Rod Serling

{{ infobox writer | image = SerlingZeroHour.jpg | imagesize = | alt = Suited man in his forties, with dark hair, thick eyebrows, and an intense expression | caption = Serling , promoting Zero Hour | pseudonym = | birthname = Rodman Edward Serling | birthdate = December 25, 1924 | birthplace = Syracuse, New York, USA | deathdate = June 28, 1975 | deathplace = Rochester, New York, USA | resting_place = Lake View Cemetery in Interlaken, New York | occupation = Screenwriter, TV producer, Narrator | language = English | nationality = American | ethnicity = | citizenship = United States | education = Bachelor of Arts in Literature | alma_mater = Antioch College | period = 1954–1975 | genre = Literary realism, Speculative fiction, Science Fiction, Horror Fiction | subject = Television, Social Justice | movement = Realism, Social Commentary, Moralism | notableworks = Patterns, Requiem for a Heavyweight, The Twilight Zone, Night Gallery | spouse = Carol Serling | children = Jodi, Anne | relatives = Robert J. Serling (brother) | influences = World War II, Arch Oboler, Norman Corwin, Ernest Hemingway, H. P. Lovecraft, Edgar Allan Poe, H.G. Wells, Edward R. Murrow, Nolan Miller | influenced = Television, R.L. Stine, Stephen King | awards = Emmy, Hugo, Peabody, Golden Globe | signature = | signature_alt = | website = http://www.rodserling.com/ | portaldisp = y }} Rodman "Rod" Edward Serling (December 25, 1924 – June 28, 1975) was an American screenwriter, novelist, television producer, and narrator best known for his live television dramas of the 1950s and his science fiction anthology TV series, The Twilight Zone. Serling was active in politics, both on and off the screen and helped form television industry standards. He was known as the "angry young man" of Hollywood, clashing with television executives and sponsors over a wide range of issues including censorship, racism, and anti-war politics. His brother Robert J. Serling was also a writer, a novelist of fictional and non-fictional literature who survived his younger brother.

Early life

Serling was born December 25,1924, in Syracuse, New York, the second of two sons born to Esther (née Cooper) and Samuel Lawrence Serling. Serling's father had worked as a secretary and amateur inventor before having children, but took on his father-in-law's profession as a grocer in order to earn a steady income. Sam Serling later took up the trade of butcher after the Great Depression forced the store to close. Serling's mother was a homemaker.

He and his family spent most of his youth in Binghamton, in upstate New York, after moving there in 1926. As a performer he was encouraged by his parents from his earliest days. Sam Serling built a small stage in the basement where Rod, with or without the aid of neighborhood children, would often put on plays. His older brother, author Robert, recalled at the age of six or seven, Serling could entertain himself for hours by acting out dialogue from pulp magazines or movies he'd seen. Rod was often found talking to the people around him without waiting for answers. On an hour trip from Binghamton to Syracuse the rest of the family remained silent to see if Rod would notice their lack of participation. He didn't, talking non-stop through the entire car ride. That is until his seventh grade English teacher, Helen Foley, 'discovered' Rod and encouraged him to enter the school's public speaking extracurriculars. Serling joined the debate team and was later a speaker at his high school graduation. He also began writing for the school newspaper, where he was not afraid to write scathing pieces that showed his liberal political leanings.

In addition to performance, Serling was also interested in sports. He excelled at tennis and table tennis, but when he attempted to join the varsity football team he was told he was too small at 5'4" tall.

Serling was interested in radio and writing at an early age. He listened to a variety of radio programs, especially thrillers with a fantasy or horror feel. Arch Oboler and Norman Corwin were two of his favorite writers. Serling enlisted into the U.S. Army the morning after his high school graduation, following brother Robert.

Serling began his military career at Camp Toccoa, Georgia under General Raymond Swing and Col. Orin D. "Hard Rock" Haugen and served in the 511^th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 11th Airborne Division. He was remembered for his berserker style and for "getting his nose broken in his first bout and again in last bout."

