alt.fan.harlan-ellison FAQ Version: 1.5 Last-Modified: 11/26/95 Frequency: Two Weeks Archived: WWW: http://www.snider.net/ellison/ E-Mail: jalmatom@wco.com Table Of Questions: Who is Harlan Ellison? What has Harlan written? What awards has Harlan won? Where can I get Harlan's stuff? And why is it so hard to find? What does Harlan use to write with? What has Harlan done recently? What does Harlan do as Conceptual Consultant on "Babylon 5"? What did Harlan have to do with "Mike Hodel's HOUR 25"? Who are the Friends of Ellison? What was the Parker review? Did Harlan write under the name Hal Ellison? What is Ellison Wonderland? What is the Lost Aztec Temple of Mars? Did Harlan really punch John W. Campbell? Did Harlan really punch Irwin Allen? Did Harlan really mail a dead gopher to an editor? What was the Terminator lawsuit? What is "Working Without a Net"? What kind of pipe/tobacco did Harlan smoke? Where can I get a tape of Harlan's gig on "Politically Incorrect"? How else might I get to see Harlan in phosphor-dot splendor? Didn't Harlan do a car commercial once? Isn't Harlan involved with a video dating service? So what's this I hear about a computer game? Is there a Web page for Harlan? Is Harlan on the Internet? Okay, so just how tall _is_ Harlan? WHO IS HARLAN ELLISON? Harlan Ellison is a writer. He's written novels, stories, films, teleplays, comic books, newspaper and magazine articles, newspaper columns, film reviews, book reviews, book introductions, edited anthologies, edited magazines, consulted on television series, and lectured across the country. He was born Harlan Jay Ellison on May 27, 1934 in Cleveland, Ohio. Married five times; most recently to Susan Toth in 1986. Robert Silverberg was best man for three of them. Went to Ohio State University 1953-54. Drafted into the Army in 1957; trained at Ranger School at Fort Benning, GA and served two years at Fort Knox, KY and Camp Brekenridge, IN. He is a renown non-drinker, but up until 1991 he smoked a pipe. He has had a 90% blockage of the right coronary artery and two angioplasties, thus, he no longer smokes. He has diagnosed with Epstein/Barr Syndrome (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), and as Harlan tells it, "It has not changed, it has not abated, it has in any way not diminished, it's just I won't pay any attention to it, there's nothing I can do". He wears glasses, is left-handed, has silver-grey hair and blue eyes, and would be best classified as an opinionated extrovert, although he prefers the term "a pain in the ass". SO WHAT HAS HARLAN WRITTEN? WEB OF THE CITY (1958)-Novel THE DEADLY STREETS (1958)-Story Collection SEX GANG (1959)-Story Collection [As Paul Merchant] THE SOUND OF A SCYTHE (1960)-Novel A TOUCH OF INFINITY (1960)-Story Collection SPIDER KISS (1961)-Novel MEMOS FROM PURGATORY (1961)-NonFiction CHILDREN OF THE STREETS (1961)-Story Collection GENTLEMAN JUNKIE (1961)-Story Collection ELLISON WONDERLAND (1962)-Story Collection PAINGOD (1965)-Story Collection DOOMSMAN (1967)-Short Novel I HAVE NO MOUTH & I MUST SCREAM (1967)-Story Collection FROM THE LAND OF FEAR (1967)-Story Collection DANGEROUS VISIONS (1967)-Editor LOVE AIN'T NOTHING BUT SEX MISSPELLED (1968)-Story Collection NIGHTSHADE & DAMNATIONS:Stories of Gerald Kersh (1968)-Editor THE BEAST THAT SHOUTED LOVE AT THE HEART OF THE WORLD (1969) -Story Collection OVER THE EDGE (1970)-Story Collection THE GLASS TEAT (1970)-NonFiction PARTNERS IN WONDER (1971)-Collaboration ALONE AGAINST TOMORROW (1971)-Retrospective AGAIN DANGEROUS VISIONS (1972)-Editor DE HELDEN VAN DE HIGHWAY (1973)-Story Collection [Dutch Pub.] ALL THE SOUNDS OF FEAR (1973)-Story Collection [British Pub.] APPROACHING OBLIVION (1974)-Story Collection THE TIME OF THE EYE (1974)-Story Collection [British Pub.] DEATHBIRD STORIES (1975)-Story Collection NO DOORS, NO WINDOWS (1975)-Story Collection THE OTHER GLAS TEAT (1975)-NonFiction THE STARLOST #1:Phoenix Without Ashes (1975)-Collaboration HOE KAN IK SCHREEUWEN ZONDER MOND (1977)-Story Collection [Dutch] STRANGE WINE (1978)-Story Collection THE BOOK OF ELLISON (1978)-NonFiction THE ILLUSTRATED HARLAN ELLISON (1978)-Story Collection THE FANTASIES OF HARLAN ELLISON (1979)-Omnibus Edition SHATTERDAY (1980)-Story Collection ALL THE LIES THAT ARE MY LIFE (1980)-Short Novel STALKING THE NIGHTMARE (1982)-Story Collection SLEEPLESS NIGHTS ON THE PROCRUSTEAN BED (1984)-NonFiction AN EDGE IN MY VOICE (1985)-NonFiction MEDEA: HARLAN'S WORLD (1985)-Editor DEMON WITH A GLASS HAND (1986)-Graphic Novel NIGHT AND THE ENEMY (1987)-Graphic Novel THE ESSENTIAL ELLISON (1987)-Retrospective ANGRY CANDY (1988)-Story Collection HARLAN ELLISON'S WATCHING (1989)-NonFiction VIC AND