jensenj@stolaf.UUCP (Joel A. Jensen) (04/27/84)
Just last light I saw a movie -- Monsieur Verdoux (1947) starring Charlie Chaplin. It was a sort of modern retelling of the legend of Bluebeard. What caught my attention was, in the opening credits, the name of Fritz Lieber crawled up the screen (it would have been a bit part.) The question is (as all can see by now), was this THE Fritz Lieber or not? Did the author of the Fafrhd and the Grey Mouser series begin as a Hollywood character actor? Surely there must have been only one Fritz Lieber, or was there another? Does anybody know? Thanks for the effort, Joel "I read the credits" Jensen ihnp4!stolaf!jensenj
barryg@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Barry Gold) (04/28/84)
Fritz Leiber (the SF author) is Fritz Leiber, Jr. His father was the
actor. Fritz claimed that he grew up hearing so much Shakespeare that
it was nearly second nature to be able to write in iambic pentameter if
he chose (and indeed parts of one of his novels (The Wanderer?) are
written that way).
--Lee Gold
--
Barry Gold
usenet: {decvax!allegra|ihnp4}!sdcrdcf!ucla-s!lcc!barry
Arpanet: barry@BNLted@usceast.UUCP (System Programmer) (04/30/84)
<jug Issek> Actually, that was probably the father of Fritz Lieber the sf writer. Mr. Lieber Sr. was a character actor in a number of old costume dramas. Talent seems to run in the family, Justin Lieber is an sf writer also. -- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ted Nolan usceast!ted 6536 Brookside Circle Columbia, SC 29206 (feather the rast!) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
emjej@uokvax.UUCP (05/01/84)
#R:stolaf:-167500:uokvax:5400053:000:717 uokvax!emjej May 1 09:58:00 1984 /***** uokvax:net.sf-lovers / stolaf!jensenj / 3:33 am Apr 28, 1984 */ The question is (as all can see by now), was this THE Fritz Lieber or not? Did the author of the Fafrhd and the Grey Mouser series begin as a Hollywood character actor? Surely there must have been only one Fritz Lieber, or was there another? /* ---------- */ I second the question, in reference to a truly horrid movie called *Equinox* (watch for the fellow who played Herb Tarlek on *WKRP*, among others who are just as convincing as teenagers as Robert Vaughn was in *Teenage Caveman*). I'd like to think that the gentleman who writes such classic SF, fantasy, and science essays wouldn't have touched this turkey... James Jones
colonel@gloria.UUCP (05/01/84)
[Yuzz before Wum, except after ...] Or was it Fritz Leiber? Just call me Shaxpeare ... -- Col. G. L. Sicherman ...seismo!rochester!rocksvax!sunybcs!gloria!colonel
fish@ihu1g.UUCP (Bob Fishell) (05/02/84)
(oo)
It could just be a coincidental name, but I think it might be possible.
Fritz Leiber once wrote a story called "The Darfsteller," which was
about an aging actor. Possibly, he drew this from his own experiences.
--
Bob Fishell
ihnp4!ihu1g!fishwombat@uicsl.UUCP (05/04/84)
#R:stolaf:-167500:uicsl:10700103:000:434 uicsl!wombat May 4 08:25:00 1984 It's very likely THE Fritz Leiber. His parents were Shakespearian actors, and he spent several years on the stage and in films himself. I think this was when he was in his 20's and before he started writing. Fantasy Newsletter/Review/<your name here> has been carrying autobio- graphical articles from Leiber for several issues now -- a good series, may even come out as a book eventually. Wombat ihnp4!uiucdcs!uicsl!wombat
heuring@uiuccsb.UUCP (05/05/84)
#R:stolaf:-167500:uiuccsb:15500019:000:149 uiuccsb!heuring May 4 22:03:00 1984 The Darfsteller Was NOT written by Leiber! It was written by Walter M. Miller Jr. and can be found in the book The Best of Walter M. Miller, Jr.
barry@ames-lm.UUCP (Kenn Barry) (05/13/84)
[]
Re Fritz Leiber and "Equinox": I'm sorry to be the one to have to
tell you but, yes, it was Fritz "Fafhrd" Leiber, the SF writer, in the
movie (ref. John Stanley's "Creature Feature Movie Guide"). Not only
that, but Jim Danforth worked on the special (?) effects. The only
comfort I can offer is that Leiber had nothing to do with the script.
I have a confession to make: I *liked* "Equinox". I was deeply
into Carl Jung at the time I saw it, and was able to read all kinds of
archetypal symbolism in between the lines, pure and unsullied by
reality, just like a fairy tale. Those who were with me looked at me
*very* strangely when I told them about this. Haven't seen the pic
since it opened; wonder what I'd think of it now?
Kenn Barry
NASA-Ames Research Center
Moffett Field, CA
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