awards for having played Oscar Slovenly Madison in “The Odd Couple” TV Series, and won many fans in “Quincy, Me” Cloris Leachman, who also play “It’s a good life” “” The Mary Tyler Moore Show. “Peter Falk, who gave great performance as a Castro dictator in” The Mirror “, would become better known as everyone’s favorite detective in” Columbo “. The Rod Serling show is perhaps better known for his high concepts and his sneaky twists and turns, but he also knew how to attract actors.