BLOOD:Chronicles of a Boy and his Dog (1989)-Graphic Novel THE HARLAN ELLISON HORNBOOK (1990)-NonFiction HARLAN ELLISON'S MOVIE (1990)-Screenplay RUN FOR THE STARS (1991)-Short Novel DREAMS WITH SHARP TEETH (1991)-Omnibus Edition [Book-Of-The-Month-Club] ENSAMVARK (1992)-Story Collection [Swedish Pub.] MEFISTO IN ONYX (1993)-Short Novel I, ROBOT: THE ILLUSTRATED SCREENPLAY (1994)-Screenplay MIND FIELDS (1994)-Collaboration SLIPPAGE (1995)-Story Collection THE CITY ON THE EDGE OF FOREVER (1995)-Screenplay Edited THE HARLAN ELLISON DISCOVERY SERIES: STORMTRACK by James Sutherland (1975) AUTUMN ANGELS by Arthur Byron Cover (1975) THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE UNIVERSE by Terry Carr (1976) ISLANDS by Marta Randall (1976) INVOLUTION OCEAN by Bruce Sterling (1978) SCREENPLAYS: (unproduced unless noted) The Oscar (With Russell Rouse & Clarence Greene; based on the novel by Richard Sale) - 1966 *Only known produced screenplay* Harlan Ellison's Movie Would You Do It for a Penny? Stranglehold Seven Worlds, Seven Warriors I, Robot (based on the writings of Issac Asimov) Swing Low, Sweet Harriet The Dream Merchants Rumble Khadim Bug Jack Barron (based on the novel by Norman Spinrad) None of the Above Blind Voices Whimper of Whipped Dogs Nick the Greek Best by Far TELEFILMS & PILOTS: (unproduced unless noted) The Starlost (produced 1973 for syndication; HE credited as Cordwainer Bird.) The Tigers Are Loose (produced 1974 for NBC) The Special Dreamers (produced 1971 for PBS) A Boy and His Dog The Spirit (based on the works of Will Eisner) Dark Destroyer Man Without Time The Other Place Cutter's World Heavy Metal Our Man Flint (reprinted in ESSENTIAL ELLISON as "Flintlock") Tired Old Man Mystery Show Astral Man Atra/Ella Project 120 Bring 'Em Back Alive Postmark: Jim Adam The Contender The Sniper TELEPLAYS FOR SERIES: A Gift for a Warrior - Route 66 (1963) [Telplay by Larry Marcus] Where Do Elephants Go To Die? - Ripcord (1963) Who Killed Alex Debbs? - Burke's Law (1963) WHo Killed Purity Mather? - Burke's Law (1963) Soldier - Outer Limits (1964) Who Killed 1/2 of Glory Lee? - Burke's Law (1964) Who Killed Andy Zygmunt? - Burke's Law (1964) The Price of Doom - Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1964)* Demon with a Glass Hand - Outer Limits (1964) Memo from Purgatory - Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1964) The Sort of Do-It-Yourself Dreadful Affair - Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1966) The Pieces of Fate Affair - Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1967) The City on the Edge of Forever - Star Trek (1967) Knife in the Darkness - Cimarron Strip (1968) You Can't Get There From Here - The Flying Nun (1968)* The Whimper of Whipped Dogs - The Young Lawyers (1971) Crazy as a Soup Sandwich - Twilight Zone (1980's) Gramma - Twilight Zone (1980's) [Adaptation of Stephen King story] Shatterday - Twilight Zone (1985) Paladin of the Lost Hour - Twilight Zone (1986) Nackles - Twilight Zone (1986) [Unproduced] * Screen credit as Cordwainer Bird Other television productions include: Dark Room, Circle of Fear, Rat Patrol, Amos Burke-Secret Agent, The Great Adventure, Empire, Batman, The Name of the Game, Manhunter, and Logan's Run. Any help identifying title and broadcast date of these would be appreciated.... [Episode title assistance from "F&SF Checklist" by Leslie Swigart] COMIC BOOK SCRIPTS: Chris Day offers this section from his excellent Harlan Ellison Comic Book Bibliography v.4.... Avengers 88 (Marvel) 1971 "The Summons of Psyklop (In the Grip of Psyklop, part 1)" story, Ellison; adaptation, Roy Thomas; pencils, Sal Buscema; inks, Jim Mooney --Continued in Incredible Hulk 140. --Reprinted in the 1994 Marvel Vintage Comic Pack. Avengers 101 (Marvel) 1972 "Five Dooms to Save Tomorrow" story, Ellison; adaptation, Roy Thomas; pencils, Rich Buckler; inks, Dan Adkins Chamber of Chills 1 (Marvel) 1972 "Delusion for a Dragon Slayer" cover, Gil Kane; adaptation, Gerry Conway; art, Syd Shores Creepy 32 (Warren) 1970 "Rock God" story, Ellison; art, Neal Adams --Based on cover art by Frank Frazetta --Black & White Magazine. [Have not seen copy to confirm] Daredevil 208 (Marvel) July 1984 "The Deadliest Night of My Life" story, Ellison & Arthur Byron Cover; pencils, David Mazzuchelli; inks, Danny Bulandi Daredevil 209 (Marvel) August 1984 "Blast From the Past" story, Arthur Byron Cover; pencils, David Mazzuchelli; inks, Danny Bulandi "From an idea by Harlan Ellison" - continues story from previous issue Demon With A Glass Hand (DC) 1987 adaptation & art, Marshal Rogers Detective Comics 567 (DC) Oct 1986 "The Night of Thanks But No Thanks" story, Ellison; art, Gene Colan & Bob