Harlan Ellison

Writer

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About

About this interview

In these selections from his interview, Harlan Ellison (1934-2018) recalls some of his earliest television assignments. He discusses writing for Ripcord, The Twilight Zone, and The Flying Nun, and talks about his pseudonym, Cordwainer Bird. He speaks of working with the Writers Guild of America, shares how he writes scripts, and tells the tale of walking off his first directing job. Ellison also touches on his review of the 2013 film Saving Mr. Banks, comments on his mantra, and explains what his epitaph will be. Nat Segaloff conducted the interview in a joint venture with the Writers Guild Foundation on February 13, 2014 in Sherman Oaks, CA.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"My mantra is this: I am engaged in the noblest, most honorable profession that the human mind has ever conceived. I am a storyteller."

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Harlan Ellison

Highlights

Harlan Ellison the story unit on The Twilight Zone

10:51

Harlan Ellison on walking off his first directing job

01:46

On his pseudonym, Cordwainer Bird

On writers not getting respect in Hollywood

Full Interview

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Chapter 1

On his first two television assignments

Chapter 2

On the story unit on The Twilight Zone

Chapter 3

On playing pool with Omar Sharif, Peter Falk, and Leo Durocher

Chapter 4

On writing for Ripcord

Chapter 5

On walking off his first directing job

Chapter 6

On meeting Dorothy Parker

Chapter 7

On his pseudonym, Cordwainer Bird

Chapter 8

On how he learned to write a script

Chapter 9

On his mantra

Chapter 10

On why people hire him

Chapter 11

On working with the Writers Guild of America

Chapter 12

On writers not getting respect in Hollywood

Chapter 13

On his recent YouTube movie commentary

Chapter 14

On his epitaph

Chapter 15

On writing an episode of The Flying Nun

Shows

Flying Nun, The

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Harlan Ellison on writing an episode of The Flying Nun

05:50

Twilight Zone, The

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Harlan Ellison the story unit on The Twilight Zone

10:51

Harlan Ellison on walking off his first directing job

01:46

Professions

Directors

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Harlan Ellison on walking off his first directing job

01:46

Writers

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Harlan Ellison on how he learned to write a script

02:41

Harlan Ellison on working with the Writers Guild of America

02:07

Harlan Ellison on writers not getting respect in Hollywood