Rod Serling Conference

"Having been an avid fan of both The Twilight Zone and Night Gallery (which was airing first run at the time on NBC) it was indeed a tremendous treat to be able to meet and speak with the late Rod Serling. There was one evening in particular where I really felt I was placed in The Twilight Zone.

"At Mr. Serling's invitation, a handful of television-radio majors assemble in the screening room and Serling graciously hosted at least two episodes of The Twilight Zone and also an episode of a show he did that I had never heard of called The Loner.

"The Twilight Zone episodes I remember him selecting were 'Walking Distance' and 'An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge.' Mr. Serling prefaced the showing of 'Walking Distance' by telling us he was inspired to write it by a nostalgic visit he made to Recreation Park in Binghamton. The carousel and gazebo he remembered seeing as a boy were overgrown with foliage. His mind apparently wandered and he longingly imagined that he could go home -- and it would be unchanged from when he frequented the same place as a child.

"Having been a Twilight Zone fan for at least 12 years at that time it was eerie and amazing to see Rod Serling introducing the episode on the screen and turning to my right and seeing him sitting next to me in the screening room at IC. I dare say, an evening everyone in attendance will never forget. I am very glad that Ithaca College in concert with Mr. Serling's family has preserved his work as a fitting tribute to one of the greatest American writers of all time."

--Elliot Becker ’71