Rod Serling and Ray Bradbury - The Untold Story

[@MarshallVandruff]

This is the first time I've heard anyone set the historical context about the difference between five cents a word and the money that television offered. And in retrospect, it makes perfect sense that Rod Serling was not only careful to acknowledge fellow writers, but to champion them. He would be glad for what you have done, Marc. Thank you for offering this.

[@MrSciFi]

+Marshall Vandruff Thanks!

[@WorgenGrrl]

"I Sing the Body Electric" is one of my favorite short stories. You were very fortunate to meet one of my favorite Sci-Fi authors of all time.

[@ewohl0895]

The most memorable line ever from the TZ for me, from the Hunt: A man, well he'll walk right into hell with both eyes open, but even the devil can't fool a dog.

[@michaelreilly9502]

We are going to be quite honest with the hindsight of HOW PRECISELY PRECOG ATTRIBUTED OF THE PRECOGNITIVE SERLING & RAY BRADBURY WERE TO THE PEOPLE IN THE PLANET EARTH TO PEG OUR EVILS EXISTING.

[@MicahMicahel]

That’s maybe my favourite episode.

[@patmullarkey7659]

Me, too!!!

[@pattimaeda6097]

My most memorable line is “everyone only gets one summer”

[@theantinatalismzone392]

I read The Sound of Thunder in school very young and it completely blew my mind. 20 years later I found out it is a Ray Bradbury story

[@wayneklein2474]

Thanks for providing this (only seeing it now). I appreciate that you put this into perspective. As a fan of both writers there was misinformation from others out there (and as I recall, Joel Engel’s book muddied the waters as well ) that it’s good to get perspective on Ray and Rod, their differences, etc. loved your Outer Limits book and some of your other fiction writing as well. Thank you!

[@ChipsAplentyBand]

Hi, Marc, In some ways, my own life crossed paths with Rod Serling's in a near-miss fashion. I was born in 1956 and grew up watching THE TWILIGHT ZONE as a kid, so Rod was a weekly presence in our home via TV. When I headed off to college it was in fall 1974 to Ithaca College, as a music major, where I believe friends attended a Rod Serling talk in which he also presented some excerpts from NIGHT GALLERY, all of which I. heard about later because although I'd heard he was there on the faculty in the Speech and Drama Department at the time, I think the venue was quickly filled, etc. That year I also studied music composition as an elective with IC's faculty composer Karel Husa, who described Serling to me as someone with a great imagination. Like Serling, Husa also had a cottage on the shore of Cayuga Lake (as a place of retreat where he could compose away from the usual telephone and other distractions) and though I'm not sure now, Karel's cottage on the lake may have adjoined or at least have been situated near Rod's. Rod, of course, had his fatal heart attack during my undergrad years at IC (1974-1978) and one of the rumors-probably unfounded, though you might know for certain, was that Husa and Serling might have consulted about collaborating on an opera(!) based upon an original book by Serling, had he not died when he did. (Husa died in 2016, at age 95; after studying with him for just one year as an undergrad music ed. major, I returned to IC later for my masters in composition under him, and then did my D.M.A. in composition under him at Cornell as well, and we stayed friends ever since.) Also a sort of near-miss, my sophomore year I roomed at college with another music major who was, like Serling, also from Binghamton, NY and who had a few after-the-fact local tales about Rod to tell (if memory serves) which had lingered on in town and high school, and this roommate was also a TZ and sci fi fan. I think not too long after Rod died Carol Serling also spoke publicly, at least once, about Rod at Ithaca College and my memory is that I somehow missed out on that as well. (IC kept their undergrad music majors SUPER busy and I never even got to any IC football games during 1974-1978 either, Marc!) If I had to say I share one thing in common with Rod it would be nostalgia for growing up in upstate New York. (I"m from a little, rural town called Morris, NY, a far cry from the 'Big City' of Biinghamton, though only about 50 miles distant as the crow flies.) I've enjoyed hearing you interviewed about The TZ Companion on Coast To Coast A.M. and thank you for sharing this account about Bradbury and Serling with us, Marc. Don C.

