Online Since 2002! Thanks to our sponsors for 20 years and counting! Sponsors include individuals and companies who place text and print ads. If interested in advertising, send an email to andrew@andrewramage.com along with the type of ad you want, and we will provide you with affordable pricing.
FOR SALE - The Outer Limits Trading Cards and More! This is a one-of-a-kind collection! Check it out!!
Follow This Link to Our Facebook Page!
and don't forget to LIKE it! All major updates to this page are now posted on Facebook along with news, various contests and giveaways.
TWILIGHT ZONE IS NOW IN ITS 63rd SEASON OF RE-RUNS!!
Please read new
Scholarly Article on TZ Season 4 (.PDF) and TZ Season 5 (.PDF)
Earn Your Online High School Diploma at Northgate Academy!
DVDs OF THE TWILIGHT ZONE CONVENTIONS ARE AVAILABLE!!
It's now been two decades since the world's first-ever Twilight Zone Convention, which took place on August 24 and 25, 2002. For those who missed our two Los Angeles-based TZ Conventions, you're in luck! We have the 3 panel discussions done in 2002 available on DVD. The actor panel featured actors Cliff Robertson, Jean Carson, Jonathan Harris, Arlene Martel, Wright King, William Windom, Suzanne Lloyd, Kevin McCarthy, James Best, Anne Francis, and Suzanne Lloyd. The writer panel featured George Clayton Johnson, Earl Hamner, John Tomerlin ("Number 12 Looks Just Like You"), and Marc Zicree. The directors panel featured James Sheldon and Eliot Silverstein plus actors Susan Gordon and Ben Cooper (who appeared in their episodes). George Clayton Johnson's historic keynote address at the VIP Dinner Celebration, which can be viewed for free right here on this page, is also available on DVD. The 2004 panels: Actor panel with George Takei, H.M. Wynant, Shelley Berman, Gail Kobe, Bill Mumy, and Lloyd Bochner. Director/Producer panel with Ted Post and Del Reisman (both of these panels were hosted by Tony Albarella). Writer panel hosted by Andrew Ramage, with Gloria Pall (TZ actor and writer of her own TZ scrapbook plus 14 other books), Sandra Grabman (author of "The Albert Salmi Story"), Chris Beaumont (son of Charles Beaumont, TZ writer extraordinaire), Roger Anker (biographer of Beaumont), and George Clayton Johnson. There was a fourth panel of folks involved with "The New Twilight Zone" (from the 80s), led by Alan Brennert and including Harlan Ellison, Rockne O'Bannon, and others. The charge is $60 for all four of the 2002 panels
and the charge for all four of the 2004 panels is also $60.00. Shipping is FREE if within the US. Outside USA shipping - please inquire for cost, as we will have to calculate it These are high quality Region 1 DVDs. Please email andrew@andrewramage.com to place your order or if you have further questions!
Testimonials from a few of our happy customers: Mark D. from upstate New York writes:
"This is gold...a panel w/ Cliff Robertson, Anne Francis, Johnathan Harris? That's like asking, "If you had a "dream" dinner party, who would you invite?" These folks are on my list!
The banter, humor, and, sheer fun, makes for a great showing. What I liked about it especially, is that they didn't talk exclusively about the "Twilight Zone".
Anecdotes, personal stories, and the countenances of actors expressions/demeanor's as they relayed their stories, was a wonderful treat! Brings it alive. As a medium, moving pictures have something special to share as in writing & music & art...so very nice to have on record visually. Is there anything else out there right now that is comparable that documents the thoughts and feeling of cast members who are intertwined with this legacy?"
Roger from Massachusetts says: "Well worth it. Most of the legends you will see & hear have gone to the Great Zone beyond. Hear the stories share some laughs & maybe even cry a little when your done. You will enjoy these for a long time."
And from Frank A. from L.A.: "I enjoyed the videos very much! Thanks to your efforts we have an amazing document of many of those involved in a timeless show that otherwise wouldn't
exist. You've become an important part of the Twilight Zone universe!"
Death Valley, Lone Pine, and Olancha, California Trek
In 2010, Twilight Zone expert Paul Giammarco and a friend flew from the east coast to visit the shooting locations of "The Lonely", "I Shot an Arrow Into the Air", "The Little People", "The Rip Van Winkle Caper", and "A Hundred Yards Over the Rim". Their journey is documented in this video. Check it out, it's amazing.
WATCH HERE!
