Past Events
The Rod Serling Archive hosts many events every year to highlight the work of Rod Serling. Many events are held in the Theater, located in the annex of The Bundy Museum, and many events are hosted by Michael Pipher, archivist at The Bundy Museum.
Current and upcoming events are listed on the Home page, or on the Happening Now page.
Past events are listed below.
2023 Events
Rod Serling Legacy Conference
Sponsored by John Paulin's State Farm Insurance
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Friday, Sept. 1st & Saturday, Sept. 2nd, 2023
2020 Events
Saturday, August 15, 2020 ~ “The Virtual Rod Serling Festival”
10 am - 6 pm, Eastern Standard Time
Hosted and moderated by Nick Parisi, this all-day celebration of Rod Serling’s life and career will feature a variety of speakers and topics. The event will be held live through the Rod Serling Memorial Foundation Facebook page.
Tune in by clicking the button below.
Facebook.com/RSMemorialFoundation
Comments and questions will be taken, too! Or you can email your questions to Nick in advance of the festival.
Schedule of Events ~
10 am – “Welcome to Virtual Serlingfest” ~ Opening remarks by Nick Parisi
10:30 am – “Rod as Mentor” ~ A chat with author and Rod Serling’s friend and protégé, Mark Olshaker
11 am – “Everything We Need to Know” ~ With Mark Dawidziak, author of Everything I Need to Know I Learned in the Twilight Zone (2017)
11:30 am – “An Eye on the Future” ~ A discussion with RSMF Board members Andy Polak, Vice President Kate Murray, Gordon Webb, and webmaster Stephen Schlich
12:30 pm – “Cowboy with a Conscience” ~ A talk about Rod Serling’s 1965-66 series The Loner, with author/editor Tony Albarella
1 pm – “Serling and Science-Fiction” ~ With World Fantasy award-winning editor Ann VanderMeer
1:30 pm – “The Twilight Man” ~ with Koren Shadmi, author and artist of the first graphic novel of Rod Serling, The Twilight Man (2019)
2 pm – “Twilight Zone: Ahead of Its Time” ~ With author and illustrator Arlen Schumer
3 pm – “Night Gallery: The Art of Darkness” ~ Panel discussion of the book Rod Serling’s Night Gallery: The Art of Darkness, with Scott Skelton; co-author (with Jim Benson) of the book; Thomas Wright, artist of many of the Night Gallery (1970-1973) paintings; and designer Joe Sikoryak
4 pm – “A Journey Through the Twilight Zone Bible” ~ With author Marc Zicree
5 pm – “Children of the Zone” ~ Panel discussion with Anne Serling (Rod Serling’s daughter); R.C. Matheson (author Richard Matheson’s son); and Christopher Beaumont (author Charles Beaumont’s son)
Serling festival host Nick Parisi is the President of the Rod Serling Memorial Foundation and the author of Rod Serling: His Life, Work, and Imagination (2018).
The Serling festival will benefit the Rod Serling Memorial Foundation, and donations will be accepted during the event, as well as through the Foundation’s website – RodSerling.com.
And every hour throughout the day, giveaways will be awarded for donations. Among the items available ~
Autographed copies of Nick’s book Rod Serling: His Life, Work, and Imagination (2018)
Oversized photos of Rod Serling from Nick’s personal collection
Ten full sets of Twilight Zone trading cards, including binders
Other rare books and surprises!
Please join us for our virtual Rod Serling Festival!
2019 Events
October 3, 2019 ~ “Rod Serling’s Legacy Special Event”
On Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019, Michael Pipher hosted a special event at the Bundy Museum discussing Rod Serling’s legacy in Binghamton, New York, and the town’s events to remember him.
The program included ~
1986 dedication of historic marker with Helen Foley, Rod Serling’s teacher
1986 first Rod Serling Film Festival
1987 Rod Serling Celebrity Auction
Rod Serling stamp proposal
Rod Serling program at the Star Trek Convention, with Mike Pipher, Helen Foley, and Tappan King, editor of TZ Magazine
Rare TV interviews with Mike Pipher and Helen Foley
Audio clip ~ A friend gives insightful details about Rod
Screening ~ “The Man in the Funny Suit”, an episode of the anthology series Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse, hosted by Desi Arnaz, and originally airing on Apr. 15, 1960. In this episode, Rod Serling plays himself in this powerful, amazing episode dramatizing the making of the live performance of “Requiem for a Heavyweight”.
Surprise clips
In a segment called “And Now the Rest of the Story”, Mike told the background stories of these events.
