Serling, Rod (1924-1975), an American dramatist, was one of the first writers to reach playwright status solely through performances of his works on radio and television. He began his career writing radio scripts in 1948, and turned to television in 1950. His major TV dramas include Patterns (1955) and Requiem for a Heavyweight (1956). Serling probably became best known as the creator and host of the science-fiction TV series The Twilight Zone (1959-1965). In addition, Serling hosted a weekly TV series of supernatural stories called Night Gallery (1970-1973). He also co-wrote the script for the science-fiction film Planet of the Apes (1968). Serling was born on Dec. 25, 1924, in Syracuse, New York. He died on June 28, 1975.
