TWILIGHT ZONE: THE PRIME MOVER (TV)
Summary
One in this science fiction/fantasy anthology series hosted by Rod Serling.
Ace, the manager of a small roadside café in Nevada, has financial woes, not helped by his penchant for gambling. His employees include his best friend Jimbo and his cashier Kitty; Ace and Kitty want to be married but he feels he can’t unless he has enough money to support both of them. A car suffers an accident outside the café and Ace and Jimbo rush to help get the passengers out from beneath live electrical lines. Suddenly Jimbo reveals that he possesses the power of telekinesis, and uses it to bring the car to safety, much to Ace’s shock. Ace brings Jimbo inside, where he recovers from a headache induced by the use of his ability. Ace asks Jimbo about his power and Jimbo explains that he always possessed the ability, but has no explanation for why. He notes that he gave up the use of the power long ago due to the headaches he suffered from using it, and notes that he got in trouble in school for using it. Ace has Jimbo demonstrate his ability by levitating his bed, and then gets the idea to use Jimbo’s powers to manipulate events such as coin tosses and the results of die rolls. Ace hopes to exploit Jimbo’s powers to cheat at games of chance and become rich.
Ace brings Jimbo and Kitty with him to Las Vegas, where Jimbo’s powers ensure that Ace accrues vast winnings in various casinos. Ace revels in his newfound wealth, but decides to take a rest when the use of Jimbo’s powers leaves him fatigued. They check into an upscale hotel to recuperate, where Jimbo feels regret for aiding Ace in cheating the casinos. Ace promises to stop after one more stint on the town. He invites Kitty to go out with him, but she wants to go home, feeling that Ace has already won more than enough and that he could easily lose it all, but Ace is hungry for more. Kitty is disgusted by Ace’s avarice and leaves, upset. Jimbo encourages Ace to run after Kitty, reminding him that she is more important than his winnings. He tries to stop her from leaving but she does so anyway. In the hotel lobby, Ace takes a liking to a cigarette girl named Sheila and “hires” her to accompany him. He also learns that “Big” Phil Nolan, a gangster from Chicago, is in town and wishes to challenge him to a high-stakes game. Nolan contacts Ace and accepts his challenge, despite Jimbo’s warnings that Nolan is dangerous. Jimbo is concerned that Ace is losing sight of his goal to marry Kitty, and that he is being swept up by his greed.
Later, Nolan and his retinue arrive to play Ace in a dice game. Jimbo uses his powers to help Ace win against Nolan, making him increasingly worried. Sheila joins them halfway through, much to Jimbo’s displeasure. Ace decides to bet everything to expedite matters, but Jimbo’s powers somehow expire and he is unable to assist Ace; he loses against Nolan, who takes all of his winnings. Ace and Jimbo return to the café, and Ace decides to renounce his gambling ways. He finally proposes to Kitty, who accepts. Unbeknownst to Ace, Jimbo still retains his powers; he only pretended that they were gone to persuade Ace to abandon gambling. Includes commercials.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: March 24, 1961 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 00:29:05
- COLOR/B&W: B&W
- CATALOG ID: B:66702
- GENRE: Drama, fantasy/science fiction
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, fantasy/science fiction; Gambling; Telekinesis
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 1959-1964
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV – Commercials – Halo shampoo
- TV – Commercials – Rapid-Shave aftershave
- TV – Commercials – Sanka coffee
- TV – Commercials – Wildroot hair gel
- TV – Promos – “My Sister Eileen”
- TV – Promos – “The Twilight Zone”
CREDITS
- Rod Serling … Executive Producer, Created by
- Buck Houghton … Producer
- Del Reisman … Associate Producer
- Richard L. Bare … Director
- Charles Beaumont … Writer
- Rod Serling … Narrator
- Dane Clark … Cast, Ace Larsen
- Buddy Ebsen … Cast, Jimbo Cobb
- Christine White … Cast, Kitty Cavanaugh
- Nesdon Booth … Cast, "Big" Phil Nolan
- Clancy Cooper … Cast, Trucker
- Jane Burgess … Cast, Sheila