[@gterrymed]

Thank you for sharing this priceless account of two titans of Science-fiction.

[@westeightyone]

Man oh man, you are what is great about KZbin. I found you by accident ( the title of the video intrigued me ) but I'll be watching your other videos on purpose. You are one of those guys behind the scenes who really knows their stuff because they care about what they're talking about.

[@dontaylor7315]

Same here: Stumbled on this while searching for something else, was pleasantly surprised at the knowledgeable in-depth treatment of a fascinating topic, and I'll be checking out his channel.

[@anthonymalik9952]

Agreed; this was brilliant!

[@danductor6729]

Mr. Zicree. This is a really touching and wonderful video. Thank you for sharing.

[@SenorZorrozzz]

This gentleman is truly a very nice guy (ultra rare in the film biz), and also very intelligent. I’m so glad that this good, decent, producer made this video. He is as a special man as those who he is discussing. Also, I agree with his conclusions. How about you?

[@justkoolin]

Thanks! I have also noticed that Ray's stories, at least the ones I read and really enjoyed were better when I read them then when they were translated to the screen. That maybe also true for most of the early science fiction writers that challenged your imagination. If only I could relive reading those stories for the first time, (sounds like a twilight zone plot).

[@axiomist1076]

It was the early sixties. I was reading Something Wicked This Way Comes and watching Twilight Zone every week. That besides the other masterpieces of the times : Outer Limits, One Step Beyond and Hitchcock, Thriller, etc, etc. It was the Golden Age of TV and Rod Serling and Ray Bradbury became my favorite writers and still are. Years later I read my first science fiction with Martian Chronicles and there began a long affair with Sci-Fi (in book form). I will never forget Ray's The Veldt. That is a masterpiece of true terror. Thanks for The Companion. I have it and reading it is almost as good as watching the shows.

[@Shawnkells]

Hey, Marc! Some time in the '80s I think it was for the author signing of Death is a Lonely Business, I asked Ray, "What was your relationship with Rod Serling?" He replied, "Not good!" I said something like, "Oh really..." Then he said, "But I'll tell you this, Rod Serling couldn't write a short story to save his life!" Some guy in line started saying, " Well what about this story and that story.." I just thought, " Oh shit, I hit a nerve." I just made my self scarce after that. So this was very interesting to me and your book is just great! Thank you sincerely, from a permanent resident of that gray-shaded area...

[@fallspeed]

Thanks for clearing up this mystery. I've wondered about it for decades. It's too bad they couldn't have patched things up by the time of Night Gallery, which relied on a lot of outside material (Lovecraft, Manly Wade Wellman and others), and could have used some Bradbury material.

[@thrashpondopons8348]

Fortunately, Tygers & Miracle were eventually made (albeit, nearly 30 years later!) on Mr. Bradbury's own Anthology Series!

[@softdorothy]

I started watching this without realizing it was you. As such, I started watching with some skepticism. "Honey, some rando on KZbin says he knew Ray Bradbury." But as I watched more it became clear you were the real thing. And your take on Rod, on sci-fi authors seemed balanced, legit. And then, as it turns out, I read your "Twilight Zone Companion". Yeah, really read it. Good job. And thanks for the story.

[@Californiansurfer]

I meet Ray Bradbury at acres of books in long beach. I didn’t know who he was, he asked you going to read all those books, I said yes and showed him around the store and he talked about a ghost that lived in acres of books. I was fascinated with his ideas... staff, the next day told me, you met Ray... I said yes, he wanted you to read this book. Farienhet 454 and he signed it. Staff, said he wrote that book. I remember getting back on blue line metro line going home ... the talked about a guy memorizing books because they were burning them. Two years later I was at Los Angeles library loud seminar and the science fiction writer talked about Ray Bradbury, I meet him. I was blessed. He was a beautiful person and Californian.

