Beachhead (10 Jan. 1967)

An architect's close encounter with a spaceship leads him to investigate a small town's hydroelectric plant.

Director:

Joseph Sargent

Writers:

Anthony Wilson, Larry Cohen (creator)

Stars:

Roy Thinnes, Diane Baker, J.D. Cannon

Cast

Episode credited cast:
Roy Thinnes	...	David Vincent
Diane Baker	...	Kathy Adams
J.D. Cannon	...	Police Lt. Ben Holman
James Daly	...	Alan Landers
John Milford	...	Sheriff Lou Carver
Ellen Corby	...	Aunt Sara
Skip Ward	...	John Brandon (as James Ward)
Bonnie Beecher	...	Mrs. Brandon
Vaughn Taylor	...	Kemper
Mary Jackson	...	Nurse
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dennis Cross
Shirley Falls
Dabbs Greer	...	The Minister
Charles McDaniel
E.A. Nicholson

Storyline

Architect David Vincent, too long without sleep, takes a side road in search of coffee. But Bud's Diner is closed and so Vincent does the only other thing he can: settles in for a nap. An hour later, at 5:00am, a ruddy glow awakens him. He sees the very unexpected: a space vessel landing nearby! Vincent races off to summon the authorities, but when he returns the dilapidated sign reads "Kelly's Diner" and the ship - if that's what it was - is nowhere around. The authorities dismiss his story by Vincent believes in what he saw, and sets out to find proof.

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Plot Keywords:

diner | spaceship | close encounter | small town | tube | 

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Genres:

Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Details

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 January 1967 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Quinn Martin Productions (QM), American Broadcasting Company (ABC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Contains music used in the Outer Limits Episode The Man Who Was Never Born.

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Quotes

Narrator: [Epilog Narration] How does a nightmare end? Not here, in the forgotten town of Kinney. Perhaps in Bakersfield. Perhaps in some undiscovered beachhead in another state or another continent. Perhaps for David Vincent, it will never end.

User Reviews

"The Nightmare Has Already Begun"

My 1st time seeing this classic series. Wow what a pilot episode! I'm hooked already! Just started to see this one. Roy Thinnes was the perfect casting for this role of "David Vincent" He has this weird but perfect look about him so naturally "normal" people look at him like he's crazy! Nice intro and the music is right on target! Great score by Dominic Frontiere. Excellent narration by Dick Wesson(A Quinn Martin production's common narrator)

Nice guest stars also. This one had a young Diane Baker(who so looked like a young Debra Winger it's uncanny!) the late great J.D. Cannon, the late great Ellen Corby aka "Grandma Walton", the late great Vaughn Taylor and last but not least the late great Dabbs Greer.