Harlan Ellison Dead: Hollywood Reacts: “No One Quite Like Him” Stephen King Says

Refresh for updates Fittingly, the reactions so far to the death of writer Harlan Ellison came mainly from the community that he was immersed in for most of his career – the science-fiction writers, filmmakers, critics, punks, artists and comic creators that worshipped him as a literary idol.

The comments were honest, sometimes brutally so, but mostly funny, capturing the irascible Ellison as someone who loved provoking the world as he moved through it.

Here are some reactions so far:

Harlan Ellison: There was no one quite like him in American letters, and never will be. Angry, funny, eloquent, hugely talented. If there's an afterlife, Harlan is already kicking ass and taking down names.

— Stephen King (@StephenKing) June 28, 2018

This collection of has been sitting on my desk all year. Any other writer could have called it a career after any one of these. RIP Harlan Ellison. pic.twitter.com/xTY53ogz5b

— Albert Kim (@MagicBranch) June 28, 2018

RIP Harlan Ellison, who left us with the single greatest quote ever:

“You are not entitled to your opinion. You are only entitled to your informed opinion.”

— Paul Guyot (@Fizzhogg) June 28, 2018

I once asked Harlan Ellison how many books and stories he hadn't had time to write because he just had to fuck around and pick a giant fight over every little thing.

He said, "Sure, but you can't let the bastards get away with it."

— Wᴀʀʀᴇɴ Eʟʟɪs (@warrenellis) June 28, 2018

Feisty, furious, yet extraordinarily kind and generous; Harlan Ellison was one of a kind. He was family to us Maltins and our hearts go out to his incredible wife Susan. The world will be a duller place without him. #RIPHarlanEllison pic.twitter.com/EaSF1iEOmX

— Leonard Maltin (@leonardmaltin) June 28, 2018

RIP Harlan Ellison. Maybe not his most popular story, but Lonelyache has one of the harshest, most familiar passages about depression. pic.twitter.com/u5BQfegj8C

— Mike Drucker (@MikeDrucker) June 28, 2018

.@TheSimpsons RIP Harlan Ellison one of the all-time great sci-fi writers (though he hated the abbreviation!) pic.twitter.com/bGmWq5MPDc

— Al Jean (@AlJean) June 28, 2018

Harlan Ellison died.
He was combative, cantankerous, loved drama, sued people frequently.
But he had great taste as an editor (so much so he almost single-handedly moved SF forward as an art form with one anthology), talent as a writer, and penned some memorable comics. pic.twitter.com/8Q6jEiuXRo

— Patch Zircher (@PatrickZircher) June 28, 2018

My heart is broken. Off to gather what few thoughts I can for awhile.

What an awful day.

Harlan Ellison is dead.

— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) June 28, 2018

Remembering Sci-Fi & #StarTrek legend Harlan Ellison https://t.co/u8yoNxkVcn pic.twitter.com/6asNPsfDgv

— Star Trek (@StarTrek) June 28, 2018

RIP the remarkable Harlan Ellison. https://t.co/aBCve7cubB

— Warner Archive (@WarnerArchive) June 28, 2018

RIP Harlan Ellison. These are my favorite words from him (besides his awesome fiction) — Pay the Writer https://t.co/B5K5RHxGMG via @YouTube

— Jane Wiedlin, VulcanInTheStreetsKlingonInTheSheets (@janewiedlin) June 28, 2018

RIP author / TV writer / WGAW member Harlan Ellison (Star Trek, Babylon 5, The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Burke’s Law), dead at 84… (via @DEADLINE) https://t.co/eroTKc2bPs

— Writers Guild West (@WGAWest) June 28, 2018

I bumped into Harlan Ellison at a WGA meeting during the 80s. I do mean bumped into him… causing him to spill a cup of water on himself. Before I could apologize, he smiled and asked: “How’s it going?” In art and life, Harlan Ellison personified the unexpected.

— Alan Spencer (@MrAlanSpencer) June 28, 2018

Sad to report that the great writer Harlan Ellison passed away in his sleep last night. I will miss him deeply.

— Janis Ian (@therealjanisian) June 28, 2018

When I was in my early 20s devouring Ellison books, I was always impressed by the fact that Harlan's introductions to his short stories were as engaging as the stories themselves. Sometimes more! He seemed to pour the entirety of himself into everything he wrote.

— J.M. DeMatteis (@JMDeMatteis) June 28, 2018

RIP Harlan Ellison. Maybe not his most popular story, but Lonelyache has one of the harshest, most familiar passages about depression. pic.twitter.com/u5BQfegj8C

— Mike Drucker (@MikeDrucker) June 28, 2018