Hometown of "Twilight Zone" creator Rod Serling

Several wistful moments in episodes of The Twilight Zone [1959-1964] were inspired by creator Rod Serling’s hometown of Binghamton, New York.

This statue of Serling was dedicated there last year. 

The carousel in "Walking Distance" [season 1, episode 5] was a nod to the one in Recreation Park, a few blocks from where Serling grew up. It is still in operation.

I also visited his childhood home. 

Alas, there was no twist ending.

"The Twilight Zone" interview: "Little Girl Lost" (1962), "Living Doll" (1963)

Introduction to the Twilight Zone interview series (including the list of interviewees).

Tracy Stratford (now Shaw) played the title character of "Little Girl Lost" (season 3, 1962) and a girl with a cold-hearted stepfather in "Living Doll" (season 5, 1963).

[NOTE: Here is the first time I interviewed Tracy…about Peanuts.]

How old were you when you were first cast in The Twilight Zone? 

I was 5½ when "Little Girl Lost" was filmed, six when it aired. 

How did you get the role? 

I got the role after going on an interview, but don't recall the specifics. 

Any funny or otherwise interesting anecdotes about the experience? 

They filled the stage with fog or dry ice and filmed it by pointing the camera into a reflecting ball in which my character was reflected, thereby making me look like I was floating and sometimes upside down. They wired the dog to my nightgown so that it looked like it was "leading" me out of the 4th dimension.

Did anything go wrong during either shoot? 

Nothing went wrong in either shoot that I can recall, although Mr. Serling thought people wouldn't be able to understand a child's voice, so the talking at the end of "Little Girl Lost" is not my voice. I guess he changed his mind when it came to the "Living Doll." Even the crying was me. 

If you had any interaction with Rod Serling, what do you remember about him? 

I remember him behind the cameras observing and giving input. He didn't really interact with the cast that I can recall. Perhaps he did with the adults off screen. 

What do you remember about Telly Savalas? 

I was scared (really) of Telly Savalas. He was intense to act opposite and pretty intimidating! And the fact that he was playing a bad guy didn't much help. I believe he really "lived his role" while he was working. 

What did you think of your episodes at the time? Did you understand them (especially "Little Girl Lost")? Did you like one more than the other, and if so, why? 

I think I preferred working on "Living Doll," even though I had to cry in it. It is definitely the scarier of the two, in my opinion. 

After they aired, do you remember specific reactions from family, friends, and the public? 

Anyone who has watched Twilight Zone usually knows "Living Doll." And everyone talks about how scary it was, and how much they liked it. A couple of weeks ago, someone told me that "Little Girl Lost" was the scariest show they'd ever seen. They used to have their parent crawl under the bed every night and check the walls to make sure they wouldn't get sucked into the 4th dimension. Rod Serling was obviously way ahead of his time, and was the master of scary!

Did being on a hit show have any social/psychological impact on you as a kid (i.e. in school, on dates, etc.)? 

The only drawback to acting while a child was that other kids at school, if they didn't know me, automatically assumed, because I acted, that I was a snob. To my friends, however, I was just me. 

Did you watch the show regularly? 

I did watch a lot of the Twilight Zones, and my favorite scary one is the one with William Shatner and the thing trying to rip apart the airplane wing ["Nightmare at 20,000 Feet"]! Now that was creepy! 

How long did your acting career last, and why did it end? 

I began when I was two and worked until I was 13 or 14. In some cases, unless a child actor is under contract with a particular studio, working as an early teenager became a bit difficult because of the child labor and schooling laws (8-hour work days, three hours of school during the school year). Many studios found it easier to hire 18-year-olds who looked younger to play early teen parts. No worry about school or working overtime for an 18-year-old. 

Have you ever missed acting?  

Occasionally. I missed the actual work more than anything. I did not miss having to go on interviews, however. That was my least favorite part.  

What are you doing these days?  

I am a teacher-librarian at a high school, which I love. Introducing students to great stories is where it all begins! I have also directed plays for elementary through high school students in my current district and in my previous district.

Where do you live? 

I have lived in Washington state for a long time now. We love it. 

If you have children/grandchildren, have they seen your Twilight Zone appearance, and if so, do you remember their reactions? 

My daughters have both seen Twilight Zone, and think it's pretty awesome. One of my grandsons has seen it; I'm not sure if my younger grandson has. But they both love stories and adventures—we talk a lot about books and great movies. 

