Celebrating 66 Years in the "Twilight Zone:” Honoring the Legacy of Rod Serling

Tony Albarella and Nicholas Parisi answer questions from the audience. Photo by Caleb Tysz '26

On the night of Oct. 2, the Rod Serling Memorial Foundation hosted a “Rod Serling Evening” at the Rosendale Theatre to immortalize the life, legacy and work of the late American screenwriter and television producer for fans in the Hudson Valley. 

Admirers of both science fiction and Serling gathered together to discuss and learn more about their shared interests amongst one another in the nearly filled theater. 

The Rosendale Theatre in Rosendale, New York, served as the pilgrimage site for attendees who came to celebrate the 66th anniversary of the first airing of the television show “The Twilight Zone,” created by Serling. The show ran for five seasons with 156 episodes, debuting on Oct. 2, 1959, on CBS. 

Founded in 1985 by Helen Foley, the Rod Serling Memorial Foundation serves as a bastion of remembrance and preservation of the work of Serling for fans and future generations across New York and beyond.

Alongside their preservation efforts, the Rod Serling Memorial Foundation holds an annual “Serlingfest” in Serling's hometown of Binghamton, New York. 

President Nicholas Parisi and Vice President Tony Albarella gave a two-hour presentation during the evening, highlighting Serling’s early life, legacy, work and contemporary influence. 

Attendees enjoyed childhood photographs, archival interviews and video clips of "The Twilight Zone” and “Planet of the Apes,” which Serling wrote the screenplay for. Each clip was accompanied by in-depth commentary by both Parisi and Albarella.  Each portion of the presentation was meticulously discussed in fine detail, leaving nothing to the imagination. 

Guests gazed upon the main theatre screen and were brought on a chronological journey through time to learn about the man who passed away nearly 50 years ago, who is still commanding an audience as a result of his artistic contributions. 

For some, however, there is a deeper connection to both the writer and his work. There is a dedicated fanbase of Hudson Valley fans who feel a sense of pride because of Serling’s connection to New York.

“You definitely see that hometown love for him and the area's love for what he did,” said Alberella. 

To many, this congregation is more than a meeting of casual fans; it’s a platform where shared passions blossom into friendship and camaraderie. 

“We try to do [the celebration] in person because we have a whole community of people that come over and over again and become our friends,” said Alberella. “It's all about that human connection, that's what Rod wrote about.” 

Human connection and shared inspiration were an intrinsic factor in the evening at the volunteer-maintained Rosendale Theatre. For many, Serling’s work is much more than entertainment. 

Carl Walden, a Rosendale Theatre volunteer and attendee of the event, was able to summarize what Rod Serling's work means to him.

“It gave me a sense of wonder, excitement, and the notion that things are not what they seem,” said Walden. 

The "Rod Serling Evening” garnered a celebration of the ways in which one writer has entertained, influenced and changed the perception of everyday reality for many viewers.

Speaking on Serling’s personal influence, Walden said, “If you have an imagination you can take something everyday and have it run off the rails and be wild.”