[@CaptainBobRockets]

Really enjoyed your video about Mr. Bradbury and Mr. Serling. I adapted The Martian Chronicles for the stage while in college many moons ago. Bradbury gave his approval and held onto a copy of it for himself. Over the years, I wrote to Ray several times for various reasons and he was always kind enough to respond, always in his own handwriting and on his personalized stationary. I know that the rights to The Martian Chronicles is legally tied up in many ways and for many good reasons. However, if my dream of having the rights ever came true, I think I have a very good idea on how it could be made as a motion picture, using todays technology and special effects, that would appeal to younger audiences and those of our generation. Ahh, the dreams he have! Thank you again for your fine work. Bob Redman

[@daveidmarx8296]

Incredible witness to two absolute legends of sci-fi. I've owned The Twilight Zone Companion for over 35 years now (since discovering it in a Waldenbooks as a 12-year old in 1983), and have frequently consulted it through the years. Thanks for sharing your memories of Mr. Bradbury. Please finish your book that you spoke of in this video. I'm sure it would be fascinating to so many of us fans! And what's this about a SEQUEL to The Martian Chronicles?? That's one book I would LOVE to see!! Thanks again for sharing this.

[@Outrider74]

Great account you tell here; I will have to pick up your book. As a writer myself, I love the Twilight Zone, and revisit its stories over and over again. Same with Bradbury's works A pity that Bradbury only had one episode; he and Serling would have been a great team.

[@MrSciFi]

I agree with you. Thanks for the kind words.

[@glouconx983]

What a great person you are to chronicle in such detail the story of the great writers and artists that we love. Many thanks.

[@jakespivey3716]

As a fan of both Rod Serling and Ray Bradbury, this is a very entertaining and informative talk from an insider; thanks for sharing. Unfortunately, it seems they never reconciled. Although the Alfred Hitchcock show had a very different orientation there are a few instances where plot lines are very similar and sometimes actors appear in similar parts; i.e. Dick York.

[@SwarthySkinnedOne]

This was a fair and decent "exposè" on these two men, in explaining all the dynamics of the "nature of the Beast" in TV and short story products, that led to a riff in their relationship. Rod was a very busy man it seemed. Heard how he would work up to 15 hours a day in script reviews, editing, speaking engagements, movie productions, episode rehearsals....and what he promised Bradbury in remuneration, I can believe just slipped through the cracks, what with all that was happening at once in his highly active life. As they use to say back then, "Just one of those things." (Which I prefer to use than the 1970s era scatological pithy and degenerate "shit happens" expression, very widely accepted esp. by the more populous simple-minded, illiterate, and superficial class). Noble of you to do so man. And for that you merit my sincere cordial respect indeed! Most folks, with some degree of book-writing or TV production, or Inet web-page abilities, starting esp. from the 1980s on, esp. so with tattle-tale tabloid mentalities out to make a quick and easy buck, wanna get all public as humanly possible airing out the laundry of once widely known and famous, now deceased, celebrities and popular personalities. Seems they make it their life's mission to tear down ALL of everyone's idols and heroes, if only for money and personal kicks, which I think a goddamed shame and pathetic of them, no matter how trivial the misdeed of such people publicized!!! Now, don't get me wrong. There are some notorious motherfuckers, once alive and widely popular, who need to be told on - such as Joan Crawford, Errol Flynn, and maybe Frank Sinatra - because off the set, they weren't great people to get to know. Some of which were downright monsters (Jacklyn Onassis Kennedy for instance). But minor mess like one-time infidelity on one's spouse or spending a few months or weeks in jail for caught smoking a "dirty cigarette", well, so what. Come on man. That's a piece of old biddy gossipy 'dirt' needlessly dug up to expose I could have very well done without hearing of or reading about. Speaking of plagiarism, it's my understanding that not only sci-fi writers (well at least back in the analog - dials, needle meter, and vacuum tube - "Golden Age" era of Science Fiction. Don't know what it's like now.) would copy off one another in some measure, whether inadvertently or otherwise, but would copy off of other genres, such as the Westerns and Crime Noir tough guy private eye fiction stuff, esp. in plot. I've leaned this by reading an advert page near the back of a 1950s vintage "Popular Science" mag (a real original one, not a repro of one) about a few months back. In it a certain Sci-fi publishing house boasted of putting out original authentic sci-fi stories and not ones "created" by stories transcribed from Westerns, Crime Detective, and even WWll Nazi Fiction material in plot. It contained three columns each consisting of an very short excerpt from a story of a different genre but basically same plot and similar dialogue headed by an illustrated scene in pen and ink - first a sci-fi story column, followed by a Western, and last, a "Dick Tracy" like one. So to paraphrase, the advert read something like "...how many of you have read science fiction stories and found them to be just like something you've read out of a Western or a Crime Detective novel? Look at this science fiction adventure, and look at the other two? Does all three seem the same? Tired of reading sci-fi rip-offs? Well at such and such publishes we sell only real genuine science fiction, not stories taken and modified out of some Western or Mickey Spillane adventure, etc. etc..." and so on and so forth. Although this was before my time, I believe things liked this really happened, in the pre-internet, vid-game, and cable tv times, in which swindles, scams, fraud, and other forms of "monkey business" really abound, so much that it was just another fact of life to be aware of.

