Lew Bookman, Pitchman

Story: One for the Angels
Written By: Rod Serling
Series: The Twilight Zone (Original Series)
Season: 1

Ed Wynn stars as a kindly pitchman who love children and is being stalked by what looks like a businessman, but turns out to be death.  He learns he is due to die at midnight but makes a deal that he can live until he makes the biggest pitch of his life, the one he's always dreamed of doing.  Unfortunately Mr. Bookman plans to never make a pitch again so he can keep on living...and Death shows he can make other plans, if Bookman refuses to go, he'll take one of the small children he is so kindly too.  Bookman then does the big pitch he always wanted to do, trying to sell Death a bunch of ties until Death misses his appointment to take the girl. And now Bookman must meet his fate.  

I think this is a charming episode.  Wynn's always got that lovable persona that makes you want to root for him.  I mean in my childhood he was the guy from Mary Poppins who floated to the cieling because he couldn't stop laughing, so he'll always seem lovable to me. I can't imagine Ed Wynn as a villain, can you?  With all that said...I like the concept of the ending but seeing Death sweating and just NEEDING to buy those ties is a stretch.  It felt silly and didn't really land as much as I think the show needed it to.  But I forgive it because I like Wynn's performance and I like the overall concept, even if it is imperfect when it comes to the ending.

NEXT TIME: Rummy Gunslinger