A Most Unusual Camera (16 Dec. 1960)
"The Twilight Zone" A Most Unusual Camera (original title)

When three dum-dum crooks get ahold of a camera that takes pictures of the future, they set out to make a quick fortune with their new toy.

Director:

John Rich

Writers:

Rod Serling (creator), Rod Serling

Stars:

Fred Clark, Jean Carson, Adam Williams

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
Fred Clark	...	Chester Dietrich
Jean Carson	...	Paula Diedrich
Adam Williams	...	Woodward
Marcel Hillaire	...	Pierre - Waiter

Storyline

Married couple Chester and Paula have broken into and robbed a curio shop, hoping to sell the loot for a handsome sum of money. Unfortunately, all of it turns out to be junk or fakes. All, that is, save for a mysterious camera. When they try taking a picture, it turns out to be from five minutes into the future. Soon Paula's brother Woodward joins them and the three decide to use the camera at a horse track to win big.

---

Plot Keywords:

camera | photograph | antique shop | horse racing | vision of the future | 

---

Genres:

Fantasy | Horror | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

---

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

16 December 1960 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cayuga Productions, Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

25 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

The horse pays 47.60 per $2 bet. He has around $200 to bet. When the horse wins, he says, "Ninety-five hundred bucks." It's actually $4760.

---

Quotes

Narrator: [Closing Narration] Object known as a camera, vintage uncertain, origin unknown. But for the greedy, the avaricious, the fleet of foot, who can run a four-minute mile so long as they're chasing a fast buck, it makes believe that it's an ally, but it isn't at all. It's a beckoning come-on for a quick walk around the block - in The Twilight Zone.

---

Connections

Referenced in The Pinball Arcade (2012)

User Reviews

A great episode? No. But it sure was fun to watch.

Some idiot criminals happen upon a camera that can predict the future. After a while, it's certain that either the camera is cursed and the future it shows is only negative and twisted OR the guys are just idiots and make their own horrid futures. Either way, it's fun to watch the knuckleheads slowly ruin their lives.

This episode is rather "light weight" compared to some of the more serious or philosophical Twilight Zone shows. However, despite being a bit silly, it did score high marks in the category of fun. Seeing Fred Clark and the rest as they totally waste this "gift" is a kick and very reminiscent of another funny and twisted Twilight Zone episode ("WHAT'S IN THE BOX") which starred William Demarest and Joan Blondell.