"The Twilight Zone"
Take My Life... Please!/Devil's Alphabet/The Library (1986)

Directors:

Ben Bolt
John D. Hancock

Writers:

Anne Collins (segment)
Arthur Gray (segment)

TV Series:

"The Twilight Zone" (1985)

Original Air Date:

28 March 1986 (Season 1, Episode 22)

Genre:

Sci-Fi | Fantasy | Mystery | Thriller | Horror

Plot:

"Take My Life... Please!": A comedian finds himself in a tough gig in the afterlife. "Devil's Alphabet": In Victorian England...

Plot Keywords:

Assistant | Death Wish | Agent | Chimney Sweep | Anger

Cast

Charles Aidman	...	Narrator (voice)
Wayne Alexander	...	Cornelius (segment "Devil's Alphabet")
Candice Azzara	...	Carla Mollencami (segment "The Library") (as Candy Azzara)
Hywel Bennett	...	Grant (segment "Devil's Alphabet")
Xander Berkeley	...	Dave the angry comic (segment 'Take My Life... Please!')
Alan Blumenfeld	...	Edwin Dewett (segment "The Library")
Ray Buktenica	...	Billy's agent Max (segment 'Take My Life... Please!')
Osmund Bullock	...	Andrew (segment "Devil's Alphabet")
Christopher Carroll	...	Chimney Sweep (segment "Devil's Alphabet")
Cynthia Lea Clark	...	Showgirl (segment "Take My Life... Please!")
Frances Conroy	...	Ellie Pendleton (segment "The Library")
Ben Cross	...	Frederick (segment "Devil's Alphabet")
Stuart Dowling	...	Creditor (segment "Devil's Alphabet")
Jay Gerber	...	Man (segment "The Library")
Christopher Grove	...	Assistant (segment "Devil's Alphabet")
Uta Hagen	...	Gloria (segment "The Library")
Jim McKrell	...	Marty (segment "Take My Life... Please!")
Mimi Monaco	...	(segment "The Library")
Lori Petty	...	(segment "The Library")
Ethan Phillips	...	Deaver (segment "Devil's Alphabet")
Jim Piddock	...	Brian (segment "Devil's Alphabet")
Joe Santos	...	Doug Kelleher (segment "The Library")
Robert Schenkkan	...	Eli (segment "Devil's Alphabet")
Tim Thomerson	...	Billy Diamond (segment "Take My Life... Please!")

Tim Thomerson is outstanding as a shameless hack stand-up comedian

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

I've been a huge fan of Tim Thomerson every since he portrayed tough-as-nails detective Jack Deth in "Trancers." He's one of my all-time favorite character actors who's appeared in such excellent movies as "Uncommon Valor," "Near Dark," "Nemesis," and "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas." He usually plays laconic rough'n'tumble macho guys or goofy tongue-in-cheek parts, but Tim really shows his substantial dramatic range here as shameless hack stand-up comedian Billy Diamond, who steals whole bits and pieces of his act from other comics' routines. One fateful day Diamond gets fatally shot by a struggling comic he stole a gag from. He winds up in a particularly ironic kind of hell in which he's forced to talk about the worst things that happened in his life while an audience laughs uproariously at his abject pain and misery. Thomerson was a stand-up comedian prior to embarking on his acting career. He brings a real pathos and conviction to the role of the smarmy Diamond that's both surprising and impressive. His acting in this terrific episode rates highly as some of the best he's ever done and offers proof positive that Tim Thomerson is one tremendously talented and versatile actor who doesn't get the attention and accolades he deserves as often as he should.