The Last Rites of Jeff Myrtlebank

"The Last Rites of Jeff Myrtlebank"
The Twilight Zone episode
Jeff Myrtlebank wakes up at his funeral
Episode no.	Season 3 Episode 88
Directed by	Montgomery Pittman
Written by	Montgomery Pittman
Featured music	Tommy Morgan
Production code	4811
Original air date	February 23, 1962
Guest stars
James Best: Jeff Myrtlebank Sherry Jackson: Comfort Gatewood Lance Fuller: Orgram Gatewood Dub Taylor: Mr. Peters Ralph Moody: Pa Myrtlebank Ezelle Poule: Ma Myrtlebank Helen Wallace: Ma Gatewood Vickie Barnes: Liz Myrtlebank
Episode chronology
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List of Twilight Zone episodes

"The Last Rites of Jeff Myrtlebank" is an episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone.

Synopsis

A man, Jeff Myrtlebank, wakes up at his own funeral in a small rural town in the "southernmost section of the Midwest". The townspeople believe that the man must be possessed by a haint (a wandering demon), even though the town doctor declares it was more than likely a medical condition that imitated death. Jeff seems normal enough, yet he has changed: He has suddenly become a hard worker and a good fistfighter, and now he wants to marry his longtime girlfriend, Comfort, who is loyal, but unsure.

In the climax, just as Comfort is about to respond to Jeff's proposal, a truckload of angry townspeople shows up ready to take on the "demon". Myrtlebank makes an inspired speech in which he tells them they have nothing to fear from him; but if he just happened to be a demon, they had best be nice to him or else. They agree to this, and they even say they will attend the wedding.

After they leave, Jeff pulls out a pipe and a match, making the latter spontaneously ignite, thus proving now-fiancee Comfort and the townspeople were indeed correct. But when Comfort asks how he lit the match, "Jeff" laughs and says "Comfort, you have got to stop imaginin' things," and puts his arm around her shoulders to take her inside.

References

• DeVoe, Bill. (2008). Trivia from The Twilight Zone. Albany, GA: Bear Manor Media. ISBN 978-1593931360
• Grams, Martin. (2008). The Twilight Zone: Unlocking the Door to a Television Classic. Churchville, MD: OTR Publishing. ISBN 978-0970331090

External links

• "The Last Rites of Jeff Myrtlebank" at the Internet Movie Database
• TV.com episode page