Harry Harrison
Harry Harrison was an influential American science fiction writer, born on March 12, 1925, in Stanford, Connecticut. He grew up in a family with Latvian roots and developed a passion for reading pulp magazines, initially aspiring to be an artist. After serving in the Army Air Corps during World War II, Harrison transitioned into a career in commercial art and editing before establishing himself as a freelance writer. He is best known for his Stainless Steel Rat series, which began in 1957 and continued for several decades, and for the novel that inspired the 1973 film Soylent Green.
Harrison's writing often reflected his disillusionment with military life, shaped by his own experiences. Throughout his career, he was also active in the science fiction community, notably organizing the First World Science Fiction Writers' Conference in Dublin in 1976, where he became the first president of the organization World SF. He received various accolades, including a Hugo Award nomination and a Nebula Award nomination, highlighting his significant contributions to the genre. Harrison lived in various countries before settling in Ireland, where he spent much of his later life.
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Harry Harrison
- Born: March 12, 1925
- Birthplace: Stamford, Connecticut
- Died: August 15, 2012
Biography
Harry Maxwell Harrison was born an only child on March 12, 1925, in Stanford, Connecticut. His mother, Ria, was born in Latvia, and lived in Russia until she emigrated to the United States at age fifteen. She worked as a school teacher until she married Harrison’s father, Henry Leo Dempsey. Dempsey, a printer by trade, changed the family’s surname to Harrison shortly after his son was born. The family remained in Connecticut for two years, then moved to New York City, where Harrison would attend school. He grew up reading pulp magazines and originally wanted to be an artist rather than a writer.
Harrison graduated from Forest Hill High School in 1943 and was drafted at age eighteen to serve in World War II. He spent four years in the Army Air Corps, and after a variety of assignments, including armorer and gunnery instructor, he reached the rank of sergeant and served as a military policeman. His armed forces experience left him disillusioned about the military, and this is reflected in his writing. After his discharge, he briefly attended Hunter College, which led to him studying under the famed painter John Blomshield.
Harrison’s first postwar job was as a commercial artist, providing covers for novels, magazines, and comic books. He originally worked for Fox Comics, then moved to DC, where he started on romance, then progressed to the detective and horror comics. As the comic industry declined, Harrison moved into editing and art direction for mainstream magazines. He edited magazines such as Impulse/Science Fantasy, Amazing Stories, and Fantastic. During this time, Harrison also wrote for U.S. syndicated comic strips The Saint and Flash Gordon, and U.K. strips Jeff Hawke, Rick Random—Space Detective, and Merlo the Magician.
Harrison married Joan Marian Merkler in 1954, and their son Todd was born the following year. By this time, Harrison was working as a freelance writer, and the young family moved frequently around the globe. In 1958, the Harrisons returned to New York City for the birth of their daughter, Moira, the following year. After living in such diverse places as London, Copenhagen, and Mexico City, the Harrisons ultimately settled in Ireland, which would become their permanent home.
In 1976, Harrison organized the First World Science Fiction Writers’ Conference in Dublin, Ireland. This led to the creation of World SF, made up of genre professionals, in 1978. Harrison was the first president and served for two years.
Harrison is most famous for his Stainless Steel Rat series, which first appeared in short story form in 1957. The first book was published in 1961, and new books in the series continued to arrive forty years later. In addition, the 1973 cult movie Soylent Green was based on one of his novels.
In 1962, Harrison was nominated for a Hugo Award for best novel for Planet of the Damned (also known as Sense of Obligation, 1967). Harrison also received a 1970 Nebula Award nomination for best short story for “By the Falls.”