[@sandramorey2529]

I look forward to your book on Ray Bradbury. I found Ray when I was a 9 year old girl. I was locked out of my house one day and I found a collection of Raymond Chandler books and in the pile were a couple of Ray Bradbury's paperbacks. I started "The Illustrated Man" and I was hooked. I read everything he wrote in the next year or so. My dad was a fan and it was about the only thing we ever shared. My favorite stories were "Here There Be Tigers", "The Veldt"the one about the house that runs by itself after the nuclear war, "Something Wicked This Way Comes", "Fahrenheit 451". I just finished watching Rod Serling's wonderful film "Patterns". Not Sci Fi, but absolutely brilliant. It's on KZbin-free and everyone should watch it. Acting is superb, writing is amazing.

[@MrAnthonyVance]

Marc, thank you for your priceless stories on Rod Serling. I simply adored your TZ Companion book and by this time (truth be told) I think I have memorized at least half of the narrations with my horrible imitation of the wonderful Rod Serling. By the way, I think Rod Serling's narrations are works of literature on their own merit. He was such a productive and imaginative writer -- and what a humble human being he was. Rod inspired me to write my first Twilight Zone story when I was 15 (and, miraculously, that same story was published 8 years later in a national science fiction magazine called "Vertex: The Magazine of Science Fiction".) I am so pleased that you turned out to be Rod's very worthy and highly credible representative. I loved your video (Rod Serling and Ray Bradbury - The Untold Story). And your comments on Ray Bradbury were splendidly delivered.

[@joannehankinson7193]

To acknowledge that the great Leonard Nimoy died one year ago today, I thoroughly enjoyed this video about Rod Serling and Ray Bradbury! I will be watching and reading more of your fascinating stories - thank you!

[@sceiron]

Thank you for this story. Without you, it would never have been told.

[@Klores]

Great video and anecdote. That box of unproduced Twilight Zone scripts is tantalizing to say the least. Might any or all of them be published at some time?

[@CarolYost]

Good question.

[@robertjewell2366]

This is wonderful, Mr. Zicree. Many thanks! Ray Bradbury was the major influence on my learning to read experience as a youngster and the first author who I felt wasn't a chore or necessary assignment for reading, but a pleasure to fall into and fly amongst.

