I really enjoyed 'The Waiting Room', as Westerns are my favorite TV and movie genre, and it had a few of the great Western character actors of the era with Albert Salmi, Jim Davis, Lex Barker and Buddy Ebsen as a few of the principals. Though we don't know who the hanged man is when Sam Dichter (Steve Forrest) rides into the unnamed town, it's a reveal well worth waiting for as this ghostly tale of the Old West plays out. It's a bit of a different take on the old 'fastest gun in the West' story, because no one can outrun the bullet fired by this Rod Serling script. I would like to have seen more Night Gallery offerings set within the Western genre if they could have been as good as this one.
Now try as I might, I just couldn't see the resemblance between Bill Bixby's character and the stone statue his wife purchased at the old antique shop. Maybe the Night Gallery folks figured if it was mentioned enough times in the story one would take it on faith that there was some similarity. In any event, Bruce Tarraday (Bixby) is driven to distraction when he learns the background of his Druid inspired statue, mesmerized by the history of sorcery and black magic that manifests in visions and nightmares that he can't shake. I'm not sure how he would have explained the barbecued cat if push came to shove, but it was cool to see Donna Douglas in a role where she wasn't as hare-brained as Elly Mae Clampett.
Now try as I might, I just couldn't see the resemblance between Bill Bixby's character and the stone statue his wife purchased at the old antique shop. Maybe the Night Gallery folks figured if it was mentioned enough times in the story one would take it on faith that there was some similarity. In any event, Bruce Tarraday (Bixby) is driven to distraction when he learns the background of his Druid inspired statue, mesmerized by the history of sorcery and black magic that manifests in visions and nightmares that he can't shake. I'm not sure how he would have explained the barbecued cat if push came to shove, but it was cool to see Donna Douglas in a role where she wasn't as hare-brained as Elly Mae Clampett.