TWILIGHT ZONE, THE: THE DUMMY (TV)
Summary
One in this science fiction/fantasy anthology series hosted by Rod Serling.
Jerry Etherson is a struggling ventriloquist at a nightclub who is driven to drink because he is convinced that his dummy, Willie, is alive. Jerry's agent, Frank, does not share this conviction, chalking it up to Jerry’s drinking. Jerry claims he drinks only to take his mind off Willie, who seems to be slowly dominating his life.
Jerry, who has had psychiatric help, tries to rectify the situation by continuing his act with a different dummy, the bespectacled Goofy. However, the crowd is not as amused. After the show, Jerry returns to find Frank in his dressing room, stating that he’s leaving the club and finding a new profession. A surprised Jerry announces his plans to move to another town as he stuffs Willie in a locked trunk and leaves with Goofy.
However, as Jerry departs the club, he hears Willie’s voice in his head, taunting him. Try as he might, he cannot block out Willie’s influence, which causes Jerry to botch an attempt to date nightclub dancer Noreen. Jerry dashes back into the club, as Willie’s voice eggs him on. Frantically, Jerry tears the trunk open and smashes his nemesis to pieces, only to find that he has smashed Goofy by mistake.
Willie, seated on his couch, has a discourse with Jerry. When Jerry asks how he can be alive, Willie simply replies that Jerry made him alive. Finally, Jerry and Willie appear on stage in Kansas City … only this time, Willie has become the ventriloquist and Jerry is his dummy. Commercials deleted.
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Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: May 4, 1962 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:24:33
- COLOR/B&W: B&W
- CATALOG ID: B:55806
- GENRE: Drama, fantasy/science fiction
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, fantasy/science fiction; Ventriloquism
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 1959-1964
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Buck Houghton … Producer
- Abner Biberman … Director
- Rod Serling … Writer, Created by
- Lee Polk … Based on a story by
- Rod Serling … Host
- Cliff Robertson … Cast, Jerry Etherson
- Frank Sutton … Cast, Frank
- George Murdock … Cast, Willie
- John Harmon … Cast, Georgie
- Sandra Warner … Cast, Noreen
- Ralph Manza … Cast, Doorkeeper