THE TWILIGHT ZONE MUSEUM

Dear Friends, We get a large number of emails every month from folks asking if there will be any more Twilight Zone Conventions and we're now at the point where we can't take the time to answer them, so you may wish to save yourself an email. In case you were one of the wonderers, the answer is: "no, at least none that we will be organizing." We, along with almost all of those people who were employed by Cayuga Productions from 1959-1964 (as actors, writers, directors, et al), are retired now. However, we live in a free world, and anyone is free to organize their own TZ event. So, 'carpe your diem' and do another convention, with or without those who worked on TZ. Thanks for your interest, and please do have a look around the website at the coverage of some of the five TZ conventions that were done from 2002-2009. We also get a large number of emails about people who want props from the show. Our answer: "We don't have any and the ones that do exist out there are not for sale." We are also no longer selling the prop reproductions. They were limited editions. The action figures and collectible TZ items...we aren't commenting on those. ;-) They're out there for the buying though.

Shop for Twilight Zone gear at Pop Fanatics!

H A P P Y # 8 0
C A R O L !
Friday, April 26th, 2013 was the 80th birthday of one of the greatest comediennes the world has ever known, Ms. Carol Burnett. She's been called "a distant second to Lucille Ball" (who was her close friend), but I'd say the distance wasn't too large. Her autobiography, "One More Time", is an amazing read and I recommend it to everyone. Her variety show ran on CBS for 11 years (1967-1978) and gave the world laughs when they needed them the most. I will always bow to Carol Burnett, and am eternally grateful to her for her comedic gifts that have brought so much to my world. Rod Serling was one of her biggest fans, and although the "Twilight Zone" episode he wrote for her, "Cavender is Coming", was not a memorable one, Carol was privileged to have been on the oh-so-famous TV show, and a stone on her path to international stardom in the early 1960s. Within the episode we can see glimpses of Carol's developing brand of comedy, as the discombooberated and disorganized Agnes Grep. The story was in fact based upon a job that Carol held at a movie theater on Hollywood Blvd. in the 1950s, and sometime many years later, one of the original doors of the theater was given to Carol before it was demolished. Carol still has the door in her Hollywood Hills home.

JONATHAN WINTERS
(1925-2013)
The legendary comedian Jonathan Winters passed away on 11 April after an extended illness. Despite his long and distinguished career (Robin Williams called him "The Buddha" of comedy), most people living today know him primarily for his appearances in Doritos commercials in the 1990s. He is also remembered, of course, for one of the very few serious roles he played as Fats Brown in TZ's "A Game of Pool". His co-star, Jack Klugman, predeceased him by just 4 months. During the 1980s, he had a long run as the voice of Papa Smurf on "The Smurfs", and was brought back to reprise the role on the Smurfs movies (2011, 2013). Jonathan was invited, and accepted, invitations to our 2002 and 2004 TZ Conventions, but both times had to cancel due to illness. He did, however, appear every few years or so at other autograph events around Los Angeles. His wife of 60 years, Eileen, died in 2009, and two children survive him. He appeared in over 50 films over his 65 year career, and was certainly one of the last of the great old time comics.

GLORIA PALL
(1927-2012)
Gloria Pall passed away peacefully on 30 December after about six weeks of illness. As most TZ fans know, she played the girl at the bar in "And When the Sky Was Opened", opposite Rod Taylor in 1959. In one of my first conversations with her about her Twilight Zone experience, she said, "Working with Rod Taylor, who was one of the hottest stars on the screen at that time, was fun. I haven't seen him since then [she later did re-meet him in 2002]. Rod Serling, who was very nice, was around for some of it, and it was either he or the director who changed the scene in the bar. I was the 'head girl' at a table with a few other girls originally, and then they moved me up to the bar and gave me that part. Those two lines, 'Say um, what's it like up there in outer space?' and 'Ya got a beer here, honey' were catchy. I'm always happy to hear from people who remember me for that part - oddly enough, they gave me billing in TV Guide, but not in the credits at the end of that show." In 2004, Gloria and a small group of friends celebrated the 50th anniversary of her TV show, "Voluptua," which ran for 7 weeks in 1954, with a dinner at The Sportsmen's Lodge. Although very few people remember Gloria for her role as the temptress Voluptua who was called 'too torrid for TV', they remember her for her parts as 'the sultry dancer' in "Night of the Hunter", "The Crimson Kimono", and of course, "Jailhouse Rock." She and Elvis became pals.

Gloria is survived by her son, Jefferson, an accountant. She had two marriages; the first was in 1957-58 to actor Robert Eaton (who played one of the enormous astronauts at the end of TZ episode "The Little People") and the second was to Allen Kane, owner of a Ford dealership, from 1965-1983. The Kanes bought one of O.J. and Marguerite Simpson's Los Angeles homes in 1978. "It was in Bel Air, on Elvill Drive...which proved to be a very fitting street name. Never in my life had I seen, or would I ever see again, a home that was so rampaged, smashed, and trashed...[the previous occupant] was obviously deeply emotionally disturbed. We fixed it up, lived in it for a year or so, and then sold it." She wrote 15 short books about her career in Hollywood, including one about the purchase and sale of OJ's home. She had plans to do a few more. She also wrote her autobiography, extracts of which I someday hope to publish in her biography. In reading over some excerpts of her autobiography a few years ago, I realized just how *much* Gloria did in her life. Born in New York and spending her formative years in the depths of the post-1929 depression, she developed a toughness and strength of character that served her well when she headed for the soundstages of Los Angeles in 1951. She used to go around and entertain her neighbors, as a little girl, and would get a few pennies for her fine performances. She never completely lost her New York accent. There was always a trace of it. I will also share another little-known fact about Gloria - she knew how to act. She called herself a 'cameo queen' because she had so many bit parts, but she was lucky enough to get a few really good roles on such shows as "The Ray Bolger Show" and "People's Choice" (with Jackie Cooper). Like many actors in this town, she lacked a good agent to get her in the know with casting directors. "Twilight Zone was one of the last things I did on screen - I did a few things after it, but I ended my SAG [Screen Actors Guild] membership in 1962." She went on to a career in real estate, and her clientele included some of the biggest names in Hollywood, including a number of TZ actors - James Best and Albert Salmi among them.

