CBS airs the sixth episode of Rod Serling’s anthology series The Twilight Zone. David Wayne stars in a script written by Serling.
Convinced that he’s on his deathbed every day, hypochondriac Walter Bedeker makes a deal with the devil: in exchange for his soul, Walter will be made healthy and immortal. He also has an escape clause: if he decides to renege on the deal for whatever reason, he will die. Walter immediately becomes the clumsiest man around, miraculously surviving numerous “accidents” in public places with many witnesses, and then suing for an insurance settlement. But the thrill of these incidents wears thin on him; he decides to commit a crime so heinous that he’ll get to experience (and survive) the electric chair. But when he’s sentenced to “mere” life in prison with no possibility of parole, will he be able to back out on his immortality?
written by Rod Serling
directed by Mitchell Leisen
music by Bernard Herrmann
LogBook entry by Earl Green