by Sam Juliano
Note: This is the first in a new series that will be focusing on individual episodes of classic American anthology television series of the late 50’s through the early 70’s. The following shows will be well-represented: ‘Boris Karloff’s Thriller,’ the original Outer Limits, The Twilight Zone, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, One Step Beyond and Rod Serling’s Night Gallery. Gary Gerani’s seminal volume ‘Fantastic Television’ covered the anthology concept as well, though I will stay clear of sitcoms, and will basically examine the half-dozen or so shows that I have identified above.
The 67 episodes of Boris Karloff’s Thriller, a one-hour horror anthology that ran on network television from 1960-62, were later syndicated and for a number of years were a staple on the popular Sci-fi Channel. E bay subsequently supported the bootleg sales of various sets that included some of the better know episodes, and in the late 90’s Universal released six shows to VHS and laserdisc, with the LD quality so layered and luminous that some to this day argue it is still incomparable. While Universal moved forward at a snail’s pace releasing individual seasons of Alfred Hitchcock Presents throughout the first decade of the new millennium, they steadfastly stayed clear of bringing Thriller to DVD, in large measure because the sales on VHS and LD were reportedly very poor. But Universal has long been tagged with a reputation of indifference when it comes to their classic television holdings, and they opted to lease the series to Image Entertainment, who released all the episodes with generous extras in an August, 2010 box set that can now be had inexpensively. Image followed up the comprehensive box two years later with a single disc Thriller: Fan Favorites, which offered up ten of the very best episodes of the series on a single disc aimed at tempting neophytes with the larger purchase.
Though the Image release has helped to bring the landmark series to a good portion of the uninformed masses, the series still can’t be framed with much more notoriety than a curiosity, though seasoned genre fans have regularly attested that they grew up with the show, and have never let it go decades later. Some noted writers in fact ran a highly-successful blogothon, started in September, 2010, examining all 67 shows, and hosting some celebrated guests like cinematographer Ernest Dickerson and acclaimed horror scribe Tim Lucas. Horror maven Stephen King famously declared in his volume Danse Macabre, that “Thriller is the best horror series ever put on television” and he has stood behind that position in subsequent interviews.
The truth is that Boris Karloff’s Thriller is really a mystery-police procederal hybrid that didn’t take hold with viewers until the show’s producers decided to focus on gothic and expressionist horror after the first half of Season 1 failed to attract the numbers needed to continue at NBC. To be sure the mysteries and police procedurals that appeared from the beginning did not gain an audience, and a new producer William Frye was brought in to permanently, indeed radically, alter the show’s focus. The first episode Frye produced was “The Purple Room,” aired on October 25, 1960. A ghost story set in a mansion believed to be haunted, it was Thriller’s first horror entry, and was moodily directed by Douglas Heyes and shot by Bud Thackeray. Though Frye decided to go forward with a few non-horror entries that were still in preparation (the excellent “The Watcher” came up next) it was clear to studio executives that the series needed to develop new horror screenplays. After a few more hybrid episodes aired to low ratings, Thriller showcased two of it’s best horror episodes ever: The Cheaters and The Hungry Glass. A few more undistinguished mysteries and then the show wisely went exclusively with the scare quotient till it’s untimely cancellation before the send of the second season. None other than Alfred Hitchcock himself was a major reason why the network opted to close down the Thriller shop, but that’s another story that I hope to cover in one of the future pieces.