I first met Gloria in 2001. My old TZ friend Jeff Zentner told me of Gloria's whereabouts, as he'd ordered an autographed TZ photo from her website and they'd also talked by phone. I asked Jeff, "HOW did you find her? And why? Her part on TZ was so small, she only had two lines." He said, "She's really nice. Order a photo from her, she'll be grateful to you." And I did. That was in February, 2001. We exchanged an email and that was it, until shortly after 9/11, when preparations for the first TZ convention got underway, and I connected her to Steve Charendoff at Rittenhouse Archives to sign the trading cards. She felt honored - and I do mean honored - to sign those cards, let me tell you. We hit it off. Her birthday was on July 15th, and mine was on the 12th, forty-nine years apart. She was so easy to talk to - she was a great listener, and she was very interested in me. She admitted that she had a hard time staying organized, and I was no better. We had some very long conversations by phone in those early days of our friendship. She asked me, "So who else is coming to the convention? I haven't done an autograph show in years." And I named some names. She then started naming off some people whom she knew, and asked if they ever did TZ episodes. Among the names were Edson Stroll, Read Morgan, Camille Franklin, Earl Holliman, plus some I'd already talked to, and quite a few much-more-famous people including Ernest Borgnine and Angie Dickinson and Carol Channing. And I said, "Oh my gosh, you *know* Edson Stroll? Do you know how many people would like to meet him?!" They were old modeling buddies; she met him in New York in 1948. She called Edson the next day, but he was not available to attend the convention that particular weekend because he was working (Edson did of course attend the 2004 convention later.) She went to great lengths to get Earl Holliman to attend. I was very touched when she told me that she drove to his house, about a quarter-mile from her home, and rang the bell at the gate. He was apparently friendly - (they'd worked together on the pilot for the series "Hotel de Paree" in the 50s) but declined. Read and Camille were delighted to be invited; Read is a very nice man, and I remain friends with Camille. When the convention rolled around in August 2002, I of course went and introduced myself to Gloria - it was our first face-to-face meeting, which was brief because I was so busy. When I shook her hand, she said, "Your parents must be very proud of you for pulling off this weekend." A week after it was over and I was back in Oregon, she emailed me a thank-you for the good time she had at the convention, and again mentioned how glad she was to sign the trading cards, and "If you ever need a favor sometime, just call me."

And I did call her. I didn't talk to Gloria much for the next year or so, during which time I moved to Los Angeles, where of course she lived. I was planning TZ Convention #2, and I called her to say hi and invite her. She said, "Let's get together and talk." and I said "Great, how 'bout at the Garland Holiday Inn?" She said "Perfect, I live only a mile from there, we can meet at the coffee shop." We met, and had a great time catching up. I told her about the living situation I was in at the time, which was far from ideal. I could never have predicted what was to happen next. She called me back, a few days later, just in the nick of time, telling me that she had a place for me to move into, for (gasp) only two-hundred dollars a month. It was a vacant guest house in the Sherman Oaks area of Los Angeles, owned by one of her old friends. Although the rent increased modestly as time went by, I lived there for five years - and saved a lot of money. What a way to return a favor! I was very touched when, a couple months later, she invited me to celebrate our birthdays together at The Odyssey, a restaurant in the hills of Burbank with a number of her friends. Gloria also introduced me to the Book Publicists of Southern California organization, which has meetings every other month at the Sportsmen's Lodge in Studio City. I started going to all of the meetings and met many interesting people. I ended up selling some copies of my "Forgotten Gems from TZ" script books, thanks to the free advertising they allow at the meetings. Gloria and Jefferson were the first to tell me about a new website called Craigslist in 2004. On the Friday night before our second TZ Convention, they placed an ad on Craigslist, telling everyone to come.

The world feels that much emptier without Gloria. Her legacy was that she always put others first - to the point where she sometimes said, "I sure wish there were more generous people in the world. I could use a hand sometimes too!" Although she liked the glamor and the glitz of Hollywood, she was about as un-Hollywood as could be imagined when it came to relating to people. She was honest and ethical. I seriously doubt she ever told a lie - untruth and superficiality were not part of her. She was a quiet person, but not shy, and never selfish. She was genuinely interested in everyone she encountered. She appreciated it when you did something for her and she lacked the sense of entitlement that is common to most people who have worked in, or around, showbiz.

