Rod Serling Interviewed by Mike Wallace (1/2)

[TheLizardmonkey]

Possibly the coolest white guy that ever drew breath - and I'm counting the Rat Pack and all the politicians, rock stars and movie stars you can name on that!

[xSpArTiChRiSx]

You know it's the 1950's when you see a guy smoke a cigar and then three or four cigarettes within 10 minutes.

[SylvainThuret]

Thanks for this. 

[mdentari]

Been reading more about Rod at Rodserling com. Great site and it's good to see other people write articles about Rod's positive affect on their lives. If you want to learn more about Rod then this is a good direction to do so.

[Tht1kidYouKnw]

Very wise man, respect.

[rnlsg]

always loved this show i love mystery and suspense.

[TheJewishMobsters]

Hello hwy61media,

Any chance that you could please upload, the Mickey Cohen interview with Mike Wallace?

[hickok45]

Very interesting. I've always had incredible respect for Rod Serling as a writer. Unbelievable voice, too. Funny how back then they both just lit up cigarettes as though they were just opening water bottles, as would maybe happen today.

[HyruleLand]

Looked older than 35. All that smoking man...

[SalladSupport]

No dislikes in this video...Damn straight.

[therealsoyboy]

Wow. This is brilliant. Thank you for sharing this. We have such a sterilized, watered down vision of the 50s presented to us in tv, film, theater, ads, books, etc that it's sometimes hard to realize that people were struggling with the same exact issues then. This is just as relevant today as 52 years ago. Issues of overemphasis on status and wealth, artistic compromise, art vs. commerce, and the struggle for success in America have been central concerns for a long time.

[Bellydancer241]

Hard to say how inspired I am by this man. He should have been president, his vision, experience of the wickedness of war, and just his inherent knowledge could have changed the world. I'm really thankful to have discovered him, there haven't been many like him in history. He destroyed himself with cigarettes. I think he knew that they were harmful and apart from the addiction to them some part of him was dark and jaded and he didn't care enough to stop :(.

[Bellydancer241]

I think Mr. Serling understood life and the human condition far more deeply than the average man and I agree with someone who was quoted as saying that he had a deep affection for humanity. I feel that he understood our weaknesses, vices and evil but he believed in the good of mankind, the mystery and the beauty of life itself. These things are clear in his words and his work. He managed to be an idealist and a cynic at the same time which is something that I see in myself as well.

[fisteberg]

@Bellydancer241 Me too lol!I often am considered as an idealist lady but no matter!i don' t care.i would have liked the world to be beautiful and men be more human.I see this in myself too!

[garra1300]

Every time I see Rod Serling talk it seems, to me at least, like it's not his voice. Like he is doing an impression. Of himself. I don't know how to explain it.

[mdentari]

God among men. Only 5'4 but he looms over me like a giant! We miss you Rod.

[BringerOfAnarchy]

Damn that voice is just Ace. Makes the stories of Twilight Zone even better.

[Tromafan101]

everything he says sounds so dramatic. narration must have been a breeze for him.

[ashwhenn]

@Tromafan101 actually he was so incredibly nervous when he narrated.

[Bellydancer241]

I wonder if Mike called him "Ron" deliberately in an attempt to break Rod. I can clearly see Rod's distress afterwards :(. Mike seems so unsophisticated by comparison.

[therealsoyboy]

@Bellydancer241 Haha I noticed that too!

[Bellydancer241]

Mike Wallace seems so sorely inadequate next to the brilliant, distinguished yet rugged Rod Serling.

[fisteberg]

@Bellydancer241 Yes this man seems to be very very bright.Very intelligent!Above many people s intelligence actually.You can see that in his face,into his eyes.He's deep and smart!!what a man.But he seemed to be more than 35 years.I loved this man when i was a teen and still think he was attractive and smart!this man is fascinating.

[EducationalComedy]

0:34 his name is Rod not Ron!

[musicdrunkie]

extraordinary man in an ordinary times

[the430movie]

I remember when Rod passed.... This was a real writer!!!

[PenelopeVW21]

Beautiful man.....Brilliant mind.

[spewintothis]

Rod Serling is the greatest man. Period.

[negrosaurus]

They don't make men of this caliber anymore.

[CCTV9]

Twilight Zone was WAAAAAAAAY ahead of its time.

