The Incredible World of Horace Ford

"The Incredible World of Horace Ford"
The Twilight Zone episode
Scene from "The Incredible World of Horace Ford"
Episode no.	Season 4 Episode 117
Directed by	Abner Biberman
Written by	Reginald Rose
Production code	4854
Original air date	April 18, 1963
Guest stars
Pat Hingle: Horace Ford Nan Martin: Laura Ford Ruth White: Mrs. Ford Phillip Pine: Leonard O'Brien Vaughn Taylor: Mr. Judson Jerry Davis: Hermie Brandt Jim E. Titus: Horace (as a boy)
Episode chronology
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List of Twilight Zone episodes

"The Incredible World of Horace Ford" is an episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone.

Plot

Horace Ford is a 38 year old toy designer with an unusually strong interest in remembering his childhood. His colleagues, his wife, and his mother all become increasingly frustrated with his obsession. Finally he decides to visit his childhood neighborhood where he discovers to his amazement that it hasn't changed — and he sees the same kids that he was friends with in his childhood. Frightened, he returns to his apartment, but he visits his old neighborhood again on each of the next several nights. Each night the same scene plays out and he stays slightly longer, before returning to his apartment. On his last visit, he stays much longer than before, and hears his old friends complaining about him. He tries to talk to them, and suddenly turns into a boy again. His friends bully and assault him, as Horace realizes that his childhood was not as pleasant as he would nostalgically recall. After his wife finds him, he "grows up", returning to his own time period with a newfound appreciation for his current self.

Production notes

Reginald Rose originally wrote "The Incredible World Of Horace Ford" as a teleplay for Westinghouse Studio One, which originally aired live on June 13, 1955, starring Art Carney in the title role, with Leora Dana as Laura. The original ending was somewhat downbeat, and producer Herbert Hirschman asked Rose to create a slightly different (and happier) ending.

References

• DeVoe, Bill. (2008). Trivia from The Twilight Zone. Albany, GA: Bear Manor Media. ISBN 978-1593931360
• Grams, Martin. (2008). The Twilight Zone: Unlocking the Door to a Television Classic. Churchville, MD: OTR Publishing. ISBN 978-0970331090

External links

• "The Incredible World of Horace Ford" at the Internet Movie Database