Rod Serling Interviewed by Mike Wallace (2/2)

[johnrcoben]

What a weird interview! Rod Serling looks so pissed off at the end.

[willr2467]

dhaamn dey blowin hard!!!

[Elibobbob]

At times 'the force' creates masters, the force becomes the art, the story, the desire, the motivation, the driving force to communicate to humanity something that benefits humanity and nothing, even coporate psychopaths in suits can not fight that force. The making of a master like Rod Sterling.

[calabiyou]

rod serling's quality reververates down to our present day

[4085jones]

Rip rob sterling

[VanityConcubine]

I'm Mike Wallace... I don't listen to a word my guest says, and I interrupt completely irrelevant questions. We'll be back in a moment.

[NinjaMastiff]

I feel that it's necessary to apologize to Mr. Serling for where television has arrived today. To think that a general audience would actually watch this in its entirety without explosions, sexual provocation, random acts of ludicrous, improbable violence or a series of flashy colors and computer generated visual bally-hoo is embarrassing to current American culture.

I'm sorry Rod, that all your ambient ambitions arrived here.

[Shuracrab]

One more thing. Question: is my work quality if not many get to see it and call it "quality"? Thats a question every 'man should answer for oneself...I say yes, because thats how you appreciate you work and the effort you put into it even for it is publicly criticized or critically acclaimed, and most importantly that's how you appreciate your life even if your are struggling to pay for groceries. Dont let the majority define quality for you, but rather bless someone with another view of it.

[Shuracrab]

so i dont falt Mr. Wallace because identifying success with the attainment of riches is custom in society and have been prior to '59. We fail to realize its the sharing of the god-given gift that garners the cash, but thats not highlighted. it's rather the cash itself. this cause many people to feel worthless without cash even if they have a family. So instead of the art, and creativity many focus on the income. Saddled with the burden of trying to "earn a living" rather than just living.

[Shuracrab]

A man when blessed with the opportuntity to share his talents with the world is often solely identified with the attainment of riches , because that is how the prosperous life is defined or a story is identified in the world. So if without money, your life is pretty much considered nothing. Unfortunately, it usually isnt until someone passes that there are remembered for what they shared or contributed. celebrity or non-celebrity. rich or homeless...

[jprevete]

I caught parts of the Twilight Zone marathon on local NY TV on New Year's Day and felt compelled to look for interviews on Serling....thanx for the post...I had forgotten what a brilliant contributor he was....a man far ahead of his time....

[cockandballs83]

This guy is an example of old American and made success based on merit and talent verces THE SHIT HOLLYWOOD IS TODAY!

[pinboyjorf]

i wouldn't mind at all being told off by someone like rod serling i think it would be cool. i wouldn't find it offensive. because he would be right.

[musicdrunkie]

I'm into advertising, and I hate it, creative input is minimal, and every time you start a conversation with a client you feel how your brain cells die and turn cancerous.

[ebolalegion]

Not even comparing the modern times to the former. I truly wonder what Mr. Serling would have to say about television these days.

[DWalkAllah]

I'm Surprised Rod Didn't Call Mike Wallace A Jackass

[NWKBricks1]

Very compelling interview. Thanks for the upload!

[Inediblehulk]

50 years later, who's still in global syndication, has spawned TV and movie spinoffs, doesn't sound dated and has become a part of the mass culture zeitgeist? Mike Wallace? "Other people", indeed!

[Inediblehulk]

@rab200 Not really. The Twilight Zone touched on many human themes that were (and are) central to controversial issues and events, and parallels can be drawn by the viewer. But it rarely, if ever, got into the specifics. The message was always a moral, not political, one. Observational more than confrontational. This, I find, gives the shows a timeless and global feel.

[rab200]

not delving into current social problems? lies!..he did that quite a bit in the twilight zone

[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.

[PeterRoeder31]

Lol, the most important fantasy series ever (not writing anything important anymore...scary...)

[mightybedbug]

I LOL'd on the line "Professionally, I don't think Twillight Zone will hurt me, but I must admit, I don't think it will help me much either."

Just another reason why Rod Sterling was so awesome. Brilliant and humble.

[Cattwo12]

So much was Rod Serling a preamble ( one of several ), that brought unique class and style to story telling. In so doing, he created one of the Five best Television programs of all time. Rod Serling should never be omitted from the college text. Anyone interested in Quality, please remember Rod Serling.

[GameOver1260]

Any moral proponent, such as Sirling, can expect verbal attacks, libel, slander... Serling was waiting for this conflict and addressed it as well as it could be addressed, TWILIGHT ZONE.

Social voices that claim to be absolute and ex-cathedra do not tolerate any voice speaking the truth or lies, which voices came against Sirling. Many still enjoy his work.

[River1Bandit]

What an interesting interview. Thoughtful, insightful not like television today.

