Rod Serling’s early career preserved by UC professor
Professor Emeritus H. Michael Sanders showcases Rod Serling’s early work and Ohio roots.
A recent Ohio Newsroom feature spotlights University of Cincinnati Professor Emeritus H. Michael Sanders and his research on Twilight Zone creator Rod Serling’s early career in Cincinnati.
The feature traces Serling’s journey from a World War II paratrooper to a student at Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio, where he discovered his passion for writing. Serling later worked at WLW radio in Cincinnati, secretly freelancing for competitor WKRC-TV and producing around 40 episodes of the live drama “The Storm.”
Rod Serling featured on a U.S. postage stamp in 2009. Photo/iStock.
Sanders, who has collected and preserved many of these early scripts, calls the series a precursor to The Twilight Zone—noting that one episode even became the pilot for the iconic show. He told told the publication that Serling’s time in Ohio shaped his moral storytelling and Midwest sensibility: “Much of what he brought to writing in terms of content and in terms of basic themes … have their origin in life in the Midwest with solid people who try to live a good life.”
Sanders is a professor emeritus of Media Communications and Technology at UC Blue Ash College and founded the college’s electronic media program and Media Services Center during his tenure. Known for emphasizing experiential learning and creative exploration, he has received the George Barbour Award for excellence in student–faculty relations.
The feature also includes commentary from author Mark Dawidziak and Anne Serling, Rod Serling’s daughter, who reflected on how Antioch helped her father heal from wartime trauma and discover purpose through writing. The story coincided with Antioch College unveiling a historical marker honoring Serling’s contributions to television and storytelling—an achievement, Serling says, her father never imagined would endure.
Featured photo at top of Rod Serling DVDs. Photo/iStock/Diana Van der Sluys.
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