Harlan Ellison American writer Date of Birth: 27.05.1934 Country: USA

1. Biography of Harlan Ellison
2. Early Life and Career
3. Later Career and Controversies
4. Legacy and Personal Life

Biography of Harlan Ellison

Harlan Jay Ellison was born on May 27, 1934, in Cleveland, Ohio. He was a highly acclaimed American writer, known for his shocking and psychologically intense style of writing that often pushed the boundaries of his works. Ellison was the recipient of numerous awards, including the Hugo, Nebula, and Edgar awards.

Early Life and Career

Ellison often ran away from home and took on various odd jobs to support himself. By the time he reached adulthood, Ellison had worked as a tuna fisherman, a harvest picker, and a truck driver carrying dangerous cargo like nitroglycerin. He also worked as a cook in a diner, a taxi driver, a lithographer, a book salesman, a department store administrator, and a sales agent.

In his younger years, Ellison also acted in several plays. However, he was expelled from Ohio State University after insulting a literature professor who claimed Ellison had no talent. For over 20 years, Ellison sent a copy of every published story he wrote to his former professor, but never received a response.

In 1955, Ellison moved to New York City to focus on his writing career in speculative fiction. Over the next two years, he published over 100 short stories. In 1956, Ellison married Charlotte Stein, but the marriage ended after four years of tumultuous experiences, which he described as "four years of hell, like the unbroken whine of a generator."

During the late 1950s, Ellison wrote a series of erotic stories using the pseudonym Cordwainer Bird. He used this pseudonym when he disagreed with the usage or editing of his work. Ellison settled in California in 1962 and began writing for the thriving Hollywood industry. He wrote the screenplay for the film "The Oscar" and sold scripts for several television series, including "Star Trek," "Route 66," and "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour." His script for the "Star Trek" episode titled "City on the Edge of Forever" was hailed as the best out of 79 episodes.

Later Career and Controversies

In the late 1960s, Ellison wrote a column for the "Los Angeles Free Press," where he addressed political and social issues, particularly their portrayal on television. The materials from his column were later compiled into two books. Throughout his prolific career, Ellison wrote over 1,700 stories, novels, critical articles, film scripts, television scripts, stage plays, and comics. He also edited two speculative fiction anthologies, "Dangerous Visions" (1967) and "Again, Dangerous Visions" (1972).

Ellison gained a reputation for having a difficult personality and engaging in constant disputes. He often filed complaints and lawsuits. For example, after the release of the cult film "The Terminator" in 1984, he sued the creators for plagiarism, claiming that the plot was stolen from his stories "Soldier" and "Demon with a Glass Hand." The conflict was resolved out of court, with Ellison receiving compensation and having his name included in the film's credits.

In the 1990s, when his book "All the Sounds of Fear" was published in Russia without his consent or payment, Ellison officially reissued the work through another publisher and threatened legal action against the offending publisher. He also filed a lawsuit against the film "In Time" (2011), claiming that it plagiarized his story ''Repent, Harlequin!' Said the Ticktockman' (1965). The lawsuit was dropped after Ellison watched the film and agreed to settle with both parties covering their own legal costs.

Legacy and Personal Life

Isaac Asimov, a fellow science fiction writer and friend of Ellison, noted that Ellison used his gift for colorful and imaginative insults against those who irritated him, including obsessive fans, stubborn editors, cruel publishers, and unpleasant strangers.