Legendary character actor Burgess Meredith has taken on some iconic roles throughout his prolific career. On the small screen, he made an everlasting impression in pop culture history with his cackling, wisecracking version of the Penguin in 1966’s “Batman.” But perhaps one of his most memorable moments was the time he delivered a top-notch acting performance on “The Twilight Zone,” CBS’ classic anthology series.
In 1959, Meredith starred in “Time Enough at Last”— one of the best episodes of “The Twilight Zone,” according to IMDb. This post-apocalyptic cautionary tale centered on Henry Bemis (Meredith), a bank teller and reclusive bookworm who constantly faces ridicule from his boss and wife for his love of literature. While sneaking off to the bank’s vault to read in peace, an H-bomb obliterates the city, leaving Henry as the lone survivor. At first, he’s devastated by the isolation — until he discovers the ruins of a public library brimming with books. But the real tragedy strikes when his coke-bottle glasses shatter, leaving him blind and unable to read.
The episode’s cruel twist is certainly one that has stuck with fans throughout the years. During a 1984 interview with The Twilight Zone Magazine (via Shadow & Substance), Meredith talked about why the episode struck such a deep chord with viewers. “‘Time Enough at Last’ is the one that haunts people,” Meredith recalled, adding, “I don’t think I’ve ever done any other project that people talk to me more about than that show. Roughly every two or three months, someone comes up to me and mentions ‘Time Enough at Last.'”
Burgess Meredith returned for three more Twilight Zone episodes
It seems Meredith’s haunting performance also left an impression on series writer Rod Serling as well. The “Twilight Zone” host and creator was so moved by the early footage that he invited Meredith back for more. Meredith told The Twilight Zone Magazine, “He had just seen some rushes of the show, which made him very enthusiastic. He said, ‘Hey, you’re wonderful. Let’s do more shows with you.'”
Serling kept his word, bringing Meredith back to star in three more outings: “Mr. Dingle, the Strong,” “The Obsolete Man,” and “Printer’s Devil.” But out of all of them, Meredith said “Time Enough at Last” was the episode that “ultimately proved to be the most successful of the ‘Twilight Zone’s I acted in.”
Following his journey through the fifth dimension, Meredith continued a long, successful career in both film and TV, ultimately taking on the role of the Penguin in the 1966 “Batman” television series and “Batman: The Movie” that same year. During an interview with Thanet Times (via Heroes & Icons), Meredith revealed that he really got to let loose with the comic book role, saying, “Why, it’s more fun than I’ve ever had. It’s a veritable acting holiday. I can forget all those orthodox acting do’s and don’ts and let myself go. It’s difficult to do anything terribly wrong in this part — the hammier I am, the better!”
