3x08 It's a Good Life - The Twilight Zone (1959) Episode Guide

The Twilight Zone (1959)

- Episode 03x08

Episode: 03x08
Title: It's a Good Life
Type: Regular Episode
Production Code: 4801
First Aired: Nov. 03, 1961

Season 3 » Episode #08 - It's a Good Life

The Twilight Zone (1959) - 03x08 It's a Good Life

Summary: A town fears a six-year-old boy who possesses the power to change things with a thought inside his mind.

Who appeared in this episode?

Narrator

Guest Stars:

Mr. Fremont	played by John Larch
Mrs. Fremont	played by Cloris Leachman
Dan Hollis	played by Don Keefer
Anthony Fremont	played by Bill Mumy
Aunt Amy	played by Alice Frost
Pat Riley	played by Max Showalter
Ethel Hollis	played by Jeanne Bates
Thelma Dunn	played by Lenore Kingston
Bill Soames	played by Tom Hatcher

Season 3 / Episode 8: - It's a Good Life

Narrator: Tonight's story on The Twilight Zone is somewhat unique and calls for a different kind of introduction. This, as you may recognize, is a map of the United States, and there's a little town there called Peaksville. On a given morning not too long ago, the rest of the world disappeared and Peaksville was left all alone. Its inhabitants were never sure whether the world was destroyed and only Peaksville left untouched or whether the village had somehow been taken away. They were, on the other hand, sure of one thing: the cause. A monster had arrived in the village. Just by using his mind, he took away the automobiles, the electricity, the machines - because they displeased him - and he moved an entire community back into the dark ages - just by using his mind. Now I'd like to introduce you to some of the people in Peaksville, Ohio. This is Mr. Fremont. It's in his farmhouse that the monster resides. This is Mrs. Fremont. And this is Aunt Amy, who probably had more control over the monster in the beginning than almost anyone. But one day she forgot. She began to sing aloud. Now, the monster doesn't like singing, so his mind snapped at her, turned her into the smiling, vacant thing you're looking at now. She sings no more. And you'll note that the people in Peaksville, Ohio, have to smile. They have to think happy thoughts and say happy things because once displeased, the monster can wish them into a cornfield or change them into a grotesque, walking horror. This particular monster can read minds, you see. He knows every thought, he can feel every emotion. Oh yes, I did forget something, didn't I? I forgot to introduce you to the monster. This is the monster. His name is Anthony Fremont. He's six years old, with a cute little-boy face and blue, guileless eyes. But when those eyes look at you, you'd better start thinking happy thoughts, because the mind behind them is absolutely in charge. This is the Twilight Zone.

Season 3 / Episode 8: - It's a Good Life

Anthony Fremont: No kids came over to play today, not a single one, and I wanted someone to play with!
Mr. Fremont: Well, Anthony, you remembered what happened the last time some kids came over to play. The little Fredricks boy and his sister.
Anthony Fremont: I had a real good time.
Mr. Fremont: Oh, sure you did, you had a real good time, and it's good that you had a good time, it's real good. It's just that...
Anthony Fremont: It's just that what?
Mr. Fremont: ...Well, Anthony, you, uh... you wished them away into the cornfield, and their mommy and daddy got real upset.

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MISTAKES/GOOFS

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TRIVIA

Contains the longest opening narration of the series (or any Twilight Zone series).
In 1974, Rod Serling finished a screenplay for a feature film version of this episode. Serling died in 1975 and the film was never produced.
Almost 42 years later, a sequel to this episode was produced as part of the series' second television revival, "The Twilight Zone" (2002): "Twilight Zone, The" (1959) {It's a Good Life (#3.8)}, in which Bill Mumy and Cloris Leachman reprise their roles as Anthony Fremont and Mrs Fremont respectively.