One for the Angels

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“One for the Angels” is an episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone.

[edit] Details

Episode number: 2
Season: 1
Production code: 173-3608
Original air date: October 9, 1959
Writer: Rod Serling based loosely on a teleplay of the same name that aired as an installment of Danger on September 14, 1954
Director: Robert Parrish
Music: Stock

[edit] Cast

Lew Bookman: Ed Wynn

Mr. Death: Murray Hamilton

[edit] Synopsis

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

A salesman, Lew Bookman, is told by Death that he is to die at midnight. Mr. Bookman argues that as a salesman, his life's work is not quite complete. He convinces Death to give him a stay of execution until he can give one last, great sales pitch -- "a pitch for the angels" as Mr. Bookman puts it. Once Death agrees, Bookman then announces his intention to quit selling and find another line of work. He is proud of having outsmarted Death and virtually assured himself of immortality.

What Bookman hasn't counted on is that someone has to die at midnight. With his first victim out of reach, Death sets his sights on Bookman's best friend, a little girl who lives in the same building. Death arranges for her to be hit by a truck. As she lays comatose, he comes to claim her. However, as they wait for the appointed time, Bookman distracts Death with a sales pitch aimed at him. In fact, he is so compelling that Death is too enthralled to claim the girl. Midnight passes before Death even realizes that he has missed his appointment.

And so, Bookman has saved the girl's life and, in doing so, willingly sacrificed his own, since he has now made that last great sales pitch that was the center of the original agreement. Knowing this, Bookman contentedly accepts his fate and goes along with Death, who confirms that his final destination is "up there"--heaven.

[edit] Trivia

Among the many toys being sold by Lew Bookman is a Robby the Robot action figure. Robby the Robot would later appear in The Twilight Zone episodes "Uncle Simon" and "The Brain Center at Whipple's".

To avoid having the elderly Wynn filming too late, the night scenes were actually filmed during the day, with the soundstage covered over to simulate the nighttime setting.

[edit] External link

TV Tome episode page

[edit] Parody

In a Simpsons Halloween episode, Homer Simpson sells his soul to the devil for just an ordinary donut to eat. However, the Devil casually points out that the moment Homer finishes the donut, Homer will have to go to Hell. In a rare moment of intelligence, halfway through eating the donut Homer states aloud to the Devil that technically, according to the contract, the Devil gets his soul only when he finishes eating the donut. Homer then stops himself before eating the last bite of the donut, and the enraged Devil departs. Homer then keeps the "forbidden donut" piece in his refrigerator, vowing never to eat it. Unfortunately, he finally does eat it while sleepwalking. Homer goes to Hell. However, in a trial it is then pointed out that when Homer married his wife he promised her that his soul belonged to her, so he was never in a legal position to sell his soul in the first place. The Devil lets Homer go, but in parting revenge he turns Homer's head into a big donut.