One for the Angels
starring Ed Wynn, Murray Hamilton
directed by Robert Parrish
Salesman Lou Bookman (Ed Wynn) recieves a visit from Death (Murray Hamilton) a few hours before he is scheduled to die. Lou makes a deal with Death that buys him more time but when Death learns he's been tricked he picks an 8-year-old little girl to die in Lou's place at midnight.
Lou keeps Death occupied with a sales pitch after sales pitch until midnight has passed and Death has missed his appointment.
This is the first of three episodes directed by Robert Parrish. Both of the other episodes were also part of the first season of the show. I have seen one of them before 1.30 A Stop At Willoughby.
I've seen Ed Wynn before in a couple films but nothing that I've seen in the past 30 or more years. This is the first of two episodes of this show in which he appeared.
Murray Hamilton looked familiar but I couldn't place the face even though I just saw him in Jaws (1975). He's been in a few other things i have seen including an episode of The Invaders, 1.17 The Condemned, and two episodes of The Phil Silvers Show that I watched a few years back: 1.09 The Eating Contest and 1.13 The Twitch. He was also in one episode from the fifth season of Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955).
I enjoyed this episode but the twist ending, such as it was, didn't fully satisfy me. I had trouble buying into the idea that Death simply got distracted by Lou's sales pitch. I blame the writing in this case because I thought both actors were very good.
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