Have you participated in a Twilight Zone event (reunion, convention, documentary, etc.)? If not, would you be open to doing so (i.e. meeting fans and signing autographs)?  

I have not participated in any Twilight Zone reunions—I didn't know there were any! I have participated in more things for A Charlie Brown Christmas than for anything else. 

Are you still in touch with anyone who knew you when you appeared on the show? 

I'm not sure what you mean by this question. Actors? No, I've not been in touch with either Telly Savalas, the lady who played my mom, or the directors. Friends? I am still in contact with friends who knew me then. 

When was the last time you watched your episodes? How did you think they held up? 

I cannot honestly recall the last time I watched either episode in its entirety. One of my daughters purchased the DVD of the shows because I didn't have a copy of them! 

Do you have any mementos from the experience such as candid photos, the script, or anything from the set? Autographed cigarette from Rod Serling? 

I have a few still photos and some newspaper clippings that my mom put into the interview portfolio book I would take to interviews. Casting people would look and see what you had done, who you had worked with as part of the interview process. 

Have you been interviewed before about this specifically? 

I don't believe I've been interviewed specifically about my work in Twilight Zone. It's come up occasionally in conversations, but never "interviews."

Do you have clippings from magazine/newspaper interviews/profiles published at the time? 

I do not have clippings from newspaper interviews. Just photos advertising the programs. 

How do you look back on your Twilight Zone experience? 

I loved the actual work as a kid. I loved watching how things were done, the setting up of lights and cameras, exploring sets, watching the rushes to see how things went during the shoots. 

If the experience changed your life in any way, how? 

Being a child actor was a unique experience. Acting taught me how to interact with a variety of people, taught me that being a believable actor meant that you had to "feel" what your character felt. That meant that you had to be empathetic and honest. The experiences taught me that there is way more to acting than the people you see on screen; the people behind the scenes are in many ways more important and have a more interesting role to play in creating the magic that is movies and television. All the people that I had the good fortune to work with taught me a lot about their own skills, how to be kind and honest, and how to treat others with respect—even curious kids, who may have been bugging them! Overall, I think I was very fortunate to have this experience growing up.

"The Twilight Zone" interview: "Five Characters in Search of an Exit" (1961)

Introduction to the Twilight Zone interview series (including the list of interviewees).

Mona Houghton played a girl stopping at a charity donation station in "Five Characters in Search of an Exit" (season 3, 1961).

How old were you when you appeared on The Twilight Zone?  

Ten. 

How did you get the role?

My father was the producer of the show and I was the right age. 

Any funny anecdotes about the experience?

I was a very active kid. I am sure in today's world I would have been heavily dosed with Ritalin, but in the fifties, people seemed to understand that kids needed to run around. My need was extreme. On the day of the shoot, I do remember my father, who understood me and knew full well that there might be several takes of the scene I was in, spent most of the morning walking me around the back lot at in the hopes of depleting my seemingly bottomless reservoir of energy.  

Did anything go wrong during the shoot? 

As I remember it, the day moved forward without a hitch.  

If you had any interaction with Rod Serling, what do you remember about him? 

I remember Rod more from seeing him with my father in social settings. They'd be having a scotch and smoking cigarettes and talking about Jack Kennedy or the Soviets launching the first man into outer space. Once in a while my father would take me to the "office" for the day. When I saw Rod on those occasions, he was friendly, but at the same time, they all had a lot to do. I think they made an episode of Twilight Zone in five days.  

What did you think of your episode at the time?

At the time, I am not sure I really understood the full implications in the story. That came later.  

After it aired, do you remember the initial reaction from family, friends, and the public?

Sorry. Drawing a blank here. I am sure my family and friends were supportive and I had no interaction with the public. 

Did being on a hit show have any social/psychological impact on you as a kid (i.e. in school, on dates, etc.)?

I was pretty young. Not many of my friends even watched the show.  

Did you watch the show regularly?

Yes, as a family we watched the show. My mother was pretty strict about TV viewing.  As I remember it we were allowed about an hour or an hour and a half a week—and Twilight Zone was one of the shows we definitely caught.

At 9 and 10 many of the stories were over my head, and some of them were downright frightening. Of course I have watched them as an adult and have had the opportunity to appreciate Rod Serlings's genius, his insight—his ability to uncover some aspect of human nature and do it, 90% of the time, within the context of the day to day. And he could accomplish these feats all in a 30-minute TV format. It is pretty amazing when you think about it.  

