60 years ago Monday, Serling’s writing career took off

Monday marks the 60th anniversary of "Patterns," the live TV drama that put Rod Serling on the map as a writer.

Rod Serling Books is timing the reprinting of Rod's first book, "Patterns," with this anniversary.

PD and former BJ television critic Mark Dawidziak wrote the foreword to the reprinted book, as reported previously in July on the BJ Alums blog.

Serling, born into a Jewish family in Syracuse,  went from World War II action and injuries in the Pacific to Antioch College to radio jobs in New York and Ohio to WKRC-TV in Cincinnati.

“Patterns” was the 72^nd script he submitted to various radio and TV venues. That skyrocketed him into a genius writer of “The Twilight Zone.

He sold the other scripts, Mark pointed out. But "Patterns" was his rocket to fame.

Serling wrote for radio and then TV, first in Cincinnati, then on the national level. But "Patterns" broke him through as a celebrity.

A perfect example of never giving up.