Harlan Ellison still angry, still writing at 81

The Jewish Advocate ^ | May 22, 2015 | Nat Segaloff

[EveningStar]

Harlan Ellison is still an angry young man, except he'll be 81 on May 27. He has used this anger, fueled by childhood anti-Semitism, throughout his extraordinary career as a writer of speculative fiction. This year saw the publication of his 116th and 117th (so far) books: The Top of the Volcano, a collection of his awardwinning short stories, and a graphic novelization of his original script for "The City on the Edge of Forever," widely considered the best Star Trek episode ever written.

Although Ellison's hundreds of published stories contain a wealth of Jewish characters, his most complex creation is Ellison himself. Born in Cleveland Heights, Ohio in 1934 and raised in nearby Painesville, "We were not very Jewish," he said of his family. "I was a Shabbos Jew. We were Jewish when it came to the High Holy Days. The rest of the time, the only time Jewishness was brought up was when somebody called somebody a kike and there had been a fight. And that was usually me."

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Not the impression I got but ok.

[kingu]

I actually met him once and was almost flattened by his ego. OTOH, Ray Bradbury and Jerry Pournelle (a bit loud) were pretty good guys. Bradbury was very old but still pretty sharp.

I was at a club meeting when I overheard one author observe that Harlan Ellison's ego was so massive, it had collapsed into itself and became a black hole, sucking the light out of any room he entered. Harlan laughed about it as the lights in the room suddenly went out. The electrical problem was quickly fixed, but has always stuck in my mind as an example.

The first time I met him was nearly 40 years ago when I was hauled to a Christmas pool party, and I was very much a brat to someone who had drunk too much. Being bitter from being at this party on my birthday, I took it as a challenge when my mother grabbed my arm and pointed me at Harlan, telling me that if I didn't have anything nice to say, I should go say it to him.

Took another six years before I fully understood some of his replies to my eight year old taunts.

[Squawk 8888]

You mean Two of Thirty Eight?

[scrabblehack]

Is the graphic novelization of the City on The Edge of Forever going to follow the TV plot or his original plot??

[ChildOfThe60s]

I do have to wonder how much of what he perceived as anti-semitism in childhood was instead kids being their usual nasty selves and picking on anyone who was the slightest bit different.

No doubt plenty of that, especially if he didn't fit in perfectly. Jr High is about the crappiest time in a person's life if they are not good looking and popular.

But, when someone calls you a Jew-boy or kike and then punches you, well that's pretty clear.

Either way, it appears he had a rather combative youth.

[ifinnegan]

Still writing, still lousy would be my guess.

[ifinnegan]

It appears to me he’s more a self-aggrandizing confabulator.

[papertyger]

When Voyager was on, I would refer to Jeri Ryan as “11 of 10”.

Around our house she was known as "One with Two."

[papertyger]

It appears to me he’s more a self- aggrandizing confabulator.

Concur.

I just thought of him as a shitty house guest. He writes a story for established characters, tries to remakes those characters, then throws a fit when no one wants to let him pee in their literary corners.

[ifinnegan]

I don’t usually use the following, but it is apropos. Lol!

[Salamander]

Hitler Painted Roses ping

[Bratch]

As many on here already know, Jeri Ryan was indirectly responsible for Barack Obama’s rise to the Presidency.

[SES1066]

I prefer “The Trouble with Tribbles”, and especially Scotty’s ending line.

[Fledermaus]

He played Captain Decker. He dies in the episode and is surived by at least one son who became a Commander and later was Captain of the Enterprise before Kirk took back over in “Star Trek: The Motion Picture.”

[Vaquero]

I called Ryan “ Rack of Nine”

[pabianice]

His anger is legendary. His talent is spectacular. His literary output, unfortunately, taped off to nothing in recent years, his time now all spent on revenge and law suits.

[VermiciousKnid]

He certainly did! It’s one of my favorite scenes ever from ST.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9djuORzi9rU

Regards,

PS: Here’s a clip from a Sci-Fi Channel special. It’s kind of choppy, but there are some good clips from Mr. Windom: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1-GYMpM2HA

[mikeus_maximus]

Two of my favorites were the episodes he wrote for The Outer Limits- Soldier (with Michael Ansara) and Demon With the Glass Hand (with Robert Culp).

[Vaquero]

As many on here already know, Jeri Ryan was indirectly responsible for Barack Obama’s rise to the Presidency.

Yes ...Ryan, Senator Jack Ryan, and the people of Illinois, alive and dead.......had Jeri Ryan agreed to a three way with Jack and another hot chick, Hillary would have probably been elected in 08.

[papertyger]

Can't forget his work with my first true love ;) Inger Stevens