Check out our YouTube channel where you will find audio book videos of "Walking Distance", "The Lonely", "The Mighty Casey", "The Odyssey of Flight 33", "The Midnight Sun", and "The Monsters are Due On Maple Street" performed by Cliff Robertson, Jean Marsh, Fritz Weaver, Roddy McDowall, Lois Nettleton, and Theodore Bikel. You can also find a growing series of videos that document Andrew's 'TZ Doings' for the past 20 years. These were recorded in January and February, 2018 and are being released one at a time.
Check out the Terry Burnham Memorial Project Page. Thank you again to all of our donors who donated $3,594.00 to get this memorial tablet made and placed in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Terry's hometown of Long Beach! If you're in Long Beach, stop by and check it out!
CLICK HERE to read page 1 of the article about Terry Burnham that appeared in the Los Angeles Daily News on February 2, 2016 and CLICK HERE to read page 2.
Please read Michael De Sapio's New Scholarly Essays on TZ
WEBMASTER MESSAGE:
Dear Friends: News flash - as of 2016, this website has "merged" with our Facebook page! Due to the high hit numbers we get on Facebook, we've found that we're now getting about an equal number of people visiting the Facebook page, in addition to or instead of visiting this website. From this point forward, all major updates and (sadly!) TZ actor/director/crewmember obituaries will be posted exclusively on Facebook, although the page listing the Vital Stats will be constantly updated.
Also, for those of you who might not be aware, we were getting a large number of emails every month from folks asking if there will be any more Twilight Zone Conventions and we're now at the point where we can't take the time to answer them, so you may wish to save yourself an email. In case you were one of the wonderers, the answer is: "no, at least none that we will be organizing." We, along with almost all of those people who were employed by Cayuga Productions from 1959-1964 (as actors, writers, directors, et al), are retired now. However, we live in a free world, and anyone is free to organize their own TZ event. So, 'carpe your diem' and do another convention, with or without those who worked on TZ. Thanks for your interest, and please do have a look around the website at the coverage of some of the five TZ conventions that were done from 2002-2009. We also still get a fair number of emails about people who want props from the show. Our answer: "We don't have any and the ones that do exist out there are not for sale." We are also no longer selling the prop reproductions, great though they were. They were limited editions. Thank you kindly for your support! -Andrew
Your Ad Here! - Advertise With Us!
Twilightzonemuseum.com is a non-profit website. We do not solicit donations, as that violates our purpose and mission and it's just downright cheezy (not to mention cheap!) However, every year since 2002, when the site debuted, we have had individuals and organizations who have graciously sponsored the website by paying 100 percent of the costs of keeping it online. Of course, our sponsors benefit from the ads and links placed within this website. We get hundreds of thousands of page hits per month. For information about advertising on here, please email andrew@andrewramage.com Thank you!
STARS OF THE ZONE CONVENTION, 22 YEARS LATER...
Dear Visitors and TZ Convention Attendees,
August 2022 marked 20 years since the world's first-ever "Twilight Zone" convention, the Stars of the Zone Convention #1, which was held in Los Angeles on August 24 and 25, 2002. I was hoping to have a retrospective article about it completed and online by now, but due to my schedule, I will not have a chance to complete it for awhile. Such is life. The article is going to be long - literally, *so much* happened during that time that it's hard to assimilate it and write it in such a way that it will be something that others can enjoy reading (although, not everything in the process was wholly enjoyable and I'll hit on those things as well.) In the meantime, you can
CLICK HERE to read a few of my memories of the event, or look at the CONVENTIONS section of the website. Those two days were a milestone in TZ history. Looking back on it, I'm still amazed that it happened. It goes without saying that it took us a lot of work to get there and it was truly a once-in-a-lifetime thing. Just looking at a few of those now-old photos myself, I really wish I could go back to that weekend, as it was the beginning of so many great things. And...sigh...some of those who were with us that weekend have since left us and they are much-missed. TZ alum Carol Burnett's song "I'm so glad we had this time together" (which she sang at the end of her variety show every week) seems a very appropriate way to sum up the two Stars of the Zone Conventions. Bill DeVoe and I *sincerely* - and I do mean sincerely - thank all of those who attended the first convention - ardent TZ fans, plus the fifty-seven actors, two writers, and two directors (rounding up that many people was a remarkable feat in itself) and also those who worked closely with us to help make that weekend what it was.
