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ROD SERLING BIOGRAPHY
<-- Click on images to left for enlargements
Born in Syracuse, New York, and raised in Binghamton, Rod Serling is remembered by many as creator of the popular television series The Twilight Zone. Yet, Serling’s success began long before -- as a radio writer in the late 1940's... and with anthology dramas in the "Golden Age of Television." His Emmy-Award-winning scripts for "Patterns" (Kraft Television Theatre, ABC, 1955) and "Requiem for a Heavyweight" (Playhouse 90, CBS, 1956) established this upstate New Yorker as one of television's most promising young writers. Serling's powerful visual images and believable characters helped make television a powerful force in the 1950's. The young writer had discovered television as a medium through which he could effectively convey his criticism of war, prejudice, and corporate business. Serling was awarded a third Emmy in 1957 for Playhouse 90’s "The Comedian."
By the late 1950's, with more than 100 of his scripts having been
produced on network TV, Serling’s conflicts with networks and
sponsors over censorship of his work intensified. This led him to
make the transition from live drama to filmed series television --
with his own original series The Twilight Zone (CBS, 1959–64).
He hosted the series for its entire run, and wrote 92 of the show's
156 scripts -- winning an additional two Emmys in 1960 and '61. His
sixth and final Emmy (1963) was for "It’s Mental Work,"
adapted for NBC's Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre. Serling’s
later work included The Loner (a Western series) and NBC's Night Gallery,
as well as several motion picture scripts -- including the original
movie adaptation of Planet of the Apes.
By the early 1970's, Serling was spending more time back in the Finger
Lakes, teaching at Ithaca College and hosting students at his family’s
cottage on Cayuga Lake. Following his untimely death in 1975 at the
age of 50, Carol Serling -- long a member of the College's Board of
Trustees, began donating examples of her husband’s work to the
College. These generous gifts have continued over the years, making
the Rod
Serling Archives at Ithaca College the largest single collection
of television scripts and screenplays by this extraordinary writer.
The collection also includes Serling’s six Emmy Awards... the
original "sponsor films" from Twilight Zone’s first
network run... original typed scripts for most episodes of the series,
as well as photos, films and books from Serling's personal collection.
G. Webb (1/05)
Rod Serling Archives at Ithaca College
The Rod Serling Archives consists of television scripts, movie screenplays, stage play scripts, films, published works by Serling, unproduced scripts, and secondary materials. The Rod Serling Archives were transferred to the Ithaca College Archives and Special Collections from the Ithaca College Roy H. Park School of Communications during the summer of 1997.
No reproductions of materials in the Serling Archives are permitted without the specific written permission of the donor.
Publication of manuscript material requires the written permission of the donor. Unpublished and unproduced materials are closed for general research.
Special permission must be
obtained from the donor in order to research this collection.
Production rights to the Twilight Zone episodes are managed by CBS.