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| Walter Bedeker (David Wayne) contemplating an eternity behind bars. |
“Escape Clause”
Season One, Episode 6
Original Air Date: November 6, 1959
Original Air Date: November 6, 1959
Cast:
Walter Bedeker: David Wayne
Mr. Cadwallader: Thomas Gomez
Ethel Bedeker: Virginia Christine
Doctor: Raymond Bailey
Cooper: Wendell Holmes
Jack: Dick Wilson
Steve: Joe Flynn
Guard: Nesden Booth
Walter Bedeker: David Wayne
Mr. Cadwallader: Thomas Gomez
Ethel Bedeker: Virginia Christine
Doctor: Raymond Bailey
Cooper: Wendell Holmes
Jack: Dick Wilson
Steve: Joe Flynn
Guard: Nesden Booth
Crew:
Writer: Rod Serling (original teleplay)
Director: Mitchell Leisen
Producer: Buck Houghton
Production Manager: Ralph W. Nelson
Director of Photography: George T. Clemens
Art Direction: George W. Davis and William Ferrari
Assistant Director: Edward Denault
Casting: Mildred Gusse
Editor: Bill Mosher
Sound: Franklin Milton and Jean Valentino
Music: Stock
Writer: Rod Serling (original teleplay)
Director: Mitchell Leisen
Producer: Buck Houghton
Production Manager: Ralph W. Nelson
Director of Photography: George T. Clemens
Art Direction: George W. Davis and William Ferrari
Assistant Director: Edward Denault
Casting: Mildred Gusse
Editor: Bill Mosher
Sound: Franklin Milton and Jean Valentino
Music: Stock
Rod Serling's Opening Narration:
"You're about to meet a hypochondriac. Witness Mr. Walter Bedeker, age forty-four, afraid of the following: death, disease, other people, germs, drafts, and everything else. He has one interest in life and that's Walter Bedeke; one preoccupation, the life and well being of Walter Bedeker; one abiding concern about society, that if Walter Bedeker should die, how will it survive without him?"
"You're about to meet a hypochondriac. Witness Mr. Walter Bedeker, age forty-four, afraid of the following: death, disease, other people, germs, drafts, and everything else. He has one interest in life and that's Walter Bedeke; one preoccupation, the life and well being of Walter Bedeker; one abiding concern about society, that if Walter Bedeker should die, how will it survive without him?"
Summary:
Walter Bedeker is a hypochondriac who refuses to leave the comfort of his bed for fear of aggravating or contracting any number of imagined illnesses. His rude manner and the impossibility of satisfying Bedeker displeases his doctor and over-burdens his wife. When Bedeker muses aloud his displeasure at having to suffer sickly through such a short life as a mortal human, a man appears in his bedroom. The man is portly and dapper, introducing himself as a man of many names but suggesting that Bedeker call him Mr. Cadwallader. Bedeker quickly realizes he is dealing with the Devil.
Cadwallader offers Bedeker a life of immortality free of sickness. All Bedeker need do is sign the contract in Cadwallader's hand and Bedeker can live forever with nothing able to physically harm him. At first apprehensive about having to give up the usual price for such dealings with the Devil, his soul, Bedeker reasons that living forever means he beats the devil, for he must die if Cadwallder is to get his soul. Bedeker signs the contract and Cadwallder, before parting, informs him of an escape clause in the contract. Should Bedeker ever grow tired of living forever, all he need do is call upon Cadwallder and Bedeker will be freed from his contractual obligation of immortality. Contract signed, sealed, and delivered, Cadwallader departs and Bedeker begins his life immortal.
It is not long after, however, that Bedeker grows tired of his newfound invulnerability. He finds no thrill in life if nothing can harm him. He jumps in front of a bus and drinks poison to no ill effects. Finally, resorting to extremes, Bedeker decides to jump off the roof of his apartment building. His wife, in attempting to stop him, falls to her death. Though he didn't truly kill her, Bedeker sees this as an opportunity to try the electric chair, something that he believes might just be the thrill he's been looking for. He confesses to his wife's murder and is found guilty at his trial. The twist in the tale, however, is that Bedeker is not sentenced to death but rather to life imprisonment. For an immortal man, this means an eternity behind bars.
Cadwallader appears, offering Bedeker that escape clause in the contract. Bedeker reluctantly agrees and is taken away.
