Author Spotlight: Rod Sterling
Rod Serling was an American screenwriter and television producer, among other things. He is most popular for his science fiction TV series The Twilight Zone.
Rodman Edward Serling was born in Syracuse, New York. At two years old, he and his family moved to Binghamton, where he spent most of his childhood. At an early age, his family encouraged his talent, going so far as to build a small stage on which he could perform. In school, Serling was dismissed as a lost cause by most of his teachers, save for his seventh-grade English teacher, who encouraged him to join public speaking extracurriculars. He joined the school’s debate team and eventually became a writer for the school newspaper. Serling also had an interest in radio, listening to thriller, fantasy, and horror shows.
Despite being accepted into college, Serling enlisted in the military after graduating high school. At the time, the United States was involved in World War II. He served in the military from 1943 until 1946, serving mostly in the Philippines. He was awarded the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star, and the Philippine Liberation Medal. Seeing death every day during his service influenced much of his writing later on. The experience also left him with nightmares and flashbacks.
Once he was fit enough, Serling attended the physical education program at Antioch College in Ohio. He later changed his major to literature, and he earned his bachelor’s degree in 1950. During college, he became active in the campus radio station where he wrote, directed, and acted in many radio programs. He also won his first writing award for writing a script for a radio program titled Dr. Christian. In college, he also met Carol Kramer, who later became his wife.
Serling started writing professionally in 1950 as a network continuity writer for WLW radio in Cincinnati, Ohio. At the same time, he sold several radio and TV scripts to Crosley Broadcasting Corporation, WLW’s parent company. He also submitted an idea for a weekly radio show, later produced as Adventure Express, and wrote scripts for Leave it to Kathy, Our America, and Builders of Destiny.
After working for radio, Serling moved to television, writing for WKRC-TV. He started writing testimonial advertisements for medical recipes, comedy scripts for a performing duo, and a series of scripts for The Storm and other anthology dramas. He eventually left WKRC to write freelance full time. In 1954, Serling moved with his family to New York after being convinced by his agent to do so.
In 1955, Kraft Television Theatre, a nationwide channel, televised one of Serling’s scripts in an episode titled “Patterns.” The episode is about a power struggle between a veteran boss and a young executive being groomed to take his place. The episode received rave reviews from critics and was loved by audiences as well.
In 1957, Serling and his family moved to California, where he started writing for the CBS. Serling submitted a script titled “The Time Element,” which he had intended to use as a pilot for The Twilight Zone. The network instead used the script for a new show titled The Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse. The story is about a man who has nightmares about Pearl Harbor. The man goes to a psychiatrist, and later, it is revealed that the man actually died at Pearl Harbor and the psychiatrist was the one having vivid dreams. The episode received such a positive response from the audience the CBS greenlit his pilot for The Twilight Zone.
The Twilight Zone is Serling’s most popular and most enduring piece of work. The anthology series had episodes of various genres including science fiction, fantasy, suspense, and thriller. Serling became known for twist endings, which were popular in the show’s episodes. The show aired for five seasons and received both critical acclaim and a wide fanbase.
In 1975, Serling passed away after a heart attack during an open-heart surgery. A memorial was held at Cornell University. Today, the Rod Serling Memorial Foundation continues to educate the public about his work, his art, and his passions.
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