ONE FOR THE ANGELS

Contents

Cast

Plot Summary

Trivia

Reference

External links

Cast

★ 'Lew Bookman': Ed Wynn

★ 'Mr. Death': Murray Hamilton

★ 'Maggie': Dana Dillaway

Plot Summary

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 lies 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."

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.

Reference

★ Zicree, Marc Scott: ''The Twilight Zone Companion''. Sillman-James Press, 1982 (second edition)

External links

★

★ TV Tome episode page