Rod Serling

Rod Serling
Publicity photo of Serling, 1959
Born	Rodman Edward Serling (1924-12-25)December 25, 1924 Syracuse, New York, U.S.
Died	June 28, 1975(1975-06-28) (aged 50) Rochester, New York
Resting place	Lake View Cemetery in Interlaken, New York
Occupation	Screenwriter, TV producer, narrator
Education	Bachelor of Arts in Literature
Alma mater	Antioch College
Period	1954–1975
Genre	Drama, speculative fiction, science fiction, horror fiction
Notable works	Patterns, Requiem for a Heavyweight, The Twilight Zone, Seven Days in May, Night Gallery, Planet of the Apes
Notable awards	Emmy, Hugo, Peabody, Golden Globe,
Spouse	Carolyn Kramer (m. 1948)
Children	2
Relatives	Robert J. Serling (brother)
Military career
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1943-1946
Rank	Technician fourth grade
Unit	11th Airborne Division 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Army Good Conduct Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Army of Occupation Medal, Philippine Liberation Medal

Rodman Edward "Rod" Serling (December 25, 1924 – June 28, 1975) was an American screenwriter, playwright, television producer, and narrator known for his live television dramas of the 1950s and his science-fiction anthology TV series, The Twilight Zone. Serling was active in politics, both on and off the screen, and helped form television industry standards. He was known as the "angry young man" of Hollywood, clashing with television executives and sponsors over a wide range of issues including censorship, racism, and war.

Serling was born on December 25, 1924, in Syracuse, New York, to a Jewish family. He was the second of two sons born to Esther (née Cooper) and Samuel Lawrence Serling. Serling's father had worked as a secretary and amateur inventor before having children, but took on his father-in-law's profession as a grocer to earn a steady income. Sam Serling later became a butcher after the Great Depression forced the store to close. Rod had an older brother, Robert J. Serling. Their mother was a homemaker.

Serling spent most of his youth 70 miles south of Syracuse in the city of Binghamton after his family moved there in 1926. His parents encouraged his talents as a performer. Sam Serling built a small stage in the basement, where Rod often put on plays (with or without neighborhood children). His older brother, writer Robert, recalled that, at the age of six or seven, Rod entertained himself for hours by acting out dialogue from pulp magazines or movies he had seen. Rod often talked to people around him without waiting for their answers. On a two-hour-long trip from Binghamton to Syracuse, the rest of the family remained silent to see if Rod would notice their lack of participation. He did not, talking nonstop through the entire car ride.