-Andrew
"I never went to any Star Trek conventions. We do have a local event near
where I live. It's called Monster Bash. They do a very nice job on a somewhat
smaller scale. Yours was the first one I attended. I remember being very
star-struck at first. But then I felt more comfortable talking to the guests
once I realized that they were just as interested to talk with us, as we were with them. I have a great memory of sitting down to eat lunch in the courtyard
and having a nice old lady join me at my table. I did not know who she was,
but after talking with her for awhile, she told me that she was one of the
"fun girls" from the Andy Griffith show! It was Jean Carson! I had a nice chat
with her, and later she signed a photo for me. Those were the good ol' days!" - AJ, TZ fan from Pennsylvania (attended both of the conventions)
As I Knew Him - My Dad, Rod Serling
by Anne Serling
Rod Serling departed Earth over forty years ago. Since then, a few biographies have been done. With this publication,
we now get a glimpse into what it was like to live in the Serling household - with Rod Serling, who was not only the father of television, but her real-life dad. I'll defer to Carol Burnett's quotation about Anne's book, "Beautifully written. I laughed, I cried. I plan to read it again after I catch my breath." This is a very long-awaited publication and it is not to be unread!
ORDER NOW!
GEORGE TAKEI VISITS TZ CONVENTION 2004
George Takei was our featured guest at TZ Convention #2 in 2004, and this really delightful video was made by his management. He said at the time, "It was great to attend a Twilight Zone Convention; I attend so many Star Trek Conventions and don't get much of a chance to really talk much to
those who come to talk to me. It was also an honor to co-star in "The Encounter", aka "the banned Twilight Zone episode"! So check out the video.
TZ Merchandise?
We often get inquiries from people regarding purchasing props and photos signed by T.Z. actors.
Here's the scoop - there are no more! 'The Prop Man', Bill DeVoe, is no longer manufacturing
them. I sold off nearly my entire inventory of TZ autographed photos and other
items and will not
be acquiring any more. Thank you.
"FORGOTTEN GEMS FROM THE TWILIGHT ZONE"
on Kindle now!!
This two-volume set of books contains the scripts
of "The Chaser", "The Trouble With Templeton", "Dead Man's Shoes", "I Dream of Genie",
"Long Distance Call", "The Incredible World of Horace Ford", "The Encounter", "What's In the Box",
"Come Wander With Me", "Number 12 Looks Just Like You" (both the original and shooting scripts)
plus "Dreamflight" by W.F. Nolan and G.C. Johnson, which was bought by Cayuga Productions
but never produced. Also included is a story outline for "Pattern for Doomsday" by Charles Beaumont.
The scripts, plus commentaries for each, written by me, are included. Order today on Amazon.com
or directly thru my publisher, BearManor Media, Inc. These two books round out the other books of TZ scripts of principal writers Serling, Matheson, Johnson, Hamner, and Beaumont (11 of the
22 scripts he did have been published...and I'm trying to see if we can get the other 11 printed at long last),
The scripts of Montgomery Pittman (3 of them), plus a few assorted ones by various 1-episode
contributing writers, will hopefully be in print someday. "Why script books??" well, if you're
a film/TV school student, or a researcher, or hardcore enthusiast, these scripts read very, very well.
And you can see differences between what was conceived and what was actually filmed.
Some Trivia and Fun Facts About Rod Serling
from Betty White
Is there anyone more awesome on TV than Betty White? She's not only a gem of an actor but she'll
always be known as the first lady of television.
I recently re-read Betty's second book, published in 1995, entitled "Here We Go Again."
It was intended to be her last book; by that point, Betty had been in showbiz for nearly five
decades and was preparing for the natural possibility of "succumbing to Hollywood ageism."
Thank God it never happened!! In "Here We Go Again",
she talks a lot about Rod Serling and his game show days. Without breaking copyright, I will
mention a few of the fun facts here:
1. Rod had an Irish Setter dog named Mike. Serling liked the name Mike (for instance,
Mike Ferris was the character's name in the pilot he wrote to sell the show, and which served
as Episode 1!) Rod brought Mike to Betty White's show "The Pet Set" one time.
2. Rod was no good at ad-libbing, nor was he a host by trade. He needed a script. He was a writer, after all. Betty, who of course was a staple part of dozens of game shows for over three decades, was on Rod's game show "The Liar's Club." Whenever the stage manager would give Rod the cue that only 15-20 seconds remained before cut-off, it would be painful for him - and all he could do was break up in laughter over it, along
with the guests on the show. In 1976, after Rod's death, "The Liars Club" came back for 3 more years and was hosted by Betty's husband Allen Ludden of "Password" fame. Betty says it was the funnest game to play of all.
3. Rod and his wife Carol would dine with Betty and Allen often (The Luddens
lived in New York and Los Angeles, as The Serlings did, but they were usually in the same city at the same time.)