Did you act in anything else?

I was not a natural. I had been in one other TV show, an episode of Man With a Camera.  My father was the producer on that show as well. (I always needed an in.) In that, my brother and I were in a house and the bad guy ran by on the sidewalk and threw a rock through the window. We were supposed to react to the sugar glass shattering all over us. All I really remember is being totally intrigued by the sugar glass (which tasted more like soap than sugar) and someone constantly telling me "Don't look at the camera." 

What are you doing these days?

I am a writer. I wrote soap operas, a few episodes of episodic television (co-written with my brother), and then I turned to fiction. I taught writing for thirty years at California State University, Northridge.

Where do you live?

I live in Laurel Canyon, about a 15-minute walk/hike from the house where I grew up.  

If you have children/grandchildren, have they seen your Twilight Zone appearance, and if so, do you remember their reactions?

I have a niece and a nephew. They were impressed. They are both wonderful young adults.  

Occasionally one of my CSUN students would make the connection. That was always fun. College students, like kids in K-12, still tend to view their teachers through very narrow lenses and so they are often surprised to find out that their teacher has a life outside the space where s/he interacts with them, especially when the activity is something as loaded as Twilight Zone.    

Have you participated in a Twilight Zone event (reunion, convention, documentary, etc.)? If not, would you be open to doing so (i.e. meeting fans and signing autographs)?

I haven't—but answering these questions has been so fun, I wouldn't mind being part of an event at all.  

Are you still in touch with anyone who knew you when you appeared on the show? 

My brother…that's about it. And we are a close family.  

When was the last time you watched the episode? How did you think it held up?

I haven't seen it in years. But I do see one or two episodes of Twilight Zone a year for one reason or another. They are all pretty amazing. As I said before, Rod Serling had insight into how we humans work and that always holds up.  

Do you have any mementos from the experience such as candid photos, the script, or anything from the set? Autographed cigarette from Rod Serling? 

Sorry, I wish I did. 

Have you been interviewed before about this specifically?

I have a small blurb in Steve Rubin's book The Twilight Zone Encyclopedia. It isn't an interview but there is a paragraph in the book about "Five Characters in Search of an Exit" and there is a brief bio on me there. 

Do you have clippings from magazine/newspaper interviews/profiles published at the time?

No.

What did you think when you first heard from me?

I didn't realize how fun it would be to go back and think about all this.  

How do you look back on your Twilight Zone experience?

It was a good time. When I look back, it is more about a period of time in my life—the years when my dad was working on the show.  

If the experience changed your life in any way, how?

No…it didn't change my life. I guess you could say the experience let me know early on that acting was not for me, but then I never ever even engaged in the fantasy, so who knows.  

Anything you'd like to add?

It always amazed me how that signature Twilight Zone tune was a signifier for so many generations. As I said, I taught at CSUN for thirty years. Whenever something weird happened in class, someone would sing that Twilight Zone theme music and 99% of the time no one had a clue about the connection between me and the show. That riff is simply a part of our common language. That says a lot… 

Thank you for giving me this opportunity.

"The Twilight Zone" interview: "Night of the Meek" (1960)

Introduction to the Twilight Zone interview series (including the list of interviewees).

Larrian Gillespie played the North Pole elf in "Night of the Meek" (season 2, 1960).

How old were you when you were cast in The Twilight Zone?

Eleven.

How did you get the role? 

I did not audition. I believe the casting agent knew my previous work and I was told to show up at, I believe, CBS in the evening, and to bring my tights and ballet slippers.

Any funny anecdotes about the experience? 

It's not funny, per se, but something I won't forget: before shooting, Rod Serling was walking along the street scene and asking the children what they wanted for Christmas. I told him I wanted a Ginny doll. He took me over to my mom, who was my guardian on the set, and said "Your daughter is very special. I asked the children what they wanted and most said things like a mink coat, a car, etc. But your child wants a Terri Lee doll. I hope Santa brings her one." And he did. So I credit Mr. Serling with my Terri Lee doll in a majorette outfit…which I still have today.

Did anything go wrong during the shoot? 

Not that it went wrong, but in rehearsal, I was told to jump out from behind the trash cans when the lights when on. I was behind the cans with the jingle bells, and they would cue me to shake them. I was then to put them down and wait for the lights to go on. However, Art Carney did not make it to the sleigh in time, so I hesitated until I could see him at the sleigh. So if you watch that scene, there is a delay before I pop out, which worried the stage manager a lot, making him think I had frozen and was not going to jump out. Remember, this was all shot in one continuous take.

