Michael Crichton Dies at 66
Best-selling author, film producer, film director, TV director, and medical doctor Michael Crichton died unexpectedly yesterday at the age of 66, after a “courageous and private battle against cancer“.
I’d have a hard time believing that any science fiction fan out there hasn’t read at least one of Crichton’s novels, or at least seen one of the films based on his novels. Besides books, he also wrote and/or directed such classic movies as Coma (1978), The Great Train Robbery (1979), Runaway (1984), and one of my all-time favorites, Westworld (1973). Not to mention the long-running TV series, ER, which is wrapping things up this season after airing Thursday nights at 10pm on NBC for the past 14 years.
A thought-provoking writer with an uncanny sense for story, as well as a devoted family man, Michael Crichton’s contributions to the sci-fi/thriller genre over the past 40 years (that is, MY ENTIRE LIFETIME) are immeasurable, and he will be sorely missed.