Unglaubliche Geschichten Once Upon a Time (1959–1964) Online

This is a clever episode of TWILIGHT ZONE that was comic rather than strange or tragic. Buster Keaton is Woodrow Mulligan, a janitor from 1890 America, works in a laboratory. He is constantly griping about the life problems around him: meat is too expensive (it's like $1.00 / lb. Unheard of!). He is always yelling after crazy speeders (on bicycles - autos haven't appeared yet). Griping to the end, he sees a helmet like device by a scientist, and puts it on and tries it. Suddenly he is in modern America. The beginning was a seven minute silent film. Now it is all noise, all talking, all beeping, all blowing. Keaton is here only a few minutes when he realizes that the world has changed and not for the better. He runs into Stanley Adams, a Professor Rollo, who realizes that Mulligan is from c. 1890 (he mentions President Cleveland). Rollo has always wanted to live in that charming, quiet age. He helps Mulligan get the helmet repaired, and they go back in time. Rollo gets bored after awhile, due to the lack of scientific equipment that he can use. Mulligan puts the helmet on him and sends him into the future. But now Woodrow is fully content with the quiet, simple age he lives in. He has found contentment.

In his last fifteen years Buster Keaton was frequently on television (many times for Allan Funt on CANDID CAMERA, where he could help set up sight gag tricks on the public). He did make a few films as well (most notably A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM and THE RAILRODDER). But he occasionally popped up in television plays and episodes. He is in his element here, presumably advising the director (old comedy film director Norman McLeod - he directed the Marx Brothers in HORSE FEATHERS) on the tricks he could do. Watch how Stanley Adams and he time Adams picking him up when he is snatching a pair of trousers he needs. In terms of timing it reminds one of gags he did in the 20s in films like SHERLOCK JR. The episode does show Keaton in fine fettle for a man in his sixties.

The appearances of Jesse White (here as a repairman, of all things) is always welcome. But look a bit at "Professor Rollo". Stanley Adams was a well known figure in movies and television from the 1950s onward to his tragic suicide in 1977. Plump, with unkempt appearance, and heavy, booming voice, his best known dramatic role was as the wrestling promoter in the film version of REQUIEM FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT (he wants Anthony Quinn to be a wrestler wearing a costume as an Indian). His best known television appearance was as the space trader who introduces the crew of the Starship Enterprise in STAR TREK to those furry, fertile little creatures "Tribbles" (as in "The Trouble With"). Adams was always worth watching (like Jesse White, and certainly like Keaton), enhancing most of the productions he appeared in. I have never understood his suicide, but it was a sad end to a first rate character performer.

Well now, this was certainly a surprise episode. In this anthology science fiction series, with all of this Alien Beings, Extraordinary Occurrences and many Brushes with the Hereafter, this episode would certainly rate as unusual. Its seemingly insignificant settings apparently not imparting any morale at story's end. Or does it? Kicking off with the Silent Movie Form, no recorded dialog, but having Musical accompaniment. In this case it's on the sound track, not utilizing the Playing of Organ or Piano by an on sight Musician. This part of the episode, along with the ending section, also made liberal use o Title Cards, just like "the Old Time Movies." While these Titles are a bit exaggerated and overdone, they are made so intentionally and with an affection for rather than any contempt for The Silent Film.

Veteran Comedy Film Director, Norman Z. McLeod, was the man in the Chair for this half-hour installment. He had been the Director of many of the greatest comedies of all time, featuring people like the Marx Brothers, W.C. Fields, Harold Lloyd and Danny Kaye. He was no stranger to to TV, as he had done a lot of work on Television Series.

It doesn't appear that he and Mr. Keaton had ever worked together before(as I cannot find any evidence of this)' but judging by the outcome of the film, they succeeded in doing so with flying colors! Anyone who directed Keaton was aware that Buster was also a fine comedy Director as well as a Comedy Player. He was just as comfortable behind the camera as he was in front of it. Their short partnership must have been a harmonious one, with 'give and take' about how to do things. It is apparent that many of the gags were Keaton's, resurrected from his own Silent Picture Days. For example, the gag of putting the pair of pants on with Rollo's(Stanley Adams assistance was done by Keaton and Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle in one of the Arbuckle 2 Reelers, THE GARAGE (1919). That was a clear example of his craft in a nutshell.