What was Art Carney like? 

He was very nice. However, at the time, he had an alcohol problem and had not worked in a long time. My mother was very worried about my working with him. But, of course, it was her fear, not mine. He was totally professional, knew his lines and marks, and did an outstanding job. 

Your episode became one of the most iconic of the series. What did you think of it at the time?

I thought it was a good story. I assumed, incorrectly, that Mr. Serling would do one every year…so no big deal.

After it aired, do you remember the initial reaction from family, friends, and the public? 

Nothing exceptional. However, Rod Serling's daughter told me that her father never watched any of his shows except "Night of the Meek," every year, as a family. He felt it was his best episode.

Did being on what became a hit show have any social/psychological impact on you as a kid (i.e. in school, on dates, etc.)? 

I always wanted to be a doctor, so this was a means to earn money to go to college and medical school. I learned discipline, a strong work ethic, conscientiousness, and the ability to speak in fearful situations. Served me well as a surgeon!

Did you watch the show regularly?

No. However, some years my grandchildren watch it at Christmas. And every year we set out the photo of me in the sleigh with Santa by the cookies and milk. 

When your children/grandchildren watched, what was the reaction?

"Can we build Legos now?"

How long did your acting career last, and why did it end? 

I acted until age 17, when I graduated from high school. Then my focus was on getting through college in three years and getting accepted into medical school…which I did, at UCLA.

Did you ever miss acting? 

Sometimes I think I would like to go back now in my retirement, but then I lay down until the thought passes over me!

What are you doing these days? 

I retired as a genitourinary surgeon. I trained at the pastry school Ducasses Education in Paris, studied cheese with Hervé and Laurent Mons/Max McCalman, and went to Italy to study olive oil. I have a company that has developed a food flavor database that stimulates the release of dopamine in the brain through flavor combinations unique to each individual. (Bet you are sorry you asked!)

Where do you live? 

Los Angeles.

Have you participated in a Twilight Zone event (reunion, convention, documentary, etc.)? If not, would you be open to doing so (i.e. meeting fans and signing autographs)? 

I did the two conventions and thoroughly enjoyed them.

Are you still in touch with anyone who knew you when you appeared on the show? 

No.

When was the last time you watched the episode? How did you think it held up? 

I think the episode is timeless…and watched it this Christmas.

Do you have any mementos from the experience such as candid photos, the script, or anything from the set? Autographed cigarette from Rod Serling?

No.

Have you been interviewed before about this specifically? 

Yes.

Do you have clippings from magazine/newspaper interviews/profiles published at the time? 

No.

What did you think when you first heard from me? 

Another person appreciating the Golden Era of Television and the era when writers wrote fantastic plays.

How do you look back on your Twilight Zone experience? 

With warmth and laughter.

"The Twilight Zone" interview: "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street" (1960)

Introduction to the Twilight Zone interview series (including the list of interviewees).

Jan Lawrence Handzlik played what appeared to be the lone child in "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street" (season 1, 1960).

How old were you when you were cast in The Twilight Zone?

About 12. 

How did you get the role?

I had a short cinematic career. You could have a Jan Handzlik Film Festival in one evening. 

My acting career had begun when I was six or seven. I was a pretty confident and independent young man—that's what my mother had instilled in me and what I've tried to instill in my kids. My mother was an operatic singer. Part of that was being in summer stock in New England. I'd go with her and get parts in the shows. My professional acting career began as kind of a fluke in 1956. I think we were living in Connecticut. My mother's agent told her that there was a Broadway show being cast and they needed a boy my age and would I be interested. She never pushed me. As a matter of fact, she encouraged me to get a good education and have something to fall back on. 

So probably along with 500 other kids—I'm not exaggerating—I read for the part of young Patrick in Auntie Mame. I had maybe three callbacks and eventually read with Rosalind Russell. She picked me. That was August or September 1958. I was in the show for a year and a half.

In what might be one of the few times in the history of Broadway, [a show's star] took a vacation, so the show shut down for that time! When Rosalind left the show, Greer Garson took over. When they were casting the movie, Rosalind said "I want Jan." Believe it or not, there was a tug of war over me between Rosalyn and Greer! But I left the show to do the movie.

The only other thing of note that I did was this Twilight Zone. Someone—not Rod Serling—was auditioning a handful of kids. A producer or someone who had seen me in Auntie Mame two years before remembered me and that's how I got the job.

