The Twonky (1953)

Tweedy college professor discovers his new TV set is animate, apparently possessed by something from the future, and militantly intent on regulating his daily life.

Director:

Arch Oboler

Writers:

Henry Kuttner (story), C.L. Moore (story),

Stars:

Hans Conried, Janet Warren, William H. Lynn

Cast

Credited cast:
Hans Conried	...	Kerry West
Janet Warren	...	Carolyn West
William H. Lynn	...	Coach Trout (as Billy Lynn)
Edwin Max	...	Ed, TV Repairman (as Ed Max)
Gloria Blondell	...	Lady Bill Collector
Evelyn Beresford	...	Old Lady Motorist
Norman Field	...	Doctor
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Alice Backes	...	Offended Phone Operator #1
Trilby Conried	...	Baby
Joe Hawthorne	...	Man pushing grapefruit in wife's face
Al Jarvis	...	Mailman
Bob Jellison	...	TV Shop Owner
Lenore Kingston	...	Offended Phone Operator #2
Connie Marshall	...	Susie - Girl with football team
Gayle Pace

Storyline

The last thing College Lit Professor Cary West wants, while is wife is out of town, is a TV set to keep him company; but that's just what wife Carolyn has bought for him. He is relieved when the serviceman returns to collect the $100 deposit Carolyn forgot to give him; good, he doesn't have the money so the man can take the TV back! Only, a $5 bill he accidently dropped on the floor near the TV has suddenly developed 19 siblings, and the serviceman leaves, cash in hand. West soon realizes he has a major problem: the TV is alive. It lights his pipe, washes his dishes, vacuums his rugs. It also chooses what he can read, write, and marches around to military music; and It also zaps anyone who tries to harm Cary in any way, such as treasury agents investigating the duplicate $5 bills, the police who investigate a call placed by the TV set to the phone company requesting a 'female companion' be sent over for Cary's comfort, and a female bill collector who decides to move in til Cary pays ...

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Plot Keywords:

professor | sister sister relationship | bill collector | baby | traffic | 

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Taglines:

Out of Your Own Tomorrow... Out of Time and Space a Fearsome Power!

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Genres:

Comedy | Sci-Fi

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Company Credits

Production Co:

Arch Oboler Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min 72 min (TCM Print)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Shot in 1951, not released until 1953.

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Quotes

Cary West: You're driving on the wrong side of the road!
Old Lady Motorist: Not in England I'm not!
Cary West: Oh nooooo!

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Connections

Featured in Svengoolie: The Twonky (1995)

User Reviews

Twonky? Huh?

This film with the great Hans Conried is based on a sci-fi story by Henry Kuttner. The original story is wonderful about a little man who wakes us disoriented in a TV assembly plant. When the foreman asks what he does, he remembers he makes "twonkies." He does, in the form of a TV and disappears. Without this bit of knowledge, this film makes little sense in the beginning. Bit by bit, the information comes in as the hapless Cary West (Conried) is taken over by the Twonky. This theme of a TV coming into your home and taking over will be repeated years later by Spielberg with Poltergeist. Once you can establish this premise, this story unwinds beautifully. Hans Conried is at his best. Check this out. No great moments, no star-studded cast, just a simple message: TV sucks. No video for watch for it on the late show and check it out.