[@e.l.s.3048]

Hello Marc. It's not often that I write Fan Letters, but today's an exception. I've read your Twilight Zone Companion cover to cover at least 20 times spanning three decades. The first copy was worn, which prompted me to buy the revised edition. It is still one of my favorite books. I continue to revisit and enjoy the original 156 episodes, the documentary Submitted For Your Approval, and the multiple short story collections. Ray Bradbury was friendly when I met him at a signing in 1992. I live in his hometown, not too far from his childhood home. The ravine from Dandelion Wine is still there. Every now and then, I walk down the steps, across the bridge, and back up the stairs the same way the characters did in the short story The Whole Town Is Sleeping. Thankfully, the "Lonely One" is no longer there. ;-)

[@MrSciFi]

+Kyle Simmons Thanks for the kind words.

[@jamessizemore1446]

Thank you for talking about all my favorite writers of the fifties. thank you, I love those guys.

[@dinohall2595]

Am I the only one who's been mispronouncing Richard Matheson's last name my whole life? I was using the long _a,_ lol. Anyway, great video and thank you for sharing the inside story in such an engaging and balanced way!

[@mcd3379]

Fantastic story Marc, and very well told in a balanced and fair way. I'd also heard various stories about the Rod Serling - Ray Bradbury falling out, but wasn't sure as to the truth of the matter. As you say it's a shame these two giants fell out.

[@festo8756]

Marc Zicrees is being dishonest here. Rod Serling was accused of plagiarism and had to pay out money 3 times. The stories were The Parallel, A Short Drink From a Certain Fountain, and Sounds and Silences. Why do you think he didn't mention those cases?

[@jamesdrynan]

Well, it's all clear as mud now! Informative story, sir! I would liken your example of " inspired by " to songwriting. Who first conceived of a boy- girl relationship? Should someone receive recognition for every person who used this association in song? I think not. As they say, there's more than one way to skin a cat or write a script. I believe the ripple effect Serling's Twilight Zone had on writers, television and viewers was astonishing. Good work, Marc!

[@keithbrown2458]

I love hearing the wonderful stories of the great riders and you tell it very warmly and kindly to each Writer thank you so much for sharing

[@walkerskii]

Your ability to communicate is quite remarkable, you are elegant, interesting, classy, articulate, intelligent... You honor Ray Bradbury & Rod Serling with your affectionate words.

[@happiaxxident]

How do you have less than 1000 subscribers but a girl thats shows off her butt, workout and diet routines can have over 3 million? Ah, the world we live in. There's a short story for you! Please keep the vids coming and thanks for the insight and inspiration.

[@MrSciFi]

Thanks! Anything we can do to spread the word is great.

[@happiaxxident]

I'll do what I can!

[@jthemagicrobot4683]

Happi Axxident you answered your own question

[@davidolden971]

Why not do both? "'THE CAT-VIDEO THAT WALKED THROUGH WALLS' Our story is about Zippy Heinlein, a vlogger that produces **seemingly** frivolous streaming videos to hide a revolutionary new --" -- [Oh my... I LIKE this...!]" ...Nevermind me. Go back to what you were doing. :-)

[@PC4USE1]

Keeping with the sci fi theme,your answer is"The Sheep Look Up" or "The Marching Morons".

[@deetee2063]

Wow! Thanks for the information and stories here! Before listening, I thought 24 minutes might be longer than I wanted to listen, but once it began I didn't want it to end.

[@coopernickerson370]

Thanks for historical information between those two most influential people on the face of tv entertainment industry.

[@CarolYost]

It hurts my heart that this decent man, Rod Serling, was misunderstood by his friend in such a mean, unnecessary way. He obviously wanted to do the right thing by Ray, in terms of that plagiarism issue. That's not the most common thing, as far as I know. So often, people fight off any notion of plagiarism and will deny everything no matter what. It sounds as if Rod's lawyers forgot to call Ray, or something like that, and Rod probably thought it was all taken care of. Then, because it wasn't, there was a problem. If Ray had simply called Rod up and said, "You know, I told you I didn't care, but since you did say you wanted to do something about this, it's just to let you know your lawyers never called me." And the same type of thing with that other issue. Ten seconds and the whole thing would have been resolved. Talk about good intentions going awry. If Rod hadn't brought up the plagiarism issue, there would never have been a misunderstanding there. Oh, that bothers me.

