George Clayton Johnson: Fictioneer - From Ocean's Eleven, Through the Twilight Zone, to Logan's Run

by Vivien Kooper

This legendary writer allows us into his inner circle, sharing special memories and moments from his friendships, business relationships, and collaborations with such notable writers as Rod Serling, Ray Bradbury, Charles Beaumont, and William F. Nolan, among others. George Clayton Johnson: Fictioneer discusses the intricacies of writing for the classic television series, "The Twilight Zone", and reveals the twists and turns of imagination that led him to pen his iconic Twilight Zone episodes. He wrote four stories-with-teleplays for "The Twilight Zone" (Nothing in the Dark, A Penny for Your Thoughts, A Game of Pool, and Kick the Can). George also wrote four stories adapted by others into teleplays for "The Twilight Zone" (All Of Us are Dying story retitled The Four of Us are Dying and Execution story, both adapted by Rod Serling; The Prime Mover story adapted by Charles Beaumont; and Ninety Years Without Slumbering adapted by Richard DeRoy. George discusses the creative process behind Logan's Run and Ocean's Eleven, and reveals how his teleplay for "Star Trek" entitled The Man Trap, came to premiere even before the pilot aired. This giant from the Golden Age of Television shares invaluable wisdom, insights, and tricks of the trade in this enlightening, instructive, and delightful account of his life as a Fictioneer. Johnson shares an Academy Award nomination with Ray Bradbury for the screenplay of Icarus Montgolfier Wright and a WGA nomination with Jack Golden Russell for the story upon which Ocean's Eleven was based. Just as he does when he lectures at such stellar institutions of higher learning as UCLA, USC, or CalArts, George Clayton Johnson gives the reader a birds-eye view into the writing life and the early days of television and film, painting a picture filled with richness, texture, heart, and imagination.