1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,162 WWW.MY-SUBS.CO 1 00:00:00,100 --> 00:00:01,400 The following interview took place in 1959. 2 00:00:01,480 --> 00:00:04,520 It was included for its great value and its sagacious content. 3 00:00:04,600 --> 00:00:08,560 Due to the antiquity of the material, technical quality does not reach the current level. 4 00:00:08,640 --> 00:00:12,640 Image flaws are of the original material and not this copy. 5 00:00:17,840 --> 00:00:20,120 The Mike Wallace Show. 6 00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:27,160 I'm Mike Wallace with another interview for television. 7 00:00:27,240 --> 00:00:29,200 In our gallery of brilliant people. 8 00:00:29,280 --> 00:00:31,430 On television, few names... 9 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:34,080 enjoy the prestige of our guest. 10 00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:38,200 Rod Serling is the sole writer which won three Emmy awards... 11 00:00:38,360 --> 00:00:42,150 by Requiem for a Heavyweight, Patterns and The Comedian. 12 00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:45,760 We will talk to him about censorship on television... 13 00:00:45,840 --> 00:00:48,150 about his struggle to express what he believes. 14 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:52,160 And we will know what the price is for him that pays for this success. 15 00:00:53,080 --> 00:00:55,990 In 1951, when television I was still a baby... 16 00:00:56,080 --> 00:01:00,310 a young man sat in a Cincinnati restaurant with his wife and made a decision. 17 00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:04,590 He decided to renounce the stability of his job to become a... 18 00:01:04,760 --> 00:01:07,040 freelance television writer. 19 00:01:07,840 --> 00:01:11,880 Rod, first I want to ask you this. What led you to make this decision? 20 00:01:12,040 --> 00:01:15,240 It was a burning desire to write because I wanted to say something, 21 00:01:15,320 --> 00:01:17,630 Or was it just an avenue to make more money? 22 00:01:17,720 --> 00:01:19,950 The combination of many things. 23 00:01:20,200 --> 00:01:24,040 The immediate reason at this moment, the stimulus that pushed me to do this... 24 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:26,360 was that I was writing to... 25 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:29,880 Cincinnati television as a spreadsheet writer... 26 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:32,430 which is a more anonymous work, 27 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:36,520 which consists of writing advertisements, including inventing... 28 00:01:38,360 --> 00:01:39,920 letters from... 29 00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:44,190 What do they call it? To advertise a product, someone has to use it. 30 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:47,280 - Of testimony? - Testimony letters. 31 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:50,160 I remember there was a... 32 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:52,720 liquid medicine in the marker that 33 00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:55,790 could cure everything, from arthritis to pelvic fractures. 34 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:59,160 And I, in effect, had to write a letter of testimony. 35 00:01:59,240 --> 00:02:01,440 And that day my art came to fruition. 36 00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:05,270 I was freelance with a team. 37 00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:08,590 It was the best year I had, I believe we won around $700... 38 00:02:08,960 --> 00:02:11,030 which was just enough for the food. 39 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:14,830 And one night we just decided Whether we fail or not, here we go. 40 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:16,750 Did you come to New York? 41 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:21,080 Not immediately. We were six months in Ohio, then soon after going to New York. 42 00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:26,800 I worked at Lux Video Theater. Live and in half-hour shorts. 43 00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:30,270 I made 11 programs for them and I was on my way. 44 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:33,480 What types of works did you write? He said it wasn't just money... 45 00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:35,710 that there was something I wanted to convey... 46 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:38,320 and that you can't do in Cincinnati. 47 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:43,190 At this time, Lux Video, in general, He did very mature things. 48 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:47,920 It wasn't the Playhouse 90's, nor productions that win awards... 