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
Maggie: Dana Dillaway

[edit] Opening Narration

"Street scene: Summer. The present. Man on a sidewalk named Lew Bookman, age sixtyish. Occupation: pitchman. Lew 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 a moment, Lew Bookman will have to concern himself with survival, because as of three o'clock this hot July afternoon he'll be stalked by Mr. Death."

[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, one that could even persuade Death, that was the center of the original agreement. Before leaving with Death, Bookman packs up his case of wares, remarking, "You never know who might need something...up there. Up there?"

Death responds, "Up there, Mr. Bookman. You made it."

[edit] Closing Narration

"Lewis J. Bookman, age sixtyish. Occupation: pitchman. Formerly a fixture of the summer, formerly a rather minor component to a hot July. But throughout his life, a man beloved by the children, and therefore a most important man. Couldn't happen, you say? Probably not in most places—but it did happen in the Twilight Zone."

[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.