2018 Events
October 30, 2018 ~ “Night Gallery Series Screening”
On Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2018, the Bundy Museum presented an evening of episodes of the Serling series Night Gallery. The program began at 6 pm in the museum’s Annex Theater, located behind the Bundy Museum. Admission was free for everyone. Host Michael Pipher and special guest Paul D. Gallagher, author of the website Shadow and Substance: Exploring the Works of Rod Serling, presented three episodes of Night Gallery, including ~
“They’re Tearing Down Tim Riley’s Bar” (Jan. 20, 1971)
“Class of ’99” (Sept. 22, 1971)
“Camera Obscura” (Dec. 8, 1971)
2017 Events
December 20, 2017 ~ “In the Zone: Rod Serling’s Christmas Teleplays”
On Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017, the Bundy Museum and the Rod Serling Archive presented a festive In the Zone program of Rod Serling’s Christmas teleplays. Michael Pipher hosted the program, which began at 6 pm, with the doors opening at 5:30 pm. Admission was free for everyone. Discussion and Q&A followed. Episodes screened included ~
Twilight Zone, “5 Characters in Search of an Exit” and “Night of the Meek”
Night Gallery, “The Messiah on Mott Street”
October 20, 2017 ~ “In the Zone: Rod Serling and Boxing”
On Friday, Oct. 20, 2017, the Rod Serling Archive presented “In the Zone: Rod Serling and Boxing”, hosted by Michael Pipher. The program began at 6:30 pm, with the doors opening at 5:30 pm. Admission was free for everyone. Mike Pipher discussed Rod Serling’s boxing during World War II, as well as his lifetime interest in the world of boxing, led the Q&A session, and screened these programs ~
Twilight Rounds clip from 1952
Ford Theatre, “Garrity’s Sons” (Mar. 24, 1955)
Playhouse 90, “Requiem for a Heavyweight”, comparison clips, Oct. 11, 1956
Twilight Zone, “The Big Tall Wish” (Apr. 8, 1960)
Night Gallery, “Ring With the Red Velvet Ropes”, Jan. 7, 1973 clips
July 15, 2017 ~ “In the Zone: Rod Serling’s Time Travel”
On Saturday, July 15, 2017, the Rod Serling Archive presented “In the Zone: Rod Serling’s Time Travel”, hosted by Michael Pipher. The program began at 12 noon, and admission was free for everyone. Michael led a discussion and Q&A session and screened these episodes ~
Twilight Zone, “A Hundred Yards Over The Rim” (April 7, 1961)
Twilight Zone, “The 7th Is Made of Phantoms” (Dec. 6, 1963)
Twilight Zone Travel Montage
April 22, 2017 ~ “In the Zone: Rod Serling’s Radio Career”
On Saturday, April 22, 2017, the Rod Serling Archive presented “In the Zone: Rod Serling’s Radio Career”, hosted by Michael Pipher. The program began at 6:30 pm, and admission was free for everyone. Michael led a Q&A session and screened these episodes ~
Rare audio clips of Rod Serling as a juvenile actor from his Internship at WNYC in New York, in 1946
Segments from a live Rod Serling radio show as originally broadcast from 1951
Twilight Zone, “Static”
Screening segment from the 2006 Cincinnati, Ohio, Serling retrospective featuring many of Rod Serling’s co-workers from his early radio and TV career in Ohio
2016 Events
October 15, 2016 ~ “The Curse of the Twilight Zone Stars”
On Saturday, Oct. 15, 2016, the Rod Serling Archive presented “The Curse of the Twilight Zone Stars”. The program began at 7 pm, and admission was free for everyone. Michael screened these episodes ~
Twilight Zone, “Long Distance Call”
Twilight Zone, “Living Doll”
April 16, 2016 ~ “In the Zone: Rod Serling’s Time Travel Revisited”
On Saturday, April 16, 2016, the Rod Serling Archive presented “In the Zone: Rod Serling’s Time Travel Revisited”, hosted by Michael Pipher. The program began at 6:30 pm, and admission was free for everyone. Michael screened these episodes ~
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse, “The Time Element” (Nov. 24, 1958) – CBS turned down this one-hour pilot for the proposed Twilight Zone series. It aired on Nov. 24, 1958, as a Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse. After critical acclaim, CBS ordered a new half-hour pilot.
Twilight Zone Live, “Walking Distance” (Oct. 3, 2009) – For the 50th Anniversary of the premiere of the Twilight Zone TV series, our local PBS station, WSKG, presented LIVE this classic Rod Serling hometown tribute episode.
2015 Events
October 10, 2015 ~ “In the Zone”
On Saturday, Oct. 10, 2015, the Rod Serling Archive presented “In the Zone”. The program began at 6 pm, and admission was free for everyone. Michael was joined by special guest speaker, Martin Grams Jr., who also signed copies of his book The Twilight Zone: Unlocking the Door to a Television Classic (2008). Michael screened this episode ~
Twilight Zone, “One More Pallbearer”
June 28, 2015 ~ “In the Zone: Rod Serling in Binghamton”
On Sunday, June 328, 2015, the Rod Serling Archive presented “In the Zone: Rod Serling in Binghamton”, hosted by Michael Pipher. The program began at 2 pm, and admission was free for everyone.
In memory of Rod Serling on the 40th anniversary of his passing, the Rod Serling Archive presented a special “In The Zone” program.
This program revealed the results of recent research, showing previously unknown sites in Binghamton, such as Rod Serling homes, Serling Family Markets, his Temple locations, and other sites directly related to specific Twilight Zone episodes.
In addition to the slideshow presentation, Michael screened a rare situation-comedy from 1962, Ichabod and Me. Rod plays a writer who hides out in a small town to work on his latest book. The series starred Robert Sterling as a young reporter trying to get an interview with Rod. “The Celebrity Next Door” has never been shown since its original air date.