Real name: "Mr. Beal Meets his Match." This is a favorite episode that just aired yesterday (01/15//13) on AntennaTV. It is another of the morality tales that FKB is so famously known for, with the Andersons actually taking on the Devil and becoming triumphant by the end of the 30 minutes they had to deal with him! There seems to be some controversy on who played the Devil. It is listed here on IMDb as John Williams and NOT listed in Ray Millands' credits. It was listed on the TV credits after the show as being John Williams. It also was listed as being John Williams on the OFFICIAL Father Knows Best website in two places, as being him in the episode listing and in the pdf file that houses the actual script synopsis written at the time with the players listed and all in the old typewriter type, the episode is #111 and is in the fourth season. It is mistakenly listed as being Ray Milland on the Wikipedia website, Mr. Milland did play a Devil's character named NICK Beal in a 1949 movie, unconnected to FKB. But our character here is named HARRY Beal, so it is not Mr. Milland reprising his old movie roll as has been suggested on these threads. I'm sure anyone who loves FKB as I and many others do love to get their trivia facts straight as it might come in handy if we ever got on Jeopardy! Also the DVD's of FKB is out on Netflix for renting, they have seasons one thru four, the 4th season (the one we are discussing here) is out and is in my saved NetFlix queue. So any doubts can be erased when personally viewing this episode and seeing John Williams as the Devil. John Williams by the way, played Audrey Hepburns chauffeur father, Thomas Fairchild in 1954's "Sabrina" for anyone wanting to compare him against Harry Beal in FNB. (Interesting note that Mr. Williams and Mr. Milland played together in a fantastic film "Dial M for Murder".) Also you can rent FKB to watch online at Amazon. I haven't looked yet but there may even be some episodes on Hulu or YouTube that could satisfy anyone interested in getting facts earlier than the DVD release. Hope this helps! UPDATE: This episode will be airing again May 30, 2013 on AntennaTV at 1:00 pm Eastern Standard Time. UPDATE: This episode aired today as had been previously noted and I watched it again, it IS John Williams who plays the Devil and it ends with him on a branch outside Jim and Margrets bedroom window and crashing to the ground when he realizes he has 'lost' because Margret will not let Jim go.
5 Reviews
FATHER KNOWS BEST Meets THE TWILIGHT ZONE
MichaelMartinDeSapio17 January 2018
Warning: Spoilers
"Mr. Beal Meets His Match" indulges in the series' penchant for fantasy sequences. On a stormy night, Betty is busy finishing a story for English class. It is a moral parable taking off on "Faust" but incorporating the members of the Anderson clan. Jim walks in to see why Betty is up so late, and Betty starts reading him the story. One by one the other Andersons file in to hear the tale, in which they all play a part. Meanwhile, the tale is played as a fantasy sequence.
It is a Faustian story alright, featuring an urbane but possibly sinister gentleman (played by English actor John Williams) who sells the Andersons a set of encyclopedias. It turns out that these "books of knowledge" contain secret powers that enable the users to obtain their fondest wishes. But as in many an episode of THE TWILIGHT ZONE, the Anderson's learn to be careful what you wish for.
I won't reveal any more, except to say that the episode shows FATHER at its inventive best. I particularly enjoyed the atmospheric cinematography. "Mr. Beal" will bring you back to a time when TV episodes were morality plays, as edifying as they were entertaining.
SPOILERS: The fact the devil is named "Beelzebub" in the Bible should give you a clue of who "Mr. Beal" is!
It is a Faustian story alright, featuring an urbane but possibly sinister gentleman (played by English actor John Williams) who sells the Andersons a set of encyclopedias. It turns out that these "books of knowledge" contain secret powers that enable the users to obtain their fondest wishes. But as in many an episode of THE TWILIGHT ZONE, the Anderson's learn to be careful what you wish for.
I won't reveal any more, except to say that the episode shows FATHER at its inventive best. I particularly enjoyed the atmospheric cinematography. "Mr. Beal" will bring you back to a time when TV episodes were morality plays, as edifying as they were entertaining.
SPOILERS: The fact the devil is named "Beelzebub" in the Bible should give you a clue of who "Mr. Beal" is!
It is John Williams, not Ray Milland.
shemp5622 December 2018
I had heard for years about this strange episode of "FKB" where the family is visited by the Devil himself. The Devil supposedly played by Ray Milland. I found hard to believe the series would do such an episode but here it is. But it's British actor John Williams who played the Devil, not Milland. Williams would later play Mr French on "Family Affair" after Sebastian Cabot left.
An Imaginative Departure
dougdoepke10 May 2020
Wow! For a moment I too thought I'd tuned into The Twilight Zone. What else could explain the normally affable dad Anderson having an emotional fit, teeth grinding, eyes rolling, and arms flailing. It's like everyone's perfect dad suddenly turning into Mr. Hyde. But then, he is trying to save his family from the seductive depredations of the Lord of Fire and Brimstone.
Good thing we know at the outset that all this is happening in daughter Betty's literary imagination as she reads her story to the family. It's a real tribute to the staff that we forget this make-believe as the infernal story draws us further and further in despite the framing. Overall, the episode's quite a departure for the 1950's version of iconic family wholesomeness; plus, a showcase for actor Young's thespic talents that do, as we learn, go beyond a friendly smile. Then too, I suspect there's a backstory to this daring departure. After all, they're fiddling with the format of one of the decades most popular series.
Note also the unforced moral emerging at episode's end, one that's in perfect keeping with the series's family norm. And that's along with another typical 50's cautionary lesson: namely, don't read what father tells you not too. It could invite evil as it does here. Thus, it's parents who should decide what kids should read, no matter how trivial it may seem. All in all, the 30-minutes itself amounts to a rather daring departure for generally staid 50's TV, and shouldn't be passed up.
Good thing we know at the outset that all this is happening in daughter Betty's literary imagination as she reads her story to the family. It's a real tribute to the staff that we forget this make-believe as the infernal story draws us further and further in despite the framing. Overall, the episode's quite a departure for the 1950's version of iconic family wholesomeness; plus, a showcase for actor Young's thespic talents that do, as we learn, go beyond a friendly smile. Then too, I suspect there's a backstory to this daring departure. After all, they're fiddling with the format of one of the decades most popular series.
Note also the unforced moral emerging at episode's end, one that's in perfect keeping with the series's family norm. And that's along with another typical 50's cautionary lesson: namely, don't read what father tells you not too. It could invite evil as it does here. Thus, it's parents who should decide what kids should read, no matter how trivial it may seem. All in all, the 30-minutes itself amounts to a rather daring departure for generally staid 50's TV, and shouldn't be passed up.
The Lily-White Andersons Beat The Devil
StrictlyConfidential10 October 2020
"Mr. Beal Meets His Match" is actually quite a strange and, yes, puzzling episode from TV's "Father Knows Best" (1958).
Most of the story is something of a surreal fantasy where each member of the Anderson family is enticed by the wicked Mr. Beal to make a wish and then suffer the consequences when their dreams become a reality.
Anyway - I found it really hard to believe that the pert & prim college girl, Betty Anderson had enough imagination in her pretty, little head to create such a story as this one.
Most of the story is something of a surreal fantasy where each member of the Anderson family is enticed by the wicked Mr. Beal to make a wish and then suffer the consequences when their dreams become a reality.
Anyway - I found it really hard to believe that the pert & prim college girl, Betty Anderson had enough imagination in her pretty, little head to create such a story as this one.
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