....and having watched two more episodes of season 2 THE TWILIGHT ZONE:

KING NINE WILL NOT RETURN - was that your 'beach' reference, dazzlenation...'beached' in the desert, perhaps? anyway, it was all about 'block of wood'....nota bene the facial features of the main actor.

....additionally, NERVOUS MAN IN A 4 DOLLAR room...was all about ivan Dubcek....go figure.