Any funny anecdotes about the experience?

All I can remember that Jack Weston was hilarious on stage and off. He's a terrific actor. As I recall, he kept things pretty light. 

Did anything go wrong during the shoot?

Something always goes wrong! Things didn't work out as planned, like when the car starts in the driveway. On a couple of occasions, lights went on and off [when they were not supposed to] and whatnot. 

Where was your episode filmed?

I was wracking my brain…I can't remember right now. 

What do you remember about Rod Serling?

I have a very vivid memory of Rod Serling. He came to the readings. I remember sitting around a conference table and Mr. Serling was sitting pretty close to me as we ran through the lines. He changed a couple things as we went along. From my perspective at that age, he seemed like a pretty serious guy.

How was it to be (what appeared to be) the only kid on the shoot?

There were a bunch of other kids, I think. Or maybe that was Auntie Mame. I think early on there were other kids running around the neighborhood. But as a child actor you don't have [those kinds of] inhibitions. My mother had always treated me not like a baby—just talked to me like a normal person as I was growing up. I had an easy time speaking with the other actors. The part about me being the only kid didn't stick with me.

Your episode became one of the most iconic of the series. What did you think of it at the time?

Even when we were reading our lines with Rod Serling there, it was pretty clear that there was a message was being sent. Almost every Twilight Zone had a message, some sort of moral point it was making. [In my episode] it was right off the page. It was a situation where it didn't take much for adults, neighbors, and in some cases close friends to turn against each other. I recognized the moral was we are our own worst enemies—as we have found out [again] in the last couple of years. 

After it aired, do you remember the initial reaction from family, friends, and the public?

From friends, yes. Again, it was on different levels. Kids thought it was scary-funny and entertaining. Adults pointed out the message that was pretty clear. As time has gone by, it has not lost its meaning. 

Did being on what became a hit show have any social/psychological impact on you as a kid (i.e. in school, on dates, etc.)?

When I was a kid, yes. It was a must-watch show for a lot of people. Everyone I knew saw me in it.

I went to a private school called Hollywood Professional School for 9th to 11th grade, and I had status—but not as much as some of the other kids there. Peter Fonda was there. I came back to New York in 12th grade and went to another acting school, Quintanos. Gregory Hines and Christopher Walken were there. 

[Though my Twilight Zone episode] had an immediate impact, I think the more interesting aspect is that it still has impact today. I don't actually tell people [I was on the show], but when they find out and ask what episode, they know it right away. I wouldn't say this happens every week, but it does happen all the time. There isn't a couple-week period where I don't get a request in the mail for an autograph (for Auntie Mame, too). 

Do you keep up with the autograph requests?

I do answer them and sign the photographs they send. If someone's going to go through that much trouble, I honor it. Also, my kids like when I do it. How many people are remembered for something they did so long ago? 

Did you watch the show regularly?

Yes. I was a fan but I guess I became a bigger fan because of my involvement. 

How long did your acting career last, and why did it end?

While I was doing the Auntie Mame movie, they were forming the national touring company of the show and I was offered the role, but that didn't seem attractive to my mother or me. My mother was in 11 Broadway shows in New York. If we'd stayed in Los Angeles, it's possible I would have had a longer career. Of course, that's just my ego speaking! [There were other factors.] You can almost hear it in my voice in Twilight Zone that my voice was changing. I say I didn't leave show business, show business left me. I used the money I made in acting to pay for part of college. 

Did you ever miss acting?

I didn't then, though I can't remember for sure—sounds better if I say I didn't! 

What are you doing these days? 

I practice law—white collar criminal defense, fraud cases, some civil litigation. I now have my own firm. I'm not handling as many cases as I used to but I'm still enjoying it. There's a natural theatrical quality to being a trial lawyer. It takes some other people maybe a bit more time to get used to speaking in public.

Where do you live?

Manhattan Beach, CA.

Children/grandchildren?

I have six children. Three of them are older—Grant, Craig, and Anna Sekulow [married to Jordan Sekulow, son of Jay Sekulow, one of Donald Trump's lawyers]. Three are younger—12-year-old twins Jake and Maggie and 9-year-old Wyatt. I have four grandkids.

What do your kids think of your Twilight Zone appearance?

They think it's great. It holds their attention for maybe 15 minutes. (laughs) 

Have you participated in a Twilight Zone event (reunion, convention, documentary, etc.)? If not, would you be open to doing so?