She was one of my closest friends and was so instrumental to me on my path in life and I'll always be grateful to her. I last spoke with her several weeks before she "went off to The Twilight Zone" (those were the words she used on a couple occasions, to describe her eventual passing.) Instinctively, I knew she wasn't long for this world but I didn't want to accept it. I will always cherish the time we had together for eleven years. I saw her for the last time this past summer at yet another Book Publicists meeting. Then I got busy and a few months went by, and her health suddenly failed. She narrowly missed the 2013 Twilight Zone New Years Eve marathon, but now she's forever immortalized in the landscape, right along with Rod and the rest of them. Oh...the marathons. Gloria loved those "Twilight Zone" marathons (4th of July and New Years Eve) just as much as anyone. She'd be watching it at home and would call me and say, "Andrew, my episode is on TV right now. I just watched the one with Theo Bikel...that was a funny one. And that part that Barbara Nichols did should've been mine! I could've done it even better."

So, now I have to conclude this and say a final farewell to you, Gloria. It was always a pleasure saying "Oh hi, Gloria" whenever you called me - I'd look at the caller ID and there was your name. And we were both flip-phone users, haha. To me, you'll always be Gloria the Great. Until we meet again, in the Twilight Zone. Love, Andrew

Gloria at a local autograph show, at Beverly Garland's Holiday Inn, 2005

*This is a special edition DVD of clips from Gloria's career. Anyone who is interested in a copy can email me at oceanave@usa.net and I will see about getting a copy for you from Gloria's estate. The cost would be 24.95 USD + shipping.

CLICK HERE TO READ A VERY SPECIAL MESSAGE
ABOUT THE 2002 STARS OF THE ZONE CONVENTION,
WHICH HAPPENED AUGUST 24 & 25, 2002

***TZ AUTOGRAPHED PHOTOS FOR SALE!
LAST CALL!***

Once these are gone, they're gone! Limited edition TZ photos signed by Edson Stroll, Donna Douglas, William Reynolds, Jack Klugman, Cliff Robertson, June Foray, Richard Kiel, Joseph Ruskin, George Takei, Robert Redford, and H.M. Wynant. CLICK HERE to check them out.
(I sold off my inventory of autographed photos in 2011 but...I got a few more signed by a handful of actors who were willing to sign, for the benefit of anyone who might be interested.)

Significant birthdays in 2012 and 2013....

HAPPY 90th WRIGHT KING
Wright turned hit his ninetieth on January 11, 2013. He's best-known for his part as Dr. Galen in the first "Planet of the Apes" movie (ever), and for The Collector in "Streetcar Named Desire." He appeared in two very interesting roles on "Twilight Zone", and until about ten years ago, he thought he'd done three or even four parts on TZ. "I was very busy in those days, appearing on all those TV shows...I honestly couldn''t remember, until one of my fans told me at a film festival, 'Ya did TWO!' These guys know our work!" Wright left showbiz in the late 80s and relocated with his wife, the late June Ellen King, to Portland, Oregon. He is now retired and enjoys spending time with his three sons and many grandchildren. We were very glad to have him attend the 2002 TZ Convention, where he reunited with many of his old actor friends, whom he had not seen in many years.

HAPPY 80th SUZANNE LLOYD
Maya the Catgirl hits her eighth decade!! Suzanne portrayed Maya/Ms. Thomas in one of TZ's finest episodes, "Perchance to Dream" in 1959. She turned 80 on November 9th, 2012 (most online sources list an incorrect birthdate for her). The above photo was taken at the 2002 Stars of the Zone Convention. Suzanne also helped me find a photographer for the convention - whom I hired. She took this photo and almost all the other convention photos you see pictured here on the website (the great Kathy Hutchins, longtime fixture on the red carpets of Hollywood). Thanks also to Suzanne for introducing me to Mrs. Wanda Houghton, wife of Seasons 1-3 Producer, Buck Houghton. Suzanne's photo (as Maya) hung in Buck's office at CBS for many years. Although it's been many years since I last talked to Suzanne, I last heard that she's still working, as a trainer at a gym for women in Los Angeles. Long may she run.

HAPPY 95th MARSHA HUNT
Marsha turned 95 on October 18, 2012. She needs no introduction; she is a silver screen legend. She also appeared on "Twilight Zone", just one of many roles she played over her long and illustrious career - including the real-life role of Honorary Mayor of Sherman Oaks, California. Marsha attended both Twilight Zone Conventions in Los Angeles. Marsha was good friends with Rod Serling, and her husband Robert Presnell, Jr. also wrote the delightful 1st season episode "The Chaser".

HAPPY 95th JUNE FORAY
June reached her 95th year on September 17, 2012. She also needs no introduction and is a legend...off camera. She's been working in Hollywood for over seven decades, and like many of the "Twilight Zone" actors, she is a very humble artist. She has called me to say hi from time to time, and I owe her a phone call!! Needless to say, Talky Tina and Rocky the Flying Squirrel will always be her roles of a lifetime. I hope she continues living and working til well past 100. To this day, she still says that her fans refresh her memory of things she had long forgotten about, and she's forever grateful for that. Be sure to read her biography, and her short but hilariously irreverent book "Perverse, Adverse, and Rottenverse", both published by BearManor Media, Inc. (my publisher too!)

Beverly Garland Biography - Newly Released!
McFarland Publishing what looks to be a good book on Beverly's illustrious life in and out of showbiz.

STARS OF THE ZONE CONVENTION, TEN YEARS LATER...