April 25, 1944, was the day Serling had been looking forward to: the day he received his overseas orders. When he saw that he was headed west, through California, he knew he was headed to fight the Japanese rather than the Germans. He was disappointed; being Jewish, he had hoped to have a hand in combating Hitler. On May 5, the division boarded the USS Sea Pike and headed into the Pacific, ending up in New Guinea, where they would be held in reserve for a few more months.

It wasn't until November 1944 that these troops would see combat on the island of Leyte in the Philippines. The 11th Airborne Division would not be used as paratroopers; however, they were sent in as light infantry after the Battle of Leyte Gulf to help mop up after the six divisions that had gone ashore earlier. Their mission seemed simple; go from point A to point B, cleaning out Japanese positions as they went. In reality, the terrain and lack of military intelligence proved to be just as difficult to handle as the unpredictable enemy.

For a variety of reasons Serling was transferred to the 511^th's demolition platoon, nicknamed the 'death squad' for its high casualty rate. According to Sergeant Frank Lewis, leader of the demolitions squad, "He screwed up somewhere along the line. Apparently he got on someone's nerves." Lewis also noted that Serling was not cut out to be a field soldier. "...[H]e didn't have the wits or aggressiveness required for combat."

Serling marched away from the successful mission in Leyte with two wounds including one to his kneecap but neither was enough to keep him from combat when General MacArthur used the paratroopers as they were intended on February 3, 1945. Colonel Haugen led the 511^th Parachute Infantry Regiment as it landed on Tagaytay Ridge, met up with the 188^th Glider Infantry Regiment and marched into Manila. There was minimal resistance until they reached the city where Vice Admiral Sanji Iwabuchi had barricaded his 17,000 troops behind a maze of traps and guns and ordered them to fight to the death. The next month witnessed Serling's unit involved in a block-by-block battle for control of Manila. As portions of the town were freed from Japanese control the civilians showed their gratitude by throwing parties and hosting banquets. During one of these parties Serling and his comrades were fired upon and many people, both soldiers and civilians, were killed. Serling, still a Private after three years, caught the attention of Sergeant Frank Lewis when he ran into the line of fire to rescue a performer who had been on stage when the artillery started. As the troops continued to move in on Iwabuchi's stronghold Serling's regiment suffered a 50 percent casualty rate, with over 400 men killed. Serling was wounded, and three of the men he was with were killed by shrapnel from rounds fired at his roving demolition team by an anti-aircraft gun. He was sent to New Guinea to recover but soon chose to return to Manila to finish 'cleaning up'. Private Serling's final assignment was as part of the occupation force in Japan. For his service to the U. S. Army he was awarded the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star, and the Philippine Liberation Medal. His interests led him to the theater department and later, broadcasting. Second, he met the woman who would become his wife in fellow student Carolyn Louise Kramer. At first she refused to date Serling because he had a reputation around campus as a ladies man, but she eventually overcame her reticence. had a summer home on Cayuga Lake, in Interlaken, New York, which the newlyweds used as a honeymoon destination. The Serling family continued to use this house annually throughout his life, missing only the two summers in the years when his daughters were born.

As a way to make some extra money throughout his college years, Serling took a part-time job testing parachutes for the Army Air Force. According to co-workers at the radio stations where he was also working, he received $50 for each successful jump. They recall Serling's telling them that he had once been paid $500, half before and half if he survived, for a hazardous test. His last test jump took place only a few weeks before his wedding. The pay was $1000 for him to test a newly invented jet ejection seat. Serling survived the test, but barely. Serling told friends later that three other men had been killed before he made the trial.

