This well-remembered TZ episode from its fabulous first season touches upon a theme that has long been explored as a popular subject of fantasy fiction. The Ides of apparent immortality and its real and unintended consequences may remind many readers of Dorian Gray and his Portrait as famously described by Oscar Wilde. However, there have been many other literary examples that pursued the possible fictional results that flow from being able to live well beyond a normal lifespan. For example, the High Lama character in James Hilton's Lost Horizon is a man who had survived several lifetimes while waiting for the right person to take his place in Shangri-La. And in the MGM film version of Pandora and the Flying Dutchman, Hendrik van der Zee is afflicted with a longevity spanning hundreds of years while he searches for the woman who will lift his curse and allow him to find peace. And we should not forget the many humorous possibilities of living an extraordinary lifetime as explored by Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks in their celebrated 2000 Year Old Man classic comedy sketch.
There is nothing particularly humorous or romantic about Long Live Walter Jameson (LLWJ). For all its amazing fantasy elements, we are presented with a quite serious exposition on the concept of immortality. Most TZ episodes are either story-driven or special effects-driven. Many of the better ones (like LLWJ) really reflect a combination of both. Charles Beaumont's fine script for LLWJ contains a literate discussion between the two protagonists (Kevin McCarthy and Edgar Stehli) about McCarthy's unfortunate situation of looking young but being quite old as this is relevant to his current involvement with Stehli's rather nubile daughter. The tragic aspects of this dilemma are intellligently considered, and ultimately bring doom to the McCarthy character. The strength of this story flows from our fascination with the concept of immortality as a curse rather than a blessing, and the high quality of Beaumont's inspired prose.
As for the special effects used in LLWJ, they are truly remarkable. William Tuttle, then head of the MGM makeup department, devised a series of three different age makeups for McCarthy that allowed him in an almost seamless way to transition from youthful life to a most elderly death in just one scene. The end result seems far more impressive than what was used on Hurd Hatfield for his climactic death in MGM's earlier theatrical film version of The Picture Of Dorian Gray.
LLWJ is one more splendid entry from TZ's memorable first season. Its success helps to explain why TZ continues to appeal to us after over 60 years since first being broadcast.
There is nothing particularly humorous or romantic about Long Live Walter Jameson (LLWJ). For all its amazing fantasy elements, we are presented with a quite serious exposition on the concept of immortality. Most TZ episodes are either story-driven or special effects-driven. Many of the better ones (like LLWJ) really reflect a combination of both. Charles Beaumont's fine script for LLWJ contains a literate discussion between the two protagonists (Kevin McCarthy and Edgar Stehli) about McCarthy's unfortunate situation of looking young but being quite old as this is relevant to his current involvement with Stehli's rather nubile daughter. The tragic aspects of this dilemma are intellligently considered, and ultimately bring doom to the McCarthy character. The strength of this story flows from our fascination with the concept of immortality as a curse rather than a blessing, and the high quality of Beaumont's inspired prose.
As for the special effects used in LLWJ, they are truly remarkable. William Tuttle, then head of the MGM makeup department, devised a series of three different age makeups for McCarthy that allowed him in an almost seamless way to transition from youthful life to a most elderly death in just one scene. The end result seems far more impressive than what was used on Hurd Hatfield for his climactic death in MGM's earlier theatrical film version of The Picture Of Dorian Gray.
LLWJ is one more splendid entry from TZ's memorable first season. Its success helps to explain why TZ continues to appeal to us after over 60 years since first being broadcast.