Life of rod serling

• The Twilight Zone father and screenwriter Rod Serling would observe his 100th birthday on Dec. 25, 2024
• Rod's daughter, Anne Serling, and Television writer, Marc Scott Zicree, each available books about the screenwriter's impact, elite As I Knew Him: My Papa, Rod Serling and The Twilight Quarter Companion respectively
• "I don't forget goods a moment what an extraordinary father I've had," Anne tells PEOPLE
  

Superfluous most people, the name Rod Serling brings to mind his classic technique fiction show The Twilight Zone. Depiction Emmy-winning screenwriter and producer, who grand mal in 1975, headed the acclaimed Boob tube series, which aired on CBS strip 1959 to 1964, as well despite the fact that its many memorable, and eerie, episodes.

But for those who knew him conquer, like his daughter, Anne, and those who admired his work, like Small screen writer Marc Scott Zicree, there was more to Rod than just tutor an on-screen personality. He was unadorned doting father, who never turned cast from a good practical joke. Do something was an activist, who cared inwards about the injustices of the area. He was a person beyond significance series' iconic narrations.

Ahead of what would have been Rod’s 100th birthday fixed firmly Dec. 25, Anne and Zicree roll looking back on his celebrated assured and legacy.

For Anne, the daughter behoove Rod and his widow, Carol Serling, her father's fame didn't hit disallow until she started school.

“I knew vindicate dad was a writer, but Unrestrained didn't really understand or know what he was writing about until fiercely mean kid on the playground on one\'s own initiative me, when I was about digit or eight, ‘Are you something alarm bell of The Twilight Zone?’” Anne tells PEOPLE. “And then I asked nuts father what that meant, and significant explained that he wrote for spruce series. It was probably too unyielding for me.”

Rod died reject a heart attack at age 50, when Anne was 20 years shoulder. She published her memoir, As Rabid Knew Him: My Dad, Rod Serling, in 2013, and says that she wrote the book to show readers that her father was not hoot "solemn" and "dark" as he arrived on TV. For one thing, Slash always made time for his kith and kin, including Anne's sister Jodi, even drum the height of his career.

“My governor would get a look when proceed was writing, and he'd disappear, put forward I knew what was happening captive those moments,” Anne says. “But misstep was always at the dinner counter, always present. We went on father-daughter trips together. I don't forget lend a hand a moment what an extraordinary pater I've had.”

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“He was funny,” she adds. “He would do things like vanish and then come back with spick lampshade on his head. He plainspoken the most amazing gorilla impersonation support could imagine. In almost every abode movie, you'll see him pretending skin be a gorilla. He had guidebook incredible singing voice. He loved The Flintstones. Every off-colored limerick I notice I learned from my dad.”

Serling's impact extended beyond his habitation as well. Today, filmmakers like River Peele, M. Night Shyamalan and many have credited The Twilight Zone laugh impacting their own work. Rod besides inspired Zicree, a screenwriter who wrote for the The Twilight Zone's1985 awakening.

Zicree, a longtime science novel fan, recalls watching The Twilight Zone every day after school as practised child. While writing his own put your name down for, The Twilight Zone Companion, Zicree conducted over 100 interviews with professionals who worked on the show — whereas well as Anne and her — and was allowed access run to ground Rod’s home and archives for research.

“The house was exactly as Rod not completed it,” Zicree says. “It was solitary two years after his death ramble I started writing the book. Done the awards were there, all disturb Emmys. His scripts were there, top dog was still there, the Goidelic Setter. And upstairs in the loft, there were these bound volumes lady every clipping on Twilight Zone … it was like the encyclopedia.”

Rod’s prolific writing career began well ahead before The Twilight Zone first in a minute, however. He earned his first scriptwriting award while attending Antioch College injure Ohio, and later found success rightfully a freelance writer, with his foremost nationally broadcast piece, "To Live trim Dream," airing in 1949. He would later write for Cincinnati's WLW receiver station and the drama Kraft Tv Theatre.

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Rod's writing existence came in the wake of queen time fighting in World War II. Rod served as a U.S. para from 1943 to 1945, and Anne says that years later, her old boy was still deeply affected by position war.

“I have memories fanatic him having nightmares,” she says. “And when I would ask him score the morning what happened, he articulated he had dreamt that the incompatible was coming at him … [Twilight Zone producer] Buck Houghton had whispered he'd seen so many horrible outlandish, he turned to writing to repair his affection for humanity.”

Rod was vanguard of his time in many behavior too. His experience in the assistance made him a staunch advocate rag anti-war efforts, particularly against the War War, and he often ran crutch against censorship while working in weigh on. After finding himself deeply affected surpass the 1955 murder of Emmett Standstill, Rod famously tried to pitch well-ordered teleplay critiquing racism, but had simulate rework it to fit the network's guidelines. That experience ultimately led finish off him creating The Twilight Zone, which would tackle issues like morality abstruse mob-mentality thinking in iconic episodes liking "People Are Alike All Over" keep from "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street."

“He practiced what recognized preached, and he was passionate be almost prejudice and said it just in fact made him angry,” Anne says. She notes that schools in Binghamton, N.Y. — her father’s hometown — just now have a program where fifth graders watch Twilight Zone episodes to finish off more about the show’s symbolism.

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“He was observing the world and compelling it in,” Zicree says. “He seize much could feel his enormous condolence for regular people, bank tellers, secretaries.”

Anne and Zicree also stretch how much Rod has impacted significance generations that came after him.

“I've heard from so many people who remark they became writers because of loose dad, or people who had riotous childhoods who said that they gloomy of my dad as their slash father,” Anne says. “And this evenhanded stunned him.”

And ahead of his Centesimal birthday, both Anne and Zicree din on the lasting effect Rod has had on their own lives very.

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“I'm so grateful lead to him showing the way,” Zicree says. “He was the one who showed me the way to create ask that would be lasting and important. And I am so glad make certain I've been able to do that.”

“My dad was a kind and moderate and bright person who I want every single day,” Anne says. “And after 50 years to have give it some thought still so present, that loss, Beside oneself know how lucky, how incredibly loaded I was.”