Third from the Sun

Infobox Television episode
Title = Third from the Sun
Series = The Twilight Zone


Caption = Fritz Weaver and Joe Maross in Third from the Sun
Season = 1
Episode = 14
Airdate = January 8, 1960
Production = 173-3615
Writer =Rod Serling (story by Richard Matheson)
Director =Richard L. Bare
Guests =Fritz Weaver : Will Sturka
Joe Maross : Jerry Riden
Edward Andrews : Carling
Denise Alexander : Jody Sturka
Music =
Episode list = List of Twilight Zone episodes
Prev = The Four of Us Are Dying
Next = I Shot an Arrow Into the Air

"Third from the Sun" is an episode of the American television anthology series "The Twilight Zone". It is based on a short story of the same name by Richard Matheson.

Opening narration

ynopsis

A scientist (Fritz Weaver) who works at a nuclear plant making H-bombs knows that the world will soon end. His family and his friend, a pilot (Joe Maross), plot to steal an experimental spaceship and escape with their families to a planet eleven million miles away. They are almost stopped by a government agent (Edward Andrews) who suspects what the scientists intend to do. The two men overpower the agent and are able to take off. Once up in space, they wonder what their new home will be like. They remark that the planet they are headed to is third from its sun. From radio broadcasts, they know it is called Earth.

Closing narration

Preview for Next Week's Story

Production

The experimental spaceship shown is the saucer-shaped cruiser seen in MGM's 1956 film "Forbidden Planet". For the episode, the full-size lower underside with retractable stairs was modified, along with a smaller command/pilot center, surrounded by wall elements of the Krell laboratory from the film. The ship was also used in several subsequent episodes.

ee also

*"Probe 7, Over and Out", another "Twilight Zone" episode with a similar plot.

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

*
* [http://www.cbs.com/classics/the_twilight_zone/video/video.php?cid=621774886&pid=rXi55jKAB_NBNJvgpjNs9ht8_ja6QCjo&play=true&cc=0 Full video of the episode at CBS.com]