Smith (The script promised to Julius Schwartz.) Epic Illustrated 4 (Marvel) Winter 1980 "Sleeping Dogs" (black & white version) art & adaption, Ken Steacy Epic Illustrated 6 (Marvel) June 1981 "Life Hutch" (black & white version) art & adaption, Ken Steacy Epic Illustrated 11 (Marvel) April 1982 "Run for the Stars" art & adaption, Ken Steacy Harlan Ellison's Chocolate Alphabet (Last Gasp) 1978 story, Ellison; art, Larry Todd Harlan Ellison's Dream Corridor Special (Dark Horse) Feb 1995 front cover, Stephen Hickman; back cover, Overton Loyd story behind the cover, "Midnight In The Sunken Cathedral" Part One Framing sequence - Harlan Ellison; art, Eric Shanower "Quicktime" - adaptation, Len Wein; art, Pat Broderick & Ralph Cabrera "The End of the Time of Leinard" - adaptation, Faye Perovich; art, Doug Wildey "Rat Hater" - adaptation, Faye Perovich; art, Michael T. Gilbert "If This Be Utopia" - adaptation & art, Phil Foglio with Matt Howarth "On The Slab" - adaptation, Faye Perovich; art, Gary Gianni Poster Insert by Jill Bauman Harlan Ellison's Dream Corridor Special Second Edition (Dark Horse) August 1995 front cover, Stephen Hickman; back cover, Michael Whelan inside front cover, Overton Loyd ** This Second Edition (read "Second Printing") has the following differences from the initial edition: - same front cover and internal stories - "Midnight In The Sunken Cathedral," the "Story Behind the Cover" originally serialized between the Special & the First regular issue is published in it's entirety - Michael Whelan's cover for the first regular issue, the "Cover" behind the second half of "Midnight" is published as the back-cover - Overton Loyd's original back-cover art is printed as the inside front cover, although in black-in-white - a brand new interview with HE, by Jaime S. Rich, is included - the two illustrations by Jill Bauman, included originally as a poster insert, are published between "Midnight" and the interview - to address the slight differences, Ellison's dialogue is changed slightly in two places: immediately after the point where, in the first edition, the Batman poster was inserted and in the last panel before "Midnight". Harlan Ellison's Dream Corridor 1 - 6 (Dark Horse) March to Oct 1995 Harlan Ellison's Dream Corridor 1 (Dark Horse) March 1995 front cover, Michael Whealan story behind the cover, "Midnight In The Sunken Cathedral" part Two framing sequences - story, Ellison; art, Eric Shanower "I Have No Mouth...." Part 1/4 - adaptation, John Byrne** "Knox" adaption, Diana Schutz; art, Teddy Kristiansen "Turnpike" adaption, Max Alan Collins; art, Craig Elliot Harlan Ellison's Dream Corridor 2 (Dark Horse) April 1995 front Cover, Leo & Diane Dillon story behind the cover, "Anywhere But Here, With Anyone But You" framing sequences - story, Ellison; art, Eric Shanower "I Have No Mouth..." Part 2/4 - adaption, John Byrne "S.R.O." - adaptation, Steve Niles; art, John K. Snyder III "Enter the Fanatic, Stage Center" - adaptation, Stefan Petrucha; art, Tom Sutton Harlan Ellison's Dream Corridor 3 (Dark Horse) May 1995 front Cover, Sam Raffa story behind the cover, "Pulling Hard Time" framing sequences - story, Ellison; art, Eric Shanower "Pride of the Profession" - adaptation, Nancy A. Collins; art, Heinrich Kipper * originally credited to Faye Perovich, credit corrected in #5 "I Have No Mouth..." Part 3/4 - adaptation, John Byrne "Rough Boys" - adaptation, Jan Strand; art, Skip Williamson Harlan Ellison's Dream Corridor 4 (Dark Horse) June 1995 front Cover, Jane McKenzie story behind the cover, "Chatting With Anibus" framing sequences - story, Ellison; art, Eric Shanower "Catman" Part 1/2 - adaptation, Peter David; art, Mike Deodato, Jr. "I Have No Mouth..." Part 4/4 - adaptation, John Byrne "Cold Friend" - adaptation, R.A. Jones; art, David Lapham Harlan Ellison's Dream Corridor 5 (Dark Horse) August 1995 front Cover, Ron Brown story behind the cover, "The Museum On Cyclops Avenue" framing sequences - story, Ellison; art, Eric Shanower "Catman" Part 2/2 - adaptation, Peter David; art, Mike Deodato, Jr. "How's The Nightlife On Ciscla" - adaption, Faye Perovich art, Eric White ** originally advertised as including a letter column, it was cut to make room for the original story Harlan Ellison's Dream Corridor 6 (Dark Horse) September 1995 *** front Cover, Kent Bash framing sequences - story, Ellison; art, Eric Shanower "One Life, Furnished in Early Poverty" - adaption, Jan Strand art, Paul Chadwick "Opposites Attract" - adaption, Tony Isabella, art, Rags Morales **At this time no further issues have been solicited and the future of the book is up in the air. All parties desire it's continuation, and Dark Horse is considering