The Four of Us Are Dying
Encyclopedia
"The Four of Us Are Dying" is an episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone
. It originally aired on CBS
on January 1, 1960.
) is a con man
who can change his face to make it look like anyone he chooses. He walks into a nightclub
where he impersonates deceased trumpeter Johnny Foster (Ross Martin
) in order to steal Foster's girlfriend, a sultry singer. Hammer then pays a visit to Mr. Penell (Bernard Fein
), impersonating murdered gangster Virgil Sterig (Phillip Pine
) in order to extort money out of Penell, the man who had Sterig killed. But Penell figures out the deception and sends his men after Hammer.
Trying to escape down an alley, Hammer changes his face to one he sees on a poster of boxer Andy Marshak (Don Gordon
). But, thinking he is in the clear, at a street newsstand he runs into Marshak's father (Peter Brocco
), who mistakes him for the son who broke his mother's heart and ruined a young girl's life. Hammer pushes the old man out of the way and returns to his hotel room. A detective comes to the hotel to pick him up for questioning at the police station. In order to escape from the policeman in a revolving door, Hammer assumes Marshak's appearance again.
But on the street he again bumps into Marshak's father, who pulls a gun on him. Hammer tries to show the old man he is not who he thinks he is, but before he can concentrate and change, the old man shoots him. As Hammer lies dying, his face shifts from one person to another until he dies wearing his own face.
, who had a new series that season called The Twilight Zone." — George Clayton Johnson
, writing in the August 1981 issue of The Twilight Zone Magazine
In 2005, The Four of Us Are Dying was produced for the stage by 4 Letter Entertainment.
by industrial rock group Nine Inch Nails
.
The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series)
The Twilight Zone is an American anthology television series created by Rod Serling, which ran for five seasons on CBS from 1959 to 1964. The series consisted of unrelated episodes depicting paranormal, futuristic, dystopian, or simply disturbing events; each show typically featured a surprising...
. It originally aired on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
on January 1, 1960.
Synopsis
Arch Hammer (Harry TownesHarry Townes
Harry Rhett Townes was an American television and movie actor.-Early life:Townes was born in Huntsville, the seat of Madison County in northern Alabama...
) is a con man
Confidence trick
A confidence trick is an attempt to defraud a person or group by gaining their confidence. A confidence artist is an individual working alone or in concert with others who exploits characteristics of the human psyche such as dishonesty and honesty, vanity, compassion, credulity, irresponsibility,...
who can change his face to make it look like anyone he chooses. He walks into a nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
where he impersonates deceased trumpeter Johnny Foster (Ross Martin
Ross Martin
Ross Martin was a Polish-born American Emmy-nominated actor known for playing Artemus Gordon in the western TV series The Wild Wild West, starring Robert Conrad, and Andamo on Mr...
) in order to steal Foster's girlfriend, a sultry singer. Hammer then pays a visit to Mr. Penell (Bernard Fein
Bernard Fein
Bernard Fein was an American actor, television producer, screenwriter and film director. He is best known for co-creating and associate producing the 1960s American television sitcom, Hogan's Heroes; a show which he also occasionally wrote for, including the pilot episode...
), impersonating murdered gangster Virgil Sterig (Phillip Pine
Phillip Pine
Phillip Pine was an American film and television actor, writer, director, and producer....
) in order to extort money out of Penell, the man who had Sterig killed. But Penell figures out the deception and sends his men after Hammer.
Trying to escape down an alley, Hammer changes his face to one he sees on a poster of boxer Andy Marshak (Don Gordon
Don Gordon
Don Gordon is an American film and television actor. He is sometimes billed as Donald Gordon.Gordon was born in Los Angeles, California, as Donald Walter Guadagno. His most notable films were where he appeared alongside his friend Steve McQueen in Bullitt, Papillon and The Towering Inferno...
). But, thinking he is in the clear, at a street newsstand he runs into Marshak's father (Peter Brocco
Peter Brocco
Peter Brocco was an American film and TV character actor for nearly 60 years.He appeared as a criminal type in several episodes of Adventures of Superman. He holds the distinction of having been killed off in two of them, a relative rarity for villains in the series...
), who mistakes him for the son who broke his mother's heart and ruined a young girl's life. Hammer pushes the old man out of the way and returns to his hotel room. A detective comes to the hotel to pick him up for questioning at the police station. In order to escape from the policeman in a revolving door, Hammer assumes Marshak's appearance again.
But on the street he again bumps into Marshak's father, who pulls a gun on him. Hammer tries to show the old man he is not who he thinks he is, but before he can concentrate and change, the old man shoots him. As Hammer lies dying, his face shifts from one person to another until he dies wearing his own face.
Production
"After the first half-dozen stories had been written, part of the hustle was getting an agent. Through those years I found several who would let me use their names, though few cared to sign a contract with me. One of these men, Jay Richards - at the time head of the television department of the Famous Artists Agency, long since absorbed by I.F.A. (International Famous Agency), and since embedded in I.C.M. (International Creative Management), which represents me now in television and movies - agreed to read something. I showed Jay 'All of Us Are Dying.' After reading it, he crossed out the title with a ballpoint pen and wrote in 'Rubberface!' Then he sent it to Rod SerlingRod Serling
Rodman Edward "Rod" Serling was an American screenwriter, novelist, television producer, and narrator best known for his live television dramas of the 1950s and his science fiction anthology TV series, The Twilight Zone. Serling was active in politics, both on and off the screen and helped form...
, who had a new series that season called The Twilight Zone." — George Clayton Johnson
George Clayton Johnson
George Clayton Johnson is an American science fiction writer most famous for co-writing the novel Logan's Run with William F. Nolan...
, writing in the August 1981 issue of The Twilight Zone Magazine
In 2005, The Four of Us Are Dying was produced for the stage by 4 Letter Entertainment.
In popular culture
"The Four of Us Are Dying" was the title of an instrumental on the 2008 album The SlipThe Slip (album)
The Slip is the seventh studio album by American industrial rock act Nine Inch Nails, released on July 22, 2008. It was the fourth consecutive Nine Inch Nails release to be produced by frontman Trent Reznor with collaborators Atticus Ross and Alan Moulder...
by industrial rock group Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...
.