The Best Episodes Written By Bill S. ballinger

A series of mysterious deaths plague the life of conductor Ryder Bond. In each case, the victim is incinerated by supernaturally hot flames. As Kolchak investigates, he finds out that an arsonist, Frankie Markoff, was a fan of Bond's, and was killed in a penny arcade. His funeral procession crossed Bond's car, allowing the spirit to become a ""doppelganger"" and try to take over Bond's life. Each victim was burned to death when they fell asleep, and if Bond goes to sleep the doppelganger will take him over for good. Fighting sleep himself, Kolchak must exhume Markoff's body and reunite it with his restless spirit before he too bursts into flame.

Director: Don Weis

Writer: Bill S. Ballinger

In a oil company's laboratory, the air conditioning fails, and a primate creature attacks a scientist. The creature, and others like it, begin going on a rampage throughout Chicago. The oil company was experimenting with cell samples brought back from the Antarctic, which began growing when exposed to heat. Now these bizarre missing links are wrecking havoc. Despite the government cover-up, Kolchak investigates, and must track the creatures down to their lair beneath the old nuclear-research labs of the 50's.

Director: Robert Scheerer

Writer: Bill S. Ballinger

An aspiring hitman takes on a risky assignment to kill a rival gangster but then finds himself easily conned by his target in a treacherous game of cat and mouse.

Director: John Brahm

Writer: Bill S. Ballinger

When a traffic delay prevents a dying boy from reaching the hospital in time, his bereaved father and brothers swear revenge on the salesman who hogged the road when a life was on the line.

Director: Stuart Rosenberg

Writer: Bill S. Ballinger

When Clete Vine, a successful businessman, reads about a gangster's violent death, he recalls how he and a childhood friend were profoundly affected by an event that began with their innocent admiration of an elegant car.

Director: Norman Lloyd

Writer: Bill S. Ballinger

A wealthy entrepreneur is sure that the man he meets on a cruise ship is the same person he robbed and left for dead many years ago ... or is he?

Director: John Brahm

Writer: Bill S. Ballinger

A falsely convicted prisoner is determined to make his walk to the gas chamber on of dignity, but his plan suddenly changes when he hurls himself at the jovial guard known as "Pops".

Director: Paul Henreid

Writer: Bill S. Ballinger

A cash-strapped, treacherous couple set on being together no matter what the cost find that the price of love runs high when a private investigator comes onto the scene and discovers bigamy and murder are the perfect deathmate.

Director: N/A

Writer: Bill S. Ballinger

A convict serving a life sentence finds that he has an alternative: change places with an alien.

Director: Alan Crosland, Jr.

Writer: Bill S. Ballinger