“The Weird Tailor” was the very first episode of the show that I watched. It’s funny how certain memories stay with you well into your middle ages years as vividly as if they had occurred yesterday. I saw it at the tender age of 7, while I was being baby sat by a lovely Irish woman who passed several years ago at 90. She was purportedly a big fan of horror and of Thriller, and the viewing of that show on October 16, 1961 caused some terrifying nightmares that scared me away from seeing the anthology show until it ran on syndication several years later – at a time I was older. I never quite remembered the show’s mise en scene, but the macabre denouement stayed with me many years till I got the chance to see the re-runs. “The Weird Tailor” is an early second-season episode written by Robert Bloch, a prolific writer of crime, horror and fantasy stories who is best known as the author of Psycho, which of course was adapted by Alfred Hitchcock for the legendary 1960 film with the same name. Block actually penned the teleplay from his short story. Directed by Hershel Daugherty, a prolific television veteran who helmed a total of sixteen Thrillers, including some of the best segments, the episode boasted eerie, expressionist cinematography by Benjamin H. Kline and an atmospheric score by series regular Jerry Goldsmith, one of the cinema’s most celebrated composers. Wholly compelling and containing some unnerving effects, “The Weird Tailor” by any barometer of measurement is surely among the half-dozen finest episodes of the series.
“The Weird Tailor” opens with a jolt: an inebriated young man named Arthur Smith stumbles home one night to find his father dabbling in black magic. Ignoring the warnings of dire consequences from the older man, and unable to maintain his balance the son falls forward into the circular boundaries, and promptly falls dead after a puff of smoke. Stunned and grief-stricken, but determined to bring his son back, Mr. Smith makes contact with a blind psychic named Madame Roberti, promising a great deal of money if his son can be resurrected. The woman warns him that “any man who defies God and nature has no fortune,” to which she is answered “You are playing with words Madame Roberti.” Responding with an ominous “You are playing with damnation” Roberti sends him to an unconvincing car salesman named Nicolai, who runs a business that’s a front for a black market for occult holdings, including a rare book titled “De Vermis Mysteriis” that the seller claims is one of only three left in the world. He asks a steep price – one million dollars – but Smith is too desperate to decline, and basically surrenders his fortune to obtain it.
Smith then visits a downtrodden tailor who just minutes before had been told that he had only a week more to pay his overdue rent, and asks for a suit to be cut to the exact specifications documented (and illustrated) in the book, and to be be crafted from the material that Smith has brought – colorless fabric that looks other worldly- exclusively by hand honoring exact times and hours on the specified dates. Smith promises the tailor, Erik Borg $500 for the adhered to and timely completion to be paid upon delivery. The tailor, a seeming chauvinist with a clipped German accent, ignores the opinion of his wife who opines the material is “unholy” and completes the assignment while his wife spends time in the back room with her special companion, a life-like dressmaker’s dummy she names ‘Hans’ with a skull crack, whom she lets know is “the only friend that I have in the whole world.”
Smith again reaches out to Madame Roberti, who informs him that Nicolai has been killed in a plane crash, a tragic end that she says is warranted after the evil he committed by selling the book. Smith implores Roberto to look into her crystal ball to find out his own fate, and a skull appears. The tailor meanwhile brings the completed suit to Smith, who now is unable top pay the money until funding comes through after his liquidation. Erik notices what appears to be a just-purchased icebox, and opens it to find the corpse of Smith’s son. A brawl ensues after Smith demands the suit without payment, and the tailor stabs Smith dead. Returning to Anna, he demands she burn the suit; she instead puts it on the dummy Hans who then comes to life and chillingly advances on Erik with facial and body movements that achieve utter ghoulishness (the dummy was brilliantly played by a professional meme named Dikki Lerner) After disposing of Erik he comes back to Anna with a fearful declaration that in resolve and temperament vividly recalls the ending the classic fifth-season Twilight Zone episode “Living Doll” when ‘Talking Tina’ issues her own ultimatum.