Dear Visitors and TZ Convention Attendees,

August 2012 marks the tenth anniversary of Stars of the Zone Convention #1, which was held in Los Angeles on August 24 and 25, 2002. I was hoping to have a retrospective article about it completed and online by now, but due to my schedule, I will not have a chance to complete it for awhile. Such is life. The article is going to be long - literally, *so much* happened during that time that it's hard to assimilate it and write it in such a way that it will be something that others can enjoy reading (although, not everything in the process was enjoyable and I'll hit on a couple of those things as well.) In the meantime, you can CLICK HERE to read a few of my memories of the event, or look at the CONVENTIONS section of the website. Those two days were a milestone in TZ history. Looking back on it, I'm still amazed that it happened. It goes without saying that it took us a lot of work to get there and it was truly a once-in-a-lifetime thing. Just looking at a few of those now-old photos myself, I really wish I could go back to that weekend, as it was the beginning of so many great things. And...sigh...some of those who were with us that weekend have since left us and they are much-missed. TZ alum Carol Burnett's song "I'm so glad we had this time together" (which she sang at the end of her variety show every week) seems a very appropriate way to sum up the two Stars of the Zone Conventions. Bill DeVoe and I *sincerely* - and I do mean sincerely - thank all of those who attended the first convention - ardent TZ fans, plus the fifty-seven actors, two writers, and two directors (rounding up that many people was a remarkable feat in itself) and also those who worked closely with us to help make that weekend what it was. -Andrew

"I never went to any Star Trek conventions. We do have a local event near where I live. It's called Monster Bash. They do a very nice job on a somewhat smaller scale. Yours was the first one I attended. I remember being very star-struck at first. But then I felt more comfortable talking to the guests once I realized that they were just as interested to talk with us, as we were with them. I have a great memory of sitting down to eat lunch in the courtyard and having a nice old lady join me at my table. I did not know who she was, but after talking with her for awhile, she told me that she was one of the "fun girls" from the Andy Griffith show! It was Jean Carson! I had a nice chat with her, and later she signed a photo for me. Those were the good ol' days!" - AJ, TZ fan from Pennsylvania (attended both of the conventions)

DVDs OF THE CONS ARE AVAILABLE!
For those who missed our two Los Angeles-based TZ Conventions, you're in luck! We have the 3 panel discussions done in 2002 available on DVD. The actor panel featured actors Cliff Robertson, Jean Carson, Jonathan Harris, Arlene Martel, Wright King, William Windom, Suzanne Lloyd, Kevin McCarthy, James Best, Anne Francis, and Suzanne Lloyd. The writer panel featured George Clayton Johnson, Earl Hamner, John Tomerlin ("Number 12 Looks Just Like You"), and Marc Zicree. The directors panel featured James Sheldon and Eliot Silverstein plus actors Susan Gordon and Ben Cooper (who appeared in their episodes). George Clayton Johnson's historic keynote address at the VIP Dinner Celebration, which can be viewed for free right here on this page, is also available on DVD. In 2004 we did the same three panels with different actors/writers/directors, and there was a fourth panel of folks involved with "The New Twilight Zone" (from the 80s), led by Alan Brennert and including Harlan Ellison, Rockne O'Bannon, and others, and a FIFTH panel, a reading of "The Long Morrow", with Michael Dante and Kathy Garver starring in the parts played by Bob Lansing and Mariette Hartley in the original. The charge is $50 for all four of the 2002 panels (plus $6 for USPS Priority Mail shipping within USA) and the charge for all five of the 2004 panels is also $50 (plus $6 shipping within USA.) Purchasing both the panels of 2002 and 2004 is $95 (includes free shipping within USA.) Outside USA shipping - please inquire for cost, as we will have to look it up online. These are high quality Region 1 DVDs. Payment methods accepted are Paypal, cash, or USPS money order ONLY! If paying by Paypal, there is a surcharge of $6 if purchasing both sets, or $3 if purchasing only one set, due to Paypal's processing fees. Please email oceanave@usa.net to place your order or if you have further questions!

From one of our happy customers, Mark D. from upstate New York: "This is gold...a panel w/ Cliff Robertson, Anne Francis, Johnathan Harris? That's like asking, "If you had a "dream" dinner party, who would you invite?" These folks are on my list! The banter, humor, and, sheer fun, makes for a great showing. What I liked about it especially, is that they didn't talk exclusively about the "Twilight Zone". Anecdotes, personal stories, and the countenances of actors expressions/demeanor's as they relayed their stories, was a wonderful treat! Brings it alive. As a medium, moving pictures have something special to share as in writing & music & art...so very nice to have on record visually. Is there anything else out there right now that is comparable that documents the thoughts and feeling of cast members who are intertwined with this legacy?"

George Clayton Johnson's Historic Keynote Address at the convention VIP Dinner, August 24, 2002.
Special thanks to Rich for restoration of the original video, which was videotaped on a camcorder!

Check Out This Amazing TZ Artwork!

Click Here For the Front Side!
Click Here For the Back Side!

Gone But Never Forgotten...

* * *

JACK KLUGMAN
(1922-2012)

Jack Klugman, one of the finest actors who ever lived, departed our world on Christmas Eve, 2012. Jack loved his fans, and often said that Rod Serling's work was the best, or among the best, that he did in his career. In the early 1980s, Klugman was the host for the video release of "Requiem for a Heavyweight", which starred Jack Palance, Kim Hunter, Keenan Wynn and Ed Wynn. He talked of the golden age of live television, and talked of how the 1950s was a very exciting time in the world, in part due to the new medium of TV. He has been called "a chameleon of an actor", and no other words describe his abilities better. He, literally, could play any part. He did comedy as well as he did drama, and he did everything in between just as well. Jack was hired for starring roles in four episodes of "Twilight Zone", making him a semi-regular on the show. However, Jack's Twilight Zone roles are generally not as remembered as is his "Odd Couple" work with his dearest friend, Tony Randall. About 10 years ago, Jack wrote a touching but short memoir called "Tony and Me", about his friendship with Randall. Jack Klugman's passing marks the end of an era, and his work will always be held in highest regard. He was truly one of a kind.

