User blog:ARTaylor/RIP Harlan Ellison

Famed science fiction writer Harlan Ellison has passed away yesterday at the age of eighty-four. He is survived by his fifth wife Susan Ann Toth. No cause of death was given.



Ellison was a prolific writer penning numerous short stories, novellas, and criticisms. He contributed to several television series including The Outer Limits, Star Trek, Babylon 5, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., and even Silver Surfer. His most famous television work is the Star Trek episode "The City on the Edge of Forever" which has been considered one of the greatest stories in the franchise.

He was both famous and infamous for being fiercely independent, proudly elitist, frequently angry, tenacious, and downright vengeful. In 2009, he sued and settled a lawsuit against CBS about the 1967 episode. Ellison was unhappy that his script was rewritten to avoid anti-war themes he put in regarding the Vietnam War. He sued the company for unpaid profits. He eventually released his original script on its own. He also successfully sued ABC and the creators of The Terminator.

He was born in Painesville, Ohio. He attended Ohio State University and later served in the United States Army. He moved to California in 1962 and was fired from his first day at The Walt Disney Company after making inappropriate suggestions about their characters. He was famous for saying what he thought, regardless of the consequences.

He won numerous science fiction awards including several Hugos, Nebulas, and Edgars. He won four Writers Guild of America awards for his television works and a Silver Pen for journalism. Despite this, he penned a guest column wishing the end of award shows.

Ellison was married five times, some lasting only weeks or months.