Career

Radio

Serling started at the bottom. He had no writing credits to his name, no published work and no hands-on experience. To solve this problem he volunteered during the summer of 1946 at WNYC in New York as an actor and writer. The following year he worked at that same station as a paid intern for his Antioch work study program. He then took on odd jobs in other radio stations in New York and Ohio. "I learned 'time', writing for a medium that is measured in seconds," Serling later said of his early experiences. He and his new wife attended the awards broadcast on May 18, 1949, where Serling and the other winners were interviewed by the star of Dr. Christian, Jean Hersholt. One of the other winners that day was Earl Hamner, Jr., a 'regular' winner who had earned prizes in previous years as well. Later, Hamner would write scripts for Serling's The Twilight Zone. He argued that in the lifespan of radio, about 20 years, there were very few writers who would be remembered for their literary contributions. eventually left WKRC to become a full-time freelance writer. "Writing is a demanding profession and a selfish one. And because it is selfish and demanding, because it is compulsive and exacting, I didn't embrace it. I succumbed to it." Serling modeled the main character on his former commander, Colonel Oren "Hard Rock" Haugen.

Following the show, New York Times critic Jack Gould called it "one of the high points in the TV medium's evolution" and "[f]or sheer power of narrative, forcefulness of characterization and brilliant climax, Mr. Serling's work is a creative triumph." During the time between the two shows, Kraft executives were in discussion with people from Hollywood who were trying to buy the rights to Patterns. The newspapers announced that Patterns would be rebroadcast, but then stated that the show might be unavailable if the rights were sold before that time.

Patterns established Serling's career. Immediately following the original broadcast he was inundated with permanent job offers, congratulations and requests for novels, plays, television or radio scripts.

Tired of seeing his scripts butchered in manners that removed any political statements, ethnic identities, even the Chrysler Building being removed from a script sponsored by Ford, the frustrated, angered Serling decided that the only way to avoid such artistic interference was to create his own show. In an interview with Mike Wallace, Serling confessed, "I don't want to fight anymore. I don't want to have to battle sponsors and agencies. I don't want to have to push for something that I want and have to settle for second best. I don't want to have to compromise all the time, which in essence is what a television writer does if he wants to put on controversial themes." His overview of Serling's writing says, "If there is anything that unites the whole of Serling's works – whether it be short stories or film scripts, whether it be fantastic or mainstream – it is an abiding concern with human feeling."

Joshi compares an original script version of "Walking Distance" to a short story version of the same work, then to the finalized script. The scripts utilize visual images to show the locations, what the characters look like and emotions they are experiencing; in comparison, Serling fleshes these all out in the short story with strong nuances, inner dialogue and elaborate memories that are not able to be translated to the screen. Each is successful in its medium although each include pieces that are not found in the other. Joshi comments that Serling has used pacing well, each correct for the medium and that "in spite of Serling's own doubts on the matter – he mastered the short story technique in every way."

Teaching

Serling kept his schedule full. When he wasn't writing, promoting or producing his work, he was often seen speaking on college campuses all over the country.

Themes

According to his wife, Rod Serling often said that "the ultimate obscenity is not caring, not doing something about what you feel, not feeling! Just drawing back and drawing in; becoming narcissistic." In this courtroom drama the accused is put on trial for helping the enemy by urging fellow prisoners of war to cooperate with their captors. Serling offers many valid arguments on behalf of both the defense and the prosecution. Each has a strong case, but in the end, the Captain is found guilty. There is no Serling narration to conclude the drama, as he had become famous for in The Twilight Zone; instead, the audience is left to make their own conclusions after the verdict has been rendered.

Misanthropy

Joshi devotes a portion of his book to covering pieces that he believes show a misanthropic side to Serling. Specifically, Joshi refers to "the degree to which his vision of human life is dark, pessimistic, cynical and even misanthropic." His sources include "The Fever", "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street", "Mr. Dingle, the Strong" and "The Shelter", all of which show how easily humans can be turned against anyone who is different from themselves. Joshi also sees a dislike of the human being in the way Serling often uses supernatural beings and situations to get revenge upon innately evil characters, specifically bullies and those who misuse positions of power such as the thieves in "The Rip Van Winkle Caper".

