The Twilight Zone: Season 1 Episode 30 A Stop at Willoughby
An advertising agency executive starts to dream of the town of Wiiloughby.
Series Index
Characters/Groups
Jane Williams - Patricia Donahue
Train Conductor - Jason Wingreen
1888 Conductor - James Maloney
Character thumbnails with links to profiles
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Detailed Synopsis
Gart Williams is in a meeting being held by Misrell when Gart gets up from his chair and picks up the phone and asks to speak with Jake Ross' secretary. He sits back down and Misrell asks him where Jake is. Misrell reminds Gart that he advised him against giving Jake the big automobile account. Someone knocks on the door and hands Gart a message and Gart tells Misrell that Jake has resigned and is taking the automobile account with him to another ad agency. Misrell starts yelling at Gart about his judgment and keeps repeating that it is a push business. Gart calls Misrell fat and tells him to shut his mouth and storms out of the room. Helen tells him about the messages waiting for him and he goes into his office and looks at the picture of Jane Williams on his desk. As he is taking the train home, the Train Conductor asks him how he is doing. Gart falls asleep as he hears Misrell yelling push push push over and over again. He wakes up inside an old looking train and looks out into the old fashioned looking town of Willoughby. Gart asks the 1888 Conductor where Willoughby is and the 1888 Conductor tells him right outside. Gart notices the seasons are wrong and the 1888 Conductor tells him it is summer of 1888 and Willoughby is peaceful and restful.
Gart is jolted awake and asks the Train Conductor if he has heard of a town called Willoughby. Gart goes home and Jane start harassing him about work. She tells him that Bob Lair's wife told her about Gart insulting Misrell. He tells her that Misrell told him that he forgives him and he tells her that he is tired and sick. She says she is sick and tired of a husband who is permanently self-pitying. He goes further and tells her that he wants to quit his job and move to a place like Willoughby and describes it. She then tells him that it was her mistake to marry a man that would be satisfied with a place like Willoughby and walks away.
The next week, the Train Conductor tells Gart that he did some research and there is no stop called Willoughby on the way and never has been. Gart falls asleep again and wakes up on the train stopped at Willougby. Gart tries to get off the train, but it starts moving before he can get off. At Work, Gart takes a call from Misrell who again keeps repeating push push push over and over again. The phone rings and someone complains to Gart, and then another call comes in with another complaint. Helen tells him that Misrell wants to see him and Gart runs to his restroom and punches the mirror. He calls Jane and asks her for help and she hangs up on him. As Gart takes the train home, he again ends up at Willoughby, but this time gets off the train and leaves his baggage behind. A Willoughby Boy greets him by name and Gart walks into town. Back in the present, the Train Conductor tells the Train Engineer that Gart yelled Willoughby and then jumped off the platform to his death. Gart's body is then taken away by two men from Willoughby & Son Funeral Home.