Though they seemed to come from vastly different backgrounds, Rod Serling and Earl Hamner Jr. were actually good friends. Both men did incredible work in television; Hamner Jr. created The Waltons, while Serling originated and hosted The Twilight Zone. Though the two shows couldn’t be further apart in genre, they were both two of the most successful shows of their time.

Previous to these successes, Hamner and Serling had worked together as writers on another series, as Hamner explained in his memoir.

“I had met Rod Serling back in 1949 when we were both writers on The Dr. Christian Show,” wrote Hamner in Goodnight John-Boy: Behind the Scenes of a Beloved TV Classic. “I had been a fan of his creation, The Twilight Zone, and had often thought of stories that would be appropriate for the series.”

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Hamner’s connection to Serling, as well as his interest in the series, led him to pitch a potential Twilight Zone idea to the creator.

“I wrote two such stories and submitted them to Rod,” wrote Hamner. “He responded quickly with a note that said he liked the stories, but they were chosen by a committee, and that he was submitting them to the committee. I was convinced that Rod hated the stories and that I would never hear from him again.”

Luckily, Hamner’s nerves had gotten the best of him. As it turned out, Serling loved his work. He was later contacted by a Twilight Zone producer who was interested in purchasing his work.

“To this day, I can remember the elation and the relief, for we had long since reached the end of our financial rope,” wrote Hamner. I never had to look for work in Hollywood again.”