What ultimately elevates “The Weird Tailor” in the Thriller pantheon is the eccentric cast of characters. The blind Romanian fortune teller Madame Roberti as wonderfully played by Iphigenie Castiglione is appropriately humorless and knows from the beginning that her customer is headed for certain doom. One recalls the ominous card dealer played by Peter Cushing in Amicus’ Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors, who like M. Roberti sees what others can never discern. As the embittered Erik, Henry Jones projects fear, unease and desperation in an oddly stilted performance that includes such incessant bullying of his affectionate wife Anna (nicely played by Sondra Kerr) that his own demise seems warranted. Jones is at the center of the episode’s most memorable and chilling effects, including the graphics of a spider weaving its web while Erik is at the same time weaving with cloth tainted by the specter of evil. In the later scene at the pub Erik hallucinates, seeing the face of his landlord Schwenk, who has arrived to collect overdue money that of course cannot be paid. Schwenk’s face dissolves, yielding to the web again, which in turn unveils the faces of Smith and his dead son Arthur. The aristocratic Smith is played as a stock figure by George Macready, who admittedly lacks the personal warmth to convince as a character who would give up everything to attain something won by ill-gotten means, but Macready does negotiate obsession well enough, especially in the scene at the shop when he explains to Erik that everything must be done precisely as documented. Abraham Sofaer, who also appeared in the Thriller episode “The Prediction” evinces a comic countenance in his car salesman role, until he gets dead serious after learning he will become rich after one single sale.
It’s worth noting that Block again adapted his short story a decade later for a segment of the Amicus horror anthology film Asylum which starred Peter Cushing and Barry Morse, and was directed by veteran Roy Ward Baker. As effective as the 1972 film remains, it can’t match the atmospherics of the Thriller episode, nor is the central scare quotient -the dummy coming to life- as terrifying as it is in the earlier incarnation. Cushing, however, is more effective than Macready. “The Weird Tailor” is one of Thriller’s most effective hours, and over fifty years later remains one of the most frightening individual episodes of any show ever aired. A pristine transfer has been offered up on the Image set complete with an interesting, though tangent-prone commentary by Gary Gerani and the son of Thriller producer Doug Benton.
Fantastic post Sam! I’ve never seen a single episode of “Thriller,” although it airs Saturday nights on the classic TV channel MeTV. I will definitely have to catch it some time. I’m a huge “Twilight Zone” fan and have considered writing reviews for select episodes myself, so I can’t wait to read your write-ups. I think many of these classic horror/sci-fi series had some of the best writing on American TV but are often unfairly neglected because of their genre, so it’s really great to see you giving them the spotlight.
Felix—-
I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you jumping in here to express your great enthusiasm for the show and for classic television anthologies in general. Thrilled to hear you are a huge TWILIGHT ZONE fan as well, since I will be doing no less than about a dozen of that show’s most celebrated episodes over the duration of this venture. I did know that THRILLER was airing on MeTV, and I really recommend it unconditionally! I think you hit it on the nose when you assert that there was some of the best television writing during the Golden Age of the anthology shows, and that so many of these shows were greatly unappropriated well until re-runs brought them to new viewers. If you reach me at TheFountain26@aol.com I can discuss another way for you to see THRILLER, and I guarantee you will like it my friend! You have made my day.
Sam, I think the entire theme of ventriloquist dummies has produced chills for viewers. There seems to be built-in terror for the idea of a mannequin coming to life with simulated herky-jerky movement. I have seen The Weird Tailor (and many other Thriller episodes as you already know) and I am delighted you have taken up this new project. You are definitely the guy to do it. I remember a Twilight Zone show about a dummy, and another about mannequins in a department store. And then there is that Anthony Hopkins film Magic. Your reference to the ending of the TZ Living Doll is convincing. I hope to see Asylum at first opportunity. One again you have written with extraordinary skill and full knowledge of your subject.
Frank—
You make some terrific points here! Yes this sub-genre offers up all kinds of spine-tingling possibilities. Yes I know you have seen it as per past discussions, and I appreciate that you regard it highly. The TWILIGHT ZONE episode you mention is actually titled (appropriately enough) THE DUMMY, and it’s a superior piece for sure. I’d add here the 1929 Erich Von Stroheim film THE GREAT GABBO about a mad ventriloquist, and the one of the great British classics, the omnibus DEAD OF NIGHT from 1945, with it’s most unforgettable segment, “Ventriloquist’s Dummy” starring Michael Redgrave. There is by the way, a second TZ episode about a dummy titled CAESAR AND ME, which featured Jackie Cooper. I can help you out with ASYLUM. Thanks as always my friend for your invaluable contributions.
