Twilight Zone: Season 1, Episode 32 A Passage for Trumpet
(20 May 1960)
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| Watch Episode 0Share... |
Twilight Zone: Season 1, Episode 32 A Passage for Trumpet
(20 May 1960)
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| Watch Episode 0Share... |
| Episode complete credited cast: | |||
| Rod Serling | ... |
Narrator
(voice)
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| Jack Klugman | ... |
Joey Crown
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| John Anderson | ... |
Gabriel
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Frank Wolff | ... |
Baron
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Mary Webster | ... |
Nan
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James Flavin | ... |
Truck Driver
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| Ned Glass | ... |
Pawnshop Man
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Musician Joey Crown is down on his luck. A recovered alcoholic, he can't find work because no one trusts him. Broke, he hocks his trumpet but then steps in front of truck which knocks him onto the sidewalk. He awakens in a strange world where no one can see him and he presumes he's died. He eventually bumps into someone who can in fact see him, a fellow horn player who tells him that it's still within Joey's power to decide on life or death. Written by garykmcd
While "The Twilight Zone" had many memorable episodes, few can touch this one for its subtlety and beauty. This is a prime example of what Rod Serling could do when he wasn't trying to be preachy or commercial.
An alcoholic trumpeter, sensing all of his chances are used up, attempts to kill himself, and runs into a seeming kindred soul. Within this seemingly simple plot, Serling's script comes up with some incredibly moving language (Klugman's monologue at the beginning is still one of my favorites), and the actors don't disappoint. Jack Klugman is magnificent as the lost soul, and John Anderson (as the kindred soul) is low-key but equally effective in his own way. Take these and some lovely direction (love the framing of Anderson's exit shot), and you'll find one of the series' best episodes.
If you get the chance, don't miss this one!