several possibilities, including a series of quarterly issues in the larger format of the original special and trade paperback reprints of published material. Heroes For Hope starring the X-Men (Marvel) 1985 - pp 22-24 story, Ellison; pencils, Frank Miller; inks, Bill Sienkiewicz -- Wolverine segment of benefit book for African famine relief. Incredible Hulk 140 (Marvel) 1971 "The Brute, or The Brute That Shouted Love at the Heart of the World" (In The Grip of Psyklop, part 2) story, Ellison; adaptation, Roy Thomas; layout, Herb Trimpe; art, Sam Grainger --Continued from Avengers 88. --Reprinted in the 1994 Marvel Vintage Comic Pack. Night and the Enemy (Comico) 1987 "Run For the Stars" (reprinted from Epic Illustrated 11) "Life Hutch" (color version of story from Epic Illustrated 6) "Untouchable Adolescents" (adaption original to this edition) "Trojan Hearse" text story with illustration by Steacy "Sleeping Dogs" (all new color art, original printed in Epic Illustrated 4) story, Ellison; art/design, Ken Stacey -- Also includes two page intro, with illustrations by Steacy -- When stories were originally published, credit was given as "Art & Adaption, Ken Steacy". For this edition Ellison is given story credit, while Steacy is given artist credit. -- Also published in a limited edition hardcover by Graphitti Press, signed & numbered by Ellison & Steacy, and with a new short story by Ellison. Twilight Zone 1 (NOW) 1991 "Crazy as a Soup Sandwich" story, Ellison; art & cover, Neal Adams --Two editions. Regular edition, featuring "Crazy." --Prestige edition featuring "Crazy" and a new short story by Ellison. Unknown Worlds of Science Fiction 3 (Marvel) May 1975 "Repent Harlequin, Said the Tick-Tock Man" adaptation, Roy Thomas; art, Alex Nino --Black & White Magazine Vic and Blood 1 (Mad Dog) 1987 Vic and Blood 2 (Mad Dog) 1988 Vic and Blood (NBM) 1988 (collected volume in color) story, Ellison; art, Richard Corben Weird Science Fantasy 24 (?) 1954 "Upheaval" adaptation, unknown; art, Al Williamson --Unauthorized adaptation of Ellison story "Mealtime" --Reprinted in Weird Science-Fantasy Annual Vol 1 (1994) [have not seen copy to confirm] Weird Tales 1 (Millennium) 1992 "Shattered Like A Glass Goblin" adaptation, Fay Perovich; art, Kelly Jones Anything Goes 1-5 (Fantagraphics Books) 1985-86(?) --Series to raise money for Comics Journal's defense in Ellison/Comics Journal v. Michael Fleisher lawsuit. Ellison received no money from book. WHAT AWARDS HAS HARLAN WON? HUGOS: 1966-"Repent Harlequin, Said the Ticktockman" 1967-"City on the Edge of Forever" (Dramatic Presentation) 1968-"I Have No Mouth, And I Must Scream" 1968- DANGEROUS VISIONS - Special plaque of recognition 1969-"The Beast That Shouted Love At The Heart Of The World" 1972- AGAIN, DANGEROUS VISIONS - Special plaque of recognition 1974-"The Deathbird" 1975-"Adrift, Just Off the Islets of Langerhans..." 1976-"A Boy and His Dog" (Dramatic Presentation) 1978-"Jeffty Is Five" 1986-"Paladin of the Lost Hour" NOVA AWARD: 1968-For most outstanding contribution to the field of science fiction. NEBULA: 1965-"Repent Harlequin, Said the Ticktockman" 1969-"A Boy And His Dog" 1977-"Jeffty is Five" WRITERS GUILD OF AMERICA AWARDS: 1965-"Demon with a Glass Hand" - Outer Limits 1967-"The City on the Edge of Forever" - Star Trek 1973-"Phoenix Without Ashes" - The Starlost (pilot episode) 1986-"Paladin of the Lost Hour" - Twilight Zone EDGAR ALLAN POE AWARDS: 1974-"The Whimper of Whipped Dogs" 1988-"Soft Monkey" LOCUS AWARDS: 1970-"The Region Between" 1972-"Basilisk" 1972- AGAIN, DANGEROUS VISION 1973-"The Deathbird" 1974-"Adrift, Just Off the Islets of Langerhans..." 1975-"Croatoan" 1977-"Jeffty Is Five" 1978-"Count the Clock That Tells the Time" 1982-"Djinn, No Chaser" 1984- SLEEPLESS NIGHTS ON THE PROCRUSTEAN BED 1985-"With Virgil Oddum at the East Pole" 1985-"Paladin of the Lost Hour" 1986- MEDEA: HARLAN'S WORLD 1988-"Eidolons" 1988-"The Function of Dream Sleep" 1988- ANGRY CANDY JUPITER AWARDS: 1973-"The Deathbird" 1977-"Jeffty is Five" BRAM STOKER AWARDS: 1988- THE ESSENTIAL ELLISON 1990- HARLAN ELLISON'S WATCHING WORLD FANTASY AWARDS: 1989- ANGRY CANDY 1993- Lifetime Achievement Award PEN INTERNATIONAL SILVER PEN AWARD 1982-"An Edge in My Voice" column in L.A. Weekly *** 1988-ANGRY CANDY named on of the major American works of literature by _Encyclopedia Americana Annual_. 1988-PEN Special Recognition for commitment to artistic freedom and the battle against censorship. 