born Dec. 25, 1924, Syracuse, N.Y., U.S.
died June 28, 1975, Rochester, N.Y.
U.S. television writer and producer.
He began his career in radio but soon shifted to television, becoming a freelance screenwriter in 1953. He wrote teleplays for series such as Kraft Television Theater, Studio One, and Playhouse 90 , including Requiem for a Heavyweight (1956, Emmy Award). He created, narrated, and was the main writer of the famous supernatural series The Twilight Zone (1959–65) and narrated the similar series Night Gallery (1970–73). He also wrote screenplays, often based on his television scripts, such as Patterns (1956) and The Rack (1956). He was coauthor of The Planet of the Apes (1968).