The Twilight Zone: Season 1 Episode 17 The Fever
A man becomes obsessed with a slot machine.
Series Index
Characters/Groups
Franklin Gibbs - Everett Sloane
Character thumbnails with links to profiles
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Detailed Synopsis
In Las Vegas, Franklin Gibbs and Flora Gibbs arrive at the Oasis Casino and are greeted by Henson and Joe. Henson asks them if they are happy with their accommodations and Joe takes their picture. Flora is excited to be in Las Vegas, but Franklin complains that their free vacation is a miserable waste of time. Flora walks over to a slot machine and puts a coin in and Franklin grabs her hand accuses her of wasting money. As Franklin is walking back to the room he is grabbed by a Drunk who grabs him and forcibly shows him how to play the slot machine. Franklin pulls the lever and wins some money. He takes the winnings and tells Flora that they will keep the winnings instead of wasting them gambling like the other casino patrons. As Franklin is walking away he thinks he hears something calling his name. While in bed, Franklin imagines his name being called again and the winnings increasing in size. He walks over to the winnings and Flora wakes up and he tells her that the winnings are tainted and he must spend them. He goes back to the same Slot Machine and plays over and over again. He runs out of money and has Flora keep his spot while he cashes a check for more money.
Flora suggests he quit, but he tells her that he needs to keep on playing in order to win back all the money he lost. She asks him to stop again and he calls her a shew and says the machine teases him. He continues to play and the Cashier tells the Floor Manager that Franklin has been playing the same machine for five hours. Hours upon hours pass and Franklin continues to play. Franklin tells Flora that the machine mocks him by giving him some, but taking away more. He continues to play until he is left with his last coin. He puts it in and the machine breaks. He yells at the Slot Machine and accuses it of stealing his money and he is dragged out of the gaming area by security guards. The Floor Manager and Cashier pick the Slot Machine back up and put an out of order sign on it. Franklin tells Flora that he was about to win, but the machine broke down on purpose and has a mind of its own. He hears his name being called and opens the door and sees The Slot Machine coming towards him. Flora tells him that nothing is there, but he tells her The Slot Machine is chasing him. It continues to follow him and he backs out and through the hotel window to his death. The Sheriff tells the Floor Manager that Flora said Franklin hadn't slept for 24 hours and the Floor Manager tells him he had never seen anyone hooked so fast. A coin rolls towards Franklin and The Slot Machine stands over him.