Rod Serling

Edwin Rodman "Rod" Serling (December 25, 1924 – June 28, 1975) was a screenwriter, most famous for his science fiction TV series, The Twilight Zone. He was born in Syracuse, New York to Samuel and Esther Serling.

The Twilight Zone

In 1959, CBS aired the first episode of a groundbreaking series, Rod Serling, The Twilight Zone. Serling had fought hard for creative control, had hired the writers he'd admired (people like Richard Matheson, and

Related Topics:
CBS - Richard Matheson

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Charles Beaumont, both television writers, but also known for their Science Fiction stories as well) and launched himself into weekly television.

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The show lasted five seasons (four as a half hour, one full season as an hour long drama), winning awards for Serling and his writers, as well as critical acclaim. The program, whilst having a loyal fan base, never had huge ratings, and was cancelled twice, only to be brought back. After five years and 156 episodes, (92 written by Serling himself), Serling was tired. In 1964, a weary Serling decided to let the last cancellation be final.

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Serling sold his rights to the series to CBS. His wife later stated that he did this partly because he believed the studio would never recoup the cost of creating the show, which frequently went overbudget. With hindsight, this was a costly mistake.

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