1990-Recipient of the Milford Award for lifetime achievement in editing. WHERE CAN I GET HARLAN'S STUFF? AND WHY IS IT SO HARD TO FIND? Although I'm not one to second guess the way the publishing world may spread its butter over the cams of its business, I can venture my own opinion... Number one, Harlan isn't a powerhouse boffo blockbuster bestseller, he's not a household name like Stephen King, and in terms of dollars and cents, this means less of a return on investment, which reads as a smaller print run. What this means to the poor Ellison-head who combs every bookstore in a three state area for a copy of HARLAN ELLISON'S WATCHING and finds only Ralph Ellison on the shelves is that there was someone just a little faster and got the last one of two ordered for the store. Number two, at least to the best of my knowledge, Harlan has a particular clause put into his contracts, giving him "right of first refusal" to all his remaindered books, which is why you never see his stuff on the cutout/redtag/ $3.99 table. Harlan basically get first chance to buy everything left over from the publisher, at the cost the publisher would offer to the bookstores as remainders. And like buying wholesale and passing the savings on to you, one can order quite a few of Harlan's books directly from him. For a list and other nifty stuff, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: THE HARLAN ELLISON RECORDING COLLECTION, P.O. Box 55548, Sherman Oaks, CA 91413. Harlan, via Rick Wyatt, also says that everything that gets out to the stores gets bought, and aren't returned to the publisher, and that his last three books of short stories have sold more than Ray Bradbury's. He also points out that the average shelf life for a paperback in the local 7-11 is 4-5 days, and at Chicago's O'Hare Airport it's three _hours_, so turnover will happen.... WHAT DOES HARLAN USE TO WRITE WITH? Rick Wyatt has this to report: "Ellison owns four Olympia portables, one wafer (a war correspondent's typewriter), and six office machines. Four of the office machines are in a special typeface Ellison uses called Congress Pica, one is in another type, and someone just gave him one of the old original green-metal Olympias made in Germany, now being refurbished by Jesus Silva, Harlan's "typewriter guy" who repairs what Ellison himself cannot repair. Two of the four Congress Pica Olympias were willed to him by Robert Bloch." WHAT HAS HARLAN DONE RECENTLY? As of this writing: He has a comic book anthology out called "Harlan Ellison's Dream Corridor", wherein his favorite writers and artists adapt his stories, as well as Harlan writing the interstitial segments between adaptations and a prose story based on the cover art of each issue. He wrote a large portion of the dialogue, the introduction, the hintbook, and voice-acts in a CD-ROM game based on his story "I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream". He has a new collection of stories called SLIPPAGE coming out. He does "Harlan Ellison's Watching" for "Sci-Fi Buzz" on the Sci-Fi Channel. His newest release is CITY ON THE EDGE OF FOREVER, the script of the Star Trek episode that bears the same name. He is Conceptual Consultant on the television show BABYLON 5. WHAT DOES HARLAN DO AS A CONCEPTUAL CONSULTANT ON BABYLON 5? "He does whatever he wants to," says creator/writer/exec. producer J. Michael Stracynski. He then elaborates... "His job is to sit perched on my shoulder like Jiminy Cricket and point out to me the chuckholes, detours, and disasters-in-the-making the I might otherwise stumble into as I galumph my way through this show...and to harangue me and to keep the SF on the straight and narrow and to challenge me constantly to do better. "He also reviews stories, helped write the opening narration, has given us several good concepts on the running of the B5 station, and otherwise..well ...consults conceptually." (Quote copyright JMS. Source:Hyperion B5 Lurker's Guide) WHAT DID HARLAN HAVE TO DO WITH "HOUR 25"? "Mike Hodel's HOUR 25" is a weekly Los Angeles radio show, produced and broadcast on KPFK-FM, which deals with all things related to science fiction and fantasy, as well as other things of interest. It was created and hosted by Mike Hodel for over seventeen years, and with Mike's passing, Harlan took over the hosting duties on March 14, 1986, more honoring a deathbed request from a friend than actual desire. He had new opening music ("Dark of the Sun" by Jacques Loussier), and began the show with a special signature remark, specially written for the show. Aside from the usual hosting and interviewing, Harlan also read over the air, once reading a comic book called "Rex", another time reading "City of the Singing Flame" by Clark Ashton Smith. Harlan felt that the people at Pacifica Radio, the business end of KPFK, were being less than civil to him, dispite the fact that Harlan was doing this with no recompense, so Harlan's