Racial equality

A Town Has Turned to Dust received a positive review from critic Jack Gould, who was known for being straightforward to the point of being harsh in his reviews. He called A Town Has Turned to Dust, "a raw tough and at the same time deeply moving outcry against prejudice." }} On May 3, 1975, Serling, a long-time chain cigarette smoker, suffered a minor heart attack and was hospitalized. He spent two weeks at Tompkins County Community Hospital before being released. A second heart attack two weeks later forced doctors to agree that open-heart surgery, though considered risky at the time, was in order.The 10-hour long procedure was carried out on June 28, but Serling suffered a heart attack on the operating table and died. Only five months later the U.S. entered WWII, and the television business was put on hold until war's end, as many of the sets were confiscated by the government and re-purposed to train air-raid wardens. Serling began having serious dramas produced in 1950 and is given credit as one of the first to write scripts specifically for the medium of television. As such, he is said to have helped legitimize television drama.

The format of writing for television was in flux in the beginning but eventually settled into a pattern in which time was set aside for a commercial break on the quarter hour. Writers, Serling included, were forced to write around a break in the action. Serling's response to this convention was, "How can you put out a meaningful drama when every fifteen minutes proceedings are interrupted by twelve dancing rabbits with toilet paper? No dramatic art form should be dictated and controlled by men whose training and instincts are cut of an entirely different cloth. The fact remains that these gentlemen sell consumer goods, not an art form." Throughout his career Serling helped to mold the future of television.

Challenging the censors

Known as 'the angry young man' by those who witnessed his battles with network executives over censorship, Up to that time, many established writers were often unwilling to write for television because the medium was often only viewed once then shunted into a vault, never to be seen again.

Beginning of the rerun

After the first showing of Patterns, the studio received such high feedback that they produced a repeat performance, which was the first time that a television show had been shown again at the behest of the audience. Although successful shows had sometimes been recreated after two years or more, this was the first time a show was recreated exactly – with the same cast and crew – as it had been originally created. The second live performance, only a month later, was equally successful and inspired New York Times critic Jack Gould to write an essay on the use of re-plays within the tele-play format. He stated that Patterns was a prime example of a drama that should be seen more than once, as was the norm for television shows of the day. Sponsors believed that creating new shows every week would assure them the largest possible audience, and so they purchased a new script for each night. Gould suggested that as new networks were opened and the viewers were given more choices, the percentage of viewers would spread out among the offerings. Patterns was proof that a second showing would garner more viewers because those who missed the first showing could then watch it the second showing, adding to the total viewers and reaching a larger audience for sponsors.

After being knocked out in a 1961 boxing match Archie Moore said, "Man, I was in the Twilight Zone!"

Also in 1961, the FCC chairman Newton Minow gave a speech in which he called television programing a 'vast wasteland', citing The Twilight Zone as one of only a few exceptions. Serling's widow, Carol, maintains that the cult status that now surrounds both her husband and his shows continues to be a surprise, "as I'm sure it would have been to him."

The Twilight Zone is not the only Serling work to reappear throughout the years. In 1994, Rod Serling's Lost Classics released two never-before-seen works that Carol Serling found in her garage. The first was an outline called "The Theatre" that Richard Matheson expanded. The second was a complete script written by Serling titled "Where the Dead Are".

Serling was ranked #1 in TV Guide's list of the "25 Greatest Sci-Fi Legends" (in the August 1, 2004 issue). He was also the only real-life person on the list. All the others were fictitious characters.

More than 30 years after his death, Serling was digitally resurrected for an episode of the TV series Medium that aired on November 21, 2005. The episode, filmed partially in 3-D, opened with Serling's introducing the episode and instructing viewers as to when to put on their 3-D glasses. This was accomplished by using footage from The Twilight Zone episode "The Midnight Sun" and digitally manipulating Serling's mouth to match new dialogue spoken by impersonator Mark Silverman. The plot of the episode involved paintings coming to life, a nod to both The Twilight Zone and Night Gallery.