When they met, they usually went to a mutually favorite restaurant, Johnny Sproat's The Bat Rack in Santa Monica area of Los Angeles. Apparently Rod - as well as the others - were interested in just about everything and their discussions weren't at all limited to TV. Rod didn't like what was happening to TV at that time but he had great faith in it and believed that it was trying to be better (which it was in those days.) Had he lived, TV might have been different. Of course it would've been. Although with the
state TV is in nowadays, it's that much more painful to think of what could've been.
4. Betty predicted, "When and if the Superhighway becomes a reality, don't be surprised to
find Rod Serling in a driver's seat." Although Rod hasn't quite occupied such a position, his
spirit certainly has, in a way. Other people as wise as Betty White, who worked in the
biz at the same time Rod did, were well aware of Rod's clairvoyancy, which presented itself multiple times in his writing on "Twilight Zone."
About This Site
The Twilight Zone Museum, this website, opened on 15 September, 2002, the month after the
first Stars of the Zone Convention, the first ever "Twilight Zone" Convention, hosted by myself and
Bill DeVoe in Hollywood, California. The website was opened because it was an attempt to complete the
circle of "Twilight Zone" websites online at that time. The Twilight Zone Archives was and is online,
and focused on the 'behind-the-scenes' aspect of the show (and now claims to be 'the #1 Twilight Zone website online, if for no other reason than its higher search engine listings.) As many of you remember, there was The Fifth Dimension, hosted by a fan from Texas. This was a wonderful site and for a long time was the most comprehensive one online. It was a treasure trove of information - coverage of each episode, and had numerous articles and information about virtually all of the things that sprang forth after Rod Serling created the show - movie connections, references
in popular culture and on other TV shows and in films. I'm sure that guy spent into the tens of thousands of hours building it. There was also a very good message board
there for a brief time in the late 1990s and early 2000s, [which still exists as The Twilight Zone Cafe, and some folks from those early days remain active on the forum today.] The site came online in 1996 and saw many transformations - including a name change from The Fifth Dimension to TheTZSite.com (after the band of the former name wanted the domain name for themselves.) There were also other assorted sites that filled in most of the gaps.
But the BIG gap had still not been filled.
There was no real website that kept people informed of the current happenings related to the "The Twilight Zone." A convention had just been done, and like the show itself, had broken new ground and eventually spawned 4 more TZ conventions. Coverage of those events needed to be shared with the Twilight Zone public, especially those who could not attend. The actors - the people who really 'made' the show what it was, has been largely forgotten - they needed to be spotlighted again - and we found a good way to do it. They would be spotlighted in the form of their autographs. And luckily over the past decade, a very few of us got them to sign "Twilight Zone" production stills. Sure, they appeared in the episodes - but a personal signature on a piece of memorabilia makes it that much more valid. Not to mention, it makes for nice viewing, especially for those who know TZ really well. After all, "Twilight Zone" had some of the best casting in the history of television. And, those who recently departed Earth would be given a mini obituary. A decent, non-critical episode guide with an acceptable presentation was also in order. And if you look at the menu bar, you will see other things that are not to be found elsewhere, and we continue to add new stuff all the time. I suppose you could say that the Twilight Zone Museum attempts to provide what can't be found elsewhere. Material upcoming includes a page on Automobiles in the Twilight Zone, and TZ Studs n' Babes. Possibly!! One never knows.
TheTZSite.com eventually closed after being ordered to cease and desist; the website overstepped its bounds as far as copyright. Numerous audio files of dialogue and screen captures from each episode were included, as well as articles reprinted without permission, and CBS issued the webmaster with a cease and desist notice in mid 2004. Most of the sundry TZ websites have since fallen away too, but a few still remain. There were plans for a physical Twilight Zone Museum in Binghamton, NY, but they fell through for reasons unknown. I'm not exactly sure what they would have displayed, though. Not much still exists from the original show, and what does exist is in the hands of collectors and CBS, Inc.
So, there you have it. And this site will be online as long as humanly possible. We've been Serving Man for over twelve years now! Figuratively. If you want literal, you'll need to talk to the Kanamits about it. They have the recipes.
"I think Twilight Zone failed in terms of its consistency. It was very good some weeks, quite bad other weeks. But this, I think, is pretty much the track record of most television, by virtue of its desperate overexposure and the brevity of time allotted to us to produce something that is qualitative. But overall, I would say that it was a creative series. We did much more creating than we did imitating. I think we tried things---failed frequently, succeeded other times. But I think the mark of the show was the quite perceivable attempt at quality that went on in the show."
- Rod Serling
Comments, suggestions, or questions? Feel free to contact us. Thanks for dropping past...and be sure to stay within The Zone!
