26 reviews
Aliens versus Andy Devine
Fun tale about an insignificant and mendacious man who spins tall stories from his gas station. Andy Devine plays the country boy, Frisby, in this charming little story. Devine is best remembered for his roles in westerns such as 'Stagecoach' and 'The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence'(as the hopeless sheriff). Frisby has a little following of local men who like to listen to and laugh at his bovine excrement. One day the inconvenience of customers breaking his flow of lies brings him a potential audience who would never doubt his veracity. Somerset Frisby is well named, like a cross between prolific author Somerset Maugham and something throwaway that returns. There's something I like about Andy Devine getting to represent the entire planet. Please don't look for slick special effects. Just enjoy the hokum of one of the best comedy entries.
- darrenpearce111
- Jan 15, 2014
- Permalink
You Never Know Who's Listening In
One of the most droll and more humorous episodes of the Twilight Zone starred Andy Devine who essentially played himself, a guy given to telling some real tall tales. Around the crackerbarrel of his country store, Andy delights a lot of his peers which include such rural types as Dabbs Greer, Howard McNear, and Clem Bevans.
But apparently through whatever kind of telepathy they have, some aliens have heard about the legendary exploits of Andy and think he is a worthy specimen to take back to their planet and study. When Milton Seltzer and the other aliens capture him, Andy is most reluctant to go and does have a unique way of escaping and discovering their weakness while doing so.
Moral of this marvelous Twilight Zone tale is you never know who's listening in, so keep it real.
But apparently through whatever kind of telepathy they have, some aliens have heard about the legendary exploits of Andy and think he is a worthy specimen to take back to their planet and study. When Milton Seltzer and the other aliens capture him, Andy is most reluctant to go and does have a unique way of escaping and discovering their weakness while doing so.
Moral of this marvelous Twilight Zone tale is you never know who's listening in, so keep it real.
- bkoganbing
- May 9, 2012
- Permalink
Tall Tales
Andy Devine plays Somerset Frisby, who owns a country store and Gas station in the country, and loves to tell tall tales to his customers, who get quite a rise out of them, since if they were to be believed, would make Frisby the most heroic and brilliant man who ever lived! One day, two strangers come to visit, and believe Frisby's boasting, so later that day kidnap him from afar and take him to their spaceship, since they are in fact aliens who are trying to find such a brilliant Earthman that Frisby seems to be! Just how can Somerset get out of this mess? Obviously this is quite contrived, with silly looking aliens, but Devine is quite amusing here, and episode a lot of fun as long as you don't believe a word of it of course...
- AaronCapenBanner
- Oct 28, 2014
- Permalink
Great Twilight Zone Episode
- oldwerewolf56
- May 8, 2006
- Permalink
A really fun episode -- no word of a lie.
Hocus Pocus and Frisby is a light-hearted, delightfully humorous episode of The Twilight Zone that sees Rod Serling giving us his take on that old fable, The Boy Who Cried Wolf.
Andy Devine plays Somerset Frisby, owner of a country store and the biggest mouth in the county, the man given to telling tall tales in which he has seen and done everything. Somehow, Frisby's wild yarns have come to the attention of visitors from another world, who fail to realise that the stories are pure fabrication; they whisk Frisby to their flying saucer with the intention of taking this most brilliant specimen of the human race to their planet for further study.
Frisby narrowly escapes when he discovers that the sound of his harmomica is deadly to the aliens. For once, Frisby has an amazing story that is absolutely true, but will anyone believe him?
Andy Devine plays Somerset Frisby, owner of a country store and the biggest mouth in the county, the man given to telling tall tales in which he has seen and done everything. Somehow, Frisby's wild yarns have come to the attention of visitors from another world, who fail to realise that the stories are pure fabrication; they whisk Frisby to their flying saucer with the intention of taking this most brilliant specimen of the human race to their planet for further study.
Frisby narrowly escapes when he discovers that the sound of his harmomica is deadly to the aliens. For once, Frisby has an amazing story that is absolutely true, but will anyone believe him?
- BA_Harrison
- Apr 3, 2022
- Permalink
Andy Devine excellent as title character "Frisby."
- chuck-reilly
- Jun 24, 2008
- Permalink
Cheesy but comical
great
What a great episode. Andy was good in his role. Rod Serling made a lot of great stories and keep people entertained. he brought out ways to tell stories of how real life people do .Love all the great actors that were in these twilight zone episodes. I've been watching the episodes starting from #1 and there is a lot of them I have never seen on TV.
A little funny
A guy is known for telling tall tales. Well, he's really just a big liar. He gets kidnapped by aliens who think he's some sort of super genius. Apparently, they don't really understand the concept of lying. Couldn't he just tell them it was the opposite of telling the truth? I know "Galaxy Quest" used this idea later.
I do like the main character in this. He's pretty goofy. I don't know how he knew using a harmonica would defeat the aliens. I love how he just punched one of them. He's a man of action! You can't take that away from him. ***
I do like the main character in this. He's pretty goofy. I don't know how he knew using a harmonica would defeat the aliens. I love how he just punched one of them. He's a man of action! You can't take that away from him. ***
- ericstevenson
- Aug 8, 2018
- Permalink
"I'm just an old country boy with a big mouth!"
- classicsoncall
- Jun 8, 2010
- Permalink
A Devine Performance!