49 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:50,120 but they were quite mature things. 50 00:02:50,240 --> 00:02:52,470 Which even now are very well. 51 00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:55,590 I was doing Lux Video, Craft Theater. 52 00:02:56,080 --> 00:02:59,600 The early years of television, "pioneering" years, which are, supposedly... 53 00:02:59,680 --> 00:03:03,440 very pioneers, but everything He's also eight years old. 54 00:03:03,760 --> 00:03:06,440 There was a long way, since those early days. 55 00:03:06,920 --> 00:03:11,040 Perhaps more than any other writer, his name appears in the classic fight... 56 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:12,870 of the television writer. 57 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:15,430 A writer's struggle to be himself. 58 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:19,000 What happens when a writer how do you... 59 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:23,350 write something about what you really believe? For television. 60 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:28,790 I don't know if I understand the question. What do you mean by...? 61 00:03:28,920 --> 00:03:32,040 We hear a lot about censorship in television writers. 62 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:35,030 This is talked about a lot, especially in your case. 63 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:38,870 Depends on how you treat the topic that is working, if you... 64 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:40,720 It's reckless... 65 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:44,680 and tries to stage a theme that implies in any specific social controversy 66 00:03:44,760 --> 00:03:47,640 currently in vogue, then you have a problem. 67 00:03:47,920 --> 00:03:50,440 - For example? - The racial theme, for example. 68 00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:56,470 In my case, a work I did for Steel Hour, 3 years ago... 69 00:03:57,080 --> 00:04:01,200 titled Luna on Doom's Day, It was a story that told... 70 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:06,000 what were the results of the supposed child abduction in Mississippi. 71 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:07,880 The young black man from Chicago. 72 00:04:07,960 --> 00:04:11,840 I wrote the script, using black and white at first... 73 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:17,040 soon changed to insinuate that it was an unknown foreigner... 74 00:04:17,120 --> 00:04:20,110 soon they changed the foreigners from the south to New England... 75 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:23,670 and I'm sure they were to Alaska or to the North Pole... 76 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:26,150 using Eskimos as possible minority... 77 00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:30,950 except for the clothing problem that would be the big argument for not doing it. 78 00:04:31,080 --> 00:04:35,230 But it became a production tibia, vitiated and mutilated. 79 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:37,720 - Were you together? - Yes, always. 80 00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:42,080 I protested. I tried to fight, as it happens with most television writers... 81 00:04:42,160 --> 00:04:45,200 thinking in this strange way, ambiguous and philosophical... 82 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:49,240 that it is better to say something than nothing. In this program, 83 00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:53,080 When they finished, they had already removed Coca-Cola bottles from the set, 84 00:04:53,160 --> 00:04:56,280 because the sponsor said this would have southern connotations... 85 00:04:56,360 --> 00:05:01,360 insinuating that they tried everything to ensure that production was 86 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:05,280 clean, aseptic and rigorous. And there was no relationship... 87 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:07,830 with what we wanted to do from the beginning. 88 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:11,870 Paddy Chayefsky spoke of insidious influence of what you call... 89 00:05:11,960 --> 00:05:14,600 pre-censorship. How does this work? 90 00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:18,990 Pre-censorship is used by most TV writers. I don't speak for all of them. 91 00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:22,120 It is the writer's prior knowledge about those areas 92 00:05:22,200 --> 00:05:24,510 which are difficult to franchise. 93 00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:28,120 So the writer throws away the text that knows that 94 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:31,430 will cause you problems with the agency sponsor. 