Games - One for the Angels

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	Games - One for the Angels

Cast

Lew Bookman: Ed Wynn

Mr. Death: Murray Hamilton

Synopsis

A sidewalk "pitchman," Lew Bookman, is told by Death that he is to die at midnight. Mr. Bookman argues that as a salesman, his life's work is not quite complete. He convinces Death to give him a stay of execution until he can give one last, great sales pitch -- "a pitch for the angels" as Mr. Bookman puts it. Once Death agrees, Mr. Bookman then announces his intention to quit selling and find another line of work. Since Death had made a binding agreement to not claim Mr. Bookman until his last pitch is made, Mr. Bookman is proud of having outsmarted Death and virtually assured himself of immortality.

Death cannot renege on the agreement, but what Mr. Bookman hasn't counted on is that someone has to die at midnight. With Mr. Bookman now out of reach, Death now sets his sights on a little girl who lives in the same building and whom Mr. Bookman has long befriended. Death arranges for a little girl to be hit by a truck, and as she lays comatose, Death comes to claim her. At midnight, he will complete his task. However, as they wait for the appointed time, Mr. Bookman distracts Death by beginning a sales pitch. In fact, Mr. Bookman makes such a compelling pitch that Death is too enthralled to claim the girl. Midnight passes before Death has even realized it. He has missed his appointment and the girl lives.

And so, Mr. Bookman has both saved the girl's life, and in doing so, knowingly sacrificed his own, since he has now made that last great sales pitch that was the center of the original agreement. Knowing he has saved the girl, Mr. Bookman is content now to accept his fate and go along with Death, who happily does confirm for Mr. Bookman that his final destination is "up there"--heaven.

Trivia

Among the many toys being sold by Lew Bookman is a Robby the Robot action figure. Robby the Robot would later appear in The Twilight Zone episodes "Uncle Simon" and "The Brain Center at Whipple's".

To avoid having the elderly Wynn filming too late, the night scenes were actually filmed during the day, with the soundstage covered over to simulate the nighttime setting.

Themes

Similar themes are revisited in "In Praise of Pip".

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