Walter Bedeker is a hypochondriac who refuses to leave the comfort of his bed for fear of aggravating or contracting any number of imagined illnesses. His rude manner and the impossibility of satisfying Bedeker displeases his doctor and over-burdens his wife. When Bedeker muses aloud his displeasure at having to suffer sickly through such a short life as a mortal human, a man appears in his bedroom. The man is portly and dapper, introducing himself as a man of many names but suggesting that Bedeker call him Mr. Cadwallader. Bedeker quickly realizes he is dealing with the Devil. Cadwallader offers Bedeker a life of immortality free of sickness. All Bedeker need do is sign the contract in Cadwallader's hand and Bedeker can live forever with nothing able to physically harm him. At first apprehensive about having to give up the usual price for such dealings with the Devil, his soul, Bedeker reasons that living forever means he beats the devil, for he must die if Cadwallder is to get his soul. Bedeker signs the contract and Cadwallder, before parting, informs him of an escape clause in the contract. Should Bedeker ever grow tired of living forever, all he need do is call upon Cadwallder and Bedeker will be freed from his contractual obligation of immortality. Contract signed, sealed, and delivered, Cadwallader departs and Bedeker begins his life immortal.
It is not long after, however, that Bedeker grows tired of his newfound invulnerability. He finds no thrill in life if nothing can harm him. He jumps in front of a bus and drinks poison to no ill effects. Finally, resorting to extremes, Bedeker decides to jump off the roof of his apartment building. His wife, in attempting to stop him, falls to her death. Though he didn't truly kill her, Bedeker sees this as an opportunity to try the electric chair, something that he believes might just be the thrill he's been looking for. He confesses to his wife's murder and is found guilty at his trial. The twist in the tale, however, is that Bedeker is not sentenced to death but rather to life imprisonment. For an immortal man, this means an eternity behind bars.
Cadwallader appears, offering Bedeker that escape clause in the contract. Bedeker reluctantly agrees and is taken away.
Rod Serling Closing Narration:
"There is a saying, 'Every man is put on Earth condemned to die, time and method of execution unknown.' Perhaps this is as it should be. Case in point Walter Bedeker, lately deceased, a little man with such a yen to live. Beaten by the devil, by his own boredom, and the by the scheme of things in this, the Twilight Zone."
"There is a saying, 'Every man is put on Earth condemned to die, time and method of execution unknown.' Perhaps this is as it should be. Case in point Walter Bedeker, lately deceased, a little man with such a yen to live. Beaten by the devil, by his own boredom, and the by the scheme of things in this, the Twilight Zone."
Commentary:
"Walter Bedeker was forty-four years old. He was afraid of the following: death, disease, other people, germs, drafts and everything else. He had one interest in life, and that was Walter Bedeker; one preoccupation, the life and well being of Walter Bedeker; one abiding concern about society, if Walter Bedeker should die, how would it survive without him. In short, he was a gnome-faced little man who clutched at disease the way most people hunger for security."
-"Escape Clause" by Rod Serling, Stories from the Twilight Zone (1960)
By the late 1950s, a television viewer was more likely to see a deal with the Devil story as a spoof on a situational comedy than in the form of serious drama, and the first foray into this evergreen story motif on The Twilight Zone was no different. In fact, of the many Twilight Zone episodes concerning the Devil or devil-like characters, only two, Richard Matheson's "Nick of Time" and Charles Beaumont's "The Howling Man," can be said to be entirely serious in treatment. Beaumont also tried his hand at the story type in the first season with the cruelly ironic episode, "A Nice Place to Visit." As late as the fourth season both Beaumont and Serling were still trying the story on for size with "Printer's Devil" and "Of Late I Think of Cliffordville," respectively.
David Wayne (1914-1995), who played the Devil himself in an adaptation of Stephen Vincent Benét’s “The Devil and Daniel Webster” for Sunday Showcase in 1960, brings a blackly humorous coarseness to the role of the hypochondriac Walter Bedeker. Wayne began appearing in films in 1940 and moved into television in the very early days of the medium, beginning on the live anthology series Actor’s Studio in 1949. Wayne appeared in one of the better, and better-known, episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, “One More Mile to Go,” directed by Hitchcock, as well as The Alfred Hitchcock Hour episode “The Thirty-First of February,” scripted by Richard Matheson (as Logan Swanson) from the novel by Julian Symons. Wayne later appeared in an episode of Rod Serling’s Night Gallery, “The Diary,” scripted by Serling and starring Patty Duke.