I went to one Twilight Zone show about ten years ago or maybe even 20. Lots of stars were there. I was so unknowledgeable about these things that I didn't bring my own photos. You're supposed to bring them to sell them! So they gave me some photographs and I signed them. I either donated the money to charity or gave it to my kids. 

I would go to another Twilight Zone convention but I wouldn't go to something just to sign things. I'd take my younger kids with me. They'd love it.

Are you still in touch with anyone who knew you when you appeared on the show? 

Yes, a good friend named Bob. He's a teacher, not in acting. That may be it who goes back that far. I did bump into Gregory Hines with his father at a restaurant in Venice, California. 

When was the last time you watched the episode?

I've watched it recently with my kids. When it's on one of the Twilight Zone marathons, my friends will tell me.

Do you have any mementos from the experience such as candid photos, the script, or anything from the set? Autographed cigarette from Rod Serling?

I'm pretty sure I have some photos but nothing else. I've gotten residuals for the Twilight Zone, sometimes 13 cents or $1.25. It's probably been four years since the last residual.

Have you been interviewed before about this specifically?

I don't think so. If I was, it was a long time ago.

What did you think when you first heard from me?

I was delighted. You keep the memories alive by doing things like what you're doing.

How do you look back on your Twilight Zone experience?

It was a great experience. A lot of nice people, very talented character actors. They made it look easy, not that it's brain surgery or Macbeth. I was honored to be in the cast with Claude Akins and Jack Weston. A very positive experience. 

Funny since it was a show about how people can be so nasty to each other.

Yes. (laughs)

If the experience changed your life in any way, how?

I will give you a good lawyer's answer: yes and no. Being in a Broadway show, a major motion picture, and an episode of a popular TV show certainly has affected me, if not changed my life. It's given me recognition far beyond what I should have gotten! Just having had the experience was invaluable.

Postscript:

Toward the end of our conversation, Jan mentioned the Jordan Peele Twilight Zone reboot that was announced in late 2017. We decided he should try to reach out to Jordan's camp to see about appearing in the new series. Superhero shows regularly bring in legacy actors and I'm confident Twilight Zone is geeky enough to do the same! In fact, if Jan is cast, we'll also suggest the other alum included in this interview series. Stay tuned…

"The Twilight Zone" interviews: child actors from classic episodes

My formative years were an odd crucible of pop culture influences. The big three were DC Comics (perhaps you've heard), The New Yorker, and The Twilight Zone. Okay, so "odd" may be an understatement…

Other teens had outgrown superheroes (or so they said before superhero blockbuster movies made it cool for anyone to like capes), decorated their bedrooms with heavy metal band posters, and secretly got up in the middle of the night to watch softcore movies on Showtime. 

But I still (secretly) looked at comics, openly decorated my room with the covers of a highbrow journalism magazine, and secretly got up in the middle of the night to watch Twilight Zone reruns (while eating ice cream sandwiches and drinking Ocean Spray cranberry-raspberry juice…ah, the invincibility of youth). 

I devoured The Twilight Zone Companion (a well-researched episode guide).

I wrote a Twilight Zone-style story called "Pulse by the Roadside" and worked hard to set up but not give away the twist. (It involved lightning and eyeglasses.) 

And when I organized the fall 1988 convention for the Connecticut region of BBYO, my Jewish youth group, the theme was…doo doo doo doo, doo doo doo doo. Note my T-shirt:

Drop T-Zone references, girls flock to you.

Close-up on that design:

Can you spot the "typeface" inconsistency? Bugs me to this day.

Though this early '90s photo of my bedroom is a bit fuzzy, you should still be able to make out both New Yorker covers and the Twilight Zone T-shirt on the walls.

So it was only a matter of time (enough at last) till I would find a way to feature original interviews pertaining to the original (1959-1964) series. I located child stars from five of the most iconic episodes and they kindly agreed to revisit the Twilight Zone. In most cases, they are the last surviving cast members from their respective episodes.

Submitted for your approval…

• Jan Lawrence Handzlik, "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street" (season 1, 1960)
• Larrian Gillespie, "Night of the Meek" (season 2, 1960)
• Mona Houghton, "Five Characters in Search of an Exit" (season 3, 1961)
• Tracy Stratford (now Shaw), "Little Girl Lost" (season 3, 1962) and "Living Doll" (season 5, 1963)

There's the signpost up ahead…