Charles Alverson
Encyclopedia
Charles Elgin Alverson is a novelist, editor and screenwriter who has sometimes used the byline Chuck Alverson. He co-scripted the film Jabberwocky
(1977).
Alverson grew up in Los Angeles County, and graduated in 1953 from high school in Redondo Beach
. After service in the 11th and 82nd Airborne divisions of the U.S. Army
, he graduated from San Francisco State College (English, 1960) and Columbia University
(Journalism, 1963).
In the early 1960s Alverson was an assistant editor (under Harvey Kurtzman
) of Help!
and then a reporter for The Wall Street Journal
. During a break from the WSJ in 1967, he was a "square" (or non-addicted) resident of the anti-drug cult Synanon
in Ocean Beach
, California, for six months. After moving to Britain
in 1969, he wrote for Rolling Stone
and British newspapers. In 1980, Alverson was managing editor of the British environmentalist
magazine Vole
, financed by Terry Jones
of Monty Python
. He was also founding editor of Insight (1981) and GIS Europe (1992).
After living in Radnorshire
, mid-Wales from 1970 to 1975, Alverson moved to Cambridge
, England
, where he was an activist, including a month-long vigil against the United States
’s bombing of Iraq
in 1990 and resistance to Margaret Thatcher
’s poll tax
. He was arrested twice but was not charged.
, and co-developer of the story and co-writer (uncredited) of the first draft of the screenplay that became Brazil
(1985).
Alverson has written a dozen novels (four of which have been published in six languages), including the thriller Fighting Back (1973). In Goodey's Last Stand (1975) he introduced San Francisco private eye Joe Goodey, who returned in Not Sleeping Just Dead (1977). The New Yorker
described Goodey's Last Stand as "the next best thing to finding a new and unsuspected Raymond Chandler phantasmagoria.” In the crime fiction bibliography, Golden Gate Mysteries, Randal Brandt reviewed:
Alverson's credits also include children’s books, short stories and short film scripts, some of which have recently been adapted to comics by the cartoonist John Linton Roberson
, including Rapunzel and the parody the Story of OH!
Alverson currently lives in the village of Parage
, Backa
region of Vojvodina
, Serbia
with his wife, Zivana.
at Boston University
currently houses the Charles Alverson Collection.
Jabberwocky (film)
Jabberwocky is a 1977 British fantasy black comedy film directed by Terry Gilliam. It stars Michael Palin as a young cooper who is forced through clumsy, often slapstick misfortunes to hunt a terrible dragon after the death of his father...
(1977).
Alverson grew up in Los Angeles County, and graduated in 1953 from high school in Redondo Beach
Redondo Beach, California
Redondo Beach is one of the three Beach Cities located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 66,748 at the 2010 census, up from 63,261 at the 2000 census. The city is located in the South Bay region of the greater Los Angeles area.Redondo Beach was originally part of...
. After service in the 11th and 82nd Airborne divisions of the U.S. Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, he graduated from San Francisco State College (English, 1960) and Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
(Journalism, 1963).
In the early 1960s Alverson was an assistant editor (under Harvey Kurtzman
Harvey Kurtzman
Harvey Kurtzman was an American cartoonist and the editor of several comic books and magazines. Kurtzman often signed his name H. Kurtz, followed by a stick figure Harvey Kurtzman (October 3, 1924, Brooklyn, New York – February 21, 1993) was an American cartoonist and the editor of several comic...
) of Help!
Help! (magazine)
Help! was an American magazine published by James Warren. It wasHarvey Kurtzman's longest-running magazine project after leaving Mad and EC Publications, and during its five years of operation it was always chronically underfunded, yet innovative...
and then a reporter for The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
. During a break from the WSJ in 1967, he was a "square" (or non-addicted) resident of the anti-drug cult Synanon
Synanon
The Synanon organization, initially a drug rehabilitation program, was founded by Charles E. "Chuck" Dederich, Sr., in 1958, in Santa Monica, California, United States...
in Ocean Beach
Ocean Beach
- Places :Australia* Ocean Beach * Ocean Beach New Zealand* Ocean Beach, Hawke's Bay* Ocean Beach, OtagoUnited States* Ocean Beach, San Diego, California, also community* Ocean Beach, San Francisco, California...
, California, for six months. After moving to Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 1969, he wrote for Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
and British newspapers. In 1980, Alverson was managing editor of the British environmentalist
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
magazine Vole
Vole (magazine)
Vole was a British environmentalist magazine published between 1977 and 1980. The magazine was intended to have a more light-hearted tone than the other countryside and ecology magazines of the time: the founders' working title for the magazine was "The Questing Vole", from a nature column...