Buster knew that we film our world with a camera, rendering it a two dimensional image. This one fact is at the bottom of so many of gags. It is a Cardinal Rule for his film making.

The cast was small and once again just chock full-of veteran talent. Stanley Adams was Rollo and served as Mr. Keaton's straight man. Jesse White, the old 'Maytag Repair Man', ran the fix it shop that fixed the 'Time HJelmet'. Gil Lamb, serene veteran of RKO Short Comedy series, was the 1890's Cop. James Flavin, George E.Stone, Harry Fleer, Warren Parker, and Milton Parsons all rounded out this largely silent cast.

Without spilling the beans, let's just say that yes, there is probably a lesson to be learned here. If not the one already mentioned, "The Grass Always Looks Greener on the Other Side of the Fence!", then how about, "Be Careful in What You Ask For, Because You Just May Get It!"

Buster absolutely shines in this episode, which is the only vehicle I've seen towards the end of the career that allowed him to do the physical (and silent!) comedy that made him famous. It's still a shock to hear his gravelly voice in the talkie sequences - his voice is about the only thing I don't care for, as far as Buster is concerned - but his ability to take a pratfall is still unparalleled. He even repeats some of the gags used in his early two-reelers with Roscoe Arbuckle.

My deepest gratitude to Rod Serling for presenting us with this episode, and for giving Buster's genius full scope. He didn't have much time (one episode) to do it in, but this is a touching tribute to Hollywood's greatest genius.

This episode is just adorable, with the first scenes done sans sound with Buster Keaton being his amusing self. When a time-travel helmet takes him to a very noisy future, he falls in with two other comedic actors as he attempts to return home.

I won't claim this is Keaton at his best - there are some dumb moments, as when he gets locked in something, and there's not much to the story. But there are some wonderful gags, most notably a pants-changing gag that is as good as any classic Keaton, and shows the impeccably timing and physicality Keaton is known for.

Anyway, it's always nice to see Buster.

This episode of Twilight Zone combines a silent section (1890) with melodramatic acting and sight gags, an homage to the early Buster Keaton films. Lots of slapstick: Buster falling on a bulkhead door, falling in a puddle, running around pants-less. Silly scientist's invention of a Time Helmet, reminiscent of a Flash Gordon idea of what the future would be. Cheap prices, like $1.95 for ladies hats, or 17 cents a pound for beef seem outrageously high to Buster. Even the world of 1890 is too much for Buster/Mulligan. How shocking when he is mistakenly transported to the "modern" world of 1960! Buster was trying to go backwards! The "scientist" of that time wants to return to a calmer world, the 1890 that he has studied and admired. They go back together, and Buster/Mulligan is now happy and the "scientist" regrets not having electronic equipment, modern beds or an electric blanket. So Buster sends him back with the crazy helmet.

This Twilight Zone doesn't have a heavy message. Since Buster Keaton died in 1966, it is one of his last efforts. That's enough.

One other cute thing--longtime underutilized Maytag Man Jesse White is a repairman who fixes the Time Helmet--foreshadowing his washing machine career.

Buster Keaton who was born in 1895 and certainly has childhood memories of what we called The Gay Nineties, stars in this Twilight Zone salute to that era. Movies were just invented and they spoke in the language of pantomime and when we meet Buster he's a scientist of sorts working on some Rube Goldberg like contraption, a time traveling helmet.

By God the thing works though and he's soon in 1961 where he runs into another scientist played by Stanley Adams who kind of attaches himself to Keaton as they figure out a way to repair his helmet and take him back from whence he came.

It's not a great Twilight Zone episode, but it certainly displays Buster Keaton's amazing talents and it shows why he was one of the great comedy stars of the silent screen. Later on when movies began to talk and Keaton had that wonderful monotone sonorous voice that went right into his persona so well. But then Keaton was just a character player albeit a good one.

Fans of the great stone face will like this Twilight Zone story.