[@davidpaul1970]

I can't believe I am only now discovering this post. These are my two favorite writers. Thanks for this.

[@doktor_ghul]

These are the tales that are lost in the fog of time, as Prince Sirki advances his grim plans and takes the best of us to his shadowy realm. Thank you.

[@MrVideovibes]

This is one of the most fascinating stories I've ever heard. Thank you for sharing it. I could listen to these stories for hours!

[@PaulKyriazi]

I'm fans of both writers, so this story is gold to me. Thanks for telling it, otherwise it would have been lost.

[@jayc2469]

Interesting to know that Rod Serling narrated many DOE Nuclear Test Footage information films - which were highly classified until relatively recently

[@CurtisAmusements]

Also a lot of "Cousteaus"...

[@Otokichi786]

Here's a nightmare I had in college. Tell me what SF story influenced this tale: I woke up and got ready to go to class one morning. Nearby, a building was being constructed, with a crane moving large pipes and wooden beams. I passed a little too close tp the construction site, and heard something falling. I awoke with the biggest headache I'd ever had in a very strange place. I realized I was on a cold, stainless steel table. Nearby, I saw a container with bloody tissue in it, and turned away in disgust. I reached for my forehead and felt...metal! Just then, someone came into the room and began staring at me, then ran from the room with a look of terror on his face. I was covered by a blanket...and nothing else. I searched the room for some kind of mirror, then found a shiny metal apparatus. I saw myself, with a metallic forehead which had several blinking lights! What's going on? I found some clothes and left the room, which I now realized was a Pathology lab. Am I alive or dead? As I ran out of the building, I woke up to an ordinary morning. I've got to move along now, or miss my first class. There's this short cut I can take...

[@barrydouglasbutler8794]

Perhaps, the Isaac Asimov stories “ I, Robot “ or even the Epic Novels of Asimov “ Foundation “ or Foundation and Emipre “ series about the race of Human in the distant Future - where all human kind is mangaged by Hari Seldon ( I recall may be the characters name ) the Galactic President (?) who oversees a rac Of Super Humanoids for the Foundation and Empire of what had to have happened - or did it really - to a planet ( typically Historically known a long, time ago... as - Earth 🌏) ...

[@learnhowtosingintune8608]

Wonderful stories, thanks so much for sharing!

[@IanCullen]

Great video and great story. I've been revisiting the original Twilight Zone's recently via some of the Blue Ray episodes with your commentaries. Some great stuff and the stories really do still hold up.

[@arty2k]

Marc, great story! I look forward to reading your memoirs and autobiography.

[@kevinsbott]

This is wonderful! Imagine we do a new twilight zone with these found scripts.

[@OldMod67]

Hi, thanks for this. I bought your TZ Companion around '92 (second edition) after having to jump between Timescreen, Primetime etc.. for episode details (on well worn taped VHS cassettes) and it's still a regularly read volume. Ray Bradbury is an absolute favourite of mine (I always refer to him as a storyteller rather than a novelist.) His non-scifi works, like Dandelion Wine are tremendous. Regardless of any friction, they're still masters of their fields. GJ (U.K.)

[@MrSciFi]

+OldMod67 Thanks so much.

[@raaustin]

Marc, thanks so much for your wonderful story about Ray and Rod!

[@MrSciFi]

You bet.

[@larrylarry1]

Your Ray Bradbury book sounds very interesting and I can’t wait to read it. I’m glad you got to know Ray, Rod, Buck, Ted, and many other writers. You now can share who they were and are with the current youtube generation and us older fans of sci fi and storytelling. Your book, The Twilight Zone Companion was a revelation to me just as much when I first discovered the tv show in the 1960s. Your book put the Twilight Zone on the record, on a physical medium we can touch and read anytime we want. Even with streaming and DVDs, having your book is a permanent record of the Twilight Zone in a physical form, and now in digital form too. Thanks for all your work and sharing yours and our love of The Twilight Zone and science fiction too. We have all the time in the world to read your book, with or without glasses.