I always loved that scratchy voiced guy in all those westerns. He was the sidekick (Jingles) in the Wild Bill Hickock show back in the fifties. In this he has the perfect vehicle for his wonderful bragging character. He is harmless and no one believes him, but he is non-flustered and goes on anyway. When you have a guy like this, there's no challenging because the details aren't there to quibble with. Of course, in this episode, he is taken on board a space ship by a group of aliens who have no sense of humor and believe everything they hear. They don't have the word lie in their vocabularies. As it turns out, he is so insufferable that they can't handle him; and then, of course, there is the secret weapon. See this just to watch Andy.
Tall tales
Well done makeup on the aliens is the star of this episode, the storyline itself is basic and predictable. Acting is decent.
- Calicodreamin
- Jun 19, 2021
- Permalink
Mr frisby.....hilariously lovable.
- loves_the_oldies
- Feb 29, 2012
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Another comedic genius!
For me, in 2019, to watch contemporaneously the legends of yesteryear is a privilege and joy. Andy Devine was, excuse me, devine! Almost and perhaps as good as Buster Keaton in th TZ episode Once Upon a Time. Both were a thrill to see and I so enjoyed to experience their boundless talent!
A country boy with a big mouth...
Immenently Watchable and that's no Lie
- 45rpmAdapter
- Mar 10, 2010
- Permalink
Bad.
- bombersflyup
- Nov 6, 2019
- Permalink
Somerset Frisby has one hell of a story to tell you
- Woodyanders
- Jun 21, 2018
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Well, ain't Andy just divine?
- mark.waltz
- Sep 3, 2019
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Another comment on Mr Frisby
The above profile was written by me when I used the nick of OldWereWolf56 which is still my email address. I still believe Andy Devine's character of Frisky is the best Twilight Zone's episodes ever and I watch this episode at least once a year as I consider Frisby to be a fortunate man as he has many friends who love him dearly.
In case many of you are too young to remember, I'm 61, Andy Devine hosted a children's entertainment show in the 50's I believe called Andy's Gang. On it he had three assistants: a cat named Midnight who played the violin, a mouse named Squeaky who played an a hand organ and a devilish toad named Froggy who's could appear and disappear at will embarrassing many of Andy's funny guest stars like Billy Gilbert.
In case many of you are too young to remember, I'm 61, Andy Devine hosted a children's entertainment show in the 50's I believe called Andy's Gang. On it he had three assistants: a cat named Midnight who played the violin, a mouse named Squeaky who played an a hand organ and a devilish toad named Froggy who's could appear and disappear at will embarrassing many of Andy's funny guest stars like Billy Gilbert.
- oldwerewolf56-1
- Apr 6, 2008
- Permalink
Hilarious!
Hocus pocus and shaggy dog
- pmicocci-18908
- Sep 10, 2021
- Permalink
Classic Episode Frisbie is hillarious
One of my top ten episodes. Only a very low percentage of people do not like this one. They are missing the humor gene. Its pretty funny and love Andy Devine! He plays the perfect town blowhard story teller.
Just the way Devine talks is funny and loved how he can spin a tale to any situation as the story progresses. Even puts down the craft calling it a tin can!.
The main street of his hometown of Kingman was renamed Andy Devine Avenue. His career is highlighted in the Mohave Museum of History and Arts in Kingman, and a star in his honor is on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
If you don't like this episode make a Drs. Appointment and get what ever is wrong with you fixed!
Just the way Devine talks is funny and loved how he can spin a tale to any situation as the story progresses. Even puts down the craft calling it a tin can!.
The main street of his hometown of Kingman was renamed Andy Devine Avenue. His career is highlighted in the Mohave Museum of History and Arts in Kingman, and a star in his honor is on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
If you don't like this episode make a Drs. Appointment and get what ever is wrong with you fixed!
Can't believe this isn't more highly rated!
While many episodes.have serious plot lines pushing us emotionally into anxiety as the plots climax or represent watching others in settings we can't readily identify with, this takes a more lighthearted approach with a character we can identify with, the boastful man with questionable credibility. Andy Devine is the perfect one for the part, projecting a harmless story teller who's all tall tale. YET the plot twist makes perfect sense, requires little stretch on our part. It takes deft writing to pull this off, and most of the other less serious episodes depict over-the-top or eccentric people who are almost caricatures. And contained in this pleasant plot is a subtle moral point. Not your typical Twilight Zone but very enjoyable.
The Liar and the Aliens
In the middle of nowhere, Somerset Frisby owns a general store and a gas station, and is a big liar, entertaining his clients and friends with his stories. He also loves to play harmonica. Out of the blue, aliens abduct him believing he is one of the greatest intellects on Earth.
"Hocus-Pocus and Frisby" is a hilarious episode of "The Twilight Zone". Frisby is an old man that likes to brag, and builds his fame of liar. When he has the most fantastic story to tell to his friends, he recalls the boy of the fable "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" by Aesop, and nobody believes in his story. My vote is eight.
Title (Brazil): "Mentira Tem Pernas Curtas" ("Lie Has Short Legs")
"Hocus-Pocus and Frisby" is a hilarious episode of "The Twilight Zone". Frisby is an old man that likes to brag, and builds his fame of liar. When he has the most fantastic story to tell to his friends, he recalls the boy of the fable "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" by Aesop, and nobody believes in his story. My vote is eight.
Title (Brazil): "Mentira Tem Pernas Curtas" ("Lie Has Short Legs")
- claudio_carvalho
- Jul 29, 2023
- Permalink