95 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:34,720 We do it all the time. We just don't write about 96 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:37,190 what do we know that will cause us problems. 97 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:43,310 Who is to blame? The broadcasters? The sponsor? I assure you it's not the FCC. 98 00:05:43,840 --> 00:05:47,360 No, it's certainly not the FCC, speaking in the abstract, of course. 99 00:05:47,440 --> 00:05:49,910 It's a combination of culprits. 100 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:54,000 Partly it is the broadcasters and, mainly, the agencies and the sponsor. 101 00:05:54,440 --> 00:05:56,720 And in many cases, the audience itself. 102 00:05:56,800 --> 00:05:59,190 - What do you say? - I'll give you an example: 103 00:05:59,280 --> 00:06:04,290 A year ago, in the movie Lassie, 104 00:06:04,380 --> 00:06:07,180 a story told by Sheldon Leonard... 105 00:06:07,280 --> 00:06:09,720 who was then associated with production. 106 00:06:09,920 --> 00:06:11,960 Lassie was going to have puppies. 107 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:16,120 I have two young daughters, five and three years old... 108 00:06:16,200 --> 00:06:19,080 who are very much in love for this friendly collie. 109 00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:22,950 They watched the film with great interest, and Lassie gave birth to the puppies. 110 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:27,720 It was one of the most elegant things, pleasant and eternal... 111 00:06:28,280 --> 00:06:31,400 that show this wonder which is birth. 112 00:06:31,800 --> 00:06:35,240 After the movie, I believe there were many celebrations. 113 00:06:35,320 --> 00:06:37,470 because it was a precious production. 114 00:06:37,560 --> 00:06:41,680 These are things I want my children to see to show them what birth is, 115 00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:44,960 and how wonderful it is. They received many postcards and letters. 116 00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:50,120 The typical Southern letter read: "If you wanted my children to see sex, 117 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:54,120 "I wouldn't let the TV turn on, would take them to a vulgar spectacle." 118 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:59,830 Due to the influence of correspondence, many of the postcards, according to Sheldon... 119 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:03,280 were sent at the same time, and with the same writing. 120 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:05,720 But each one was counted separately. 121 00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:09,480 And so, the director decided that there would be no more productions... 122 00:07:09,560 --> 00:07:13,600 with something to do with puppies, that is, with the process of giving birth. 123 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:17,920 Of course, there is a fringe group of lunatics who write letters that greatly affect 124 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:20,360 what the sponsor thinks. 125 00:07:20,440 --> 00:07:23,040 Do you understand the sponsor's position, then? 126 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:26,110 In a way, yes. It's there to promote a product. 127 00:07:26,200 --> 00:07:29,040 So if you have good money invested in what is emitted. 128 00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:32,190 Of course, in most cases... 129 00:07:32,280 --> 00:07:36,430 where the problem is public taste... 130 00:07:36,520 --> 00:07:41,760 it disturbs them that an answer is given negative from a mass of people. 131 00:07:41,840 --> 00:07:44,150 I come to understand why they are scared. 132 00:07:44,240 --> 00:07:50,030 I don't understand other evidence and cases of intrusion from sponsors. 133 00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:52,640 For example, in Playhouse 90, a year ago... 134 00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:55,560 a beautiful production titled Trial at Nuremberg. 135 00:07:55,640 --> 00:08:00,800 I believe it was the most professional and artistic experience at the Playhouse. 136 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:05,550 In it, as you will remember, there is a mention of the gas chambers. 137 00:08:06,040 --> 00:08:10,240 And they blurred the line, they cut the sound. 138 00:08:11,840 --> 00:08:15,120 These guys didn't care much what type of gas is it? 139 00:08:15,320 --> 00:08:20,400 In the concentration camps it was cyanide, which looked nothing like the gas you use. 140 00:08:20,480 --> 00:08:22,790 - They cut the line. - Because the sponsor was... 141 00:08:22,880 --> 00:08:26,960 They did not want this association to arise between what was horror and misery 142 00:08:27,040 --> 00:08:30,510 of Nazi Germany and the beautiful, chrome and clean 143 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:33,360 kitchen appliances that they were selling. 