WILLIAM WINDOM
(1923 - 2012)

The great William Windom passed away on 16 August. He was one of the greatest TV actors working in Hollywood for over four decades and and one of the most familiar faces on TV. He semi-retired from on-camera work right around Y2K but continued to work until about five years before he passed away. He also did a fair amount of voiceover work, especially in his later years, having been endowed with a unique baritone voice. Most people out there will remember him for his part in "To Kill a Mockingbird" - he played district attorney Gilmer in the harrowing courtroom scene, wherein Atticus Finch unsuccessfully defends Tom Robinson. Amazingly, we had both Mary Badham (Scout) and Bill in the same room on two occasions, at our Stars of the Zone Conventions in 2002 and 2004. In a conversation with Bill by phone in December 2001, he mentioned that he'd just been out for lunch with Kevin McCarthy and said, "Kevin mentioned this Twilight Zone thing you're doing and if he's doing it, I'll be there too." Obviously, he thought enough of TZ and Rod to attend. It seemed that every performance that Bill did was better than the last. He really was 'that good' of an actor. He had a short but amazing part on an early episode of "All in the Family" in 1971 - one of his lesser-known roles - where he played one of Archie's old buddies who went on to become wealthy; he comes into town, in attempt to reunite with his estranged son and his son refuses to see him. The year before that, he took home an Emmy for the sadly short-lived series "My World and Welcome To It", which fell victim to bad network timeslot and was cancelled after only a single season. Around the same time, he did one of his favorite roles, Randolph Kelly in Rod Serling's "They're Tearing Down Tim Riley's Bar" on Night Gallery. On TZ, Bill was cast in two excellent parts, as the frustrated army major in "Five Characters in Search of an Exit", one of TZ's unofficial Christmas episodes, and also as Dr. Wallman, the psychiatrist in "Miniature", with Robert Duvall. A long time later, Bill's virtuosity in the former episode became immortalized in the opening sequence of the Columbia House versions of TZ. His line "Who are we?!!!", one of the most memorable in the series, delivered so splendidly, is heard amongst a handful of others. Bill transitioned well into his later years of acting and gained another set of fans when he played Dr. Seth Hazlett on "Murder She Wrote" in the 80s. The photo I have used above for Bill was from "Star Trek", but it's such a great shot that seems to summarize William Windom, the man and artist. Married five times, Bill's three daughters, a son, and his wife of 37 years, Patricia, survive him. Rest in eternal comfort, Bill. You were one of the great ones.

"WHO ARE WE?!!!"

* * *

JOHN RICH
(1925 - 2012)

Distinguished Television Director Emeritus John Rich passed away on 29 January at the age of 86. I use that title for Mr. Rich because he certainly deserved it; he was one of the greatest to work behind the camera - or, beside the camera. I had the good fortune to meet him, thanks to his old college chum Irwin Zucker, at a 2006 meeting of The Book Publicists of Southern California. When I mentioned that I liked all his work, and then threw in a mention of "your two Twilight Zone" episodes, he suddenly looked right at me and said "How did *you* know I directed Twilight Zone?!" I guess I didn't look old enough. John's book, "Warm Up the Snake", had just been released, and I recommend the book heartily to anyone who watches old television. To learn more about John's humble beginnings and his travels along Hollywood Road, please do get a copy of his book. As John's genius was principally in the area of comedy, he was not a frequent director on TZ and actually, it's a miracle he directed any episodes. At the time, he was heavily into his chores on "The Dick Van Dyke Show" and "Bat Masterson" and numerous others. John was not a laid-back director, he participated in the production process fully. His actors had to be willing to take his direction and a few actors have made mention of his demanding style. His direction often went far beyond what was on the printed page, the foremost example being the kiss that Sammy Davis gives Archie Bunker. In 1970, Mary Tyler Moore invited John to direct her show on CBS. Thankfully, John passed on it and chose "All in the Family", which was, he felt, going to take television by storm with its groundbreaking material. It was the best decision he ever could have made and for three years, he was the show's house director. As far as "Twilight Zone", well, John's two episodes ("A Most Unusual Camera" and "A Kind of Stopwatch") were entertaining but forgettable, no doubt due to the average storylines of Rod Serling. Mr. Rich's accolades and awards were plentiful and his work will forever be valued and appreciated. Upon his retirement in Y2K, he gained new status as a historical figure and has not been forgotten around town. In his book, he tells a story where he went to meet with some much-younger executives for a directorial job in the late 90s. He didn't get the job, but as he was leaving the office suite, one of them extended his hand and said, "...I'm shaking hands with a legend."

