A rare interview with Rod Serling (The Twilight Zone, Night Gallery) at the University of Kansas, conducted by science fiction Grand Master and Hall of Fame inductee James Gunn in 1970.
Yeah. Sadly he smoked 4 packs a day for god know how many years and it caught up with him. We lost him at only 50. That time travel show on DesiLu Playhouse was superb!
@@crosbonit: Your statement is so damn ignorant. Obviously you never listen to NPR, because what you said is too damn stupid and homophobic for words. Serling's voice would have fit perfectly on there for a nighttime news show. I know because I listened to NPR for well over a decade, so I know more than you about it.
@@auntroachkiller6086 Smoking was allowed on TV then & practically all smokers smoked on TV in those days. Don’t know how old you are but people also smoked in Doctor’s office waiting rooms & even patients did in their hospital beds. That’s just how it was in those days. Even Mike Wallace was smoking while interviewing Serling in an old video.
@@revrotunda3206 Right, I remember my father back in the 70's having a heart attack, and while he was recovering in a hospital room several days later, he was smoking cigarettes while in his hospital bed, with an ashtray on his little table. It certainly was different times.
I wonder if there's any alcohol in that drink Serling keeps chasing his cigarette tokes with. He was 45 here, and looks worn and tired, albeit still as sharp as a tack. He had five more years. Such a beautiful, humble, pleasant, gracious, brilliant, creative, soft-spoken and articulate man. His brother once talked about he chained smoked, because he was always under pressure and high-wired all the time. I don't even want to think what he would think, if he could come back today and see the absolute dreck that passes for television now, made by rude and crude, pretentious talentless hacks. RIP Rod Serling
Agreed on all accounts... but what of Black Mirror? I believe it’s a worthy Twilight Zone spiritual successor that we’ve had. Exquisite irony, clever scripts, societal commentary and moral quandaries all through the lens of Science Fiction. I think he would’ve enjoyed it.
Quite the contrary. I think he would be proud. He inspired the greatest writers of our day. There would be no David Chase and thus no Sopranos, no Matthew Weiner and thus no Mad Men, no David Milch, no David Simon. Rod would be just amazed at the artfulness and beauty in some of today's best shows. Writers are no longer censored or subjected to ridiculous sponsor notes. Not on cable anyways. He'd love it. If you suggest otherwise, you don't know Rod.
"God is telling me not to smoke." And,of course, chain smoking killed him. I was an 8 yr old immigrant kid,just learning english, when I happened upon The Night Gallery on our black and white tv. I was instantly transfixed by this man. Thus began my love for real and truthful writing in all mediums.
Karen Smith, it might make you happy to know, although you probably won’t believe it, because it takes faith for most people to believe in something that they can’t see or in something that’s not common knowledge and proven to be a fact. But I know that he is very much aware of how the twilight zone is still remembered fondly and loved by many people, even people who weren’t even born yet when the twilight zone first aired. How does he feel about knowing that?, well, I’m pretty sure that he must be pleased. But what i’d be interested in knowing is, how surprised was he when he first discovered, that in a way, there really is a twilight zone, and much more?
Every time I see a Rod Serling interview I'm blown away by his vocabulary and his naturally poetic and descriptive way of talking. Later in the interview he's talking about a show called Tales of Tomorrow and he says this "I think what it did do, was to supply by virtue of its own moderate success was to provide a kind of an entree to the darkness that surrounds us" 17:25
He was brilliant, hearing now all the challenges they had with the making of The Twilight Zone back then, he alone made it work and was worth the price of admission.
Will Shakespeare was probably a man like this. In all candor he would dismiss some great stuff as less than because done in a rush. Amazing what talent can do by accident. I think of the film “Casablanca”. None of the participants knew what they had in the can until time had passed. The Burgess Meredith episode, he does pick out as the jewell it is.
Rod Serling was a true pioneer of radio and TV . Too bad His life was cut short with a heart attack . After Twilight Zone , he did Night Gallery which edited or ejected his stories and screwed him over . He would be on my list of people in history that I would had loved to chat with .
That seemed to be his only vice. He would have a drink or a beer. But I don't recall any stories of Rod Serling being drunk or smashed. And back then it was the swinging 60s and 70s. Everyone was either drunk or high.