[@SubjectiveCuriosities]

I got here from that interview you did recently with Fever Dreamland Theater. Thanks for sharing this story! Ray Bradburys absense from the Twilight Zone always felt strange and I always wondered about how that came to be. Now I know.

[@mattmcginnis4873]

Thanks for making this video. I've always found this story interesting and I'm glad you were able to explain it. I'm currently reading Martin Grams Jr.'s book on TZ and he does discuss the Serling/Bradbury debacle briefly, but I'm glad you went into detail with your video. Very insightful.

[@thingsthathappenedtomymoth2816]

Artistic and/or professional dealings between creative geniuses are worth detailing. This is a wonderful video.

[@chrise7359]

Great story about the creative process and the interaction between two greats of the genre. I always thought the rift was about ego. Thanks for setting the record straight after all these years.

[@tomjones2348]

Fascinating. Thanks for sharing your insights with us, Marc!

[@darrinhartford]

Absolutely fascinating sir, I really enjoyed this tidbit of information on Serling and Bradbury. It is hard to imagine what kind of terrific stories might have unfolded had their worlds continued to collide.

[@ciadella1971]

I've owned the TZ companion since 1988. It's an amazing piece of work! I still refer to it to this day!

[@martinbeneteau309]

Marc, I'm just viewing this video. I have to say that The Twilight Zone Companion is always around when I'm watching the original TZ. I've read it over and over. I always wondered why Ray Bradbury only had one TZ that he had written. Thanks for bringing this to us.

[@ladybug2021]

So fascinating Mr. Zicree. I have to congratulate you on reconnecting to Mr. Bradbury and finding the answer to what the issue was between him and Rod Serling. It's funny how things like this are a mystery for so long and then when the time is right you find the answer. I'm going to get your book and read it. Again, kudos to you sir. Jay

[@johnmchugh8049]

Thank you for sharing this with us brother.

[@oksanamenjak3089]

Found you thanks to Coast to Coast AM, great! :D

[@smcnicoll]

Great to see you. I've read and re read your Twilight Zone companion many times, you are right to be proud of it. Fascinating story about these giants. Subscribed! Thanks Mr Z.

[@itsboontzy]

Marc, I'd like to just take the time out to thank you for sharing this intriguing story. To say I'm a fan of yours from your work on Animorphs, to your genius work on The Twilight Zone companion (which I practically sleep with everyday). I really wish I could leave a longer comment but I must get back to running the FIRST Twilight Zone page that I created about 2years ago on Instagram. @the__twilight__zone It's a tribute to this remarkable show. I'm sure you understand. :)

[@LordZontar]

A most fascinating story, to say the least, about an unfortunate set of circumstances between two creative giants.

[@glendanielson9006]

Fascinating history. Thank you!!!

[@yosoycristianponce]

I loved this video! I'm from Argentina (So, excuse for my english), I'm such a big zone fan (I have your book, of course!) and just recently I get really into the "California Sorcerers". Could you make a video about them as a group someday? Thanks!

[@lostworldcomics]

Great story,thanks for sharing it.

[@tarzan8575]

This is a great story i have never heard before thanks and in an unrelated note...I want to dig through your bookshelf so bad!

[@Beer_Dad1975]

This was some excellent story telling - what an amazing life you have had! Thank you for sharing.

[@MrSciFi]

You're welcome. If you haven't subscribed to Mr. Sci-Fi yet, there's a lot more there.

[@SoBe80s.]

Fascinating! Thank you for all of this information the background information really was interesting and helpful.

[@dizbang3073]

Mr. Z - I bought a brand-new copy of the Companion when it first came out, and read it so often it literally fell apart. I'm not kidding. Loved it - well done.

