[eerie music]
(male presenter, off)
There is a fifth dimension
Beyond that
Which is known to man.
It is a dimension
As vast as space
And as timeless as infinity. s
It is the middle ground
Between light and shadow
Between science
And superstition
And it lies between
The pit of man's fears
And the summit
Of his knowledge.
This is the dimension
Of imagination
It is an area
Which we call
The twilight zone.
[music intensifies
Dramatically]
[cheerful music]
Right here,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Special July clean up sale!
Lovely things,
Calamine lotion,
Good for sunburns!
How about binoculars?
(male presenter, off)
Street scene
Summer, the present.
Man on the sidewalk
Named Lou Bookman.
Age, sixtyish.
Occupation, pitchman.
Lou 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.
In just a moment,
Lou Bookman
Will have to concern
Himself with survival.
Because as of o'clock
This hot July afternoon
He'll be stalked
By Mr. Death.
[ominous music]
[cheerful music]
[Lou laughs]
(children)
Hi, Lou!
(Lou)
Hello, darling!
Oh, here, here.
Oh, my goodness,
It is hot today!
Yeah.
Let's sit down.
What are you
Selling today, Lou?
Toys, Lou?
Are you selling toys?
I'll show you
What I was selling.
[chuckles]
There's one for you.
Thanks, Lou!
That's alright, Maggie.
Here, ricky.
Thanks, Lou!
Now the Lou Bookman
Social and ice cream hour
Takes place
Right after supper.
The regular
Turn now!
Don't forget!
Goodbye.
(chiidren)
Bye, Lou.
(Lou)
Don't forget
The ice cream, huh?
[humming]
[intense ominous music]
You're, you're
The man I saw
On the sidewalk today.
You were writing
In a book.
You are Lou Bookman,
Aren't you?
That's right.
Louis J. Bookman,
Is there something
I can show you?
Maybe something
In collar stays?
I'll get that.
No, Mr. Bookman.
I'm not here
To buy anything.
Now let's get
To business, shall we?
Louis J. Bookman,
Aged , right?
I'll be
In September.
Hm. Occupation,
Pitch man, right?
Yeah, that's right.
[chuckies]
Are you
A census taker?
Born in New York
City in .
That's right, .
Father Jacob Bookman,
Mother Flora Bookman.
Father's place of birth,
Detroit, Michigan,
Mother's place of birth
Syracuse, New York, right?
That's right.
My goodness,
[chuckies]
You got it all down
In that book there.
Yes, we have to keep
These things efficient.
Now today
Is the th of July.
And your departure's
At midnight tonight.
My departure?
[knocking at door]
Oh, excuse me.
Hi, Maggie!
The key's bad, Lou.
Can you fix it?
Oh, sure,
Come on right in!
Come on in.
(chuckles)
Let me see it.
Well, there's your
Trouble right there.
See that little cogwheel?
Well, you've been pushing
In that key when you were
Winding it. You see?
See? Now
It's all right.
See?
I'd introduce
You two, only I
Don't know your name.
No need.
I think I got it
Now, Lou.
This gentleman
Came here to ask me
A lot of questions.
What gentleman?
[ominous music]
That gentleman!
What gentleman?
(Mr. Death)
Mr. Bookman, she can't
See me or hear me.
Why not?
Why not what, Lou?
Why can't you
See him or hear him?
See who, Lou?
It works great now, Lou.
Thanks an awful lot.
See you after supper, huh?
Now wait a minute.
You haven't forgot
Your manners.
Aren't you gonna
Say goodbye?
Oh, yeah.
Good bye, Lou.
Thanks a lot!
No, no, I mean
To the gentleman there.
Oh, it's a game.
The invisible man.
Goodbye, invisible man.
See you
After supper, Lou.
[suspense music]
I can see you,
Yet she can't.
(Mr. Death)
Only those who are
To accompany me
Can see me.
Understand, Mr. Bookman?
Uh, Mr. Bookman,
Only those that are
To accompany me can see me.
Now don't you think
You ought to start making
Your arrangements?
Arrangem ents?
For what?
For your departu re.
My departure where?
[sighs]
You just don't get it.
I just will never
Understand you people.
You get the idiotic notion
That life goes on forever.
Of course, it doesn't.
Everyone has
To go sometime.
