S1.E11

And When the Sky Was Opened

Episode aired Dec 11, 1959
TV-PG
25m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Jim Hutton and Rod Taylor in The Twilight Zone (1959)

Drama Fantasy Horror Mystery Sci-Fi Thriller

Three astronauts return from man's first flight into outer space and can't remember the trip.Three astronauts return from man's first flight into outer space and can't remember the trip.Three astronauts return from man's first flight into outer space and can't remember the trip.

Director
- Douglas Heyes
Writers
- Rod Serling
- Richard Matheson
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

8.3/10

5.3K

YOUR RATING

Director
- Douglas Heyes
Writers
- Rod Serling
- Richard Matheson
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

Photos22

+ 15

Top cast14

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Rod Taylor

Lieutenant Colonel Clegg Forbes

Jim Hutton

Major William Gart
(as James Hutton)

Charles Aidman

Colonel Ed Harrington

Maxine Cooper

Paul Bryar

Bartender

Sue Randall

Nurse

Joe Bassett

Medical Officer

Lisabeth Field

Nurse
(uncredited)

Logan Field

Investigator
(uncredited)

S. John Launer

Mr. Harrington
(uncredited)

Oliver McGowan

Officer
(uncredited)

Gloria Pall

Girl in Bar
(uncredited)

Bernard Sell

Bar Patron
(uncredited)

Rod Serling

Narrator
(voice)
(uncredited)

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Rod Serling wrote a scene for the crash landing of the spaceship in the original script, but it was determined to be too expensive to film. The script was subsequently modified, and the crash was described by Mr. Serling in the opening narration.

Goofs
Major Gart was hospitalized with a broken leg, established early in the show. Near the end he jumps out of the hospital bed and runs to the door, but nothing seems to be wrong with his leg and no cast is visible.

Quotes
Rod Serling - Narrator: [Closing Narration] Once upon a time, there was a man named Harrington, a man named Forbes, a man named Gart. They used to exist, but don't any longer. Someone - or something- took them somewhere. At least they are no longer a part of the memory of man. And as to the X-20 supposed to be housed here in this hangar, this, too, does not exist. And if any of you have any questions concerning an aircraft and three men who flew her, speak softly of them - and only in - The Twilight Zone.

Connections
Edited into Twilight-Tober-Zone: And When The Sky Was Opened (2020)

Soundtracks
No Tricks
(uncredited)
Music by Bruce Campbell

User reviews43

Review

Featured review

9/10

Intriguing Disappearances

The astronauts Lieutenant Colonel Clegg Forbes (Rod Taylor), Major William Gart (James Hutton) and Colonel Ed Harrington (Charles Aidman) disappear from the radar for twenty-four hours during an experimental flight with the model X- 20. They crash on the desert when they return to Earth and Major William Gart breaks his leg and has to stay in the military hospital. However Forbes and Harrington are immediately discharged and they go to a bar to celebrate. Out of the blue, Harrington does not feel well and calls his parents that do not recognize him. On the next moment, Harrington vanishes from the booth and also from the newspaper and only Forbes recalls him. He runs to the hospital and Gart has no recollections about Harrington. When Forbes leaves the room, he disappears and then Gart and the X-20 model.

"And When the Sky Was Opened" is an engaging episode of "The Twilight Zone" about intriguing disappearances of three astronauts and a project. The beginning is ambiguous and the viewer is not sure whether Lieutenant Colonel Forbes has a daydream with his friend Colonel Harrington or not. But the conclusion surprises and is excellent. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "Além da Imaginação: And When the Sky Was Opened" ("The Twilight Zone - And When the Sky Was Opened")