There is no doubt about the legacy Rod Serling left on the world and in classic TV. For a writer to be just as famous as the actors in his series is a rare feat—one that only a few have ever accomplished.

Usually, a writer’s job is to stay behind the scenes, not in front of the camera. But Rod Serling became known for being the best of both worlds. We could see his stories come to life on screen while watching him narrate the iconic series.

Most people behind the scenes are unsung and unknown, with only a fleeting credit many viewers don’t even stick around to see. Of course, classic TV had its share of impressive writers—Paul Henning, Earl Hamner Jr., Norman Lear, Sherwood Schwartz, and many more.

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But these stars could’ve been walking down the street or grabbing a cup of coffee, and you wouldn’t have even known you were standing next to them. That was not the case for The Twilight Zone creator and writer Rod Serling.

According to a 1963 interview with The Kansas City Star, Serling knew he was a rare exception to the usual writer's anonymity.

"It’s been a funny little show," Serling said. "It’s never had terribly big audiences—if you believe the ratings, and I don’t. But it has a loyal coterie of fans, and it just seems to stay around."

According to the interview, Serling had grown "tired" and wanted to do something new. However, having a recognizable face made it difficult to blend in while his show was still on the air.

The only place he could go where people didn’t care who he was? Teaching college. You’d think students would be excited to have a celebrity professor, but according to Serling, they didn’t care—and that was a big relief. 

He accepted a teaching fellowship at his alma mater, Antioch College in Ohio.

"I found out a lot of things during that year," Serling said. "In the first place, I learned that I didn’t know how to teach. And that most of the students hated television. But most important, I learned during that year away from it that I didn’t have to be defensive about television anymore."

So, maybe he was a better writer than teacher—and he was the first to admit it. He learned a lot from his year in the classroom, and he also learned that most people didn’t care as deeply about TV as he did.

Even then, Serling approached his writing with passion—pounding away at a typewriter from 8 a.m. to noon, seven days a week.

"With the shorter the show, you have a single plotline," Serling said. "You tell the story and get off. You must have a point to make, and if you don’t make it within the first minute of the show, you’re dead."