PHYLLIS THAXTER
(1919 - 2012)

Phyllis Thaxter passed away on 14 August, 2012. She's best known as Superman's mother, a very small part in a very big picture, but she started working in showbiz in the 40s, appearing in scores of old movies, and then she worked her way into TV. Her marriage to CBS president Jim Aubrey, who was in command during much of the run of "Twilight Zone" (and was the driving force behind moving TZ to videotape, arguably a very bad decision), concidentally, ended right around the time she worked on TZ in the episode "Young Man's Fancy." She played a very good role in it, opposite Alex Nicol, as Virginia Lane-Walker-Lane, in one of the shortest marriages in TV history! After divorcing Aubrey, she quickly remarried and had another very long marriage of over 45 years. She only appeared a few more times on screen after playing Ma Kent in 1978, preferring a quiet life on the east coast.

R.G. ARMSTRONG
(1917 - 2012)

R.G. Armstrong, distinguished character actor, passed away after a good, long life, at the age of 95 on 27 July. You can find R.G. in, literally, loads of TV episodes, where he played a lot of heavies and backwoods characters. One of his college chums was Andy Griffith, and it was only fitting that R.G. guested once or twice on Andy's show sometime later. Born in Alabama, he got into acting during his college years at the University of North Carolina, and also got into playwriting. He also attended the Actor's Studio for some time. Upon working his way west to Los Angeles in the early 1950s, he did his first film, "Garden of Eden" in 1954, and then made his home in television. Although he played his fair share of backwoods roughnecks, he could also be found in sensitive roles, like the one he did on TZ's "Nothing in the Dark". He retired from the screen in the 90s, and one of his last film roles was of course 'Pruneface' in "Dick Tracy." Four children survive him.

DORIS SINGLETON
(1919 - 2012)

Doris Singleton, aka Carolyn/Lillian Appleby, passed away of natural causes on 26 June. I mention Doris's "I Love Lucy" credit first because she's now immortalized as Mrs. Appleby, who was a longtime friend-slash-adversary of Lucy Ricardo. Doris played the role to a T and she was so good in it that the writers brought her back for many more episodes, including the famous Harpo Marx episode, done when The Ricardos go to Hollywood. Doris did a lot of television - being a "Perry Mason" fan myself, I always look forward to seeing the episodes Doris was in. On TZ, of course, she was the bitchy secretary who loathes McNulty (played by Richard Erdman) in "A Kind of Stopwatch". John Rich, director, hired her for the part; Doris was a semi-regular on "The Dick Van Dyke Show", which Rich was then directing. Doris essayed an interesting character on an early episode of "All in the Family" (again directed by John Rich) some years later, Mrs. Stonehurst, who shares a room with Edith (Jean Stapleton) when Edith hangs the jury. Doris was a very nice lady and I'm glad I crossed paths with her and got her onboard for signing the TZ trading cards. She lived a long and good 92 years and was always very generous to her fans. She wisely avoided the convention circuit but did participate in one or two of the big Lucy-related conventions around the time of the 50th anniversary of that show, and gave many interviews over the years.

WARREN STEVENS
(1919 - 2012)

Warren Stevens, who had the starring role as Nate Bledsoe (and who assumes the soul of a gangster) in "Dead Man's Shoes", passed away on 27 March at the age of 92. We were honored to have Warren at the two Los Angeles TZ cons, and he attended one of the ones held in New Jersey as well. He was a very kind man and we'll miss him. He was born in Pennsylvania and joined the armed forces at the young age of 17, then got into acting in the mid 40s and was accepted into the Actor's Studio. His first performances came with the live Actor's Studio broadcasts of 1948-49. He went on to appear on all the staple TV shows back in the 50s and 60s, as well as in films. Most people know him for his role in the cult classic "Forbidden Planet" alongside a number of other TZ alums. Warren infrequently attended scifi conventions and was always very kind to his fans. He semi-retired from acting in the early 80s but worked occasionally as the roles came his way. In the mid 80s he was privileged to return to TZ for the episode "A Day in Beaumont" (said Beaumont of course being a nod to the late TZ writer). Warren was very close friends with Doris Roberts and they appeared together in public at various events around town in recent years. Warren is survived by wife and three sons.

GEORGE LINDSEY
(1928 - 2012)

George Lindsey passed away on 6 May after a brief illness. Everyone of course will remember George as Goober Pyle, cousin of Gomer, but a few know him for another part he played - a complete 180 of Goober. On TZ, he portrayed Deputy Pierce, a lowlife scum of a cop in "I Am the Night - Color Me Black" right near the end of TZ's run. He always said that he enjoyed this role a lot, as it was a complete departure from Goober and other comedic characters that he was doing at the time, and continued to do. George made appearances in public with Don Knotts and other members of the "Andy Griffith Show" cast infrequently over the years. Of his work on "The Andy Griffith Show" and working with (then young) Ron Howard, he said, "We call him Mr. Howard now." Born in Alabama, George got a formal education before starting his acting career. He received a bachelor's degree and for a very brief time, was a schoolteacher before moving into the theater in New York, and then moving to L.A. to begin his TV career.

GEORGE MURDOCK
(1930 - 2012)

George Murdock passed away on 30 April of cancer. He was known of course for his one-line part in TZ's "The Dummy", playing the human version of Willie the dummy at the very end of Serling's miraculous episode starring Cliff Robertson. This was his first role, ever, on screen. He had a long and varied career, appearing on scores of TV shows, and he seemed to get a lot of roles playing judges. George was slated to attend our two Los Angeles TZ conventions but unfortunately he couldn't attend them, as he had other engagements that came up at the last minute.

Online Since 2002 * By Fans, For Fans.