On 11 August 2009, the United States Postal Service released its Early TV Memories commemorative stamp collection, honoring notable television programs. One of the twenty stamps honored The Twilight Zone and featured a portrait of Rod Serling.

Rod Serling and his works on The Twilight Zone went on to inspire the basis for the Walt Disney attraction, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. The attraction takes place in an abandoned Hollywood hotel that was struck by lightning and caused the mysterious disappearance of five hotel guests. Riders enter an abandoned elevator shaft as they soon become part of their very own "lost episode" of The Twilight Zone. The attraction takes guests up thirteen stories and drops them multiple times. Again, Mark Silverman provides the impersonation of Rod Serling for both the Walt Disney World and California Adventure versions of the ride.

Influences on other writers

When casting for the role of the shady Mr. Morden for the television series Babylon 5, creator J. Michael Straczynski chose Ed Wasser (who had played a bit part in the series' two-hour pilot TV movie) for the role because of his slick looks, charm, and vocal mannerisms reminiscent of a young Rod Serling.

Awards, honors, and memberships

{| border="2" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 90%;" |- bgcolor="#B0C4DE" align="center" ! style="background-color: #BCBCBC"|Year ! style="background-color: #BCBCBC"|Award ! style="background-color: #BCBCBC"|Category ! style="background-color: #BCBCBC"|Film or series |- |1955 || Emmy || Best Original Teleplay Writing || Patterns |- |1955 || Emmy || Nomination || Climax! |- |1956 || Emmy || Best Teleplay Writing || Requiem for a Heavyweight |- |1956 || Peabody Award || Personal Recognition for Writing || Requiem for a Heavyweight |- |1956 || Writers Guild of America Award || Best One Hour Drama || Requiem for a Heavyweight |- |1957 || Christopher Award || || Requiem for a Heavyweight |- |1956 || Writers Guild of America Award || Best One Hour Drama || A Town Has Turned to Dust |- |1959 || Emmy || Best Teleplay Writing || The Comedian |- |1960 || Emmy || Outstanding Writing Achievement in Drama || The Twilight Zone |- |1960 || Emmy || Nomination || A Town Has Turned to Dust |- |1960 || Hugo Award || || The Twilight Zone |- |1961 || Emmy || Outstanding Writing Achievement in Drama || The Twilight Zone |- |1961 || Hugo Award || || The Twilight Zone |- |1962 || Golden Globe Award || Best Male Television Star || The Twilight Zone |- |1962 || Hugo Award || || The Twilight Zone |- |1963 || Emmy || Outstanding Writing Achievement in Drama|| It's Mental Work |- |1964 || Writers Guild of America Award || Nomination || Seven Days in May |- |1965 || Golden Globe Award || Best Director || The Twilight Zone |- |1970 || Edgar Allan Poe Award || Special Edgar || Best episode of a TV series for Night Gallery |- |1971 || Christopher Award || || |- |2001 || Daytime Emmy Award || Nomination (posthumous) || Writing For A Children/Youth/Family Special |- |}

Honors

Serling was inducted posthumously into the Television Hall of Fame in 1985.

A star honoring Serling can be found at 6840 Hollywood Blvd. on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Memberships

National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences

– New York City chapter, board of governors 1956–57; – California chapter, 1959; – national president, 1965–66

Writers Guild of America West

– council member, 1965–67

Selected works

Filmography

Patterns (1955)

Requiem for a Heavyweight (1956)

The Comedian (1957)

A Town Has Turned to Dust (1958)

The Velvet Alley (1958)

The Twilight Zone (1959–1964 television series)

Seven Days in May (1964)

Night Gallery (1970–1973 television series)

It Has Begun (1974 UFO Documentary)

Planet of the Apes (1968), co-written with Michael Wilson

The Loner (TV series)

The Man (1972 film) (story and screenplay)

Encounter with the Unknown (1975) (narrator)

The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau as the Narrator; these specials were produced by Alan Landsburg in the 1960s and 1970s

Bibliography

Stories from the Twilight Zone, Bantam (New York City), 1960.