144 00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:38,600 This is an example of interference from the sponsor that has no logic. 145 00:08:39,040 --> 00:08:40,790 I object to that. 146 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:44,070 He's going to make a new series titled Twilight Zone. 147 00:08:44,160 --> 00:08:48,240 Writes and is also the executive producer on this series. 148 00:08:48,680 --> 00:08:51,440 Who controls the final product, you or the sponsor? 149 00:08:51,520 --> 00:08:54,560 I believe that we have, at least in theory, 150 00:08:54,640 --> 00:08:58,600 because it hasn't been posted yet practice, a good working relationship. 151 00:08:58,680 --> 00:09:00,350 In matters of taste... 152 00:09:00,440 --> 00:09:04,400 in matters of artistic form, In reenactments, I am the judge. 153 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:06,950 Because this is my environment, and I understand it. 154 00:09:07,040 --> 00:09:09,480 I'm a TV writer. It's the environment I know. 155 00:09:09,560 --> 00:09:12,280 I trained for this and I worked on it for 12 years. 156 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:15,080 The sponsor knows your product, but you don't know mine. 157 00:09:15,160 --> 00:09:18,150 So, when it comes to the commercial, I leave it in your hands. 158 00:09:18,240 --> 00:09:21,360 When it comes to the content of history, he leaves it in my hands. 159 00:09:21,440 --> 00:09:23,080 Nothing was changed... 160 00:09:23,160 --> 00:09:26,600 We exchanged, in 18 itineraries, we exchanged a line... 161 00:09:27,120 --> 00:09:31,120 which was a bit absurd, but for an insufficient... 162 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:36,040 basic connection in the context of story, let's not start a fight. 163 00:09:36,440 --> 00:09:39,960 Inside a British ship, a sailor calls the kitchen... 164 00:09:40,040 --> 00:09:43,750 and asks, according to my script, for a glass of tea, because I thought 165 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:48,120 is it allowed to drink tea on a British ship. 166 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:51,870 It turns out that one of my sponsors sell instant coffee. 167 00:09:51,960 --> 00:09:56,160 It seemed like a big disadvantage, or at least a disadvantage... 168 00:09:56,320 --> 00:10:00,400 The idea of ​​saying "tea". We had some problems... 169 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:05,270 nothing serious, and then we decided that they would ask a tray on the ship. 170 00:10:05,520 --> 00:10:09,360 But in the 18 itineraries, This is the only shock we've had. 171 00:10:09,440 --> 00:10:11,800 - They approved them. - Approved what? 172 00:10:11,880 --> 00:10:13,240 All scripts. 173 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:16,200 Was there pre-censorship? Did you write easily? 174 00:10:16,280 --> 00:10:18,920 There was not, because it is of a 30 minute program... 175 00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:22,070 that can't go as deep as a 90's, that doesn't use scripts... 176 00:10:22,160 --> 00:10:25,640 as a means of social criticism. These are for entertainment only. 177 00:10:25,720 --> 00:10:29,510 - They are to make money. - No. They are not to make money. 178 00:10:29,600 --> 00:10:36,000 They are very mature, high quality films and extremely polished. 179 00:10:36,600 --> 00:10:40,440 But as these are areas of fantasy, of imagination, 180 00:10:40,520 --> 00:10:43,400 of science fiction and all these things... 181 00:10:43,480 --> 00:10:47,560 there is no opportunity to surrender or making cuts or anything like that. 182 00:10:47,640 --> 00:10:51,520 You will not be able to surrender or do big cuts because you will be 183 00:10:51,600 --> 00:10:54,120 working hard on Beyond Imagination that 184 00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:57,510 in reality, now and for a foreseeable future time, 185 00:10:57,600 --> 00:11:00,670 you have renounced writing something important for television. 186 00:11:00,760 --> 00:11:04,550 Again, this makes sense, Whether it's important for television, I don't know. 187 00:11:04,800 --> 00:11:09,350 If it's important to say you won't get into social problems... 188 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:11,350 You're right, I won't do it. 189 00:11:11,440 --> 00:11:13,670 You told Kay Gardello from New York Daily News: 190 00:11:13,760 --> 00:11:16,990 "I don't think The Twilight Zone will harm me, 191 00:11:17,080 --> 00:11:19,880 "but I admit that I don't believe so much that will help me. 192 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:22,350 "I cross the line of fire. 193 00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:25,350 "You'll have enough when you want rip out your brains." 