[ryanranger]

I feel like having a smoke. Fucking Americans have become SO UPTIGHT about smoking. All the while the uptight fucks who bash smokers drive cars that emit a CARTONS WORTH OF CARBON MONOXIDE EVERY FIVE MINUTES. Go to Europe, see how things work there. Is ANYONE cultured anymore?! A PLETHORA of comments all about smoking being bad. I hope the ill informed morons who believe second hand smoke can actually kill them get hit by a bus driven by a smoker... Don't take that wrong ;)

[ryanranger]

"No one could know Serling, or view or read his work, without recognizing his deep affection for humanity ... and his

determination to enlarge our horizons by giving us a better understanding of ourselves." —Gene Roddenberry

[jenetik0]

Please remove stupid banner from beginning of video. thanks.

[prettyredd1]

THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME!

[chipper246]

Mike Wallace said Ron Serling...Oops

[BajerandMooney2]

What is most obvious is his nerves here - Rod Serling was never all that charismatic. It's incredible to think somebody whom's performance in the series was so fantastic was nervous in front of the camera for many years.

[VikingLady219]

Rod Serling was just pure epic win!

[crisdigi]

this dude was straight up awesomeness man

[TheRedComa]

If Rod wasn't already my hero, he is now, after saying "Most-Assuredly" without even thinking about it - 7:28

[sweetmay73]

poor guy, although he looks really handsome.

[thebestyears96]

He looks way to old and has way too many wrinkles to be 35 in this video. All that smoking.

[BajerandMooney2]

@thebestyears96 It doesn't help that he had a lot of flashbacks, nightmares and was pretty much traumatised by what he experienced in World War II. I expect that didn't help his aging all that well.

[Inediblehulk]

The story of the timid gas appliance sponsor gave me a chuckle. Almost like a beverage company refusing to be associated with a program depicting drowning or rain, lest the masses boycott liquid. As to you @megamanxu , that certainly wasn't the way all "people back then" spoke. It was (and still is) the way intelligent and articulate people speak. Serling happened to be one. There still are many, though TV hardly prefers them today.

[ryanranger]

@Inediblehulk It's true, people had larger vocabularies when they had to retain information as opposed to looking it up and forgetting it once the answer is found. People don't read anymore. Everyone should be reading, having direct life experience and feeding their fucking brain. I thought serious fans of Rod Serling would be MUCH smarter than I am finding here for the most part. Not referring to all of you of course. But there is a fair amount of idiocy here.

[dezziibabii1223]

Omg when Rod speaks I get chills lol too much twilight zone

[sdrick101]

Rod is smoking himself in the interview.

[macaronibabe]

Sounds so weird that he's NOT being creepy like he is in the twilight zone. I love his voice.

[megamanxu]

wow people back then talk like they're reading from a book! why cant people today talk like that? it sounds so much more intelligent, and it's a lot of personalized and doesn't make you sound like a 5th grader.



[TroyOi]

For anyone who can remember back to those days, don't you just love the setting? That is, NO set - just a black backdrop, with all the attention squarely focused on the two men (primarily the interviewee) doing the talking. There's something very hauntingly beautiful and nostalgic about it. I don't watch TV anymore, so I don't know if there's anything similar today. But it seems like, to keep today's audience interested, you need lively sets, clever camera work, flamboyant hosts, etc.

[kfag101]

Rod was a genious!

[ryanranger]

@kfag101 He was, I bet he even knew how to spell the word genius as well. People read back then...

[karmalevel]

@ryanranger fuck you faggot! I am a voracious reader. I was probably stoned so sue me!!! butt pirate!

[SubconsciousGatherer]

The next Twilight Zone episode written after this interview was the story of a television talk show host named "Spike Wallus" who gets brutally murdered with an ax after an interview goes horribly wrong.

[Bgz8890s]

Back then was cool. everyone smoked

[Irishflyboy255]

You know, I only write fanfiction, but Rod Serling is one of my biggest inspirations. As a storyteller, there's no one quite like Mr. Serling.

[SURFUR]

00:36--Notice how offended "Mr. Serling" looked when Mr. Wallace referred to him as "Ron."

A premature death? Well, the man puffed away at four packs of those cancer sticks a day. He drank gallons of coffee and stiff, hard drinks at night. There was a history of early heart problems in his family. He died at the alleged peak of his talent. He created "The Zone" so he could have carte blanche of his fine work. He was a war vet, taking shrapnel and the like.

