[puzzlehead]

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/books/...ref=mpstoryview

LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Michael Crichton, who helped create the TV show "ER" and wrote the best-sellers "Jurassic Park," "The Andromeda Strain," "Sphere" and "Rising Sun," has died in Los Angeles, his public relations firm said in a news release.
Michael Crichton, here in 2005, was a director and best-selling author. He co-created the TV series "ER."

Michael Crichton, here in 2005, was a director and best-selling author. He co-created the TV series "ER."

Crichton died unexpectedly Tuesday "after a courageous and private battle against cancer," the release said.

He was 66.

Crichton, a medical doctor, was attracted to cautionary science tales.

"Jurassic Park" -- perhaps his best-known work -- concerned capturing the DNA of dinosaurs and bringing them to life on a modern island, where they soon run amok; "The Andromeda Strain," his first major fiction success, involves an alien microorganism that's studied in a special military compound after causing death in a nearby community.

Crichton also invited controversy with some of his scientific views. He was an avowed skeptic of global climate change, giving lectures warning against "consensus science." He later took on global warming and the theories surrounding it in his 2004 novel, "State of Fear," which attracted attacks in its own right from scientists, including NASA climatologist James Hansen. iReport.com: Were you a fan? Share your tributes.

Crichton was a distinctive figure in the entertainment business, a trained physician whose interests included writing, filmmaking and television. (He was physically distinctive as well, standing 6 feet 9 inches.)

He published "The Andromeda Strain" while he was still a medical student at Harvard Medical School. He wrote a story about a 19th-century train robbery, called "The Great Train Robbery," and then directed the 1979 film version.

He also directed several other films, including "Westworld" (1973), "Coma" (1978), "Looker" (1981) and "Runaway" (1984).

In 1993, while working on the film version of "Jurassic Park" with Steven Spielberg, he teamed with the director to create "ER." The NBC series set in a Chicago emergency room debuted in 1994 and became a huge hit, making a star of George Clooney. Crichton originally wrote the script for the pilot in 1974.

Though most of Crichton's books were major best-sellers, he could ruffle feathers when he took on social issues. "Rising Sun" (1992) came out during a time when Americans feared Japanese ascendance, particularly when it came to technology. "Disclosure" (1994) was about a sexual harassment case.

Crichton won an Emmy, a Peabody, a Writers Guild of America Award for "ER," and won other awards as well.

"Through his books, Michael Crichton served as an inspiration to students of all ages, challenged scientists in many fields, and illuminated the mysteries of the world in a way we could all understand," the news release said.

A private funeral service is expected.

[Artemis Entreri]

Wow, really sad.

I never knew he directed some of those films. I like a few of them.

My copy of "Jurassic Park" had to be taped up when I got back from China so long ago.

[preston181]

No way. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) VERY sad. One of my all time favorite authors. The guy had a way of blending history, medicine, archeology, and technology that made awesome books. Please don't let Stephen King of Tom Clancy die for a long time...

[FalconsFan]

I shall dig my copy of Jurassic Park out for remembrance. If I can find it.
He was one of my favorite authors when I was in high school, actually didn't like the JP movie because my top three scenes in the book were left completely out of the movie.

[UncleMao]

Not happy.

His book "Travels" was one of the most fun non-fictional accounts of adventure ever.

In reading his non fictional accounts you begin to understand what a sensitive and unlucky-in-love man he was and even though his writing was incredibly grounded in the secular, you could tell he was always ready to believe anything.

A very misunderstood individual who lived most of his life alone. And one of my favourite writers growing up, though you could see him losing the plot in his later books.

Thank you for your stories, Michael.

[Artemis Entreri]

I shall dig my copy of Jurassic Park out for remembrance. If I can find it.
He was one of my favorite authors when I was in high school, actually didn't like the JP movie because my top three scenes in the book were left completely out of the movie.

Same here.

[zander]

Rest In Peace

[Joshwa]

I wasn't actually very impressed by Jurassic Park, The Lost World, ER, or, for that matter, his preposterous stance on global warming. Good ridance to the old sod.

[Skarekrow]

I wasn't actually very impressed by Jurassic Park, The Lost World, ER, or, for that matter, his preposterous stance on global warming. Good ridance to the old sod.

wow. You've been right bastard as of late haven't you?

[Joshwa]

Yeah, i want an xbox 360 but i cant really afford it and it pisses me off, so im taking it out on old dead people.

[Mickeys45]

You don't actually think that he believes that aliens caused global warming do you? It was just the name of one of his speeches.

Personally, I think the man was a genius. He was the good kind of scientist. and he definitely had a set. Not many people that are part of a group are willing to point out the faults of that group. He kicked mainstream science in the nuts at every opportunity and inspired me to do the same, because blindly accepting theory as fact isn't science at all.

I don't agree with everything he said (he seems to have had a disdain for animism and extraterrestrial life) but he was still a great person so it's only natural that he dies young. Fucking world.