[@fallspeed]

darin zank Same here. I still have my copy, had to punch holes in the pages and tie them together with twine like a notebook.

[@PC4USE1]

Love your Twilight Zone companion book, found it by accident and it just jumped out at me.Love the original Twilight Zone and some of the 80s remake series. I remember watching the last years of the Twilight Zone on original broadcast as a kid.

[@octopibingo]

Good stuff. Met Ray the first time about 1975/76 at San Diego Community College downtown, speaking with the most humorist of humorists, Richard Armour. Then at USD a few years later, at SDSU when the did The Martian Chronicles. I would gladly have traded places with him, having a minute of my script edited out; I think he took the role of unbending artist a bit too far, purposely. As Serling said and we've all found, Ray's work never translated well to film or tv or plays. But he remains--with Chandler, Woolrich and the always pleasant H. Ellison--one of my biggest influences. But, like the others, only in writing.

[@dalethebelldiver7740]

Good story; thanks for sharing that with everyone.

[@joyousthunder9532]

I enjoyed your stories so much! Thank you!**********

[@rhembo]

Thank you for this. I 've always been curious why Bradbury wasn't a major writer on the Twilight Zone

[@kathleenhorner9296]

Thank you. interesting Serling and Bradbury trivia!

[@masseysmoviemadness1411]

One question - Is there ANY way to get copies of those unused Twilight Zone scripts?! I salivate at the thought...

[@BarsimonR]

Great story, thank you for sharing

[@wiley8976]

Any one else here from “twilight tober zone” on channel awesome

[@MM-jg1vj]

Wow, this guy is so cool. Thank you so much for sharing!!

[@dougg1075]

Rod also mentioned him in that UCLA question and answer session, in a gracious way.

[@watchmanschannelofdespair]

I wish I had the chance to have met these two gentlemen, and also that they had been the best of friends. By all accounts both men were 'good guys', it just seems their 'friendship' stumbled and before they could regain their footing, it was irreparably harmed. Anyway this is just Great stuff, I thank you for sharing.

[@ciadella1971]

Great story! And I've owned The Twilight Zone companion since 1988! Love it!

[@dyerdanforth9030]

You do present their conflict(s) in a very balanced way. I bought your TZ guide years ago. Truly awesome. I was also delighted to see you on the Black Star DVDs. I know you've done much more than this; I just got a kick discovering all that you'd worked. Cheers.

[@jeffolsen4983]

Thank you! Very generous.

[@akmediascope]

I am always terrified of accidental plagiarism. This is wonderful

[@Jimvanhise]

Author Michael Shaara (1928-88) wrote a science fiction short story published in 1959 titled "Citizen Jell" which has the same plot as the 1962 episode "The Fugitive," even the resolution of the story is the same. Credited to Charles Beaumont it may well be that he was given the plot by Serling. Michael Shaara recognized this at the time but had no money for an attorney. Shaara went on to great success on his own and wrote the 1974 novel The Killer Angels for which he won the Pulitzer Prize in 1975 and it was the basis for the movie Gettysburg.

[@hanniffydinn6019]

Makes sense he never sold out and didn't like his work and promises messed with.

[@escole48]

I wish they could make more of these stories.

[@MichaelJGrady-lz4in]

This was great! Thanks!

[@adriansherlockdamondark.1094]

Great video. TZ Companion is one of the best non fic books I've ever read and gave me great passion to write and create.

[@flamingmonkays]

Never knew you had a KZbin account. I love your work!

[@wyioughta]

Brilliant, thank you

[@summerland6397]

Great story, thank you.

[@JavierCabreraBrothers]

I might be the only one who believes this, but Ray stories can be translated to the big screen exceptionally well (with the right director and the right actors, of course). There are a few examples of his tv show that make me think that. The one with Drew Barrymore (a very nasal Drew Barrymore) is one of them. Thanks for sharing this story!

[@GabrielTheMagolorMain]

Love this, thank you!!