Using Buster Keaton in the twilight of his career was an interesting choice. He may have been the most talented comedian of the silent age. This gives him a chance to display those talents in a little time travel story. He get hooked up with a guy living in modern times, and it becomes obvious that we are best left in our own times Keaton is able to do his sight gags very well. I've heard his voice before. I believe he did some of those Beach Party films, playing some vacuous characters just to earn a few bucks. Serling seemed to have respect for him and portrayed him that way. It's not a bad story. It shows how one reacts when we wish for something we don't have and get that wish.

Rod Serling had a wonderfully recurring penchant for nostalgia and a desire to get back to the good old days. In this episode, the small town of Harmony, New York replaces the locales of Homewood and Willoughby of earlier stories. Interestingly, this one presents a more balanced picture from both sides of history, as the 'good old days' are shown as not all they're cracked up to be with the absence of creature comforts like frozen TV dinners and bikinis.

Just as cool as it was to see Buster Keaton winding down his career in this presentation, the presence of Jesse White as an appliance repairman is one of the great unheralded coincidences of modern times. Who knows, maybe he got the Maytag repair man gig from someone who saw this show. I had to chuckle, he owned 'Jack's Fix It Shop', whereas I grew up in a small village where a four mile drive would get you to 'Joe Fix-It's' place the next town over.

I always get a kick out of those stories that illustrate the price of things while I was growing up. In this case, the tale did one better by taking you back to the economics of 1890. In the space of seventy years, sirloin steak moved from seventeen cents a pound to a dollar forty nine. Holy cow, what kind of inflation is that? Today price increases like that can happen virtually overnight if you're not looking.

For those not aware of Buster Keaton's illustrious career in silent movies, don't judge him too harshly by this effort. I guess there wasn't much else for him to turn to some four decades after his heyday as a pioneer comedian in film. If anything, I would have preferred he call it quits right here rather than get saddled with an appearance in such travesties as "Beach Blanket Bingo". He probably should have put the time helmet back on and gone back to the early 1920's.

Silent film star Buster Keaton stars as frustrated janitor Woodrow Mulligan, who lives in 1890 but yearns for better days. He will get his wish when he puts on a "time helmet" that an inventor made, and finds himself transported forward in time 70 years, where he is lost and confused in our modern world, but meets up with equally dissatisfied inventor Rollo(played by Stanley Adams) who plots to use the time helmet to transport himself back to 1890, with or without Mulligan... Experimental episode where the 1890 setting is told in complete silence, with captioned subtitles doesn't really work, feeling forced and pointless, but remains innocuous enough to be mildly amusing.

Buster Keaton was a truly great, inventive comedian. The visual gag at the climax of 'One Week' with the train was fantastic. Unfortunately he had little success after making many of the greatest movies of the silent era. His comedy in silent movies is what timeless is really about.

He was never likely to recapture that greatness running about in his underwear, and in his old age, sporting a wretchedly silly time-travel enabling hat (but then again I don't know what an operational time machine should look like). Not a good script, and I lost count of how many times the line 'Don't touch my tools' was repeated. Zany support acting doesn't help. His absolute genius must not be overshadowed by this.

There was a little bit of light, novelty appeal for me in this, but that's about all.

This was a perfect blend of Keaton's wonderfully impossible humor and whimsy, and a wonderfully moral Twilight Zone tale. Keaton's silent film always portrayed a cold and cynical universe, but one that did always somehow end up caring about the idealistic Keaton. Keaton's plans and hopes are usually dashed to pieces by fate, but just as he seems doomed, fate steps in to help him. That is what happens here. Woodrow Mulligan hates the 1890s world that he lives in, but doesn't find the 1961 world he time travels to any better. Yet it is his adventures to the worse world that makes him happy to return to his own time. Keaton was one of the kings of silent comedy alongside Charlie Chaplin, Harold Lloyd, Harry Langdon, from 1922-1928. His films are the most amazing of them all the great silent film comedians. His sound career was uneven, at best. Most of his talking short films perhaps 50 or more, were amusing, but none amazing. He starred in about a dozen features between 1929 and 1936, and only three or four can be called good. His appearances in a dozen other features are small parts and cameos, with the exceptions of Charlie Chaplin's "Limelight," and "A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum," (his last film in 1965). Although these are great films and he is great in them, he is only onscreen in both for about four minutes. Was there ever a funnier time travel movie Than this little Twilight Zone episode? I don't think so. For more Keaton time travel, see his first feature film, "Three Age," (1923), a spoof of DW Griffth's "Intolerance."

