Being a long-term TWILIGHT ZONE fan, I was interested in the career of the late Rod Serling-man, what a writer! So sad that Rod passed at only 50! He died following heart surgery, but even by 1975, he was burnt out…still the man had inspiration…he wrote:
-REQUIEM FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT (one of my favorites)
-most of the TWILIGHT ZONE episodes
-many fine “Playhouse 90” Shows
Its really a shame that this man’s genius was so cruelly snuffed out by the idiots of netwrk TV…still, rest in peace, Rod…your works will never be forgotten!
Wasn’t crazy about the voice-over, but otherwise pretty good—excellent interviews.
And Rod Serling was a hottie.
Watched it, enjoyed the history - didn’t know he was the “breakout” writer for early TV in terms of having crossover appeal before the Zone. But I agree with Eve, the lame Serling imitation was bad and unnecessary. Simple narration would’ve sufficed.
The Serling narration was bad. The program as a whole was fascinating.
I pretty much agree with everything that’s been said (well, I’m not sure about Eve’s “hottie” comment. I suppose that’s all in the eye of the beholder) but I did enjoy it and the point of view that was taken but found some of the narration a bit distracting.
Quite an interesting program. I felt it captured his intensity and later his self loathing very well.
TV
Oh, come on–tell me he’s not hot!
Well, since you asked, I did notice that, not suprisingly for PBS, it didn’t mention his less than admirable qualities. One commentator described how, although Serling may have wanted to be Eugene O’Neill or Arthur Miller, he “never entered the race.” That was the extent of their analytical criticism. “The non-hagiographic views expressed were not those of PBS or this station, just one of the old-timers who we interviewed.”
Which implied that poor Rod didn’t have time to toil in the vinyards of great art because he had to crank out a script every week. However, not interviewed were some of the other writers whose ideas he stole. And his stealing was legendary. It should have freed up plenty of time in his schedule to give O’Neill and Miller some competition. But then somebody else would have to narrate all those Jacques Cousteau documentaries.
The show did relate how Serling had gone all gung-ho into the Airborne Rangers, but it didn’t mention how, when he finally saw combat in the Phillipines, after a few days he asked to be transferred to the rear. His chaplain told him it would be possible, but he would have to accept the fact that someone would have to come forward to take hs place. Serling did accept this, saved his own ass, and lived to write many anti-war pieces that seem to be expiations of the guilt that must have resulted: “Golly, why should ANYBODY have to go and fight?”
The documentary did show plenty of Serling’s biting the hand that fed him, complaining about sponsor interference. But it only came out sounding like “Whaaa, I could have been Eugene O’Neill, but you guys forced me to be Jack Webb,” and we the audience see what a lost oppportunity commercial television has become (Please, won’t you contribute to you local PBS station?)
I wonder if this was a “family-approved” bio, since they interviewed his wife and daughters? He certainly needs a more in-depth documentary.
They never even mentioned that script he wrote about the airplane hijacking, which he always felt guilty about, since he thought later hijackers used it for inspiration—I don’t think he ever let it be rerun.
Like any documentary tribute, they aren’t going to dwell on negative aspects if they even mention them… though I wasn’t familiar with any of the things you cited. My main qualm with Serling was always that, as great as some of the story concepts attributed to him were, he seemed unable to tell an entertaining tale without leaping up on a soapbox or pounding a moral into your brain with a ballpeen hammer. A subtle writer he wernt.
Did they mention his scripting of John Frankenheimer’s Seven Days in May, though? That’s one of his high-water marks, for me.
Did Serling ever write a novel? I wonder if his wife gets much in the way of residuals…given Serling’s prodigious output, it’s hard to belive that his family wasn’t well provided for.
Still, 50 is too young to go…imagine what Rod’s later years might have been?
Ah, but a “documentary” and a “tribute” are two different animals.
As far as residuals, people got zip from early TV. Serling had to do print ads and TV commercials and Night Gallery in his later years, so I doubt much of anything beyond insurance went to his family.
Not to mention “The Liar’s Club”, and quite a few “documentaries” dealing with UFO’s.
I have no clue as to if this is a thing that would burnish or tarnish his record, but he also wrote the screenplay for “Planet of the Apes”.
Ideally.
That would be this film. In fact, the story was used again (this time on a bus) for some obscure movie starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock.
That’s true. However, I’ve noticed that’s a characteristic of a lot of the well-known writers for TV and stage who came into prominence during the 40’s and 50’s, like a fellow member of Serling’s TV writer’s brethren, Paddy Chayefsky. Even Arthur Miller (who, I realize, was NOT a TV writer) had to include an obvious and heavy-handed short speech critiquing the “American Dream” at the end of “Death of a Salesmen” (as if we hadn’t already got the point).
Short answer: I didn’t see it.
Longer, whiney answer: No, I didn’t see it, because I have Dish Network. As usual, I hit the “guide” button at about 10 to the hour to see if there is anything good coming on. You have to start early, as it takes a while to wade thru the shite. Even when you block out the “wasted my money on these” channels, there is a lot of shite. And, as usual, I find that I just missed something really good, almost always on PBS.
Hi, QueenBee!
I caught the second half of it and liked it quite a bit.
You’re right. Wasn’t so much Serling, now that I think about it, as it was something that was symptomatic of TV’s “responsibility” at the time.
Is this the American Masters Rod Serling: Submitted For Your Approval episode that turns up on PBS from time to time?