Rodman (Rod) Edward Serling
(December 25, 1924 – June 28, 1975)

Serling was a screenwriter, playwright, television producer,
and narrator/on-screen host.

The first series, shot entirely in black-and-white, ran on CBS
for five seasons from 1959 to 1964.

TV Guide ranked the original TV series #5 in their 2013 list
of the 60 greatest shows of all time and #4 in their list of
the 60 greatest dramas.