65 years ago, on October 13, 1961, Jesse Cardiff (played by Jack Klugman) faced off against the world’s greatest pool player, “Fats” Brown (Jonathan Winters). Jesse was eager to prove that he was even better than the legendary Fats. The only catch was that Fats was long dead and only visited from the afterlife so he could play Jesse. If Jesse won, he would be known as the greatest pool player who ever lived. If Fats won, Jesse would die. Jesse did win, but he found himself now fated to always have to play anyone who challenged him, even after he died. Fats Brown, meanwhile, went fishing.
It all happened on the 70th episode of The Twilight Zone. Written by George Clayton Johnson and directed by Buzz Kulik, “A Game of Pool” has never gotten as much attention as some other episodes, but it really is the epitome of a Twilight Zone episode. Jesse gets what he’s always wanted and discovers that everything comes with a price. Originally, this episode was meant to end with Jesse losing and Fats telling him that he would indeed die, but it would be far in the future with no one remembering or caring who he was. The version that aired had a more direct and less harsh ending.
“A Game of Pool” aired 65 years ago this week.
Previous Moments In Television History:
- Planet of the Apes The TV Series
- Lonely Water
- Ghostwatch Traumatizes The UK
- Frasier Meets The Candidate
- The Autons Terrify The UK
- Freedom’s Last Stand
- Bing Crosby and David Bowie Share A Duet
- Apaches Traumatizes the UK
- Doctor Who Begins Its 100th Serial
- First Night 2013 With Jamie Kennedy
- Elvis Sings With Sinatra
- NBC Airs Their First Football Game
- The A-Team Premieres
- The Birth of Dr. Johnny Fever
- The Second NFL Pro Bowl Is Broadcast
- Maude Flanders Gets Hit By A T-Shirt Cannon
- Charles Rocket Nearly Ends SNL
- Frank Sinatra Wins An Oscar
- CHiPs Skates With The Stars
- Eisenhower In Color
- The Origin of Spider-Man
- Steve Martin’s Saturday Night Live Holiday Wish List
- Barnabas Collins Is Freed From His Coffin
- Siskel and Ebert Recommend Horror Films
- Vincent Price Meets The Muppets
- Siskel and Ebert Discuss Horror
- The Final Scene of Dark Shadows
- The WKRP Turkey Drop
- Barney Pops On National TV
- The Greatest American Hero Premieres
- Rodney Dangerfield On The Tonight Show
- The Doors Are Open
- The Thighmaster Commercial Premieres
- The Hosts of Real People Say “Get High On Yourself”
- The 33rd NFL Championship Game Is Broadcast In Color
- The Sopranos Premieres on HBO
- Eisenhower Hosts The First Televised Press Conference
- The Twilight Zone Premieres On CBS
- The Wolverines
- Johnny Carson Talks To Vincent Price
- Christopher Lee Introduced Meat Loaf
- The 1983 Macy’s Fireworks Show
- The Premiere of Alfred Hitchcock Presents
- Nightmare at 20,ooo Feet
The 1980s version of The Twilight Zone remade this episode, albeit with the conclusion as it was intended originally.
For once, the remake was better than the original. The 1961 version, although enjoyable, finishes with a “be careful what you wish for” lesson that we’ve seen a million times before. George Clayton Johnson’s ending, the way he wanted it, was much better.
LikeLike