November 24, 1958 –
A precursor episode to the science fiction television series The Twilight Zone, The Time Element aired on this date as part of the Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse anthology series on CBS-TV.
Though not the pilot episode of Rod Serling’s series, The Twilight Zone, it was Rod Serling’s production that lead to The Twilight Zone TV series. Because TV viewers at the time were not used to the kind of surprise, twist endings that for which the show ultimately became noted (and which this episode featured), Desi Arnaz appeared on-screen after the episode was finished and offered his “explanation” of what “really happened.”
The Haus of Dcaligari 