6 ‘Twilight Zone’ Actors Who Also Appeared on ‘Seinfeld’

Rod Serling‘s The Twilight Zone is a trademark series that changed the landscape of television with its innovative storytelling, exceptional performances, and powerful themes, and has since become a staple in television history and pop culture. The series is widely celebrated for its exceptional variety of classic stars such as Ida Lupino, Lee Marvin, and Burgess Meredith, and future icons like Robert Redford, Charles Bronson, and Elizabeth Montgomery. Although the show featured a collection of familiar faces, there are some notable players from the Fifth Dimension who managed to cross over into one of the greatest sitcoms of all time, Seinfeld.

Much like The Twilight Zone, Seinfeld was a cultural phenomenon that made its mark with timeless antics, relatable humor, and lovable, over-the-top characters, forging its own place in the history books of American television. Throughout the show’s nine-season run, Seinfeld subtly snuck in former TZ players such as George Murdock and Jesse White into various episodes, with many being a part of some of the show’s most memorable moments. From the legendary Bill Erwin to former B-Western star Peggy Stewart, these are six stars from The Twilight Zone who also appeared on Seinfeld.

6

Bill Erwin

Image via CBS/NBC

Bill Erwin was a seasoned character actor who appeared in over two hundred and fifty movies and television shows, including I Love Lucy, The Untouchables, Somewhere in Time, and Home Alone. Born in Honey Grove, Texas, Erwin initially found immense success in television and made his first of four appearances in The Twilight Zone in season one, episode 3, ‘Mr. Denton on Doomsday.’ The majority of fans recognize him for his role as Peter Kramer in one of the show’s most famous episodes, season two, episode twenty-eight, ‘Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up?’ Other appearances include uncredited roles in season one, episode five, ‘Walking Distance,’ and season four, episode five, ‘Mute.’

At the age of seventy-eight, Erwin landed a guest spot on Seinfeld in season four, episode eighteen, ‘The Old Man,’ as a cooped-up and foul-mouthed elderly man, Sid Fields, who is paired with Jerry as part of the Foster-A-Grandpa program. Between his character’s lack of a filter and constant poking at Jerry for his own amusement, Erwin left fans and critics with a lasting impression that earned him an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series.

5

Lois Nettleton

Image via CBS/NBC

Lois Nettleton was an award-winning television actress from Illinois who initially found success on Broadway and started taking on various guest roles in popular television shows by the mid-1950s. In 1961, Nettleton starred in season three, episode ten, ‘The Midnight Sun’ of The Twilight Zone, as a young woman, Norma, who is desperately trying to survive the scorching heat as Earth starts moving closer to the Sun. Considering the intense premise and small cast, Nettleton delivers one of the most sensational performances in the Fifth Dimension and is one of many stars who brought sophistication and genuine talent to the series’ timeless legacy.

Although Nettleton mainly took on dramatic roles, she wasn’t without a sense of humor and made a guest appearance on Seinfeld in season six, episode six, ‘The Gymnast,’ as Mrs. Enright, who is the mother of George Costanza’s (Jason Alexander) girlfriend at the time, Lindsay (Jessica Hecht). Even though her role was minor, fans will famously remember the scene where she watches on in horror as George secretly eats from the family’s trash can. Her shocked facial expression and uncertainty mixed with panic and sheer disbelief ultimately turned the already-humorous scene into one of the show’s most unhinged.

4

George Murdock

Image via CBS/NBC

George Murdock was a successful character actor from Salina, Kansas, who was known for appearing in a slew of hit television shows, including Bonanza, Barney Miller, and Ironside. Murdock originally found success as an original cast member of the Los Angeles-based Melrose Theater and eventually moved into television by the 1960s. One of Murdock’s earliest television roles was a brief but iconic appearance at the end of The Twilight Zone season three, episode thirty-three, ‘The Dummy,’ which is easily one of the show’s most famous episodes. While his screen time is short, Murdock’s cheeky and twisted appearance at the end of the episode heightens the chills of an unexpected plot twist.

