The original run of the best TV shows of all time, and one of the most influential as well, is The Twilight Zone, which premiered on CBS in 1959. Every episode of The Twilight Zone covered a different story, with elements of horror and sci-fi and usually paranormal elements too, though some episodes strayed from that and went for a more lighthearted tone.

The Twilight Zone ran for five seasons, but its legacy led to it getting three revivals, first in 1985 and later in 2002 and 2019. The Twilight Zone has many iconic episodes and was key to launching the careers of many well-known actors, and the show sometimes brought back different actors for new episodes. However, there’s one actor, aside from host Rod Serling, who appeared in all five seasons of the original run of The Twilight Zone, which also gave him a unique franchise record.

Robert McCord Is The Only Actor To Appear In Every Season Of The Twilight Zone's Original Show

Robert McCord Can Be Seen In Different Episodes

Rod Serling appeared in all seasons of the original Twilight Zone run as he was the show’s host, but aside from him, there’s only one actor who appeared in every season: Robert McCord. McCord was born on February 24, 1915, and was a character actor. McCord’s first role, although uncredited, was as an office clerk in the 1947 movie The Shocking Miss Pilgrim, with his first credited role being in one episode of the 1956 TV series Schlitz Playhouse. After a couple more uncredited roles and minor appearances in other movies and shows, McCord ed The Twilight Zone in 1959.

Most of Robert McCord’s appearances in The Twilight Zone were uncredited, except for season 2’s “A Hundred Yards Over The Rim” and season 4’s “The New Exhibit.”

McCord had minor roles in the Twilight Zone episodes he was a part of, and, according to Twilight Zone Museum, he sometimes played more than one role as an extra. McCord’s various appearances in the original Twilight Zone show can be tricky to spot, as he sometimes only appeared as a background character, and other times he featured more prominently in a couple of scenes. Robert McCord ed away on October 1, 1980.

Robert McCord Appeared In More The Twilight Zone Episodes Than Any Other Actor

Robert McCord Quietly Broke A Twilight Zone Record

Between his 32 listed episodes on IMDb, of which, as mentioned above, most were uncredited roles, and his many appearances as an extra, McCord’s appearances in The Twilight Zone are up to 75, according to Twilight Zone Museum. Thanks to this, Robert McCord is the actor who appeared most times in The Twilight Zone, sometimes in an actual role, like a sheriff (as he did in “A Hundred Yards Over the Rim”), and others simply walking around in the background, like in season 1’s “Walking Distance.”

Which Other Actors Appeared In The Most Twilight Zone Episodes

Other Actors Had Multiple Appearances In The Twilight Zone

The original run of The Twilight Zone counted on the talents of a variety of actors, such as Robert Redford, Burt Reynolds, Buster Keaton, Carol Burnett, Leonard Nimoy, and Robert Duvall, just to name a few. Although it had a long list of actors, both newcomers and well-established names, The Twilight Zone also brought some actors back in different roles. Some of the actors who appeared in most Twilight Zone episodes are Vaughn Taylor, who appeared in five episodes, and Burgess Meredith, George Mitchell, Bill Erwin, Cyril Delevanti, John Anderson, J. Pat O’Malley, Barney Phillips, and Jack Klugman, who appeared in four episodes.

Other actors with multiple appearances in The Twilight Zone are Raymond Bailey, Russ Bender, Marjorie Bennett, Paul Comi, and Gladys Cooper, with three episodes each, while many more appeared in two or three episodes. Robert McCord holds a unique record in the world of The Twilight Zone, and looking for him in every episode of those five seasons has become a fun mission for fans of the show.

Sources: IMDb, Twilight Zone Museum.