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AMERICAN MASTERS: ROD SERLING: SUBMITTED FOR YOUR APPROVAL (TV)

Summary

One in this series that explores the lives and achievements of America's most celebrated artists and performers. This program profiles the life and career of prolific American television writer Rod Serling (1924-1975). Filmed in black-and-white as an homage to the dramatist's celebrated work, this documentary chronicles Serling's contributions to television and attempts to define his place in its history. The program includes interviews with Serling's friends, family, and colleagues; footage from productions of his scripts; and readings from his memoirs, performed by a Serling impersonator. Highlights include: a reading from Serling's memoirs, which recalls the repeated rejections he endured as he tried to start a career as a television writer in 1950; reminiscences by director John Frankenheimer, actor Jack Klugman, director Fielder Cook, actress Kim Hunter, and actor Richard Kiley about the heady nature of early, live television; a reading from Serling's memoirs with observations about "Patterns," his first widely acclaimed success; footage from the October 11, 1956, production of "Requiem for a Heavyweight," and comments from Hunter, actor Jack Palance, and producer Martin Manulis, who recall the sensational reception this drama received from critics, the public, and the upper echelons of the CBS network; comments by writer Loring Mandel about the demise of live television and artistic quality at CBS after the departure of head of programming Hubbell Robinson; footage of Mike Wallace interviewing Serling; director Frankenheimer's recollections about network censorship during this era; a reading from Serling's memoirs assailing commercials as the bane of television; footage from the May 18, 1960, "Playhouse 90" Serling teleplay "In the Presence of Mine Enemies"; commentary about the demise of live television in the late 1950s; Serling's battle with the trappings of success, and the influence of this conflict on his work, as evidenced in "The Velvet Alley"; Serling's creation of the fantasy show, "The Twilight Zone," which he hosted; "Twilight Zone" producer Buck Houghton's comments on the reservations CBS had about giving the outspoken Serling so much power; clips of popular moments from this episodic series; thoughts about the nature of the series from "Twilight Zone" writer George Clayton Johnson; the celebrity status Serling gained from his appearances on this series, and his guest appearance on "The Jack Benny Show"; remarks from Serling's daughter Jodi and his brother Robert about the way the writer dealt with fame and success; a biography of Serling's idyllic childhood in Binghamton, New York, and his traumatic experiences as a paratrooper during World War II; footage from dramas that were influenced by his war experiences; footage from his failed series, "The Loner" and his attempt to transform his talents to film; comments from the writer's widow, Carol Serling, on the cyclical nature of a writer's life; a reading from Serling's memoirs about his disappointment regarding the series, "Night Gallery," which he hosted but had no creative control over; footage of Serling doing a Schlitz beer commercial, and its damage to his credibility as an artist; Frankenheimer's belief that Serling wanted to be a great playwright but never gave himself the chance because of his self-critical nature; and a reading from Serling's memoirs prior to his death, in which he laments that his writing will not stand the test of time.

Cataloging of this program was made possible by The Marc Haas and Helen Hotze Haas Foundation, 1996.

Details

  • NETWORK: PBS
  • DATE: November 29, 1995 9:00 PM
  • RUNNING TIME: 1:26:29
  • COLOR/B&W: B&W
  • CATALOG ID: T:41028
  • GENRE: Arts documentaries
  • SUBJECT HEADING: Authors; Television - Production and direction; Writers; She Made It Collection (Susan Lacy)
  • SERIES RUN: PBS - TV series, 1986-
  • COMMERCIALS: N/A

CREDITS

  • Ken Ross … Executive Producer
  • Susan Lacy … Executive Producer, Director
  • Lois Dino … Coordinating Producer
  • Thomas Wagner … Co-Producer, Writer, Theme Music by
  • John Goff … Writer
  • Lee Grant … Narrator
  • John Henry Cox … Cast, the Chief Surgeon, "Opening Hospital Sequence"
  • Allan Benjamin … Cast, the Assisting Surgeon, "Opening Hospital Sequence"
  • Eric Kornfeld … Cast, the Anesthesiologist, "Opening Hospital Sequence"
  • Katherine Harber … Cast, a Nurse, "Opening Hospital Sequence"
  • Sharon Talbot … Cast, a Nurse, "Opening Hospital Sequence"
  • Fielder Cook
  • John Frankenheimer
  • Buck Houghton
  • Kim Hunter
  • George Clayton Johnson
  • Richard Kiley
  • Loring Mandel
  • Martin Manulis
  • Jack Palance
  • Hubbell Robinson
  • Carol Serling
  • Jodi Serling
  • Robert Serling
  • Rod Serling
  • Mike Wallace