The TZ episode Frank refers to with the department store mannequins is “The After Hours,” with Anne Francis, and that is another very creepy one. There’s also one with Martin Balsam as a wax sculptor that has a particularly chilling ending, although I don’t remember what it’s called and I don’t think I’ve even seen the episode from the beginning. I believe there is something inherently unsettling about inanimate figures that are made to look like human beings, whether they are mannequins, dummies, dolls, etc., and “The Twilight Zone” exploited this for supreme results.
Ah Felix I know that Martin Balsam episode well! It’s titled THE NEW EXHIBIT, and I well recall being reprimanded back in the late 90’s for showing it to a fifth-grade class. While it worked for just everybody, one girl had nightmares, and the parent complained. Those wax figures were life-like and frightening. I plan to do that episode during the span when I write up the TZ’s. That episode was from the fourth season, which was comprised of one-hour episodes. The experiment was abandoned though, and the last and final season reverted back to the half-hour shows. I completely agree with you on the chilling AFTER HOURS, which is absolutely one of the best TZ shows, and much appreciate you identifying it here. And excellent framing of inanimate figures!
I love the Twilight Zone, but have never watched any of the hour episodes to the best of my knowledge. Are they ever included in the marathons that play every year? I can’t seem to recall any off the top of my head. The Martin Balsam one sounds familiar, but I may be getting him confused with other episodes I’ve seen (I know he appeared multiple times on the show).
Maurizio, the one-hour episodes were rarely included in the marathons, as the network seemed to be more comfortable with the half-hour format. Sad too, as in addition to “The New Exhibit” that fourth season offered up “On Thursday We Leave For Home” (James Whitmore is extraordinary in this show!) “Jesse Belle,” and the superlative “Miniature” with Robert Duvall, three of the very best of the TZs at any length. But I won’t deny that some of that season’s episodes were weak and padded, and this is why they scrapped the experiment. Yes, Balsam appeared in several episodes.
I am figuring that you may have seen “Miniature”. Robert Duvall is simply sensational in it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miniature_(The_Twilight_Zone)
Because of a lawsuit, this episode was not included in the syndication package for The Twilight Zone. It was finally re-aired in 1984 as part of The Twilight Zone Silver Anniversary Special. For this showing, the dollhouse scenes were colorized in an early public demonstration of the process.
Sounds like a great series will be unfolding on these pages. I need to play catch up with Boris Karloff’s Thriller. I have seen some episodes, but not this one. I have seen ‘Asylum’ and do know the story. Beautifully-written and observant, you make this most enticing. I can understand why and how this episode would have scared the beejesus out of a 7 year-old child, and why it would never be forgotten.
Thanks for the kind words Peter! I can certainly help you out in playing catch up! Give me a holler. I’d be interested in know if you think this episode is superior to Baker’s 1972 film. Yes, from childhood this always made an impression on me. Not the only time I was scared, but one of the most memorable instances.
Sam, I’m game. I’ll talk to you about it on Monday. I’m thinking I’ll look again at Baker’s film and make a direct comparison. Thanks.
Great stuff Sam. Your post has made me want to watch this whole series. I just put the first disc of season 2 at the top of my queue on Netflix. It contains The Weird Tailor and four other episodes. Will slowly get to all of them in time. I know you have expressed an affinity for this show many times in our discussions, but I’ve never felt the urge to watch. This essay finally did the trick.
Wow Maurizio!!! Talk about comments that really make the writer feel great!!! Can’t thank you enough for that, and am thrilled that you plan on investigating this classic horror show! While I love THE WEIRD TAILOR, there are some others that may even work for you more, including PIGEONS FROM HELL, THE GRIM REAPER, THE CHEATERS, THE INCREDIBLE DR. MARKESON, WELL OF DOOM, THE HUNGRY GLASS and WAXWORKS among others. Absolutely take it slow. And I must say I have a much better way to approaching this, than going with netflix, and will promptly reach you by e mail! Thanks again!