Go? You mean--
That's right.
And what I further
Don't understand
How little you appreciate
The nature of your departure.
Think of all
The poor souls who
Go in violent accidents.
The non precognition victims.
We're not permitted
To forewarn them.
You, Mr. Bookman,
Fall into the category
Of "natural causes."
"natural causes?"
Number one, I find you
A very devious sort,
Number two,
I think that
You're dishonest.
Number three,
Why don't you say
What you mean!
Mr. Bookman, I've done
Everything but phone
Your own undertaker.
How much clearer
Do you want it?
If you still
Don't know who I am
Then you're the dumbest
Man I've come up against.
[intense ominous music]
You are--
You're death?
Exactly, Mr. Bookman.
Now, shall we get
Down to business?
Time of departure
Is midnight tonight.
I trust that
Will suit you.
Preordination is
For death during sleep.
I assume this too
Will meet with
Your approval.
You'll find
This a relatively
Simple and painless--
No, just a minute.
I don't wanna go!
No, they never do.
But there's
No reason to go.
I'm a very healthy man!
Outside of a slight cold
I had last winter,
And a sliver that festered
In that finger there,
I don't think I've had
A sick day in years!
That may be,
But departure time
Is set for midnight.
And departure
Will be midnight.
Don't I have anything
To say about that?
We do listen to appeals
But frankly, Mr. Bookman,
There's very little here
In the way of an
Extenuating circumstance.
There are three major
Categories of appeals.
One, is hardship cases.
Now do you
Have a wife or family
Who might suffer beyond
A reasonable point
Your demise?
[softiy]
No, no family. No.
The second category
Is priority cases
Statesmen, scientists,
Men on the verge
Of discoveries.
I take it you're not working
On any major scientific
Pursuit at the moment.
[softly]
No [chuckles] no.
[firmly]
What's the third category?
I don't think you're
Qualified here either.
Unfinished business
Of a major nature.
You don't have
Any unfinished
Business, do you?
Ah, but I do!
Indeed I do!
That's it,
You see. I-- yeah.
I have some
Unfinished business.
Unfinished business, yes.
I've never flown
In a helicopter. That's it.
I've never flown--
(death)
Insufficient, Mr. Bookman.
Anything else?
Now you look here.
I've lived in this
Room for years.
And you keep popping up
In corners of the room
I've never even seen before.
Will you please
Stay in one place?
Is there anything
Else, Mr. Bookman?
Yes, yes.
I have never seen
A Zulu w*r dance.
Now that's
The answer right there.
So you'll have to give
Me a couple of months to go
Over to that Zulu country
No?
No. Unfinished business
Of a major nature
Is something a man
Had yearned for
And something
He might accomplish
Given an extension.
Well, there is one thing.
What is it, Mr. Bookman?
Well, between you and me,
I never made
A truly big pitch.
I mean, I mean
A big pitch.
A pitch big enough
For the skies to open up.
You know,
A pitch for the angels.
Of course,
It wouldn't mean
Very much to you,
But it would mean
A great deal to me.
It would mean
That for one moment
In my whole life
I would have done
Something successful.
It would mean
That maybe the children
Would be very proud of me.
The children?
Yes, yes, I've always
Had quite a fondness
For children, you know.
Yes, that's all
Here in the record.
The problem here,
Mr. Bookman, is that
You'd require delay until--
Until I make a pitch!
The kind of pitch
I was talking to you about.
The one for the angels?
That's right.
One for the angels.
I'm terribly sorry,
Mr. Bookman,
But, no.
You see, these categories
Are very specific
And when reference is made
To unfinished business
Of a major nature,
The only I nterpretation
To be made here
Is simply that--
What-- what I mean
Is that, uh,
Unfortunately, Mr. Bookman,
An ability to, to succeed
In a given
Professional venture
Is really hardly
Of a major--
Mean a great
Deal to you, does it?
A great deal.
All right,
Mr. Bookman.
Under the circumstances
I believe I can grant
You a delay.
Until--
What do you mean 'until?'
Until you've made this pitch.
I can live til then?
That's the agreement.
Oh, well I think
That's a fine bargain.
I didn't get your name.
Now, about
This pitch, Mr. Bookman,
When might
We expect it?
When?
Oh, soon.
