Michael Crichton

<i>By Rachel Abramowitz</i><br> <br> It’s hard to imagine modern-day Hollywood without provocative potboiler author <a class="taxInlineTagLink" id="PECLB001189" title="Michael Crichton" href="/topic/arts-culture/literature/michael-crichton-PECLB001189.topic">Michael Crichton</a>, the Harvard-trained doctor whose fertile imagination fused science and fear in heart-stopping fashion, launching upon unsuspecting moviegoers extraterrestrial killer micro-organisms (“The Andromeda Strain”), the black-market trade in organs (“Coma”), an amusement park full of fantasy-fulfilling androids (“Westworld”), Adrenalin-junkie tornado chasers (“Twister”) and of course, genetically recreated dinosaurs running amok (“The Jurassic Park” franchise).<br> <br> In his spare time, the 6-foot-9 author who could churn out 10,000 words a day, tackled the murky politics of sexual harassment (“Disclosure”), questionable Japanese business practices (“Rising Sun”), and created “ER”, one of the most popular television series of all time. He’s probably the only person in America ever to have a No. 1 book, No. 1 movie and No. 1 TV show all at the same time.

( Jim Cooper / AP )

By Rachel Abramowitz

It’s hard to imagine modern-day Hollywood without provocative potboiler author Michael Crichton, the Harvard-trained doctor whose fertile imagination fused science and fear in heart-stopping fashion, launching upon unsuspecting moviegoers extraterrestrial killer micro-organisms (“The Andromeda Strain”), the black-market trade in organs (“Coma”), an amusement park full of fantasy-fulfilling androids (“Westworld”), Adrenalin-junkie tornado chasers (“Twister”) and of course, genetically recreated dinosaurs running amok (“The Jurassic Park” franchise).

In his spare time, the 6-foot-9 author who could churn out 10,000 words a day, tackled the murky politics of sexual harassment (“Disclosure”), questionable Japanese business practices (“Rising Sun”), and created “ER”, one of the most popular television series of all time. He’s probably the only person in America ever to have a No. 1 book, No. 1 movie and No. 1 TV show all at the same time.

  • Email E-mail
  • add to Twitter Twitter
  • add to Facebook Facebook
  • Read This Later Read This Later
Connect
Advertisement
Movies & Television
 
<b>Opinion:</b> 30 isn't the new 20

Opinion: 30 isn't the new 20

Many hospitals, doctors offer cash discount for medical bills

The cash discount for medical care

Golden Gate Bridge celebrates 75th anniversary

Photos: Golden Gate Bridge anniversary

Disney has high hopes for Cars Land

Disney has high hopes for Cars Land

$15 for 6-Month Subscription to Smilingcooks.com (reg. $29.95)

$15 for 6-Month Subscription to Smilingcooks.com (reg. $29.95)

Videos

Advertisement

Video: Miami Herald building surveillance footage of shooting

Surveillance video of officer-involved shooting on MacArthur Causeway. Courtesy ...

Surveillance video of officer-involved shooting on MacArthur Causeway. Courtesy of the Miami Herald

100 Activities for Summer »

Looking for something to do this summer? Here are 100 ideas from which to choose.

Subscribe to The Los Angeles Times L.A. for less than the price of sunblock. Only 99¢ for the first four weeks.