Martin Grams, Jr., in his book The Twilight Zone: Unlocking the Door to a Television Classic (OTR, 2008), notes that Serling possibly took the idea for "Escape Clause" from an episode of the horror radio show Inner Sanctum Mystery, "Elixir Number Four," which aired on February 12, 1946. Though the stories differ in treatment of the theme of immortality, it is the ending of "Elixir Number Four" which most resembles "Escape Clause." The radio episode features Richard Widmark as a man who commits murder to learn the secret of immortality only to be tried for murder and sentenced to life in prison after he has achieved immortality.
"Escape Clause" is a rather forgettable episode which still retains the high level of production value that characterized the series, particularly in the first season. As a half hour entertainment it's not bad but it lacks a unique concept or even a unique spin on an established concept and therefore feels a little empty and unsatisfying.
Rod Serling chose to adapt the episode into prose for his 1960 book Stories from the Twilight Zone and it must be said that it comes off as the dullest story in that otherwise excellent volume. Typically, Serling's adaptations highlight his talent for comedy, which does not always come off well in the filmed episodes, but "Escape Clause" remains uninteresting and unfunny in prose form.
"Walter Bedeker was forty-four years old. He was afraid of the following: death, disease, other people, germs, drafts and everything else. He had one interest in life, and that was Walter Bedeker; one preoccupation, the life and well being of Walter Bedeker; one abiding concern about society, if Walter Bedeker should die, how would it survive without him. In short, he was a gnome-faced little man who clutched at disease the way most people hunger for security."
-"Escape Clause" by Rod Serling, Stories from the Twilight Zone (1960)
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| Thomas Gomez as Mr. Cadwallader |
David Wayne (1914-1995), who played the Devil himself in an adaptation of Stephen Vincent Benét’s “The Devil and Daniel Webster” for Sunday Showcase in 1960, brings a blackly humorous coarseness to the role of the hypochondriac Walter Bedeker. Wayne began appearing in films in 1940 and moved into television in the very early days of the medium, beginning on the live anthology series Actor’s Studio in 1949. Wayne appeared in one of the better, and better-known, episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, “One More Mile to Go,” directed by Hitchcock, as well as The Alfred Hitchcock Hour episode “The Thirty-First of February,” scripted by Richard Matheson (as Logan Swanson) from the novel by Julian Symons. Wayne later appeared in an episode of Rod Serling’s Night Gallery, “The Diary,” scripted by Serling and starring Patty Duke.
Martin Grams, Jr., in his book The Twilight Zone: Unlocking the Door to a Television Classic (OTR, 2008), notes that Serling possibly took the idea for "Escape Clause" from an episode of the horror radio show Inner Sanctum Mystery, "Elixir Number Four," which aired on February 12, 1946. Though the stories differ in treatment of the theme of immortality, it is the ending of "Elixir Number Four" which most resembles "Escape Clause." The radio episode features Richard Widmark as a man who commits murder to learn the secret of immortality only to be tried for murder and sentenced to life in prison after he has achieved immortality.
"Escape Clause" is a rather forgettable episode which still retains the high level of production value that characterized the series, particularly in the first season. As a half hour entertainment it's not bad but it lacks a unique concept or even a unique spin on an established concept and therefore feels a little empty and unsatisfying.
Rod Serling chose to adapt the episode into prose for his 1960 book Stories from the Twilight Zone and it must be said that it comes off as the dullest story in that otherwise excellent volume. Typically, Serling's adaptations highlight his talent for comedy, which does not always come off well in the filmed episodes, but "Escape Clause" remains uninteresting and unfunny in prose form.
Grade: D
Notes:
-Director Mitchell Leisen directed two additional first season episodes, "The Sixteen Millimeter Shrine" and "People Are Alike All Over."
-David Wayne also appeared in an episode of Rod Serling's Night Gallery titled "The Diary."
-Thomas Gomez also appeared in the second season episode "Dust."
-Joe Flynn also appeared in an episode of Rod Serling's Night Gallery titled "The Funeral."
-Look for the signature of Mr. Cadwallader on a plague in the basement portion of the Walt Disney World ride Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.