You know.
Maybe not this year, maybe
Not for a couple of years,
[chuckles] but soon.
I have the very odd feeling
That you're taking
Advantage of me.
Oh, you have?
Well, that's a pity,
Because I am!
You'll never catch me
Making a pitch anymore.
You think you can
Fool me, eh?
[chuckles]
I'll hardly open
My mouth from now on.
[mischievous music]
Really, Mr. Bookman?
This is much more
Serious than you imagine.
It's much more complex
Than you realize, what
You've just done.
Here I've gone
Out of my way to help you
And this is the way
You repay me?
Mr. Bookman.
It won't just end here,
You understand?
There will be
Consequences, you see?
FYI, that means
For you in formation
You made your bed
And you shall have
To sleep in it.
We made a bargain
That I don't have to go
Until I make a pitch.
And you'll have to wait
Until I make that pitch.
I can say this
Without the least
Fear of contradiction.
Have you got
A long wait!
[chuckles]
That may well be,
Mr. Bookman,
But since you won't
Come with me,
I've been forced
To select an alternative.
[brakes screeching
And woman yelling]
[people shouting]
Maggie!
I swear
I didn't see her.
She jumped right
Off the curb and I
Had no chance to stop.
I swear to you
I never had no
Chance to stop at all.
Well, then someone
Send for a doctor!
Get an ambulance.
I'll call one.
(Lou)
You're gonna be
All right, darling.
You're gonna
Be just fine.
Hi, Lou.
Hello, sweetheart.
[intense ominous music]
Lou?
Yes?
Who's that man?
[ominous music]
Do you see him?
Yes, Lou.
Hey, wait a minute.
You can't take her.
No, siree,
You can't take her.
Now listen, I'll go.
Never mind the pitch.
I don't even want to wait,
I'll go right now.
You can't take her.
I'll go with you, I'll--
[ominous music]
(man)
How's Maggie, doctor?
(doctor)
I can't tell.
I can't tell.
Doctor?
It's hard to tell.
She's a very sick
Little girl,
But we'll know
Soon, she should have
A crisis by midnight.
By midnight?
I think by then.
He won't come here.
I won't let him come here.
[suspense music]
[intense ominous music]
Good evening,
Mr. Bookman.
You've got
Business in there?
I most certainly do.
It's quarter to : .
In minutes, midnight.
That's my appointment.
Mr. Death, that little
Girl's only years old.
I'm ready now.
I'm sorry, Mr. Bookman,
But I had to make
Other arrangements.
It's impossible
To change them now.
She's to come
With me at midnight,
So I must be
In there at midnight.
And if you're
Not in there?
It would be pretty
Much unheard of.
You see,
If I didn't get in there
At precisely midnight,
Then the whole
Timetable would
Be upset.
It's unheard of.
It's unheard of?
What are you
Doing, Mr. Bookman?
I'm just setting up
A pitch, that's all.
At this time
Of night?
Oh, I very often
Have a late sale.
Very often!
Not many customers.
Oh, they'll be here.
They'll come round--
You're here, anyway.
Oh, yes, I'm here.
But I'm afraid
I'm not much of a customer.
How do you know?
Have you seen my stock?
Take this lovely tie
Here, for instance.
Oh, oh, excuse me.
What does that
Look like to you?
It looks like a tie.
Feel it.
So--
Ladies and gentlemen,
If you will
Feast your eyes
On probably the most
Exciting invention
Since atomic energy.
A simulated silk
So fabulously conceived
As to mystify
Even the ancient
Chinese silk manufacturers.
An almost unbelievable
Attention to detail!
It has a wonderful
Work of weaving.
[suspense music]
(Lou)
Witness, if you
Will, a demonstration
Of tensile strength.
Feel that if you will, sir.
Unbelievable, isn't it?
As strong as steel.
Yet as fragile
And delicate
As Shantung silk.
(Lou)
Picture if you will
years
Of backbreaking
Research and labor,
To develop this.
The absolute
Ultimate in strength.
And what would
You expect to pay
For this fabulous,
I say fabulous, incredible,
Amazing development
Of the tailor's art?
Would you pay
dollars a spool?
? ? ?
Well, very well
You might, sir,
If you were trying
To purchase this
At stores.
But this fantastic thread
Is not available in stores.