last broadcast was on June 19, 1987. "They were abusive, and I said 'Fuck you' and I motored, and that was that..." J. Michael Stracynski took over for Harlan soon after. There was a man named Eric Foss who archived the show for years, taping all of Harlan's shows as well as Mike Hodel's and Joe Stracynski's. I haven't been able to track his mailing address down yet, but one used to be able to get copies of the shows through him. Zagnut candy bars were the official candy bar of HOUR 25. The Zagnut people sent Harlan a case of them, and as of this writing, Harlan says he could eat one a week for the rest of his life without using them up. He does, however, miss Clark Bars, and would very much like to get some... One note for hardcore collectors: During a pledge drive, Harlan offered a set of 12 reproductions of his opening signature remarks, Xeroxed onto now out-of-production "canary yellow second-sheets", signed and dated, for a pledge of a certain large sum. There are only about 50 of these things out there, the text of which were used in the story "Eidolons". WHO ARE THE FRIENDS OF ELLISON? Our Man in Atlanta, Rick Wyatt, via e-mail: "FOE is a group founded by Peter David (the writer of "stuff", including the Hulk comic and Star Trek books), in response to the formation of the "Enemies of Ellison" (later the more PC "Victims of Ellison"), started and fostered by Charles Platt, Andrew Porter, Gary Groth, and Gregory Freely, with the assistance of Christopher Priest and "a couple of other running dogs". "To join, send mail to Peter David, To Be Continued..., P.O. Box 239, Bayport, NY 11705. As the Enemies of Ellison made a habit of collecting stories of people's "vicitimization" by Harlan, the joinup fee for the Friends of Ellison is an anecdote about something GOOD that you know Harlan did (not just, "Gee, he changed my life by writing this story" but something more on the order of HE pulling you from a burning building). "FOE members have included Leonard Nimoy, Michael Crichton, Stephen King, Fritz Leibur, Isaac Asimov, Barlcay Shaw, Frank Miller, Richard Dreyfuss, and Robin Williams." WHAT WAS THE PARKER REVIEW? In the January 1961 issue of _Esquire_ magazine, on page 133, the great Dorothy Parker wrote this about GENTLEMAN JUNKIE, in part: "It is not the providence of this department to take up recent paperbacks... But lately there has come into my weary hands a paperback of short stories by Harlan Ellison, a young writer whose name I had not known before. The book is horribly titled 'Gentleman Junkie and Other Stories of the Hung-Up Generation'...It turns out that Mr. Ellison is a good, honest, clean writer, putting down what he has seen and known, with no sensationalism about it... I cannot recommend it too vehemently." It was this review that brought Harlan to everyone's attention, as well as bringing him to Hollywood. Harlan later met Miss Parker at her home, about a year before her death. During the course of the evening, Miss Parker remarked once again about the book, and quoted parts of it that had made an impression on her. She then autographed Harlan's copy of her collected short stories, writing "To Harlan Ellison - with admiration, envy, and heartfelt wishes that I could be as good a writer as he is..." DID HARLAN WRITE UNDER THE NAME HAL ELLISON? Harlan himself, via Rick Wyatt, answers the question... "Hal Ellson was a very well-known crime writer of the 50's and 60's who was involved in rehabilitating kids at Bellevue Hospital in New York. He was a master and student of juvenile delinquency, and his stories appeared in all of the best mystery magazines of the period, including Manhunt, and it was as a matter of fact because of me reading Hal Ellson's books about juvenile delinquency that I became interested in juvenile delinquency and went to New York and joined a kid gang and wrote my first book, _Web of the City_. "When I first started writing, people kept saying "Harlan Ellison, is that a pseudonym of Hal Ellson", because he was very well known. Well, as the years went by, and Hal wrote less and less, and his books were bought for some reason and not reprinted as often as they should have been, people began saying "Gee, is Hal Ellson a pseudonym of Harlan Ellison"? No, in fact we are two separate people." While an editor at Regency Books, Harlan even bought and published one of Hal's books, THE TORMENT OF THE KIDS. Harlan highly recommends Hal's work. Other titles include DUKE, TOMBOY, TELL THEM NOTHING, THE GOLDEN SPIKE, and SUMMER STREET. WHAT IS ELLISON WONDERLAND? WHAT IS THE LOST AZTEC TEMPLE OF MARS? Harlan's home, high in the hills above Sherman Oaks, is a work of art and a wonder to behold. My meager talent