The Twilight Zone aired for five seasons (the first three presented half-hour episodes, the fourth hour-long episodes and the fifth returned to the half-hour format). It won many TV and drama awards, and drew much critical acclaim for Serling and his co-workers. Though it had a loyal fanbase, The Twilight Zone drew only moderate ratings and was twice canceled and revived. After five years and 156 episodes (92 written by himself), Serling grew weary of the series. In 1964, he decided to not oppose its third and final cancellation.
Serling sold the rights to The Twilight Zone to CBS. His wife later claimed he did this partly because he believed his own studio would never recoup the production costs of the programs, which frequently went over budget.
Serling sold the rights to The Twilight Zone to CBS. His wife later claimed he did this partly because he believed his own studio would never recoup the production costs of the programs, which frequently went over budget.
Rodman Edward "Rod" Serling (December 25, 1924 – June 28, 1975) was an American screenwriter, playwright, television producer, and narrator best 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.
It has been a few years since I saw TZ so i did a little reading, and it was interesting to learn that most of the cast of betwitched was on the show.
http://www.twilightzonemuseum.com/actors/started.php
They succumbed to the surreal frolics of TV's prime time in the mid-Sixties, but nearly the entire Bewitched company visited The Twilight Zone beforehand. Agnes Moorehead, by then long established as one of the great dramatic actresses of the twentieth century but three years pre-Endora, starred in Richard Matheson's horror story "The Invaders," where she played an old farmhouse hag who gets terrorized by astronauts from Earth. She holds the distinction of playing the only character in all of Twilight Zone with not a single word of dialogue. Elizabeth Montgomery may have become Endora's nose-twitching daughter who defected from the cauldron-stirring world of witches for a life as humdrum homemaker, but one of her favorite roles was the episode "Two" which co-starred the late Charles Bronson. Like Moorehead before her, she has a near-silent part as a Russian soldier who undergoes a battle of wills with an American soldier (Bronson). Dick York-Samantha's own loveable Darrin "Durwood" Stephens-also performed amicably in a pair of episodes-"The Purple Testament" and "A Penny for Your Thoughts." David White (Darrin's boss, Larry Tate) is also featured in "A World of Difference" alongside Howard Duff, and in "I Sing the Body Electric," the only Twilight Zoneepisode written by the legendary Ray Bradbury. And, to top things off, both Mrs. Kravitzes - Alice Pearce and Sandra Gould, made cameos in the episodes "Static" and "What's in the Box," respectively.
http://www.twilightzonemuseum.com/actors/started.php
They succumbed to the surreal frolics of TV's prime time in the mid-Sixties, but nearly the entire Bewitched company visited The Twilight Zone beforehand. Agnes Moorehead, by then long established as one of the great dramatic actresses of the twentieth century but three years pre-Endora, starred in Richard Matheson's horror story "The Invaders," where she played an old farmhouse hag who gets terrorized by astronauts from Earth. She holds the distinction of playing the only character in all of Twilight Zone with not a single word of dialogue. Elizabeth Montgomery may have become Endora's nose-twitching daughter who defected from the cauldron-stirring world of witches for a life as humdrum homemaker, but one of her favorite roles was the episode "Two" which co-starred the late Charles Bronson. Like Moorehead before her, she has a near-silent part as a Russian soldier who undergoes a battle of wills with an American soldier (Bronson). Dick York-Samantha's own loveable Darrin "Durwood" Stephens-also performed amicably in a pair of episodes-"The Purple Testament" and "A Penny for Your Thoughts." David White (Darrin's boss, Larry Tate) is also featured in "A World of Difference" alongside Howard Duff, and in "I Sing the Body Electric," the only Twilight Zoneepisode written by the legendary Ray Bradbury. And, to top things off, both Mrs. Kravitzes - Alice Pearce and Sandra Gould, made cameos in the episodes "Static" and "What's in the Box," respectively.
Love Twilight Zone, can't make stuff like this anymore, & this was done almost 60 years ago.
