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"The Ghost of Nero"
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TTT episode
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1.19/19th of 30 aired
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First aired
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Written by
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Irwin Allen, Leonard Stadd
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Directed by
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Previous episode
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Next Episode
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Summary[]
Tony Newman and Doug Phillips materialize in the Italian Alps where they see armed German troops swarming the area. The unfortunate time travelers realize that they have arrived during World War I.
When bombs start exploding around them, the pair take shelter in the basement of a nearby villa; however falling debris from a nearby bomb knocks them unconscious. The explosion also opens a hidden crypt belonging to the Roman emperor Nero. A sword emerges from the tomb, though its owner is unseen.
Once Newman and Phillips awaken, they hear the voices of German troops approaching and hide from a soldier who enters the basement. However, upon entering Nero’s tomb, the sword runs the soldier through.
Knowing that they will be blamed for the inexplicable death, Newman and Phillips seek a way to escape. They stumble upon a secret passage that leads up into the villa, where they are confronted by the owner, Count Enrico Galba. The villa is right in the middle of the German and Italian armies, which is why the Germans want to use the villa as a stronghold.
Dr. Steinholtz advises Lt. General Kirk on the paranormal.
Meanwhile, the team at Project Tic-Toc are baffled by a powerful life-force reading from the villa that is also interfering with their instruments. The team enlist the aid of Dr. Steinholtz, an expert on the paranormal, as they ascertain that the ghost of Nero is all too real and poses a serious threat - first by possessing one of the German guards, then Newman.
Character actor Eduardo Cianelli, guest-starring as Count Galba, reflects the anguish created by Nero’s spirit in “The Ghost of Nero” segment of “The Time Tunnel.”
Newman, Phillips and Galba must find a way to escape the villa before it is destroyed and before they are killed by Nero’s ghost or the Germans.
Background information/trivia[]
- Having dealt with UFOs in the previous episode, this was the first time during the series that a paranormal element was brought into the show, showing a move away from straight historical drama to more far-fetched storytelling.
- A concentrated power surge in the form of one million volts is sent from Project Tic-Toc through the Time Tunnel to try to rid Newman of the spirit that is possessing him.
- Project Tic-Toc soldiers have access to flame-guns as a weapon, as we see when Lt. General Heywood Kirk orders them to use the guns to drive Nero’s ghost back into the Time Tunnel.
- The lights dim at Project Tic-Toc when the “unseen force” (i.e. the ghost of Nero), is brought into the Tunnel. On popular entertainment shows featuring so-called 'ghost hunters,' the equipment they use (digital recorders, K2 meters, camcorders, etc.) are often drained of power, even with either brand new or freshly charged batteries (though, of course, none of these offerings should be treated with any degree of seriousness).
- Whether deliberate or coincidental, the villa's drawing room is remarkably similar to the Collinwood set on the popular ABC TV soap opera Dark Shadows, which was in production at the same time.
Cast[]
- James Darren as Dr. Tony Newman
- Robert Colbert as Dr. Doug Phillips
- Lee Meriwether as Dr. Ann MacGregor
- John Zaremba as Dr. Raymond Swain
- Whit Bissell as Lt. General Heywood Kirk
- Eduardo Ciannelli as Count Enrico Galba
- Gunnar Hellström as Major Neistadt
- John Hoyt as Dr. Steinholtz
- Richard Jaeckel as Sgt. Mueller
Links[]
The episode can be seen at hulu.com on The Time Tunnel channel