In Seinfeld season five, episode fourteen, ‘The Marine Biologist,’ Murdock appears as an intense Russian author, Yuri Testikov, whose book is about to be published by Elaine Benes’ (Julia Louis-Dreyfus)company. While in the car together, Testikov becomes annoyed by the beeping of Elaine’s electronic organizer and throws it out the window, leading Elaine to try to get the author to confess to his “crime” on tape in hopes that he will reimburse her. Murdock delivers an animated performance that aligns perfectly with the show’s humor while also bringing a touch of over-the-top nonsense and a bit of unpredictability that make the scenario unique and original.

3

Jason Wingreen

Image via CBS/NBC

Jason Wingreen was a character actor who found quiet success as Harry Snowden in All in the Family, and was the original voice of the bounty hunter, Boba Fett, in Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back. Born in New York City, Wingreen studied acting at New York’s New School and co-founded the Circle Square Theater company before making his Broadway debut in 1954. Around the same time, Wingreen threw his hat into the television ring and made his first of three appearances in The Twilight Zone in season one, episode thirty, ‘A Stop at Willoughby,’ as a train conductor. He also appeared in season three, episode 10, ‘The Midnight Sun,’ and season four, episode eighteen, ‘The Bard.’

Wingreen continued to thrive in the television world, especially on sitcoms like Seinfeld, in which he made a brief appearance as a potential ticket buyer in season four, episode nine, ‘The Opera.’ Wingreen is one of several people who show an interest in buying two tickets from George and Kramer (Michael Richards), but even though George is okay with Wingreen’s offer, Kramer isn’t so easily swayed, and his lack of a filter sends Wingreen walking. Wingreen was more than a footnote in television history, and even though he doesn’t have a name or more than a few lines, his appearance on Seinfeld is a significant sitcom moment that deserves to be recognized.

2

Jesse White

Image via CBS/NBC

Jesse White was a seasoned film and television actor who most people recognize for his portrayal of the repairman, Ol’ Lonely, in the Maytag commercials from 1967 to 1988. The New York-born actor initially made a name for himself on the Broadway stage before making his feature film debut in the classic film noir, Kiss of Death. While he continued to take on film roles, White also started earning bit parts in television shows, making his first appearance in The Fifth Dimension in season three, episode thirteen, ‘Once Upon a Time,’ starring Buster Keaton as, ironically, a repairman. White returned to The Twilight Zone as Harmon Cavender, an angel who is trying to earn his wings, in season three, episode thirty-six, ‘Cavender is Coming,’ starring Carol Burnett.

Over the years, White continued to work in both television and film while also appearing as the Maytag repairman. In 1996, White made his final television appearance on Seinfeld in season seven, episode fourteen, ‘The Cadillac,’ as Ralph, who lives in the same retirement community as Jerry’s parents. According to Jerry Seinfeld, he had been a fan of White’s since he saw him appear on The Ann Sothern Show and described having White on the show as a boyhood dream come true.

1

Peggy Stewart

Image via CBS/NBC

With a career spanning over seven decades, Peggy Stewart was a film and television star who was known for her roles in B-Western movies and television shows such as Sheriff of Las Vegas, Oregon Trail, and the underrated Western series, Have Gun – Will Travel. Born in West Palm Beach, Florida, Stewart made her feature film debut in the 1944 Western Wells Fargo, starring Joel McCrea, and signed a contract with Republic Pictures in 1944. While Stewart found moderate success in movies, she took on a handful of roles in a string of popular shows and starred in The Twilight Zone as Grace Stockton in season three, episode three, ‘The Shelter.’

By the 1960s, Stewart’s career had slowed down, but she still made a few occasional appearances in minor roles on popular shows and movies. In 1993, Stewart appeared on Seinfeld in season four, episode nineteen, ‘The Implant,’ as the aunt of George’s girlfriend, Aunt May, who meets her niece’s newest boyfriend for the first time at a family funeral in Detroit. Stewart’s appearance in Seinfeld may have been short, but it essentially helped revitalize her career, and she went on to appear in a variety of other modern hit series, including Frasier, Justified, Weeds, and The Office.