, financed by Terry Jones
Terry Jones
Terence Graham Parry Jones is a Welsh comedian, screenwriter, actor, film director, children's author, popular historian, political commentator, and TV documentary host. He is best known as a member of the Monty Python comedy team....
of Monty Python
Monty Python
Monty Python was a British surreal comedy group who created their influential Monty Python's Flying Circus, a British television comedy sketch show that first aired on the BBC on 5 October 1969. Forty-five episodes were made over four series...
. He was also founding editor of Insight (1981) and GIS Europe (1992).
After living in Radnorshire
Radnorshire
Radnorshire is one of thirteen historic and former administrative counties of Wales. It is represented by the Radnorshire area of Powys, which according to the 2001 census, had a population of 24,805...
, mid-Wales from 1970 to 1975, Alverson moved to Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, where he was an activist, including a month-long vigil against the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
’s bombing of Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
in 1990 and resistance to Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
’s poll tax
Poll tax
A poll tax is a tax of a portioned, fixed amount per individual in accordance with the census . When a corvée is commuted for cash payment, in effect it becomes a poll tax...
. He was arrested twice but was not charged.
Films and books
Alverson was co-screenwriter of Terry Gilliam's film JabberwockyJabberwocky (film)
Jabberwocky is a 1977 British fantasy black comedy film directed by Terry Gilliam. It stars Michael Palin as a young cooper who is forced through clumsy, often slapstick misfortunes to hunt a terrible dragon after the death of his father...
, and co-developer of the story and co-writer (uncredited) of the first draft of the screenplay that became Brazil
Brazil (film)
Brazil is a 1985 British science fiction fantasy/black comedy film directed by Terry Gilliam. It was written by Gilliam, Charles McKeown, and Tom Stoppard and stars Jonathan Pryce. The film also features Robert De Niro, Kim Greist, Michael Palin, Katherine Helmond, Bob Hoskins, and Ian Holm...
(1985).
Alverson has written a dozen novels (four of which have been published in six languages), including the thriller Fighting Back (1973). In Goodey's Last Stand (1975) he introduced San Francisco private eye Joe Goodey, who returned in Not Sleeping Just Dead (1977). The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
described Goodey's Last Stand as "the next best thing to finding a new and unsuspected Raymond Chandler phantasmagoria.” In the crime fiction bibliography, Golden Gate Mysteries, Randal Brandt reviewed:
- Joe Goodey is a San Francisco shamus who appeared in two novels by Charles Alverson. Jonah Webster “Joe” Goodey makes his debut in Goodey’s Last Stand (1975). He is a San Francisco homicide detective whose career is cut short when he mistakes the mayor’s cousin for a gunman and shoots him. Goodey is then told, in no uncertain terms, to either resign and get the hell out of town, or face charges for attempted murder. Maybe, after things cool down, he can return to the city and get a private investigator’s license. His exile from San Francisco is short-lived, however, when he is called back to the city to investigate the murder of a popular North Beach stripper named Tina D’Oro, who also happened to be a special friend of the mayor’s. In Not Sleeping, Just Dead (1977), Goodey is hired to investigate the mysterious death of a young woman at a Monterey County commune/rehab clinic called The Institute. Goodey is a wisecracker who would never be accused of having enlightened views about women or minorities, but he is honest and a basically decent guy.
Alverson's credits also include children’s books, short stories and short film scripts, some of which have recently been adapted to comics by the cartoonist John Linton Roberson
John Linton Roberson
John Linton Roberson , also known as JLRoberson, is an American writer, illustrator, and cartoonist.-Biography:His father was Lt. John Linton Roberson III, who served under Col...
, including Rapunzel and the parody the Story of OH!
Alverson currently lives in the village of Parage
Parage
Parage may refer to:*Parage , a village in the Bačka Palanka municipality, in the Vojvodina province of Serbia*Paréage, a feudal institution that recognizes equality of rights and status between two rulers. Also, equality in the portions of an inheritance...
, Backa
Backa
Bačka is a geographical area within the Pannonian plain bordered by the river Danube to the west and south, and by the river Tisza to the east of which confluence is located near Titel...
region of Vojvodina
Vojvodina
Vojvodina, officially called Autonomous Province of Vojvodina is an autonomous province of Serbia. Its capital and largest city is Novi Sad...
, Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
with his wife, Zivana.
Alverson archives
The Howard Gotlieb Archival Research CenterMugar Memorial Library
The Mugar Memorial Library is the primary library for study, teaching, and research in the humanities and social sciences for Boston University and Boston University Academy. It was opened in 1966. Stephen P. Mugar, an Armenian immigrant who was successful in the grocery business, provided the...
at Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
currently houses the Charles Alverson Collection.
Sources
- Brazil (The Evolution of the 54th Best British Film Ever Made). Orion books Ltd, 2001, edited by Bob McCabe. ISBN 0-7528-3792-3