# Twilight Zone's First Western Star

> Earl Holliman, a Western legend, starred in the first Twilight Zone episode.
- Title: Twilight Zone's First Western Star · SlashFilm | Shortify
- Summary: Earl Holliman, a Western legend, starred in the first Twilight Zone episode. Earl Holliman, known for Westerns, appeared in the first Twilight Zone episode…
- Keywords: earl holliman, twilight zone, first episode, western actor, mike ferris, cbs, 1959, 1962, wide country, police woman, 2000, 2024
- Source: SlashFilm — https://slashfilm.com/2279225/the-twilight-zone-first-episode-western-actor-earl-holliman
- Author: Witney Seibold
- Published: 2026-10-12T00:45:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: earl holliman, twilight zone, first episode, western actor, mike ferris, cbs, 1959, 1962, wide country, police woman, 2000, 2024
## First Twilight Zone Episode
The first episode of 'The Twilight Zone' followed an amnesiac Air Force pilot in an abandoned town.
## Pilot's Hallucination
The pilot saw a mannequin in a car and heard police radio but no one explained anything.
## Astronaut Twist
The pilot was actually an astronaut in training sealed in a sensory deprivation chamber for three weeks.
## Earl Holliman
Earl Holliman, a Western legend, played Mike Ferris in the 1959 episode.
## Holliman's Career
Holliman starred in Westerns like 'Devil's Canyon' and won a Golden Globe for 'The Rainmaker'.
## Later TV Roles
Holliman appeared in 'Wide Country' and 'Police Woman' before retiring in 2000.
## Final Role
Holliman's last role was in the 2000 thriller 'The Perfect Tenant' before his death in 2024.
## Key takeaway

Earl Holliman, known for Westerns, appeared in the first Twilight Zone episode as an astronaut in training.