What a brilliant man.. articulate. He looks very worn down and stressed. Died 5 years after this interview at age 50. How sad he did not contribute more years of his thoughts.
Unfortunately he was not a well man anymore during this interview, mostly due to his heavy cigarette smoking. His daughter wrote a book in her immense grief after his passing and told of her futile attempts to get him to stop . . .
TAKE THAT, RAY BRADBURY! Bradbury was always angry (jealous?) over the fact that Serling was seen as a "master" of Bradbury's genre, science fiction! But here Serling admits in public that he wasn't a SF expert and was humble when he compared himself to those who were!
I'm not sure if he was seen as a master within the Science Fiction community. Ray Bradbury was a contributor to the Twilight Zone. He was a better writer in terms of Science Fiction. But Rod had the celebrity as a television writer and producer. And Bradbury certainly benefited from the notoriety of being associated with the Twilight Zone.
I never said he was seen as a master by the Science Fiction community, but T.V. critics and fans saw him as such. In fact, Bradbury and other SF writers probably picked up a few fans who were into Twilight Zone! I know I got into Film Noir and Pulp Fiction because of my love of EC Comics!
He was also a contributor to "Seven Days In May" and "Planet Of The Apes". If you ever get a chance, watch the movie "Patterns", one of his first movie screenplays.
Ray Bradbury did not contribute a whole lot to The Twilight Zone, as far as written material goes, to imply as such would be quite an exaggeration indeed. While Bradbury submitted several teleplays/scripts, only "I Sing the Body Electric", episode one-hundred of the venerated series, was produced. Where he did have a great effect, was in suggesting. or sharing with Serling, names of (relatively young), good, science fiction writers such as Richard Matheson, and the rest was history.
A man of integrity, creativity and imagination just for starters. I admire him and so much appreciate his productions that have endured to this day dating back many decades.
Rod Serling is way too humble and I don't know if he's being truthful or not but come on Twilight Zone is as famous if not more famous than Star Wars so much credits to Rod Serling he was a pioneer of pioneers he was the tip of the spear he was amazing when I was a child growing up watching Twilight Zone it was the reason I became an engineer and a scientist and stuck with science and technology throughout my entire life and what got me interested in tools and mechanisms in engines and electricity and the unknown and searching for life in the universe it's all attributable to Rod Serling he's an incredible man there will never be another man like Rod Serling ever again on this planet
Rod Serling was a great writer of mystery and mostly science fiction. I would put in the categories with Jules Verne and HG Wells, Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov. I think he directed the movie The Planet of the Apes, and the movie titled The Man stars James Earl Jones as the first African American President of the US of America. Submitted for your approval Serling did Night Gallery the movie with three titles starring Joan Crawford and Tom Bosley and another with Richard Kiley, a third one with Roddy McDowell and Ossie Davis and Night Gallery the TV series in the 1970s and the Sixth Sense. Rod Sterling also narrated the Jacques Cousteau TV series and voice over for commercials. The TV Playhouse he did in the 1950s he wrote and his best work by far was The Twilight Zone which was a tough sell. With a little persistence he finally made the cut. And The Twilight Zone became a household name. Submitted for your approval Rod Serling 1925 - 1977 RIP.
hailey rae to me, that doesn’t define him as intelligent. Yes, his vocabulary is developed. I don’t look at that alone as intelligent. There are many factors like applied knowledge and body IQ, emotional IQ, spiritual IQ. There are a lot of people out there who speak well but are also not applying it and are a burden on society. There are many variables to consider to come to the conclusion that a person is intelligent.
I like the comment about flag-pole sitters at the end. If Mr. Serling could've had an immense budget from the beginning, what treasures the world would enjoy today.
He looked like he was red from feeling hot and uncomfortable, and toward the end of this interview he was sweating profusely. He was unfortunately an unwell man, mostly due to his chain smoking habit that he just couldn't beat. So sad, such a loss. Such a great talent.
@@gameshowfan7638 I heard about his smoking habit and the fact he died on the table during his heart operation. It really was a shame to have lost him. Though I think had he lived to see the 80s, it would have been an almost completely different world.
The Invaders was brilliant without even a script no speaking. And one of my favorite episodes is the one with Burgess Meredith who breaks his glasses. He finally has the rest of his life to read and he breaks his glasses. That posted Agnes Moorehead lived in during the Invaders was brilliant.
