BINGHAMTON, NY – On the eve of SerlingFest, the Rod Serling Archive is unveiling a recently discovered collection of the writer’s personal album collection.
The Serling Archive at the Bundy Museum in Binghamton is holding a presentation about the Twilight Zone creator’s collection of science fiction, jazz and comedy records that were acquired in Ithaca.
Archivist Mike Pipher will play a few selections from the albums and discuss how the recordings relate to Serling’s life and legacy.
They include an audio recording of his play The Shelter, about a nuclear bomb shelter.
Pipher says Serling also had records with Public Service Announcements on the topic of nuclear energy.
Pipher says that as a professor at Ithaca College, Serling always counseled his students to keep an open mind.
“He wanted to show how foolish hatred and bigotry and racism are. So, everything had to do with baring society as a whole and it still is today. His works live on today. More than many writers in those genres,” says Pipher.
A completely revamped Serling exhibit in the Annex building will also open, including artist set designs from his Emmy-winning Playhouse 90 live T-V drama “Requiem for a Heavyweight.”
Plus newly acquired props from some Twilight Zone episodes.
The program starts at 6 P-M tomorrow evening and is free to the public
The 5th annual SerlingFest, put on by the Rod Serling Memorial Foundation takes place Saturday and Sunday.
We’ll have more on that tomorrow.