June 1970. The story was republished as part of a collection of Matheson's short stories. In the original short story, the plot is resolved differently. Norma presses the button, and receives the money—after her husband dies in a train incident, where he is pushed onto the tracks. The money is the no-fault insurance settlement, which is $50,000 instead of the $200,000 in the Twilight Zone episode. A despondent Norma asks the stranger why her husband was the one who was killed. The stranger replies, "Do you really think you knew your husband?" Matheson strongly disapproved of the Twilight Zone version, especially the new ending, and used his pseudonym Logan Swanson for the teleplay. Film The Box, a feature film based on this story, starring Cameron Diaz and James Marsden, was released in 2009. Basil Hoffman, the actor who played Steward in the Twilight Zone episode, appears in the film in a different role. Radio A radio-play version of the story is written by Henry Slesar, who also produced the radio program. As the CBS Radio Mystery Theater Presents 15th episode entitled "The Chinaman Button", it was first broadcast Jan. 20, 1974. It was repeated at least twice on March 15, 1974, and again October 7, 1978. In this version of the story, a man who is desperate for money is offered the chance to make a fortune. All he has to do is commit an anonymous murder, where he will not even have to see the victim. Actors for this radio play were Mason Adams, Paul Hecht, Evie Juster, Ralph Bell, and Will Hare. See also "The Monkey's Paw" Unintended consequence References Cited External links Postcards from the Zone episode 1.50 Button, Button 1986 American television episodes Adaptations of works by Richard Matheson Television episodes based on short fiction Television episodes written by Richard Matheson The Twilight Zone (1985 TV series season 1) episodes