194 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:27,430 Could you read the first few lines? 195 00:11:27,520 --> 00:11:30,100 "I don't think The Twilight Zone will harm me, 196 00:11:30,811 --> 00:11:31,800 "but I admit that I don't believe so much that will help me." 197 00:11:31,801 --> 00:11:32,680 I never said that. 198 00:11:32,760 --> 00:11:35,480 I'm sure you'll help me. I'm very proud of this series. 199 00:11:35,560 --> 00:11:38,520 In the twelve years of writing, I can guarantee at least this: 200 00:11:38,600 --> 00:11:40,510 I have never written anything below my talent. 201 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:43,510 I never wrote anything that didn't want my name on it. 202 00:11:43,600 --> 00:11:47,440 I have been working on several scripts and I have been successful in some more than others. 203 00:11:47,520 --> 00:11:49,480 But they will all issue themselves. 204 00:11:49,560 --> 00:11:53,520 I will carry out my ideas. They're mine and that's how I want them to be. 205 00:11:53,600 --> 00:11:59,310 The other day, someone asked me if this It meant I was going to become a... 206 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:02,280 submissive conformist. 207 00:12:02,520 --> 00:12:07,150 My answer is no. I'm just doing the role of a jaded nonconformist. 208 00:12:07,240 --> 00:12:11,200 - I don't want to fight anymore. - What do you mean? 209 00:12:11,280 --> 00:12:14,040 I don't want to have to fight against sponsors and agencies... 210 00:12:14,120 --> 00:12:16,240 having to fight for what I want... 211 00:12:16,320 --> 00:12:19,960 having to accept a second role. I don't want to make commitments. 212 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:22,440 Which is, in reality, what does a TV writer do 213 00:12:22,520 --> 00:12:24,960 if you want to deal with controversial topics. 214 00:12:25,040 --> 00:12:28,830 - So why are you still on TV? - It continues on TV because it allows 215 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:33,360 fulfill the function of doing something mature, meaningful, fun... 216 00:12:33,440 --> 00:12:36,830 a provocative work without having necessarily enter into disputes. 217 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:39,760 This, of course, is not the best in the world of all possible. 218 00:12:39,840 --> 00:12:42,800 I do not imply that this is a period of happiness and prosperity. 219 00:12:42,880 --> 00:12:47,270 I believe it is criminal that we cannot give dramatic motifs... 220 00:12:48,440 --> 00:12:50,480 to the social brand as it is, 221 00:12:50,560 --> 00:12:54,560 controversial topics such as are in our society. 222 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:59,040 I think it is ridiculous that a work that should be treated... 223 00:12:59,200 --> 00:13:02,480 of things that affect our daily lives, It's in a state... 224 00:13:02,560 --> 00:13:06,560 at least as far as TV movies go, unable to take sides. 225 00:13:06,720 --> 00:13:09,840 But that's the way it is, that's the way things are. 226 00:13:09,920 --> 00:13:14,360 And they can't look at me or Chayefsky, not Rose or Vidal or Miller... 227 00:13:14,440 --> 00:13:19,760 nor to any of them as the creators of the big change. This is not our mission. 228 00:13:20,240 --> 00:13:24,440 - Chayefsky left television. - That's right, and I respect that. 229 00:13:24,520 --> 00:13:28,440 I think you need a lot of strength to abandon an environment that converted you 230 00:13:28,520 --> 00:13:31,120 on a famous person. 231 00:13:31,400 --> 00:13:35,080 Paddy was the first to level to television writers. 232 00:13:35,160 --> 00:13:38,360 Before Paddy, we were considered two-headed mercenary writers 233 00:13:38,440 --> 00:13:41,560 who worked day and night and used boy-girl situations 234 00:13:41,640 --> 00:13:44,760 and any of the 5 thousand different typical stories. 235 00:13:44,840 --> 00:13:49,230 But Paddy gave us importance, and I respect your decision to go. 236 00:13:49,320 --> 00:13:53,110 He felt that he was not happy, doing things kinda... 237 00:13:53,240 --> 00:13:56,040 Do you believe you could get importance outside of television? 238 00:13:56,160 --> 00:13:59,360 I don't know if I could, and I suppose that's admitting 239 00:13:59,480 --> 00:14:02,920 weakness or at least a feeling of insecurity on my part. 240 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:07,120 I never produced on Broadway, the little I wrote for cinema 241 00:14:07,200 --> 00:14:09,510 it was a little less than spectacular. 242 00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:12,830 And I believe I will stay in that environment partly because I admit that... 243 00:14:12,920 --> 00:14:15,830 I want to stay where I started. This is the way I understand it. 244 00:14:15,920 --> 00:14:19,230 These are the instruments and techniques which I have used for years. 