A World of Difference (11 Mar. 1960)
"The Twilight Zone" A World of Difference (original title)

A businessman sitting in his office inexplicably finds that he is on a production set and in a world where he is a movie star. Uninterested in the newfound fame, he fights to get back to his home and family.

Director:

Ted Post

Writer:

Richard Matheson

Stars:

Howard Duff, David White, Frank Maxwell

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
Howard Duff	...	Arthur Curtis / Gerry Reagan
David White	...	Brinkley
Frank Maxwell	...	Marty Fisher
Eileen Ryan	...	Nora Reagan
Gail Kobe	...	Sally
Peter Walker	...	Sam
Susan Dorn	...	Marion Curtis
Bill Idelson	...	Kelly (as William Idelson)

Storyline

A businessman sitting in his office inexplicably finds that he is on a production set and in a world where he is a movie star. Uninterested in the newfound fame, he fights to get back to his home and family.

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Plot Keywords:

office | actor | girl | dual role | airplane ticket | 

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Genres:

Fantasy | Horror | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 March 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

When Arthur Curtis first sees his wife in his office at the very end of the shot, the film goes in reverse for less than a second. You can see Arthur Curtis move backward and Mrs. Curtis' handbag swing back abruptly - both in the exact same motion as when going forward.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Narrator: [Opening Narration] You're looking at a tableau of reality, things of substance, of physical material: a desk, a window, a light. These things exist and have dimension. Now this is Arthur Curtis, age thirty-six, who also is real. He has flesh and blood, muscle and mind. But in just a moment we will see how thin a line separates that which we assume to be real with that manufactured inside of a mind.

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Connections

Remade as The Twilight Zone: Special Service (1989)

User Reviews

Truman Show Redux

What if all the world is, indeed, a stage? That's what this episode is all about. Howard Duff is playing two parts. One is a fading actor and the other a businessman with a family. He comes to realize he is part of a movie. He must battle against an overzealous director who knows his inconsistent past and the demands of his business. He strives for normalcy but is circumvented at every turn. The set/office becomes the haven but as with most sets, it gets torn down. There is such a hope for reclamation. The man moves toward the inevitable. Yet, in the end, he decides, and sets up the Serling epitaph. How are we to see the ending. That is if do or don't accept free will. It's an intriguing idea which has been done again many times.