at tippy-tapping out words falls far short of coming to grasp with the idea of the concept of describing Harlan's home. Even Ray Bradbury would pause and frown in thought. This is Ellison Wonderland, and evidently, it has undergone a re-christening, as Harlan's address as listed in _Contemporary Authors_ Vol. 46, New Revised Edition, 1995, reads The Lost Aztec Temple of Mars, CA. DID HARLAN REALLY PUNCH JOHN W. CAMPBELL? No, he _hit_ Campbell. As related in more than a few interviews, Harlan was a starving writer back in 1955, living in New York City in the same building as Robert Silverberg. As the story goes, Harlan and Silverberg would tell each other about the stories they sold to magazines as "hitting" the magazine, as in "I just hit _Omni_ today with a story". One day, however, Harlan told Silverberg "I just hit Campbell today", and Silverberg, in a moment of alternate lucidity, thought Harlan had taken a swing at the editor. DID HARLAN REALLY PUNCH IRWIN ALLEN? Never touched him. But he was in the room when it happened... Seems Harlan was writing for _Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea_, and Harlan, Irwin Allen, the head of ABC Network Continuity (read 'censor'), and others were in a story conference, and the network head wanted Harlan to make more than a few "stupid changes" in his script.... Harlan: "Those are stupid! And you're stupid for asking for those things." Network head: "You'll make them all right." Harlan: "You don't understand. I will _not_ make them." Network head: "Writers are toadies. You will do as you're told." Harlan became angry, leapt upon the long conference table, and ran down the length of it at the network head, intent on kicking him in the face. Harlan slipped and slid the rest of the way down the table, hit the guy in the mouth, knocking him backwards out of his chair, knocking a model of the _Seaview_ off the wall, and it broke the man's pelvis. Irwin Allen settled out of court for the whole incident. (Quotes from Comics Journal #53, Gary Groth, interviewer) DID HARLAN REALLY MAIL A DEAD GOPHER TO AN EDITOR? Nope. It was the comptroller of a certain publishing house that bound a cigarette ad into one of Harlan's paperbacks, breaking a stipulation in Harlan's contract. Although better related in Harlan's essay "Driving in the Spikes", suffice to say that after trying nicely to get the book rights reverted back to him, as per his contract, and getting blown off, Harlan mailed 213 bricks postage due to the man (this was back when the US Postal Service would mail anything postage-free, making the recipient pay up), had a Luthuanian hit man friend of his have a talk with him, and then mailed the dead gopher, along with Ted Cogswell's recipe for braised gopher stew, fourth class mail, where it stank up the mailing room for quite a while. WHAT WAS THE TERMINATOR LAWSUIT? Here's the final word, as related by Rick Wyatt.... It was discovered that James Cameron had ripped off HE's "Outer Limits" story "Soldier". Deposition was given that Cameron had admitted this, and the producer of the film settled out of court with Ellison and placed a very large add in _Variety_ and _The Hollywood Reporter_. Ever since then, Cameron is said to go ballistic if Ellison's name is mentioned. WHAT IS "WORKING WITHOUT A NET"? WORKING WITHOUT A NET will be the title of Harlan's autobiography, to be written in 2000. One must wait until then... One nifty point, in the "TKO" episode of BABYLON 5, Susan Ivanova is seen reading WORKING WITHOUT A NET. It was, of course, just a prop, but as J. Michael Stracynski relates, Harlan carried the prop around under his arm, thereby driving people nuts, thinking they had missed a new Ellison book. WHAT KIND OF PIPE/TOBACCO DID HARLAN SMOKE? Rick Wyatt reports that Harlan, at last count, has over 400 pipes, and since he no longer smokes, would be happy to sell any of them, but they are quite expensive, some going for $800+. "I mean, we're not talking Kaywoodies, we're talking the very best... Son of Denmark, Saseini fantails...". Harlan also has one of Raymond Chandler's pipes, sent to him by the legate of Chandler's estate. The pipe, banded with a gold band with "Raymond Chandler" inscribed on it, sits in a pipe holder on Harlan's desk. Harlan always smoked Black Cavendish, or "toasted cavendish", tobacco. WHERE CAN I GET A TAPE OF HARLAN'S GIG ON "POLITICALLY INCORRECT"? Rick Wyatt tells me that one may order a copy of Harlan's show from Comedy Central. Call 1-800-4-COMEDY and let them know you want Show #3109. HOW ELSE MIGHT I GET TO SEE HARLAN IN PHOSPHOR-DOT SPLENDOR? There was a video put out by Rhino Home Video called "The Masters of Comic Book Art", wherein Harlan does intro segments from his home for ten interview pieces on Will Eisner, Harvey Kurtzman, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, Neal Adams, Berni Wrightson, Moebius, Frank Miller, Dave Sim, and Art Spiegelman. 