245 00:14:19,320 --> 00:14:23,790 Maybe I don't want to take the risk of losing everything. 246 00:14:23,880 --> 00:14:27,840 I don't think I'm prepared for that. But Paddy wanted to try. 247 00:14:27,920 --> 00:14:30,680 Gore Vidal wrote novels. Bob Arthur did theater. 248 00:14:30,760 --> 00:14:32,320 And your relationship with soap operas? 249 00:14:32,400 --> 00:14:36,870 I would like to write a novel in a year I'll start, Requiem was an option... 250 00:14:36,960 --> 00:14:40,080 was written as a novel and I managed to get them benefits... 251 00:14:40,160 --> 00:14:42,150 and I want to do it again. 252 00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:46,240 I also follow this medium because I like what works. 253 00:14:47,760 --> 00:14:51,680 Herb Rotkin, who was the TV producer associated with some of his earlier work... 254 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:55,040 said of you: "Rod will be a commercial type... 255 00:14:55,120 --> 00:14:58,750 "or will be an artist with discretion. But not both." 256 00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:03,200 I remember the interview. He gave it to Gilbert Millstine. 257 00:15:03,280 --> 00:15:06,240 Millstine was writing about me in the New York Times. 258 00:15:06,320 --> 00:15:10,840 I didn't understand it at the time. I couldn't understand 259 00:15:10,920 --> 00:15:13,600 in the following years, which are now three. 260 00:15:13,680 --> 00:15:16,670 I assume Herb meant... 261 00:15:16,840 --> 00:15:20,550 which cannot be commercial and artistic every time. 262 00:15:20,840 --> 00:15:24,880 It cannot be commercial and of quality. Cannot be commercial 263 00:15:24,960 --> 00:15:29,160 and be concerned about the level the story you want to tell. 264 00:15:29,680 --> 00:15:33,760 And that I reject. I don't think calling something "commercial"... 265 00:15:34,040 --> 00:15:37,160 connects you to a suggestion that it's horrible. 266 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:39,680 Which is something dirty, to be embarrassed about. 267 00:15:39,920 --> 00:15:45,080 What if saying "commercial" means acceptance public, what's wrong with it? 268 00:15:45,160 --> 00:15:49,920 The important thing about my argument is that as long as you are not ashamed of 269 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:55,160 nothing you wrote, if you are a writer, of what he is interpreted, if he is an actor... 270 00:15:55,280 --> 00:15:58,270 and I'm not ashamed to make television series. 271 00:15:59,200 --> 00:16:03,910 I could have done 30 or 40 series of films in the last 5 years. 272 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:09,080 I assume, at least, that I wrote many who promised money, 273 00:16:09,320 --> 00:16:14,000 financial insurance... but I gambled It was because I didn't like them. 274 00:16:14,080 --> 00:16:17,550 I don't think they were of good quality, but they were commercial. 275 00:16:18,600 --> 00:16:22,830 But I believe what Herb said, like many people, 276 00:16:22,920 --> 00:16:25,960 who cannot conquer the public and being artistic. 277 00:16:26,040 --> 00:16:28,350 And I repeat that I have to reject this. 278 00:16:28,560 --> 00:16:32,240 One of the most recent works was titled Velvet Alley, right? 279 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:36,110 It dealt with the corrupting influence of Hollywood and money. 280 00:16:37,480 --> 00:16:39,760 Where did that come from? From your own experience? 281 00:16:39,840 --> 00:16:43,280 Quite a lot. Some of it was autobiographical, the other was a mixture of 282 00:16:43,360 --> 00:16:46,270 observations from others people involved... 283 00:16:46,360 --> 00:16:49,800 What does corrupt influence mean? of Hollywood and money? 284 00:16:49,880 --> 00:16:53,880 I didn't want to imply that corruption had a geographic matrix... 285 00:16:53,960 --> 00:16:56,600 which was necessarily corruption from Hollywood... 286 00:16:56,680 --> 00:17:01,840 but I tried to suggest in the work that When it comes to a lot of money... 287 00:17:01,920 --> 00:17:06,710 especially in this fascinating explosion in the early morning, 288 00:17:06,920 --> 00:17:09,960 that our industry allows, there are certain paths 289 00:17:10,040 --> 00:17:12,400 where a person can succumb, and this happens several times. 290 00:17:12,480 --> 00:17:14,150 As...? 291 00:17:14,480 --> 00:17:19,190 Status concerns, by status symbols, 292 00:17:19,440 --> 00:17:23,200 by the thermal pool, that is bigger than the neighbor's... 293 00:17:23,280 --> 00:17:26,910 by the cars, due to worry about bills... 294 00:17:28,280 --> 00:17:29,600 All of it. 295 00:17:29,680 --> 00:17:32,640 In a way, passing things in context... 296 00:17:32,920 --> 00:17:36,800 but they are done disproportionately big in one's mind. 297 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:41,080 And if it becomes so big, what is small? 