The Outer Limits Promotional Spot

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Of the two classic science-fiction/horror anthology series that were on the air during the early 1960s, The Twilight Zone (CBS, 1959-1964) has always been my favorite. But The Outer Limits (ABC, 1963-1965) produced some equally as enjoyable and intriguing episodes. Personally, I’m fond of the two episodes that Sally Kellerman appeared in (“The Bellero Shield” and “The Human Factor”).

Here’s a promotional spot for The Outer Limits that I believe is for the first season. The opening scene is from the seventh episode of the series (“O.B.I.T.,” originally broadcast November 4th, 1963) and if I’m not mistaken there is also a scene from the series premiere (“The Galaxy Being,” originally broadcast September 16th, 1963).


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6 Replies to “The Outer Limits Promotional Spot”

  1. This is obviously a mid-season promo, around January/February 1964, at the time “The Bellero Shield” initially aired. There are also brief scenes from “Tourist Attraction” and “The Man With the Power” (especially at the end, where Priscilla Morrill looks on in horror as Donald Pleasance wreaks havoc on their living room through his mind).

    “THE OUTER LIMITS”, in its first season (1963-’64), was the finest science fiction/fantasy anthology ever produced on TV at the time [while Rod Serling’s “TWILIGHT ZONE” was in its “twilight”, so to speak, that very season]- even when it was opposite “NBC MONDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES” and CBS’ “powerhouse” combination of “TO TELL THE TRUTH” and “I’VE GOT A SECRET”. For season two {Ben Brady succeeded Joseph Stefano as producer, somewhat “watering down” the impact the series had in season one}, the show moved to Saturdays in the fall of 1964, directly opposite “JACKIE GLEASON AND HIS AMERICAN SCENE MAGAZINE”, and NBC’s “FLIPPER” and Dennis Weaver’s “KENTUCKY JONES”. Only “teenage” (and “cult”) viewers stuck around for those episodes. Then ABC decided to “fortify” its Saturday night schedule of musical variety by replacing “THE OUTER LIMITS” with “THE KING FAMILY SHOW” in January 1965 (viewed by some cynics as a “horror show” in itself)…and after 49 episodes, that was that.

    1. Edward Mulhare at the receiving end of David McCallum’s wrath from “The Sixth Finger”. Check out “The Outer Limits at 50” book/website!

  2. This promo says a lot about how ABC viewed the show….their vision didn’t measure up to the concept Joe Stefano and others had for the show…the promo is pretty kitschy, and irreverent, compared to the actual show….Nevertheless, it is a rare promo, and thank you for posting it….fun to see!

  3. In order of appearance, “O.B.I.T.”, “Tourist Attraction”, ” The Man Who Was Never Born”, “Galaxy Being”, “The Sixth Finger”, “A Feasibility Study”, “Man With the Power”. “Specimen Unknown” may be in there as well. Thank you for this memory that is growing dimmer with each passing day!

  4. If ABC had kept “Outer Limits” on Mondays in the 1964-65 season, the show likely would have gone on to enjoy a run of several seasons.

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