How Twilight Zone creator Rod Serling shaped William Shatner’s path to sci-fi stardom
Long before Star Trek, William Shatner starred in two iconic Twilight Zone episodes and formed a lasting bond with visionary writer Rod Serling.
William Shatner: Actor, Icon, and Twilight Zone Star
William Shatner has been so many things. On stage or in the stars, he consistently delivered unique, intense performances that cemented him as one of Hollywood's true great icons. He's been a poet, a singer, a philanthropist, an astronaut, and an author, and that's all just his offscreen life.
Shatner and Serling: A Connection Before The Twilight Zone
Before he boarded the U.S.S. Enterprise, Shatner had the distinction of starring in two Twilight Zone episodes. However, his first contact (pun intended) with series creator/narrator Rod Serling predated that series, as the two had worked together on the anthology drama series Westinghouse Studio One.
"[I worked with Serling] on many occasions," Shatner told the Press and Sun-Bulletin in a 2003 phone interview. The Press and Sun-Bulletin, a newspaper circulated in Serling’s hometown of Binghamton, New York. The conversation naturally turned toward Binghamton’s most famous son, and it was clear that Shatner held Serling in high regard.
Shatner’s Twilight Zone Legacy: Two Unforgettable Episodes
Shatner’s appearances on The Twilight Zone are among the most memorable in the show's storied run. In “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet,” he portrays a man recovering from a nervous breakdown who sees a gremlin tearing apart the airplane wing— a creature no one else can see. The psychological tension and Shatner’s intense performance helped make it one of the most iconic episodes in television history.
His other Twilight Zone appearance, “Nick of Time,” is subtler but no less gripping. In it, he plays a man who becomes obsessed with a fortune-telling machine in a small-town diner, as it seems to eerily predict the future. Both episodes showcase Shatner’s range and his talent for portraying inner conflict and escalating paranoia.
Shatner on Serling: A Mentor and a Friend
“Binghamton must be very proud of what [Serling] produced because he was a great artist, a tremendously imaginative being, and a very nice individual,” Shatner said in the interview. “I was a young actor, and he befriended me, and I cared for him a great deal.”
Serling made a lasting impression on Shatner— not just professionally, but personally. Their mutual respect and collaboration produced some of the most iconic moments in early television.
A Legacy Beyond the Final Frontier
Though many know William Shatner as Captain Kirk, his earlier television work, especially on The Twilight Zone, shows another side of his talents. His ability to convey vulnerability, fear, and fascination helped shape two of the most celebrated episodes of the series. And his admiration for Rod Serling, one of television’s most visionary minds, speaks volumes about both men.
As the years go by, Shatner’s connection to The Twilight Zone remains a treasured part of television history, and a reminder that before he explored strange new worlds, he was already captivating audiences here on Earth.
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