Once Upon a Time (The Twilight Zone)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

“Once Upon a Time”
The Twilight Zone episode

Buster Keaton and Stanley Adams in Once Upon a Time
Episode no. Season 3
Episode 78
Written by Richard Matheson
Directed by Norman Z. McLeod (with an uncredited sequence by Les Goodwins)
Guest stars Buster Keaton : Woodrow Mulligan
Stanley Adams : Rollo
Jesse White : Repairman
James Flavin : First 1962 Policeman
Gil Lamb : Officer Flannagan
Milton Parsons : Professor Gilbert
Warren Parker : Clothing Store Manager
Harry Fleer : Second 1962 Policeman
George E. Stone : Fenwick
Featured music William Lava (piano score played by Ray Turner)
Production no. 4820
Original airdate December 15, 1961
Episode chronology
← Previous Next →
"The Jungle" "Five Characters in Search of an Exit"
List of Twilight Zone episodes

"Once Upon a Time" is an episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone.

Contents

[edit] Opening narration

“ Mr. Mulligan, a rather dour critic of his times, is shortly to discover the import of that old phrase, 'Out of the frying pan, into the fire,' said fire burning brightly at all times in the Twilight Zone. ”

[edit] Synopsis

Woodrow Mulligan (Buster Keaton) is a grumpy janitor in 1890, dissatisfied with his time and place: A backwater town called "Harmony" with seventeen-cent cuts of meat, two-dollar hats, livestock freely roaming the streets, and penny-farthing bicycles that knock him down while going the speed limit (eight miles per hour). He works for Professor Gilbert, who has just invented a time helmet. Pouncing on the opportunity, Mulligan uses the helmet to transport himself to 1960, which of course turns out to be a surprise with even higher prices and more noise. He meets Rollo (Stanley Adams), a scientist and authority on the 1890s, which he regards as "charming".

Rollo tries to go back alone, but Mulligan jumps on him and they go back together. The 1890s turn out to be not entirely what Rollo thought of them. Mulligan, however, is relieved, and when he hears Rollo griping, he sets the helmet for 1960, puts it on Rollo's head, and sends him off.

This episode was one of the Twilight Zone's comedy episodes. The parts set in the 1890s have no sound, silent film speech cards and a saloon piano. Much is made of the fact that Mulligan shows up in the 1960s with no pants due to his getting run over by a "high speed" bicycle. A running gag is helpless Mulligan being chased by a policeman in both the past and the present!

[edit] Closing narration

“ 'To each his own' - so goes another old phrase to which Mr. Woodrow Mulligan would heartily subscribe, for he has learned, definitely the hard way, that there is much wisdom in a third old phrase which goes as follows: 'Stay in your own backyard.' To which it might be added, 'and if possible, assist others to stay in theirs' - via, of course, the Twilight Zone. ”

[edit] Trivia

 Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines.
The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.

Buster Keaton was one of the biggest stars of the silent era, starring in and devising elaborate stunts and gags for such classic comedies as The General and Steamboat Bill, Jr.. His career suffered with the advent of sound films, and he spent decades struggling in Hollywood. This episode was intended as an homage to his early work.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

[edit] Twilight Zone links

Languages