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Rod Serling’s classic television tales of science fiction and fantasy from “The Twilight Zone” are about to enter the dimension of radio.
Stacy Keach will serve as host of a nationally syndicated weekly radio series of one-hour dramas adapted from Serling’s original scripts and produced in Chicago.
With Serling as host, producer and, in many cases, writer, “The Twilight Zone” originally aired on CBS from 1959 to 1965.
The radio series is the brainchild of Carl Amari, chief executive of northwest suburban Schaumburg-based Falcon Picture Group and producer of “When Radio Was,” an old-time radio showcase syndicated to 300 markets. In Chicago it airs at midnight Monday through Friday on WBBM-AM (780).
Amari confirmed Wednesday that he has signed a deal with CBS Enterprises for the rights to 150 of Serling’s “Twilight Zone” scripts, which he plans to “contemporize” and expand to accommodate a radio format. He plans to launch the series on Halloween, with cassette and CD sales hitting stores in September.
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“It’s one of my favorite series of all time,” Amari said of the original “Twilight Zone.” “To me, it’s the greatest writing ever. Done right, it’s perfect for radio. And the name ‘Twilight Zone’ still has amazing cachet.”
Amari and co-producer Roger Wolski are collaborating with New York-based syndicator Dick Brescia and Chicago casting agent Claire Simon. Stars who already have signed on to appear on the anthology series include Jane Seymour, Lou Diamond Phillips, Jim Caviezel, Daniel J. Travanti, Paul Dooley, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Tim Kazurinsky, Jake Lloyd, Jeremy Piven, Kim Fields, Chelcie Ross and Mary McCormack.
It’s the first time since “Have Gun Will Travel” in the 1950s that a television series has been turned into a radio show, Amari said.
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