--For Rod... Forever, Dane Youssef

[mrogerdwilliams]

this what honesty is all about

[freedomland11]

Mike Wallace Doesnt know it yet, But he just entered "The Twilight Zone"

[idak12]

@freedomland11 you made me laugh , well done

[funkality]

@freedomland11 haha!! good one!

[headwhop26]

god, every word that drips out of his mouth is so epicly dramatic! I love it

[Jemmer1000]

Look at all that smoke! A bit distracting in 2011, but probably not so much in 1959.

[Jemmer1000]

This is Mike Wallace, smoking a cigarette, as you all in 2011 will see as a very unusual thing for a television host to do .

[spactick]

The Twilight Zone is without a doubt the most influencial dramatic/fantasy television show that was ever created for television. It is still copied today by many many directors and screen writers who "borrow" the ideas that Ron Serling invented.

[thezoombini]

Wow, imagine if television journalism was this interesting today.

[dandansfu]

@RandomConcepts that is like saying to imitate someone who like to open their eye when laughing is by opening their eyes

[bennyfifty]

Rod Serling was a war hero too, great man

[MishuTaste]

I don't see anyone smoking during television interviews today.

[ryanranger]

@MishuTaste That's because American have all developed a terrible syndrome: living in constant fear of smokers while entertaining the notion of eternal life. NON SMOKERS I HAVE INFORMATION FOR YOU THAT I KNOW FOR A FACT YOU DO NOT KNOW. OKAY, NON-SMOKERS READY? "NON SMOKERS DIE EVERY DAY"...

[RussRox26]

Is it just me or does Rod's teeth never move at all? His voice is so cool though

[toastyprivates]

haha he called him Ron Serling at the beginning

[rleary1]

Rod was fantastic but died way too young. Watching this vid I'm wondering if it's all that smoke that Mike Wallace is blowing his way. 2nd hand?  Wallace is old but still alive but Serling is sadly longtime gone. Don't forget that Mike brought us 'Chris Wallace' on FOX!!??? Now that's pretty similar to The Twilight Zone.

[hwy61media]

@rleary1 Rod died at age fifty from heart problems and you're right, far too young. At the time of his death newspapers reported that he was a heavy smoker. Considering that, I don't think the second hand smoke from Mike Wallace was a serious contributing factor.

I do agree that second hand smoke is very bad for anyone :) -Michael

[TroyOi]

@hwy61media Serling spoke at my university in 1974. I remember the issue of his chain-smoking came up, & he mentioned that he had switched from Marlboros to True cigarettes, a low tar and nicotine brand, Too little, too late, unfortunately. I still have one of his cigarette butts. (He wouldn't sign autographs, so I settled for picking one up from the floor after he left.) Probably still has his DNA on it. So when they finally perfect human cloning, I'll have a lock on the Serling market!

[maydom04]

With all his brilliance, Rod probably knew he was killing himself with smoke, but for whatever reasons, didn't quit.

[BERex87]

@rleary1 .. Did you not notice the smoke in his own hand ? left as i see it.. might just be me being in the Twilight Zone and looking at a wrong Mirror Image..

[circutracer150]

@rleary1 Did you not see the fat cigar Rod was smoking???

[KneeJerkish]

@rleary1 Mr. Serling is also smoking during the interview.

[ryanranger]

@rleary1 Second hand smoke? You're a moron. Rod would agree.

[rleary1]

@ryanranger THERE'S A SIGNPOST UP AHEAD.... GO F' YOURSELF...

[ryanranger]

@rleary1 Are you fucking retarded?! I posted a quote, a good quote about serling and you tell me to FUCK myself!!! Unless you're the idiot who posted second hand smoke possibly killing him! You strike me as a typical dumb ass dipshit dimwit american. Keep eating you fat fuck. You're just another sheep who seems to be missing what he was all about. I'm sorry you were molested and weigh too much. I'm sorry that you being molested was as close to sex as you've ever got. Ha! Moron...

[rleary1]

@ryanranger Whatever dude, get over your pompous rage. Ha!  Dipshit...

[styrofoamtomato]

@rleary1, 2nd hand? Can't you see that Rod is burning one himself in this interview? he isn't actively smoking, as he is doing a lot of talking, since he is participating in an interview. Serling was rarely seen without a cigarette.