More Stories from the Twilight Zone, Bantam, 1961.

New Stories from the Twilight Zone, Bantam, 1962.

From the Twilight Zone, Doubleday (Garden City, NJ), 1962.

Requiem for a Heavyweight: A Reading Version of the Dramatic Script, Bantam, 1962.

Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone, Grosset, 1963.

; A Collection,(Editor) Bantam, 1963.

Twilight Zone Revisited, Grosset, 1964.

The Season to Be Wary (3 novellas, "Escape Route", "Color Scheme", and "Eyes"), Little, Brown (Boston, MA), 1967.

Devils and Demons: A Collection, Bantam, 1967. (Editor and author of introduction)

Night Gallery, Bantam, 1971.

Night Gallery 2, Bantam, 1972.

Rod Serling's Other Worlds, Bantam, 1978.

Short stories

Escape Clause (1960)

The Fever (1960)

The Mighty Casey (1960)

The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street (1960)

Walking Distance (1960)

Where is Everybody? (1960)

The Big, Tall Wish (1961)

Dust (1961)

The Lonely (1961)

Mr Dingle, the Strong (1961)

The Odyssey of Flight 33 (1961)

A Stop at Willoughby (1961)

A Thing About Machines (1961)

The Midnight Sun (1962)

The Night of the Meek (1962)

The Rip Van Winkle Caper (1962)

The Shelter (1962)

Showdown with Rance McGrew (1962)

The Whole Truth (1962)

The Riddle of the Crypt (1963)

The Escape Route (1967)

The Sole Survivor (1971)

Lindemann's Catch (1972)

Suggestion (1972)

Posthumous releases

Rod Serling's Lost Classics, 1994 telefilm

Notes

References

Further reading

DeVoe, Bill. (2008) Trivia from The Twilight Zone. Albany, GA: Bear Manor Media. ISBN 978-1593931360

Grams, Martin. (2008) The Twilight Zone: Unlocking the Door to a Television Classic. Churchville, MD: OTR Publishing. ISBN 978-0970331090

Nicholls, Peter (1979) Encyclopedia of Science Fiction Granada.

Marc Scott Zicree. (1992) Twilight Zone Companion Silman-James Press. ISBN 978-1879505094

External links

The Rod Serling Museum – Binghamton, New York

Serling entry in Unitarian Universalist Biographical Dictionary

Rod Serling's Dream Town of Willoughby

Rod Serling Archives at Ithaca College – scripts, screenplays, films, published works by Serling, and secondary materials

Rod Serling Conference at Ithaca College

1959 interview by Mike Wallace

* The interview as video (21:31)

An Interview with Carol Serling: 'Life With Rod'

Rod Serling Archive at the Wisconsin Historical Society Serling's papers consist of roughly 80,000 documents ranging from scripts to personal correspondence, including a folder of angry letters received by Serling

Rod Serling's gravestone

Twilight Zone and Serling's writings

Rod Serling and The Twilight Zone music

You're Entering The Twilight Zone (BBC Radio 4 programme)

Category:American horror writers Category:American military personnel of World War II Category:American science fiction writers Category:American television writers Category:American Unitarian Universalists Category:Antioch College alumni Category:Deaths from myocardial infarction Category:Deaths from surgical complications Category:Ithaca College faculty Category:Peabody Award winners Category:Writers from New York Category:People from Binghamton, New York Category:People from Ithaca, New York Category:People from Syracuse, New York Category:Recipients of the Bronze Star Medal Category:Recipients of the Combat Infantryman Badge Category:Recipients of the Purple Heart medal Category:The Twilight Zone Category:United States Army soldiers Category:1924 births Category:1975 deaths Category:American Jews