“There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man’s fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call the Twilight Zone.” – Opening to ‘The Twilight Zone’
No one can deliver these words as well as the unforgettable Rod Serling. In honor of the host of “The Twilight Zone’, his hometown of Binghamton, New York, decided to dedicate the top panel of the Rec Park Carousel with images from the treasured show. Why a carousel? Well, when Serling was a young child, he would often ride on this 60 horse attraction. He had such a strong connection to the merry-go-round that a copy of it was used in ‘The Twilight Zone’ episode “Walking Distance.” So when the city decided to restore the carousel, it hired artist Cortland Hull to paint images from some of the show’s famous episodes.
The grand reopening of the Rec Park Carousel took place on Monday, August 30th with the Hull in attendance. He commented to the crowd that he painted the panels in the style he calls ‘Fairground Art’ -“like vintage circus posters, but very detailed.”
Below are the panels he painted. As you can see, this was obviously a labor of love as the panels are outstanding! So, how many episodes can you name from the images?
(Portrait of Rod Serling and ‘A Stop at Willoughby’)
(‘To Serve Man’)
(‘Nightmare at 20,000 Ft’)
(‘The Howling Man’)
(‘It’s A Good Life’)
(‘Walking Distance’)
(‘The Living Doll’ with Talking Tina)
(‘Time Enough at Last’)
As an added treat, below is a close up look of the books to the right of Burgess Meredith. Eagle eyed fans will see titles such as ‘Space’ by Mark Hamill, ‘The Art of Make Up’ by Rick Baker (special make up effects artist), ‘Voices’ by June Foray (voice over actress), among others.