Origin of a Classic: The Time Element (Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse, 1958)

Everyone knows that The Untouchables got its start on CBS' Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse, even though the series ended up going to ABC. But what some of you might not know is that it wasn't the only hit series to come out of Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse.

In 1958, CBS suits didn't believe a science fiction anthology series could work, and rejected a pilot written by Rod Serling. However, Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz were looking for a dramatic entry for the Playhouse to air in between installments of what would become the Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour.

The then-power couple picked up the Serling pilot, and aired it on the Playhouse in November 1958.

Jackpot! "The Time Element" led to the debut of Serling's seminal Twilight Zone, which, like The Untouchables, was part of the television freshman class of 1959. William Bendix (ex-The Life of Riley) headlines, with co-stars Martin Balsam, Darryl Hickman, Jesse White, and, for Three Stooges fans, Joe DeRita.

Lucy makes a cameo at the end of the show to plug the next week's show, as Desi is the series host/executive producer.

Edit, 8/31/24: In changing the video, we find that Lucy's cameo is not on this print.



Unfortunately for Lucy & Desi, their marriage fell apart within a couple of years of this broadcast, and Desilu eventually was absorbed into Paramount by 1967.

Rating for "The Time Element": A.