Twilightzonemuseum.com is a non-profit website. We do not solicit donations, as that violates our purpose and mission and it's just downright cheezy (not to mention cheap!) However, every year since 2002, when this site debuted, we have had individuals and organizations sponsor the website for the costs of keeping it online - and thank you to our "media sponsor from Manhattan" for renewing their sponsorship through 2013. Of course, the sponsors benefit from the ads and links placed within this website. For information about advertising on here, please email oceanave@usa.net

TZ Merchandise?
We often get inquiries from people regarding purchasing props and photos signed by T.Z. actors. Here's the scoop - there are no more! 'The Prop Man', Bill DeVoe, is no longer manufacturing them. I sold off nearly my entire inventory of TZ autographed photos and other items and will not be acquiring any more. As far as signed TZ photos - I have a few left and sell a few of what very few I have left from time to time and will post on here when that happens. We're no longer responding to emails sent to the site about props. Thank you.

According to the epos systems the only items remaining are DVDs of the Stars of the Zone Convention Actor/Writer/Director panel discussions plus George Clayton Johnson's address at the VIP Dinner Celebration from 2002. In 2004 we did the same three panels with different actors/writers/directors, and there was a fourth panel of folks involved with "The New Twilight Zone" (from the 80s), led by Alan Brennert and including Harlan Ellison, Rockne O'Bannon, and others, and a FIFTH panel, a reading of "The Long Morrow", with Michael Dante and Kathy Garver starring in the parts played by Bob Lansing and Mariette Hartley in the original. The charge is $60 for all four of the 2002 panels ($6 shipping within USA) and the charge for the 2004 panels is also $60 (five for the price of four, plus $6 shipping within USA.) Purchasing both the panels of 2002 and 2004 is $110 (savings of $10, free shipping within USA.) Outside USA shipping - please inquire for cost. These are high quality Region 1 DVDs. Payment methods accepted are Paypal, cash, or USPS money order ONLY! If paying by Paypal, there is a surcharge of $6 if purchasing both sets, or $3 if purchasing only one set, due to Paypal's processing fees. Please email oceanave@usa.net to place your order or if you have further questions!

"FORGOTTEN GEMS FROM THE TWILIGHT ZONE"
on Kindle now!!

This two-volume set of books contains the scripts of "The Chaser", "The Trouble With Templeton", "Dead Man's Shoes", "I Dream of Genie", "Long Distance Call", "The Incredible World of Horace Ford", "The Encounter", "What's In the Box", "Come Wander With Me", "Number 12 Looks Just Like You" (both the original and shooting scripts) plus "Dreamflight" by W.F. Nolan and G.C. Johnson, which was bought by Cayuga Productions but never produced. Also included is a story outline for "Pattern for Doomsday" by Charles Beaumont. The scripts, plus commentaries for each, written by me, are included. Order today on Amazon.com or directly thru my publisher, BearManor Media, Inc. These two books round out the other books of TZ scripts of principal writers Serling, Matheson, Johnson, Hamner, and Beaumont (11 of the 22 scripts he did have been published...and I'm trying to see if we can get the other 11 printed at long last), The scripts of Montgomery Pittman (3 of them), plus a few assorted ones by various 1-episode contributing writers, will hopefully be in print someday. "Why script books??" well, if you're a film/TV school student, or a researcher, or hardcore enthusiast, these scripts read very, very well. And you can see differences between what was conceived and what was actually filmed.

Some Trivia and Fun Facts About Rod Serling
from Betty White

Is there anyone more awesome on TV than Betty White? She's not only a gem of an actor but she'll always be known as the first lady of television.

I recently re-read Betty's second book, published in 1995, entitled "Here We Go Again." It was intended to be her last book; by that point, Betty had been in shobiz for nearly five decades and was preparing for the natural possibility of "succumbing to Hollywood ageism." Thank God it never happened!! She has another book out now, entitled "If You Ask Me...And Of Course, You Won't" which was just released (May 2011), which I haven't read. But in "Here We Go Again", she talks a lot about Rod Serling and his game show days. Without breaking copyright, I will mention a few of the fun facts here:

1. Rod had an Irish Setter dog named Mike. Serling liked the name Mike (for instance, Mike Ferris was the character's name in the pilot he wrote to sell the show, and which served as Episode 1!) Rod brought Mike to Betty White's show "The Pet Set" one time.

2. Rod was no good at ad-libbing, nor was he a host by trade. He needed a script. He was a writer, after all. Betty, who of course was a staple part of dozens of game shows for over three decades, was on Rod's game show "The Liar's Club." Whenever the stage manager would give Rod the cue that only 15-20 seconds remained before cut-off, it would be painful for him - and all he could do was break up in laughter over it, along with the guests on the show. In 1976, after Rod's death, "The Liars Club" came back for 3 more years and was hosted by Betty's husband Allen Ludden of "Password" fame. Betty says it was the funnest game to play of all.

3. Rod and his wife Carol would dine with Betty and Allen often (The Luddens lived in New York and Los Angeles as The Serlings did.) When they met in New York, they usually went to a mutually favorite restaurant, Johnny Sproat's The Bat Rack, which had magnificent hand-made bar stools. Apparently Rod - as well as the others - were interested in just about everything and their discussions weren't at all limited to TV. Rod didn't like what was happening to TV at that time but he had great faith in it and believed that it was trying to be better (which it was in those days.) Had he lived, TV might have been different. Of course it would've been. Although with the state TV is in nowadays, it's that much more painful to think of what could've been.