My tentative plans with this new venture is to cover a dozen episodes of each of the six shows I identified above and in this planned order:
Boris Karloff’s Thriller (June through September 2013)
The Twilight Zone (September through November 2013)
The Outer Limits (November through January 2014)
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (January through March 2014)
One Step Beyond (March through May 2014)
Night Gallery (May through August 2014)
Sam and readers, you can actually watch THE WEIRD TAILOR on you tube!
Fantastic Peter! And the print is quite nice I might add!
Great little kick off to a series of essays I’m sure is gonna bring back memories for many of us.
I’ve loved this show and this particular episode of THRILLER ever since I saw it in reruns on WPIX when I was kid. Usually only ever played in the afternoons and caught when I was home sick from school, shows like this and THE TWILIGHT ZONE were staples for every geek kid and intellect watching the tube back then. Sam, you are, once again, banging it out of the park and it’s precisely because you are in your main field of expertise with this kind of stuff just as you are when jotting down your feelings on classical music.
I have long known of your enthusiasm, hell, passionate love, for this particular anthology series and even in casual conversation you exude a kind of passionate excitement when you speak of these wonderfully creepy and atmospheric stories done for television.
Really interested to see what’s coming next in this series of essays!!!!
Dennis—-
I am delighted that you were able to take a look at this post, as I fondly remember our past discussions on this great series and this terrific episode. I can well imagine I was completely out of control, though much of my enthusiasm was stoked by the challenge of finding high-quality prints via booties on e bay, long before Universal finally gave the green light to Image. Of course there were the six episodes on the LD box and the tapes of the same episodes, but many of the greatest shows were still only available via inferior prints. I can’t remember being more excited in my time on WitD as when Seattle blogger Troy Olson told me that he had just heard the series would be coming out on DVD. I was on Cloud Nine for weeks though I did privately tell myself that I needed to get a life. So yes, I bring some genuine enthusiasm to this project, and I can only hope I can bring worthy discussion to match it. You my friend have hit the ball out of the park with this comment! Thank You! Next week’s episode is one you really like, that much I can tell you! And when I get to THE TWILIGHT ZONE I know you will be in your element lock, stock and barrel.
Congratulations, Sam, on your new series!
Your great account raises fascinating prospects. Mystery and horror would seem to sit well with television, it being a far more solitary venue. I’ll definitely watch the entry Peter has provided. And I look forward to catching up with others.
Thanks very much for that Jim! That is an excellent if defining point you make about the intimacy of television as serving as the perfect mode for mystery and horror that rely on story and the power of suggestion. THRILLER was one of the small screen’s greatest hours, and I’m delighted to resurrect the focus in the upcoming weeks. Thanks again my friend!
Sam, I just finished watching the you tube. It is frightening stuff, no doubt about it. And your analysis is simply first-rate. I vaguely recall some of the events and characters from years ago. But I always thought this was a Twilight Zone episode. Great idea to do the Anthology series as it will clear up a lot of confusion with viewers. This is some of the best television ever. I’m looking forward to next week’s entry already.
David, great to hear you watch THE WEIRD TAILOR this morning! It is understandable that all the 60’s anthology shows overlap in the sense that it is very easy to confuse a TZ with an OL or an episode of THRILLER. All had some of the same participants, and the themes and sub-genres were comparable. I urge you to watch some of the other episodes. Many thanks my friend!
Great review. I remember one Thriller episode when Karloff played a friend of a character played by Sidney Blackmer who was buried alive. It was as eerie as the Val Lewton movies.
Thanks very much John! The episode you are referring to is a very good one. It’s THE PREMATURE BURIAL, which is loosely based on the Poe short story. Great comparison with the Lewton films, as it’s spooky and atmospheric.