[eastforker]

CBS would air 156 episodes of The Twilight Zone, an astonishing 92 of which were written by Serling, over the next five years. His writing earned him two more Emmy Awards. The show went on to become one of television's most widely recognized and beloved series, and it has achieved a permanent place in American popular culture with its instantly recognizable opening, its theme music and its charismatic host, Serling himself. With early appearances by such performers as Robert Redford, Burt Reynolds, Dennis Hopper and many others, The Twilight Zone became a launching pad for some of Hollywood's biggest stars.

[Huskrrrr]

He was a brilliant short story writer. Each episode was only 24 minutes long.

[TADSLOS]

[yarddog]

It seems that every time I saw him on TV, he had a cigarette in his hand. Pretty common for the 50s and 60s.

I once read that it is so common because it gave the actors something to do with their hands. The same reason they often hold a drink in modern shows.

[Calvin Locke]

Yes, but TZ was pretty much a visualization of the same scifi short stories and themes that appeared on such radio programs as Dimension X, X Minus One, Escape, etc.

As for actors, Dennis Weaver credits his TZ appearance with being able to shed the Gunsmoke typecasting stigma. And of course, William Shatner's gigs, Charles Bronsan, Elizabeth Montgomery, Jack Klugman, and too many more that slipped from memory.

[Larry Lucido]

Family Guy - The Twilight Zone

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhNFdSIxgj4

[Secret Agent Man]

William Shatner too. Yup, goos series.

[Ciaphas Cain]

Serling did more to make television a respectable art medium than perhaps any other person.