POST #1313 - THE TWONKY / Arch Oboler Productions - 1953

Welcome to Friday Night with Tabonga, here at The Dungeon!.. Tonite's offering was shot in 1951 and released in 1953, it played on TV quite a bit when I was a kid.

Since this is our 1313th post, it has to be some kind of weird cosmic joke/coincidence that THE TWONKY holds this esteemed position in numbering! But, that's the way it goes!..

The story's about a nerdy college professor who discovers that his new TV set is animatated, apparently possessed by something from the future, and, intent on regulating his daily life! The original story is credited to Henry Kuttner and C.L. Moore, published under their joint pseudonym, "Lewis Padgett." Sidney Pink was a producer.

The music is by Jack Meakin. Jack only had 3 composing credits, this, MAGOO'S LODGE BROTHER cartoon and the TV series TELL IT TO GROUCHO. His claim to fame came when some of his stock music was used in the original NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD!

Letz bring in our little Friday Night helper and button pusher, the one and only, Rufus The Gnat!.. Herro Rufus! Rufus is here to start our show, so, push the big red 'GO' button right there in front of the small green 'STOP' button, now, Rufus! Here's our soundclip for... THE TWONKY!

You'll notice that a few stills have the 1995 Svengoolie Chicago TV call sign.

Hans Conried plays college professor, Cary West, his wife is leaving for awhile, he says 'bye' to her in the taxi. Hans was also in THE 5000 FINGERS OF DR. T and THE MONSTER THAT CHALLENGED THE WORLD. Us boomers remember his great cartoon voice on ROCKY AND HIS FRIENDS and THE BULLWINKLE SHOW!

She's ordered a new TV set for him to watch while she's away. He knows something's going on when it emits a beam that lights his cigarette for him!

Ed Max plays Ed, the TV repairman. The familiar looking guy was last seen in THE INCREDIBLE MELTING MAN. He's there to collect a bill, but, the professor tells him he's totally out of cash.

In the meantime, the Twonky neatly lays out some money for Ed to gather up!

Cary is so boggled that he calls his friend, Coach Trout, to come over and help him evaluate the uncanny situation.

Unfortunately, the Coach is as dense as atomic fog!

Man, that's just sick!..

I like this shot because it shows an old book cover, that's all.

Here, the Twonky has sex with the vacuum cleaner!.. Doesn't the vacuum kinda look like one of those monsters in ISLAND OF TERROR?

There are so many current politically incorrect elements to this scene in Coach Trout's bedroom that were perfectly normal in the fifties.

Ed comes to take the Twonky away but gets attacked by the antenna!

Then, the Twonky gets rude with a telephone operator!

So, she calls the cops, which does no good.

When Cary's wife figures out that's something's wrong at home, she darts away!

In the meantime, Cary goes out and does what everbloody in the fifties did when a Twonky moved in, get plastered! It's the only way out...

I have to admit, I started paying attention when the lady bill collector shows up! She's played by Gloria Blondell, sister of Joan. Gloria was the voice of Daisy Duck in the late forties.

Anyway, when she gets naked in the bathroom, well, it made me flip a little!

Then this, good stuff for 1953! There's an early fifties Disney cartoon about the modern American family, where, you get to watch the buxom nude teenage daughter's silhouette on the shower curtain while she showers, it's pretty unbelievable by today's standards!

Cary gets a ride with this old biddy who'd rather yak than pay attention to her driving.

Driving on the wrong side of the road will usually result in some kind of ridiculous unnecessary mishap! Actually, some scenes of her driving against traffic are a little unnerving!

The last scene takes place in the hospital after the crash, with Cary in traction. And yes, it's Three Stooges time!!.. woob!