I've seen this lighthearted episode several times and, I must admit, it never gets old.

Silent screen legend Buster Keaton plays the part of Woodrow Mulligan, a janitor working for an inventor back in 1890. He's dissatisfied with his job and the world around him as he sees it as becoming increasingly expensive and dangerous. After overhearing his boss and his helper talking about his latest invention, a time travel helmet, Mulligan decides to try it for himself. He propels himself 72 years into the future and a crazier and more dangerous place than he had left.

While there, he meets Rollo played by Stanley Adams (you may not know his name, but you've no doubt seen his face). Rollo imagines 1890 as the more desirable time. After having the helmet repaired, both men find their way back to 1890. Mulligan is quite content to be back, but Rollo misses the modern conveniences 1962 had to offer.

This episode was played mostly for laughs but, as with every Twilight Zone, there was a lesson to be learned from it. Both Mulligan and Rollo may have had their own ideas about how they imagined a different time than their own, but that doesn't mean they'll be happy there. Big thumbs up to Richard Matheson and Rod Serling.

Well, this was one of the strangest episodes because it wasn't scary at all in the slightest bit. It was actually really funny! A guy uses a helmet to travel from 1890 to 1962. He meets a guy there who wants to travel with him. There's no twist ending at all. It's just a completely funny episode!

Who knew "The Twilight Zone" could be so funny? This is actually a tribute to silent movies starring none other than Buster Keaton himself! The first and last bits are done just like a silent movie, although I doubt the technology was even that good in 1890. Keaton has to find new pants when he travels through time. I had no idea they'd make a completely comedic episode but it worked great! ****

Dour janitor Woodrow Mulligan (a delightfully spry portrayal by the legendary Buster Keaton) gets transported from the 1890's to the early 1960's courtesy of his inventor employer's time traveling helmet.

Director Norman Z. McLeod keeps the amusing story zipping along at a brisk pace and maintains an amiable lighthearted tone throughout. Richard Matheson's witty script pays affectionate homage to screwball silent movie era cinema. Moreover, it's a treat to see Keaton perform pratfalls with utmost skill and aplomb. Stanley Adams lends spirited support as merry scientist Rollo while Jesse White is a cranky riot as an irascible repair man. A total hoot.

I am one of the biggest fans of silent comedians and have probably reviewed more Buster Keaton films for IMDb than any other person. Every film he made from the beginning of his career to the early 30s with only two exceptions have I reviewed, so you can tell I am a major fan. It's because of this that I found this episode so painful and hard to watch. I loved this man's films and kept thinking "Buster, how could you?!". Well, now that I think about it, I guess I can see why Buster Keaton starred in this god-awful episode of THE TWILIGHT ZONE. He'd lost much of his fortune after a messy divorce in the early 1930s and his film career as a leading man was long passed as well. Now, in the 1960s, Keaton needed the money and loved his resurgence in popularity so he whored himself out to anyone willing to pay--appearing in Beach films and this mess of an episode of a great series.

The biggest problem with the episode is that it is just terribly written and Buster deserved much better. The show is supposed to be funny but isn't and instead of a homage to silent films is just painful to watch--particularly with Keaton putting that stupid time travel helmet on as well as all the poorly executed slapstick. Do yourself a favor, SKIP THIS ONE--it's a pale imitation of the greatness that once was Keaton's career!!!

They played this on the July 4th Twilight Zone marathon and this is, hands down, the worst Twilight Zone episode I've ever seen. It's completely out of sync with the rest of the series in its tone. Even though Twilight Zone is a pretty uneven series and many episodes end up being groaningly predictable, this one was completely out of place. Compare this to legendary episodes like "A Stop at Willoughby" or "Midnight Sun", and you realize there is no comparison.

Buster Keaton did what he could with such terrible material, and frankly it surprises me that someone of his historic comedy stature would stoop to the level of this episode. Even though he seemed to be giving it some effort, he MUST have needed the money... there's no other explanation.