Living Doll (The Twilight Zone)

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“Living Doll”
The Twilight Zone episode

Talky Tina and Erich Streator (Telly Savalas)
Episode no. Season 5
Episode 126
Written by Jerry Sohl
(Credited to Charles Beaumont)
Directed by Richard C. Sarafian
Guest stars Telly Savalas : Erich Streator
Mary LaRoche : Annabelle Streator
Tracy Stratford : Christie Streator
June Foray : Talky Tina (voice)
Featured music Original score by Bernard Herrmann
Production no. 2621
Original airdate November 1, 1963
Episode chronology
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"The Last Night of a Jockey" "The Old Man in the Cave"
List of Twilight Zone episodes

"Living Doll" is an episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone.

Contents

[edit] Opening narration

“ Talky Tina, a doll that does everything, a lifelike creation of plastic and springs and painted smile. To Erich Streator, she is a most unwelcome addition to his household, but without her he'd never enter the Twilight Zone. ”

[edit] Synopsis

It's little Christie's birthday and she is excited about her new present. However, as they pull into the driveway, her mother, Annabelle, instructs Christie to run upstairs with her new doll, not to show it to her father. However, mother and daughter are stopped by Erich, as they enter the home. Christie is eager to show off her new present, a talking doll called "Talky Tina", which repeats "My name is Talky Tina, and I love you very much!" Erich demands to know how much it cost. Annabelle says Christie has wanted this doll for months and that she charged it. Erich angrily states that Christie does not need another doll. Christie flees the room, leaving Talky Tina behind.

Annabelle follows Christie, and Erich examines the doll. He hears it say "I don't think I like you", and throws it across the room. Annabelle re-enters, and we learn that Erich isn't actually Christie's father and is bitter because he cannot sire children; further, that Annabelle did not tell him she had a daughter until after they were married. Annabelle pleads with Erich to be kinder to Christie.

At dinner, Christie pretends to feed Tina. Erich becomes annoyed, and Annabelle declares that Tina is good for Christie, that it gives her someone to play with. Erich still believes that Annabelle bought Tina as a reminder that they cannot have children of their own.

"My name is Talky Tina, and you'll be sorry" (help·info)

Left alone with the doll, Erich hears it say "My name is Talky Tina and I'm beginning to hate you." He replies, "My name is Erich Streator, and I'm going to get rid of you." Tina exclaims "You wouldn't dare! Annabelle would hate you, Christie would hate you, and I would hate you." Erich places a match next to Tina, who gasps. He says "Then you have feelings!" The doll replies "Doesn't everything?" Erich accuses Annabelle of placing a walkie-talkie in Tina and speaking through the doll to "get back at him". She denies it.

Finding the doll, Erich puts it in the garbage, and when Christie seeks the doll, tells her he doesn't know where it is. He receives a phone call, and the voice on the other end says, "My name is Talky Tina, and I'm going to kill you."

He checks the garbage can, but Tina is gone. He again accuses Annabelle of teaming up with Christie to frighten him; she again denies it. Erich finds Tina in Christie's bed. Christie is asleep, but the doll speaks again and wakes her. Erich confiscates the doll as Christie cries and Annabelle walks in. Erich says "The doll was in her bed. She's the one that's been doing it." Christie cries "Daddy!" and Erich yells "I'm not your Daddy!" He tries to destroy the doll, but it is seemingly invulnerable; he hears it laughing at him.

He puts the doll back in the garbage can, with heavy objects on top of it, and hears it laugh. He returns to his bedroom to find Annabelle packing. She states that Erich needs to see a psychiatrist. Erich insists that the doll was talking to him, but offers to return it. When he takes it from the trash, he hears it say "My name is Talky Tina, and I don't forgive you."

Later, Erich is awake in bed, when he hears noises. He looks in Christie's room; Tina is gone. He walks down the stairs, but trips on Tina, falling down the stairs to his death. Annabelle screams "Erich!" and runs down the stairs. She picks up Tina who proclaims, "My name is Talky Tina...and you better be nice to me!"

[edit] Closing narration

Rod Serling's closing narration from Living Doll (help·info)

“ Of course, we all know dolls can't really talk, and they certainly can't commit murder. But to a child caught in the middle of turmoil and conflict, a doll can become many things: friend, defender, guardian. Especially a doll like Talky Tina who did talk and did commit murder, in the misty region of the Twilight Zone. ”


[edit] Episode notes

The doll used to play Talky Tina was a doll named Brikette that was made by the Vogue doll company. Brikette is a non-talker, except in the Twilight Zone. However, the inspiration for Tina was Chatty Cathy, a talking doll manufactured by Mattel. Cathy and Tina were both voiced by June Foray, who is most recognized as the voice of Rocky the Flying Squirrel and most female characters in The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show.

This well-known episode has been referred to and parodied many times since the episode originally aired.

[edit] References

  • Zicree, Marc Scott: The Twilight Zone Companion. Sillman-James Press, 1982 (second edition)
  • Photo and description of replica Brikette doll

[edit] External links

[edit] Twilight Zone links

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