The Twilight Zone Encyclopedia

IntroI like to read footnotes in history books. Oftentimes, they’re more interesting than the text itself. You learn the answers to questions you never thought to ask, & you begin to see oddities, ironies, & other factoids that enhance the reading experience. When the book in question happens to cover the history of film or TV, it can add a new dimension to your viewing experience as well. For instance, I never knew that actor Gig Young, the wonderfully talented star of “Walking Distance,” 1 of the top 10 episodes of The Twilight Zone, was a horribly depressed man who killed his wife & then committed suicide. The irony is that his character in the show, burnout case Martin Sloan, was teetering similarly at the edge of sanity.Consider this Encyclopedia as your compendium of footnotes on the greatest TV series of all time. People, places, & things related to the Zone are all here in more detail than you probably ever wanted. When you’re watching any installment of the series, you can turn to the corresponding episode entry for cast & crew lists, production details, & more. Or you can check out some of the key behind-the-scenes players you see in the credits, such as veteran cinematographer Clemens, George T. or composer Herrmann, Bernard. Or try Hicks, Chuck, & learn all about the colorful actor/stuntman who portrayed the robot boxer Maynard Flash in “Steel.” You’ll also find special features on the series as a whole—learn about its Ratings or which episodes focus on Time Travel. For a real sense of the man at the helm, I can’t say enough about Serling’s Last Interview, from journalist Linda Brevelle. It’s a fascinating window into the mind of a master storyteller only a few months before his premature death at age 50. I’ve also included every bit of information on “The Time Element,” Serling’s 1-hour episode of Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse that was, essentially, the pilot for The Twilight Zone. Since its 1959 debut, The Twilight Zone has been an indelible part of the American cultural fabric andremains one of TVs most influential series. Assembled with the full cooperation of the Rod Serling estate, this fact-filled collectible includes biographies of every principal actor involved in the series, and detailed descriptions of the characters they played. The hundreds who toiled behind the scenesproducer, writers, and directorsenjoy a place of equal prominence. The Twilight Zone Encyclopedia is two books in one: an episode-by-episode guide and a compendium of credits, plot synopses, anecdotes, production details, never-before-seen images, and interviews with nearly everyone still alive who was associated with the show. "A rich, fact-filled collectible, packed with vibrant history, amazing trivia, and rare photographs, The Twilight Zone Encyclopedia, assembled with the full cooperation of the Rod Serling estate, includes biographies of every principal actor involved in the series and hundreds who toiled behind the scenes - producers, writers, and directors. It is an exhaustive and engrossing guide, a compendium of credits, plot synopses, anecdotes, production details, never-before-seen images, and interviews with nearly everyone still alive who was associated with the show."--Page [4] of cover A rich, fact-filled collectible, packed with vibrant history, amazing trivia, and rare photographs, __The Twilight Zone Encyclopedia,__ assembled with the full cooperation of the Rod Serling estate, includes biographies of every principal actor involved in the series and hundreds who toiled behind the scenes—producers, writers, and directors. It is an exhaustive and engrossing guide, a compendium of credits, plot synopses, anecdotes, production details, never-before-seen images, and interviews with nearly everyone still alive who was associated with the show.