60 minutes long, and highly recommended. RHINO HOME VIDEO 2225 Colorado Ave., Santa Monica CA 90404. There was also a short video floating around that had J. Michael Straczynski, creator of BABYLON 5, interviewing Harlan in his home. I'm still tracking this down.... There are, of course, hundreds of interviews done since the 70's, but unfortunately they are not exactly commercially available.... DIDN'T HARLAN DO A CAR COMMERCIAL ONCE? Yes, during 1988-89, Harlan was the West Coast spokesman for Chevrolet GEO Imports, and during this time a television spot ran on network primetime. The commercial was basically Harlan, with a title overlay reading "Harlan Ellison: Noted Futurist", walking through a museum-like set, walking around the GEO, and making the pitch. ISN'T HARLAN INVOLVED WITH A VIDEO DATING SERVICE? Not exactly like that.... Harlan signed up with Great Expectations, a video dating service based in Southern California, and wrote an article about it for _Los Angeles_ magazine. An extended version of the article can be found in THE ESSENTIAL ELLISON under the title of "True Love: Groping for the Holy Grail". Perhaps as a consequence, Harlan is now on the Board of Advisors for Great Expectations, but this reporter has yet to find what he advises on.... SO WHAT'S THIS I HEAR ABOUT A COMPUTER GAME? Yes, indeed. Cyberdreams Interactive Entertainment has created a CD-ROM vidgame based on "I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream". Here's Rick Wyatt with more... "The computer game I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream will have a hintbook coming out with the entire original short story, a memoir from Ellison describing how the story was written, and a 1600 word cluebook introduction, also by Ellison. Ellison also performs on the computer game as the voice of the nigh-omnipotent computer AM, and wrote the lion's share of the game dialogue, including the entire opening sequence. An interesting bit of trivia: the computer game and short story are correctly titled I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream, while the collection which first contained the short story is correctly titled I Have No Mouth & I Must Scream." IS THERE A WEB PAGE FOR HARLAN? Rick Wyatt maintains Ellison Webderland at www.snider.net/ellison/ wherein one may find the archive of this FAQ, as well as Mr. Wyatt's list of current Harlan news, a marketplace bulletin board, and other nifty Harlan stuff. I hear tell of another Web page out there, and as of this writing, I'm tracking it down.... IS HARLAN ON THE INTERNET? To those who believe Harlan is a closet lurker, here's the easy answer: No. Harlan doesn't own a computer, never has, probably never will. He has, on occasion, been on special chat sessions, and has had items both posted and brought to his attention on the net, but only by way of other net-wise folks. So this is not to say that Harlan won't hear of what goes on about him on the net, he just won't hear about it firsthand.... OKAY, SO JUST HOW TALL _IS_ HARLAN? Five foot five. But as more than one admirer has pointed out, if Harlan were to stand upon the body of his work, and the awards he has won, not to mention the loyalty of his friends and fans, he would be quite tall indeed. Or as Harlan himself says, "Yes, I am five foot five, but I am incredibly tall when I stand on my charisma.R: SEMI-PROFESSIONAL LEGAL DISCLAIMER: The Author of this FAQ recognizes all information herein to be true and accurate as of this writing. All text is copyright James Shearhart, and really shouldn't be used for anything other than informational purposes. All quotes and acknowledged sources are copyright their respective quoters and authors. The Author takes no responsability for confusion caused by misinformation in this FAQ. Please, by all means, point out inaccuracies to me at jalmatom@wco.com. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Information was gathered from _Contemporary Authors_ New Revised Series Vol. 46, _Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction_ July 1977, _Comics Journal_ #53, _RBCC_ #151, certain archives of the B5 Lurker's Guide at www.hyperion.com/lurk/lurker.html, and the vast collected works of Harlan Ellison, as well as my own fuzzy memory. Special thanks to Our Man in Webland, Rick Wyatt, Caretaker of Ellison Webderland, Harlan Ellison via the fax machine for giving this the once over, and to the dozen or so folks who sent me their burning questions.