298 00:17:42,080 --> 00:17:44,360 I believe that the really important things. 299 00:17:44,440 --> 00:17:50,200 I know it sounds silly and idiotic to say of things like having a family, 300 00:17:50,560 --> 00:17:54,640 be concerned about raising children, worry about whether they go to school, 301 00:17:55,160 --> 00:17:59,630 if you have a good relationship in marriage, All of these things I believe are essential. 302 00:18:00,280 --> 00:18:04,480 Unfortunately, the problem I tried perform in Velvet Alley... 303 00:18:04,560 --> 00:18:09,080 is that a person who has sudden success She is immediately attacked by everyone. 304 00:18:09,160 --> 00:18:12,200 And you find yourself suddenly with a lot of commitments... 305 00:18:12,280 --> 00:18:15,430 dedicating many hours to work and a very large amount 306 00:18:15,520 --> 00:18:19,720 lower hours for family. This is acquired in business. 307 00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:24,190 How many hours a day do you currently work as executive producer and writer? 308 00:18:24,280 --> 00:18:26,160 Twelve to fourteen hours a day. 309 00:18:26,320 --> 00:18:27,680 How many days a week? 310 00:18:27,760 --> 00:18:28,960 Seven. 311 00:18:30,920 --> 00:18:35,070 I'm not asking for numbers, but it's obvious that 312 00:18:35,640 --> 00:18:39,720 Twilight Zone is his work, and he's doing it for money. 313 00:18:39,800 --> 00:18:42,710 I believe that viewers would like to know... 314 00:18:45,280 --> 00:18:48,670 I don't want to be too much specific, but... 315 00:18:50,400 --> 00:18:53,080 How much can you get rich with this job? 316 00:18:53,840 --> 00:18:56,830 If the series is successful, you can become tremendously rich. 317 00:18:56,920 --> 00:18:59,150 You can win half a million dollars, I suppose. 318 00:18:59,240 --> 00:19:02,080 Per year? 319 00:19:02,640 --> 00:19:05,480 Over a period of 3 to 4 years. 320 00:19:07,040 --> 00:19:11,990 It will sound elusive and probably false, But I'm not so focused on money... 321 00:19:12,080 --> 00:19:15,360 that I will win in this series, How am I with its quality. 322 00:19:15,560 --> 00:19:17,310 And I can prove it. 323 00:19:17,840 --> 00:19:20,440 I have a contract with MGM that assured me 324 00:19:20,520 --> 00:19:24,070 around 250 thousand in the next 3 years. 325 00:19:24,160 --> 00:19:26,760 This is a contract I want break and abandon. 326 00:19:26,840 --> 00:19:31,440 This way I can dedicate free time to the series, which is quite uncertain and problematic. 327 00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:36,310 They only guarantee 26 weeks and if you go through 26 weeks and stop, I will have lost 328 00:19:36,480 --> 00:19:40,760 a large amount of money, but I prefer try to do something I like, 329 00:19:40,840 --> 00:19:44,360 something I'm familiar with, something that is a permanent challenge. 330 00:19:44,440 --> 00:19:47,000 It is even possible that if is a success, 331 00:19:47,080 --> 00:19:51,000 can earn more than millions of dollars, as he had insinuated. 332 00:19:51,240 --> 00:19:56,270 I believe that after working for a year and a half, twelve-fourteen hours a day, I deserve it. 333 00:19:56,800 --> 00:19:59,950 I believe I won. Like everyone who works so hard... 334 00:20:00,040 --> 00:20:04,240 and that can create an idea and get where they want. 335 00:20:05,640 --> 00:20:08,110 Thirty seconds. Is television good? 336 00:20:08,760 --> 00:20:13,550 Some do. Some are fascinating, promising and with great potential. 337 00:20:13,640 --> 00:20:16,760 Others are mediocre and boring. 338 00:20:17,520 --> 00:20:23,680 But I think it promises. I believe it can be a plausible mode of art. 339 00:20:24,560 --> 00:20:30,350 And I stay with that, for the reason I said, because I believe it can only get better... 340 00:20:30,440 --> 00:20:34,040 and it can improve a lot, and I believe it tends towards that. 341 00:20:34,200 --> 00:20:37,160 The Rod Serling Story can be summed up in a few words. 342 00:20:37,240 --> 00:20:42,240 Of 40 mistaken series and 3 awards Emmy, from a mobile trailer... 343 00:20:42,320 --> 00:20:45,840 to a cottage in Hollywood with a pool. 344 00:20:46,400 --> 00:20:49,600 It was not an easy path, but a tough one. 345 00:20:49,680 --> 00:20:53,230 And the last miles has been paved with gold. 346 00:20:53,560 --> 00:20:57,000 Thanks to Rod Serling who brought your portrait to our gallery. 347 00:20:57,080 --> 00:20:59,470 One of these people that interest others. 348 00:20:59,560 --> 00:21:01,630 Mike Wallace, that's all for today. 349 00:21:03,560 --> 00:21:07,560 Twilight Zone Team http://alemdaimaginacaobrasil.blogspot.com/ 350 00:21:07,561 --> 00:21:11,456 Roland Deschain and RJBADBOY01 351 00:21:12,760 --> 00:21:15,600 Has traveled in the dimension of images, sounds 352 00:21:15,680 --> 00:21:18,200 and the mind many times already. 353 00:21:18,280 --> 00:21:20,670 The treasures of The Twilight Zone.