The Twilight Zone (1959) 1.23

A World of Difference

starring Howard Duff

written by Richard Matheson

directed by Ted Post

Arthur Curtis (Howard Duff) discovers, suddenly, one day that the world he knows isn't exactly what he thinks it is. He is actually an actor named Gerald Raigan. That's what everytone calls him when shooting stops on the movie. He doesn't understand why they keep calling him Gerry. He doesn't recognize Nora, the woman who claims to be his wife. He can't find the home he remembers. He doesn't recognize Brinkley, the man who claims to be his agent.

None of it makes sense to Arthur Curtis. It is like a bad dream for him. Nothing can dissuade him from believing that he is Arthur Curtis. He returns to the studio only to find that the set is being taken apart. He sits back down in the office he knows. His wife Marion enters. He's so happy to see her. He leaves the office with Marion.

Thoughts

I really like this episode. I love how they never really, definitively resolve exactly what happened. Did Gerry have a nervous breakdown? Did something more mysterious or magical happen? Was there ever a man named Arthur Curtis who looked liked a man named Gerry Raigan? How exactly did Arthur Curtis leave with Marion without anyone seeing where they went?

Notes

This is the only episode of this show in which Howard Duff appeared. He appeared in one episode of the Alfred Hitchcock Hour.

David White played the part of Brinkley. This is the first of two episodes of this show in which he appeared. He appeared in four episodes of The Phil Silvers Show. He appeared in episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) and The Alfred Hitchcock Hour. I've also seen him in The Apartment (1960) and The Six Million Dollar Man: The Solid Gold Kidnapping (1973). I first recall seeing him in Bewitched in which he played Larry Tate.

Eileen Ryan played the part of Nora Raigan. This is the only episode of this show in which she appeared.

Gail Kobe played the part of Sally, Arthur's secretary. This is the first of three episodes of this show in which she appeared. She also appeared in episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955), The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, and The Outer Limits (1963). Starting in the early 1970s she worked as a producer of television shows.

Frank Maxwell played the part of the movie director. This is the only episode of this show in which he appeared. He appeared in one episode of The Phil Silvers Show, 4.16 Bilko's Hollywood Romance, and one episode of The Outer Limits (1963), 1.04 The Man with the Power. He also appeared in episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955), The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, and Kraft Suspense Theatre.

This is the fourth of 16 episodes that Richard Matheson had a hand in writing. The previous one he wrote was 1.18 The Last Flight.

This is the first of four episodes of this show that Ted Post directed.