The Passersby

"The Passersby"
The Twilight Zone episode
	File:The Passersby.jpg; Lavinia meets the spirit of the recently-assassinated Abraham Lincoln
Episode no.	Season 3; Episode 69
Written by	Rod Serling
Directed by	Elliot Silverstein
Featured music	Fred Steiner
Production no.	4817
Original airdate	October 6, 1961
Guest stars
	James Gregory (The Sergeant) ; Joanne Linville (Lavinia Godwin) ; Warren Kemmerling (Jud Godwin) ; Austin Green (Abraham Lincoln)
Episode chronology
"The Shelter"	"A Game of Pool"
	List of Twilight Zone episodes

"The Passersby" is an episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone.

Opening narration[]

Part one[]

“

This road is the afterwards of the Civil War. It began at Fort Sumter, South Carolina, and ended at a place called Appomattox. It's littered with the residue of broken battles and shattered dreams.

”

Part two[]

“

In just a moment, you will enter a strange province that knows neither North nor South, a place we call the Twilight Zone.

”

Synopsis[]

A Civil War Confederate soldier (Gregory), walking home after the end of the war, rests at a house. He talks to the woman living there, while soldiers pass by, Union and Confederate. Her husband finally returns, but tells her that they, including her, are all dead. The widow refuses to believe him and he leaves, telling her that he will be waiting for her at the end of the road. She finally accepts her fate, and joins her husband, when she is greeted by the last passerby, Abraham Lincoln, the last casualty of the Civil War.

Closing narration[]

“

Incident on a dirt road during the month of April, the year 1865. As we've already pointed out, it's a road that won't be found on a map, but it's one of many that lead in and out of the Twilight Zone.

”

Preview for next week's story[]

Announcer: "And now, Mr. Serling."

“

Next week, we engage in a game of pool that's both an activity and a title, a play written by George Clayton Johnson and starring Mr. Jack Klugman and Mr. Jonathan Winters. It's the story about the best pool player living and the best pool player dead. And this one, we submit, will stay with you for quite a while. Next week on The Twilight Zone, "A Game of Pool".

”

Episode notes[]

The traditional folk song 'Black Is The Color (Of My True Love's Hair)' is featured prominently throughout this episode. The song is sung both by Gregory and the Widow and it's explained that the widow's husband also once sung the song.

Elements of the episode are re-made in an episode the 2002 revival named, "Homecoming". In this episode, a soldier returns from Iraq to repair his relationship with is son. We find out that the Soldier is dead.

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[]

fr:La Route de la mort nl:The Passersby