[InsanelyINsane]

Rod Serling is a genius. The Twilight Zone is my favourite tv show.

[hotblk100]

Rod Serling smart he be talkin

[slicknicknirvana]

I became obsessed with the twilight zone a while back.i love rod serling.

[danolson68]

I'd give my right------make that my left nut to have a voice like Rod Sterling, which is ironic considering when one loses a nut that person usually gains a higher voice, not a deeper one.

[spactick]

@danolson68 Mail me your nuts, I'll have the instrument installed in your throat sometime in the springtime that will magically alter your voice to sound just like Rod's. Honest.

[TheRuschProductions]

This man is brilliance in human form. His accent is incredible too.

[fromthesidelines]

...and later, it was revealed that Theodore Sorensen, Kennedy's speech writer, DID, in fact, write and assemble most of his book. And then there were Mike's interviews with mobster Mickey Cohen, and the "Grand Imperial Wizard" of the Ku Klux Klan, which generated MORE controversy, until ABC (and sponsor Philip Morris) finally cancelled the show in 1958.

[hwy61media]

@fromthesidelines I have to say that patriarch Joseph Kennedy's ego seemed to know no bounds. Apparently it wasn't beneath him to play fast and loose with the truth. That didn't work out for him in this case or as an Ambassador.

[fromthesidelines]

Well, for one thing, Mike's 1957 interview with Washington columnist Drew Pearson drew outrage from then-Senator John F. Kennedy's father when Pearson revealed that "Profiles In Courage", Kennedy's Pulitzer Prize-winning book, was actually ghost-written for him by someone else. Joseph P. Kennedy demanded ABC retract Pearson's statement and have Wallace issue an on-air apology, or he'd sue the network for 50 million dollars. The network caved in, despite Wallace's protest....

[Infinitesimalism]

This man was WAY too ahead of his time. His thoughts just seamlessly flow to together and his understanding of the American culture and human interaction are almost uncanny. This guy exudes unending brilliance.

[hwy61media]

@Infinitesimalism I agree and I find him quite modest also.

[unfortunatebeam]

@Infinitesimalism soooo...... if he was ahead of his time then what time did he rightfully belong in according to you? lol

[KneeJerkish]

@Infinitesimalism Mr. Serling was also an outspoken critic of racism and staunch supporter of civil rights and the ACLU. For those reasons, he probably would not be very well liked today. Not that he would care.

[fromthesidelines]

This was part of a weekly videotaped interview series (similar to Wallace's controversial 1957-'58 ABC show) originating in New York from WNTA, Channel 13 [now WNET, a "public broadcasting" station], and syndicated throughout the country by National Telefilm Associates {sometimes via kinescope, for those lacking videotape equipment} for its "affiliates", and "independent" stations.

[hwy61media]

@fromthesidelines Still working his way up to 60 Minutes' fame :)

[thEannoyingE]

@fromthesidelines what was so controversial about his ABC show?

[unfortunatebeam]

@thEannoyingE every scene was load with nude gay/lesbian sex orgies followed by brutal slaughtering of children. every episode.

[thEannoyingE]

wow, what is wrong with you?

[unfortunatebeam]

@thEannoyingE sarcasm. addressing the mccarthyist nonsense that Serling had to face.

[TRUEMAN8919]

rod serling genius

[hwy61media]

He certainly was and that, combined with his drive to work hard, made him the great that he was. Television would not be the same without his influence.

[zamboangaVillain]

picture of a man....

[mrytb]

Rod speaking sytle is quite impressive.

[hwy61media]

Yes it was and he expressed his thoughts succinctly.

[imjustpassinthru]

Be sure to see Mike Wallace's 1959 interview of philosopher and writer Ayn Rand.

[hwy61media]

Hi, thanks for telling me about this. I found the interview and downloaded all three parts. I will be watching it soon. I won't be able to post it though because it is not in the public domain.

[eteuatitema1]

i love his accent, sounds real kool.

[garrisonskunk]

Thanks for uploading this, I've wanted to see this interview after it had been refered to in "The Twilight Zone Companion"

At the time, Mike Wallace was trying to distance himself from the gameshows like "Big Surprise" and "The Name's the Same" that he had been a part of. Looks like he was trying to imitate Edward R. Murrow, bordering on a parody of ERM's style.

[hwy61media]

Looks like the style that eventually led to

60 Minutes.