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)