Rod sirling. Age 45 , this Cheyenne Native American tribe member is giving an interview for the first time in national television . Little did he know he was about to be broadcasted on a very special platform unheard or unspoken of at the time called RU-vid , that is because Mr. Serling had now entered another dimension a dimension where all the fears and wonders of the human mind can come true a dimension called The Twillight Zone ..
That's what I said, too. I think Mr. Serling was questioning himself. He should have followed that thought with action. So sorry. It's hard to watch an interview with him smoking.
For anyone who has just started watching The Twilight Zone, there are spoilers from 13:00-14:30 for the episodes Time Enough At Last and The Invaders from seasons 1 and 2. Those are my favorite episodes too, so I do not want to spoil them for anybody.
A lot of people mention Rod saying “It’s like God’s telling me to not smoke.” Anyone who smokes or has in the past knows that guilt. Unfortunately nicotine is extremely addictive. Also, I get that impression that Rod was a very intense personality and a workoholic. The smoking goes hand in hand with that. He was an amazing person and I wish I had the opportunity to meet him.
Unfortunately that seems to be what got him through all the wonderful creative work he did, according to his adoring daughter who wrote a biography in her grief after he passed. Even as a young girl she tried so hard to get him to stop, but he just was not able to, even at the end . . . so sad.
Watching a Twilight Zone Marathon on Decades this July 4th weekend and loving every minute of it. Thank you, Mr. Serling for sharing your genius with us.
Sabrina Grant I totally agree, I wish he knew. I don’t often think of people stealing his work, but there are so many shows that are inspired by his work. I love how much the TZ is embedded into so much still. I love when I see something and it reminds me of an episode. I also really wish he was around to discuss politics today, I think he would have a ton to say!
He was very humble and I think he didn't realise how good he actually was. It's was a very original concept, with original stories, sadly lacking into today's film and story telling.
I remember on Friday nights when the Twilight zone 1st aired, whatever I was doing had to be put on hold, and I’d run home to make sure I’d be there on time so that I didn’t miss anything. There were so many good ones that I still can remember even after 60 years have passed. One of my favorites seems even more relative now considering the isolation this pandemic has caused so many people to experience and artificial intelligence, such as Amazon’s highly intelligent speaker, Alexa that many of us interact with everyday. The episode i’m referring to dealt with the subject of loneliness. A time in the future when someone convicted of a serious crime could be sentenced to isolation on an astroid far from earth. This prisoner, whose name was Cory, played by an extraordinarily gifted actor, Jack warden, has been brought a gift by the supply ship, that comes only one or two times a year. It’s a gift meant to help him cope with his long suffering loneliness. It’s a . robot in the form of a woman & with all of the characteristics & emotions that a real life woman would have. He at first rejects the robot with a verbally degrading assault, until he notices the tears, and which he eventually falls in love with this robot woman. But the story’s ending was disturbing to me at the age of 11 or 12 and I still remember it 60 years later.
Pulsar Stargrave Same here, to die at a age of 50 and even here you would think he's about mid 50's or so. Perhaps if it wasn't for cigarettes he could lived longer and done more phenomenal shows.
About 6:15, absolutely spot on. He used the language of the time (oriental), but I think what he says is still relevant today. Today you’d be too afraid to ruin your career by offending anyone to say any of that. It’s also interesting that he talks about being more interested in what happens 30 years from now, rather than centuries on because it would still be relevant and recognizable.
He was outspoken and a maverick. We're so lucky that he slipped through the cracks of banality. Lord knows he influenced such amazing shows as Black Mirror.
I can just imagine the stuff he'd write about now, things involving AI and the internet with his unique spin on these new technologies he didn't live to see.
I recall THE NIGHT GALLERY when I was quite young in the early 70s(I'm 58) and it used to creep me out---when I watched it. I only came to appreciate it in syndication several decades later. I don't know THE TWILIGHT ZONE very well and haven't seen many of the reruns(it was cancelled the year I was born,1962). Sterling is still right about the lack of much quality on tv. There have been,and always will be,exceptions,but you often have to really search for them.
So happy to know that my favorite episode is also his favorite and he wrote it as well. I always wondered what happened to that guy at the end of the episode.
