A World of His Own
Encyclopedia
"A World of His Own" is an episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone
, and is the last episode of the show's first season.
) spots her husband, playwright
Gregory West (Keenan Wynn
), through the window sharing a drink in his study with Mary, an attractive blonde. When Victoria barges into the room, Mary is nowhere to be found.
Gregory explains to his wife that if he describes anything into his dictation machine, he can cause that thing to suddenly appear in his study. To make it disappear, all he has to do is throw the tape into his fireplace. He demonstrates this, first with Mary and then with an elephant in the hallway. Gregory discovered this talent when a male character he had put a great deal of effort and attention into approached him as a real, flesh-and-blood person, shook his hand, and thanked him.
Believing none of this (despite seeing the elephant with her own eyes), Victoria tells Gregory that he is insane and she is going to have him committed. In response, Gregory takes a tape from his safe and explains that it contains her description. Victoria snatches the tape away from him and throws it on the fire to prove he is insane, and promptly begins to feel faint. "You don't mean you were telling the truth?! You were right!" she cries, and disappears. Frantic, Gregory rushes to his dictation machine and begins to re-describe Victoria, then reconsiders, and instead describes Mrs. Mary West. Mary reappears and mixes her husband a drink.
Serling appears on the set
and says, "We hope you enjoyed tonight's romantic story on The Twilight Zone. At the same time, we want you to realize that it was, of course, purely fictional. In real life, such ridiculous nonsense could never—"
"Rod, you shouldn't!" interrupts Gregory, who walks over to his safe and pulls out a tape marked "Rod Serling". "I mean, you shouldn't say things as 'nonsense' and 'ridiculous'!" he continues as he throws the tape into the fire.
"Well, that's the way it goes," replies Serling, in a resigned tone as he fades away.
Nevertheless, Serling's voice comes in at the epilogue, as usual, and describes Gregory West as once again happy, and apparently in complete control of the Twilight Zone.
(in a rare humorous scene). This is also the only episode of the entire series where Serling appears on camera at the conclusion of the episode, not at the beginning. (He did appear in sponsor spots at the end of some episodes, but these were not part of the episodes proper.) From the second season onward, Serling began to appear on-screen at the start of each episode.
At the end of the first season, Kimberly-Clark
discontinued their alternate sponsorship of the series. A new sponsor began alternating with General Foods
that summer, Colgate-Palmolive
, primarily on behalf of Colgate
Dental Cream, as well as some of their other products (including "Veto" deodorant).
kills a man because he is mean to her. The doll, Talky Tina, threatens Annabelle at the end of the episode that unless she is nice to her, the same thing will happen. Annabelle drops the doll in shock.
The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series)
The Twilight Zone is an American anthology television series created by Rod Serling, which ran for five seasons on CBS from 1959 to 1964. The series consisted of unrelated episodes depicting paranormal, futuristic, dystopian, or simply disturbing events; each show typically featured a surprising...
, and is the last episode of the show's first season.
Synopsis
Coming home, Victoria West (Phyllis KirkPhyllis Kirk
-Early life and career:Born Phyllis Kirkegaard in Syracuse, New York , she contracted polio as a child which resulted in health problems for the rest of her life. As a teen, she moved to New York City to study acting and changed her last name to "Kirk"...
) spots her husband, playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
Gregory West (Keenan Wynn
Keenan Wynn
Keenan Wynn was an American character actor. His bristling mustache and expressive face were his stock in trade, and though he rarely had a lead role, he got prominent billing in most of his film and TV parts....
), through the window sharing a drink in his study with Mary, an attractive blonde. When Victoria barges into the room, Mary is nowhere to be found.
Gregory explains to his wife that if he describes anything into his dictation machine, he can cause that thing to suddenly appear in his study. To make it disappear, all he has to do is throw the tape into his fireplace. He demonstrates this, first with Mary and then with an elephant in the hallway. Gregory discovered this talent when a male character he had put a great deal of effort and attention into approached him as a real, flesh-and-blood person, shook his hand, and thanked him.
Believing none of this (despite seeing the elephant with her own eyes), Victoria tells Gregory that he is insane and she is going to have him committed. In response, Gregory takes a tape from his safe and explains that it contains her description. Victoria snatches the tape away from him and throws it on the fire to prove he is insane, and promptly begins to feel faint. "You don't mean you were telling the truth?! You were right!" she cries, and disappears. Frantic, Gregory rushes to his dictation machine and begins to re-describe Victoria, then reconsiders, and instead describes Mrs. Mary West. Mary reappears and mixes her husband a drink.
Serling appears on the set
Fourth wall
The fourth wall is the imaginary "wall" at the front of the stage in a traditional three-walled box set in a proscenium theatre, through which the audience sees the action in the world of the play...
and says, "We hope you enjoyed tonight's romantic story on The Twilight Zone. At the same time, we want you to realize that it was, of course, purely fictional. In real life, such ridiculous nonsense could never—"
"Rod, you shouldn't!" interrupts Gregory, who walks over to his safe and pulls out a tape marked "Rod Serling". "I mean, you shouldn't say things as 'nonsense' and 'ridiculous'!" he continues as he throws the tape into the fire.
"Well, that's the way it goes," replies Serling, in a resigned tone as he fades away.
Nevertheless, Serling's voice comes in at the epilogue, as usual, and describes Gregory West as once again happy, and apparently in complete control of the Twilight Zone.
Production notes
This is the only episode in the first season in which Rod Serling appears on-screen and breaks the fourth wallFourth wall
The fourth wall is the imaginary "wall" at the front of the stage in a traditional three-walled box set in a proscenium theatre, through which the audience sees the action in the world of the play...
(in a rare humorous scene). This is also the only episode of the entire series where Serling appears on camera at the conclusion of the episode, not at the beginning. (He did appear in sponsor spots at the end of some episodes, but these were not part of the episodes proper.) From the second season onward, Serling began to appear on-screen at the start of each episode.
At the end of the first season, Kimberly-Clark
Kimberly-Clark
Kimberly-Clark Corporation is an American corporation that produces mostly paper-based consumer products. Kimberly-Clark brand name products include "Kleenex" facial tissue, "Kotex" feminine hygiene products, "Cottonelle", Scott and Andrex toilet paper, Wypall utility wipes, "KimWipes"...
discontinued their alternate sponsorship of the series. A new sponsor began alternating with General Foods
General Foods
General Foods Corporation was a company whose direct predecessor was established in the USA by Charles William Post as the Postum Cereal Company in 1895. The name General Foods was adopted in 1929, after several corporate acquisitions...
that summer, Colgate-Palmolive
Colgate-Palmolive
Colgate-Palmolive Company is an American diversified multinational corporation focused on the production, distribution and provision of household, health care and personal products, such as soaps, detergents, and oral hygiene products . Under its "Hill's" brand, it is also a manufacturer of...
, primarily on behalf of Colgate
Colgate (toothpaste)
Colgate is an oral hygiene product line of toothpastes, toothbrushes, mouthwashes and dental floss.-Duraphat:Duraphat is a professional strength paste intended for the treatment and prevention of dental caries....
Dental Cream, as well as some of their other products (including "Veto" deodorant).
Other Twilight Zone credits
Mary La Roche also starred as Annabelle in the Twilight Zone episode, "Living Doll", in which a dollkills a man because he is mean to her. The doll, Talky Tina, threatens Annabelle at the end of the episode that unless she is nice to her, the same thing will happen. Annabelle drops the doll in shock.