[toubapatouba]

this guy is a mastermind!

[MrAlexKeaton]

I think Rod is disappointed at the end as Mike Wallace is talking about how Rod Serling went from a trailer home to a great big house. The whole point Rod had been making was that money and status are not the important things...

[hwy61media]

@MrAlexKeaton I agree. I also think Rod suffered many disappointments in his career but in the end, the body of work he left behind speaks for itself. Thank you for commenting. -Michael

[Bellydancer241]

@MrAlexKeaton I agree with you. I see Mr. Serling bristling. This really makes me dislike Mike Wallace.

[cola1301]

Wha?

[unfortunatebeam]

I suspect Rod Serling was a big fan of Lenny Bruce, and vica versa

[cola1301]

what a handsome well spoken man to bad they are extinct.

[unfortunatebeam]

@cola1301 wha?

[BuckFlashback]

He says everything you want Rod Serling to say.

[2enchant]

Thx for this interview. This huy was very articulate and smooth.

What an inspiration.

[jakeleone]

Thanks for posting this.

Rod Serling was awesome, and thanks Rod.

Keep Rocking Heaven!

[Grelin1999]

Serling speaks funny. Wonder if he was always this serious and pompous

[youvexme]

@Grelin1999 it's called eloquence. Something that eludes you, based on your statement that he 'speaks funny'.

[Infinitesimalism]

It's remarkably evident that this interview illustrates a tough interview at the hands of Mike Wallace in his early years, interjecting Rod's thoughts with potential counterpoints and Rod ever so calmly yet intelligently elucidates his stance against censorship and the hindrance of the artist in popular culture.

[hwy61media]

@Infinitesimalism You can't trip up an honest, intelligent man. Must have been frustrating for Mike :) Thanks -Michael

[sadeviant]

@hwy61media It's not even as much intelligence as it is forthrightness. Mike tries to make Rod uncomfortable or to corner him and Rod just tells him the straight truth.

[PraiseDivineMercy]

@Infinitesimalism Except for his obvious bias against Sci-Fi. "Nothing serious for television" indeed!

[mxbscout]

"I'm just acting the role of a tired non-conformist" hits it right on the head. He wasn't backing away from controversial themes with The Twilight Zone, just presenting them in subtle, clever ways the networks and advertisers (and many viewers) were too stupid to realize. You can see a knowing grin on Serling's face when Wallace presses him on avoiding controversy.

[Roskomaximus]

Rarely has Wallace been more repulsive than he was here. It's galling that a man as gifted as Serling had to "plead the case" for TV, as though Wallace was judge and jury (a job which Wallace had neither the intelligence or comprehension to hold).

History has borne out that Serling was a giant, and despite Wallace's passive-aggressive baiting, Serling confronted each instance with an integrity and eloquence that you simply don't see any more.

We shall not look upon his like again.

[KingofStarfox]

Half a million dollars may not sound like all that much to make in 2 or 3 years(tho it's more than I made, that's for sure), but in the 60s, that would have been the equivalent of 3 or 4 million dollars.

[hwy61media]

You're right. $3,691,752.40 according to measuringworth(.)com/uscompare­/ using the Consumer Price Index.

[KingofStarfox]

I'm amazed I actually estimated it so close. I was unaware of that particular internet resource--that's very useful! Thanks for posting it.

[hwy61media]

You're welcome. I use it from time to time. It's very interesting.

[Atomank68]

...Further, watching this most revealing interview, and reading a couple of gratiuitous biographies on him, it seems that this demunitive man was indeed larger than life, despite a few emotional problems. His bravery and daring against the system should be used to make a competent bio-pic.; Abeit, one that preserves the man's dignity and vision. If such a movie were made, I think Rodman would be proud to have finally claimed a small victory for authors' integrity in the medium!

[hwy61media]

Thank you for these insightful comments. You have provided a valuable review of this interview.

[Atomank68]

Wow! I'm surprised there aren't more comments on Rod Serling. He was truly the sincerest writer-producer for a medium That showed great promise in the beginning, but during, and of course, after the McCarthy "Show" Trials, has sunk to the level of Roman farces; but with more digitally enhanced glitter.

I have also enjoyed Rod's short stories in JHS, and likened him to a Steinbeck, London, Ellison, and even-would you believe-Poe!!! I say this because a tracendental quality seems to come out.

[donpoppito]

Thank you for this! Where did you get these from? Rod is one of the best writers of our times.

[hwy61media]

He sure was. What a creative mind! I found this at internetarchive (.) org

[donpoppito]

Think your videos brought some attention. When i go to that site site it says 502 bad gateway.....

Thank you still for providing me (us) with an insight into this great thinkers mind. I just wish we had some videos of H.P. Lovecraft to go along with it.

[hwy61media]

You're welcome.