It is smuggled in
By Oriental birds
Especially trained
For ocean travel.
Each carrying a bit
Quantity in a small satchel
Underneath their
Ruby throats.
It takes crossings
To supply enough thread
To go around one spool.
And tonight,
At my special
Get acquainted, introductory,
Mid-July hot
Summer sale
I offer you this
Fabulous thread
Not at
Dollars a spool,
Not at , not at ,
But at the ridiculously
Low price of
Cents a spool.
I'll take all you have.
(Lou)
Sewing needles, yarn,
Marvelous plastic shoelaces,
Genuine static eradicator
Will fit
Any standard radio,
Suntan oil,
Eczema powder,
Razors, athlete's
Feet destroyer,
How about some nice
Simulated Kashmir socks--
All right, all right.
I'll take it all.
All of it.
Right there.
(Lou)
And now for
The piece de resistance.
An item never before
Offered in this or any
Other country.
One guaranteed
Live human man saver.
How's that?
For what I ask
You sir, receive
A willing, capable,
Worldly, highly sophisticated,
Wonderfully loyal
Right hand man
To use in any
Capacity you see fit.
How's that?
Me!
Lou is J. Bookman,
The first model
Of his kind,
He comes to you
With an absolute guarantee
All parts interchangeable.
With a certificate of years
Service ability
He eats little,
He sleeps little,
He rests only occasionally,
And there he is
At your elbow
At you beck and call
Whenever you need him.
Mr. Bookman, you are
A persuasive man.
I challenge
Any other store
Wholesale house
Or industry
To even come
Close to matching
What I offer you here.
Because my dear man,
I offer you, I offer you--
[bells toll]
It's midnight!
It's midnight and I've
Missed my appointment!
Give her the sedatives
Every three hours,
Mrs. Polansky.
She'll be all right.
She just needs a lot
Of rest now.
[bells continue to toll]
She's all right.
One minute past
: , Mr. Bookman.
And you made me
Miss my appointment.
Thank god.
A most persuasive
Pitch, Mr. Bookman.
An excellent pitch.
Yes, it's quite a pitch,
Very effective.
It's the best
I've ever done.
It's the kind of a pitch
I've always wanted to make.
A big one.
A pitch so big,
So big that the sky
Would open up.
A pitch for the angels.
That's right,
A pitch for the angels.
[soft melancholy music]
Well, I guess it's
Time for me now.
As per our agreement.
Well, I'm ready.
After you, Mr. Bookman.
Oh, excuse me,
I forgot something
I'll be back in a minute.
You never know
Who might need
Something up there.
Up there?
Up there, Mr. Bookman.
You made it.
(male presenter, off)
Louis J. Bookman,
Age, sixtyish,
Occupation, pitchman.
Formally, a fixture
Of the summer,
Formally, a rather minor
Component to a hot July.
But throughout his life
A man beloved by the children
And therefore,
A most important man.
It couldn't happen, you say?
Probably not
In most places,
But it did happen
In the twilight zone.
(male presenter, off)
Rod Serling,
The creator
Of twilight zone,
Will tell you
About next week's story
After this word
From our alternate sponsor.
And now, Mr. Serling.
Next week, we invite
You to take a walk
Down a western
Frontier street
At the elbow
Of a doomed g*n man.
Whose salvations lies
In nothing less than
A magic potion,
And a colt .
Mr. Danduryea 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.
(male presenter, off)
Kimberly Clark invites you
To watch Steve McQueen
In "Wanted Dead or Alive,"
Saturday night over
Most of these same stations.
(male presenter, off)
The twilight zone
Brought to you by
Oasis filter cigarettes
The tobacco is soothed
For the softest taste of all.
And menthol
Misting makes it so.
[relaxing music]
(male presenter, off)
This is an oasis.
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This is an oasis, too.
Just as the mist of mountain
Dew refreshes a flower,
Keeps it fresh all day,
So the tobacco
In oasis is misted,
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The tobacco is soothed
For the softest taste of all.
And menthol misting
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(male presenter, off)
Twilight zone was
Brought to you by,
Kimberly Clark, whose
Helpful Kleenex products
Include Kleenex tissues,
Kleenex table napkins,
New Kleenex towels,
And Delsey bathroom tissue.