4. Betty predicted, "When and if the Superhighway becomes a reality, don't be surprised to find Rod Serling in a driver's seat." Although Rod hasn't quite occupied such a position, his spirit certainly has, in a way. Other people as wise as Betty White, who worked in the biz at the same time Rod did, were well aware of Rod's clairvoyancy, which presented itself multiple times in his writing on "Twilight Zone."

TWILIGHT ZONE - On Location
Death Valley and Olancha, CA - Fifty Years Later!

Paul Giammarco, lifelong TZ fan and authority on the series, made a National Geographic-style trek to capture footage of the exact filming locations of "The Lonely", "I Shot an Arrow Into the Air", "A Hundred Yards over the Rim", "The Little People", and "The Rip Van Winkle Caper" - fifty years later. Check out this amazing video. Too bad James A. Corry's cabin in "The Lonely" didn't have bar stools!

ARLENE MARTEL: Mixed Messages

Arlene Martel, aka Arline Sax, who most people know for her roles on TZ, Outer Limits, and Star Trek, has a new book out. It's called "Mixed Messages" and looks to be a very interesting and enjoyable read. It consists of letters she exchanged with an ardent - and I do mean ardent - fan by email/Facebook. You can order this book from Amazon.com

"A Stop at Willoughby" - One Of Rod's Best

Rod Serling had a few favorites of the episodes he penned - "The Trade Ins" was one of his favorites. He never liked "Walking Distance" - I think he was one of the very few - but "A Stop at Willoughby" was another fave that he thought turned out much better than its predecessor. Jason Wingreen, who played the present-day Conductor - has always called it one of the highest points of his long career in TV and film ("Archie Bunker's Place", "Matlock", ad inf.) "I knew there was a very special quality about it when we were filming it," he said. 50 years hence, it remains as fresh and original...and ultimately saddening...as it was then. This photo was taken by Herman Darvick, and Jason Wingreen autographed it with a few of the Conductor's lines. The photo was taken in 2010 by Herman, with the intention of having Jason write the quote and sign it. A most unique and priceless item!

About This Site

The Twilight Zone Museum, this website, opened on 15 September, 2002, the month after the first Stars of the Zone Convention, the first ever "Twilight Zone" Convention, hosted by myself and Bill DeVoe in Hollywood, California. The website was opened because it was an attempt to complete the circle of "Twilight Zone" websites online at that time. The Twilight Zone Archives was and is online, and focused on the 'behind-the-scenes' aspect of the show (and now claims to be 'the #1 Twilight Zone website online, if for no other reason than its higher search engine listings.) As many of you remember, there was The Fifth Dimension, hosted by a fan from Texas. This was a wonderful site and for a long time was the most comprehensive one online. It was a treasure trove of information - coverage of each episode, and had numerous articles and information about virtually all of the things that sprang forth after Rod Serling created the show - movie connections, references in popular culture and on other TV shows and in films. I'm sure that guy spent into the tens of thousands of hours building it. There was also a very good message board there for a brief time in the late 1990s, [which still exists as The Twilight Zone Cafe, but only two or three folks from those early days remain active on the forum.] The site came online in 1996 and saw many transformations - including a name change from The Fifth Dimension to TheTZSite.com (after the band of the former name wanted the domain name for themselves.) There were also other assorted sites that filled in most of the gaps.

But the BIG gap had still not been filled. There was no real website that kept people informed of the current happenings related to the "The Twilight Zone." A convention had just been done, and like the show itself, had broken new ground and eventually spawned 4 more TZ conventions. Coverage of those events needed to be shared with the Twilight Zone public, especially those who could not attend. The actors - the people who really 'made' the show what it was, has been largely forgotten - they needed to be spotlighted again - and we found a good way to do it. They would be spotlighted in the form of their autographs. And luckily over the past decade, a very few of us got them to sign "Twilight Zone" production stills. Sure, they appeared in the episodes - but a personal signature on a piece of memorabilia makes it that much more valid. Not to mention, it makes for nice viewing, especially for those who know TZ really well. After all, "Twilight Zone" had some of the best casting in the history of television. And, those who recently departed Earth would be given a mini obituary. A decent, non-critical episode guide with an acceptable presentation was also in order. And if you look at the menu bar, you will see other things that are not to be found elsewhere, and we continue to add new stuff all the time. I suppose you could say that the Twilight Zone Museum attempts to provide what can't be found elsewhere. Material upcoming includes a page on Automobiles in the Twilight Zone, and TZ Studs n' Babes. Possibly!! One never knows.

TheTZSite.com eventually closed after being ordered to cease and desist; the website overstepped its bounds as far as copyright. Numerous audio files of dialogue and screen captures from each episode were included, as well as articles reprinted without permission, and CBS issued the webmaster with a cease and desist notice in mid 2004. Most of the sundry TZ websites have since fallen away too, but a few still remain. There were plans for a physical Twilight Zone Museum in Binghamton, NY, but they fell through for reasons unknown. I'm not exactly sure what they would have displayed, though. Not much still exists from the original show, and what does exist is in the hands of collectors and CBS, Inc.

So, there you have it. And this site will be online as long as humanly possible. We've been Serving Man for over seven years now! Figuratively. If you want literal, you'll need to talk to the Kanamits about it. They have the recipes.

Twilight Zone Museum

www.twilightzonemuseum.com

**Online Since 2002 * By Fans, For Fans.**

About This Site