Background Format and style right|thumb|alt=Joan Crawford in the telefilm that began the series, 1969.|Joan Crawford in the telefilm that began the series, 1969. Serling appeared in an art gallery setting as the curator and introduced the macabre tales that made up each episode by unveiling paintings (by artists Thomas J. Wright and Jaroslav "Jerry" Gebr) that depicted the stories. His intro usually was, “Good evening, and welcome to a private showing of three paintings, displayed here for the first time. Each is a collector’s item in its own way—not because of any special artistic quality, but because each captures on a canvas, suspended in time and space, a frozen moment of a nightmare.” Night Gallery regularly presented adaptations of classic fantasy tales by authors such as H. P. Lovecraft, as well as original works, many of which were by Serling himself. Night Gallery'''s multi-segment presentation mirrored the EC horror comics of the 1950s, and hadn't been seen on television before, except for on the one-off "Trio for Terror" episode of Thriller in 1961."The Syndication Conundrum: Night Gallery's Horrific Second Life in Reruns", Night Gallery Blu-Ray.
BacKground Format and StylE right|THumB|alT=jOAN cRawfORd in The teleFilm tHat begAn THE seriEs, 1969.|JOaN CRawForD in thE telEFilm that began the SeriEs, 1969. sErLIng AppEAred iN an aRt gallEry settinG aS thE curator anD intrOduced the MacaBRE taLEs that MAdE up eAch ePisOde by unVEilIng paINTiNgs (By aRTiSts thomas J. wright anD jARoslav "jErry" GEBr) tHAt dEpIcTED thE sTOriES. his inTrO usualLY wAS, “gOod eVeninG, And weLcoMe To A prIvatE ShOwing OF thREE paIntIngS, dIsPlayEd Here FoR The fIrSt time. Each IS a colleCtor’s itEM IN iTs own WAY—not BecaUSE oF aNy specIaL ArtiSTiC QuaLITy, bUT because each caPTuRes on a CAnvAs, suSPended in time aND sPAce, A frozeN mOMENt OF a nIgHTmaRE.” nIght GallErY REgulaRly Presented adaPTationS oF clasSIc fAnTasy taLes by authorS sucH As h. p. LOVEcrAFT, AS well As oriGinal woRks, mAny of wHIcH WeRe By SERling HiMSelF. NiGht gaLlery'''S mULtI-segMeNt prEsentATIon mIrrorEd thE ec hoRror comIcS of tHe 1950s, ANd HadN't bEen seen oN TeleviSIOn BeforE, ExcEpt fOr on the one-ofF "trIO for teRror" episoDE of THrIller in 1961."thE sYndiCaTioN conundRUm: niGhT galLerY's HOrriFiC SEcond lIFe In REruns", nighT gALlerY blu-raY.