-"Escape Clause" was adapted into a Twilight Zone Radio Drama starring Mike Starr.
-Rod Serling adapted his teleplay into a short story for Stories from the Twilight Zone (Bantam Books, 1960).
-"Escape Clause" was adapted into comic book form for the 1979 book Stories from the Twilight Zone (Bantam; a Skylark Illustrated Book) by Rod Serling, stories adapted by Horace J. Elias and illustrated by Carl Pfeufer.
-Director Mitchell Leisen directed two additional first season episodes, "The Sixteen Millimeter Shrine" and "People Are Alike All Over."
-David Wayne also appeared in an episode of Rod Serling's Night Gallery titled "The Diary."
-Thomas Gomez also appeared in the second season episode "Dust."
-Joe Flynn also appeared in an episode of Rod Serling's Night Gallery titled "The Funeral."
-Look for the signature of Mr. Cadwallader on a plague in the basement portion of the Walt Disney World ride Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.
-"Escape Clause" was adapted into a Twilight Zone Radio Drama starring Mike Starr.
-Rod Serling adapted his teleplay into a short story for Stories from the Twilight Zone (Bantam Books, 1960).
-"Escape Clause" was adapted into comic book form for the 1979 book Stories from the Twilight Zone (Bantam; a Skylark Illustrated Book) by Rod Serling, stories adapted by Horace J. Elias and illustrated by Carl Pfeufer.
--Jordan Prejean
Escape Clause from Season I is a fun episode featuring David Wayne and Thomas Gomez as the Devil. As this commentary states the theme has been done many times in different formats and most recently from the silver screen, Bedazzled staring Elizabeth Hurley and Brendan Frazier. Another episode of TZ that features the cunning Devil stars the sexy Julie Newmar which is a great episode but Albert Salmi's character sold his soul a long time ago as the Devil states. David Wayne does seem to have two facets of his personality. At first, he is the all consuming hypochondriac and is afraid of death at any cost and then after the good doctor pays him a home visit (what ever happened to those country doctors?), and he laments out loud life is too short, which enters Satan (Mr. Cadawaladar). After Walter Bedeker makes his deal he becomes cocky and self-serving to the point of accidentally killing his wife who slips off the roof of his apartment building. Walter subsequently phones in the accident and takes blame for the murder only to get life in prison and not the preferred "Old Sparky" death penalty. Soon afterwards, he invokes the escape clause whereby dies and relinquishes his immortal soul with Mr. Cadwaladar laughing hysterically! I have a problem though. If Walter can live indefinitely even when he has life in prison (for one murder? what about parole after 25-50 years?), at some point he would have the opportunity to be let out of his cell and since he has eternity, he could try taking a guard's gun and shoot his way out while bullets cannot hurt him when making a jail break!. The fun in this episode is that Bedecker makes many attempts to defy death and keeps collecting insurance money and the banter/interaction at the beginning of the episode between Bedecker and Mr. Cadwaladar. I would rate this episode as a C- and not the D by Jordan.
ReplyDeleteThere were indeed better choices to have otherwise been selected in at least the first two of Serling's TZ short story collections, rather than some of what he DID choose. Instead of The Mighty Casey, The Whole Truth, or Dust, how about The After Hours? Or Eye Of the Beholder? Or even Nightmare As a Child?. Serling, for so much that he could accomplish, certainly lacked the monopoly in making choices to highlight as needed the appeal to fans of TZ!!
ReplyDeleteThere were indeed better choices to have otherwise been selected in at least the first two of Serling's TZ short story collections, rather than some of what he DID choose. Instead of The Mighty Casey, The Whole Truth, or Dust, how about The After Hours? Or Eye Of the Beholder? Or even Nightmare As a Child?. Serling, for so much that he could accomplish, certainly lacked the monopoly in making choices to highlight as needed the appeal to fans of TZ!!
ReplyDelete"Escape Clause" is of course by Twilight Zone standards (especially season one standards) a mere trifle. However,the most pedestrian episode of TZ is generally light years beyond most other television. David Wayne,despite playing a thoroughly unlikeable character somehow always amuses me and Thomas Gomez as his Satanic Majesty is first rate. But then he always was in any part-Force Of Evil,Ride The Pink Horse,Key Largo...yes,even Beneath The Planet Of The Apes (his final role). I'd also give it a C-.
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