Frank M. Robinson
Encyclopedia
Frank M. Robinson is an American science fiction
and techno-thriller
writer.
for World War II
, and when his tour was over went to Beloit College where he majored in physics
, graduating in 1950. Then, according to his official website, he could find no work as a writer, and wound up back in the Navy
to serve in Korea
, where he managed to keep writing, read a lot, and was published in the magazine Astounding
.
After the Navy he went to graduate school in journalism
, then worked for a Chicago-based Sunday supplement. Soon after he switched to Science Digest
, where he worked from 1956-1959. From there, he moved into men's magazines: Rogue
(1959–65) and Cavalier
(1965–66). In 1969 Playboy
asked him to take over the Playboy Advisor column. He remained with Playboy until 1973, when he left to write full time.
After moving to San Francisco in the 1970s, Robinson, who is gay
, was a speechwriter for gay politician Harvey Milk
; he also has a small role in the film Milk
.
As of 2008, he is the author of 16 books, the editor of two others, and has penned numerous articles. Three of his novels have been made into movies. The Power (1956) was a supernatural
science fiction
and government
conspiracy
novel about people with superhuman
skills, filmed in 1968 as The Power
. The technothriller The Glass Inferno
, co-written with Thomas N. Scortia
, was combined with Richard Martin Stern
's The Tower
to produce the 1974 movie
The Towering Inferno
. The Gold Crew, also co-written Scortia, was a tense nuclear threat thriller and was filmed as an NBC miniseries re-titled The Fifth Missile
.
Besides The Glass Inferno
and The Gold Crew he collaborated on several other works with Scortia, including The Prometheus Crisis, The Nightmare Factor and Blow-Out. More recent works include The Dark Beyond the Stars, and an updated version of The Power (2000) which closely followed Waiting (1999), a novel with similar themes to The Power. His newest novel is a medical thriller about organ theft called The Donor.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
and techno-thriller
Techno-thriller
Techno-thrillers are a hybrid genre, drawing subject matter generally from spy/action thrillers, fantasy/war novels, and science fiction...
writer.
Biography
Robinson was born in Chicago, Illinois. The son of a check forger, Frank started out working as a copy boy for International Service in his teens and then became an office boy for Ziff-Davis. He was drafted into the NavyUnited States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
for World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and when his tour was over went to Beloit College where he majored in physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
, graduating in 1950. Then, according to his official website, he could find no work as a writer, and wound up back in the Navy
Navy
A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
to serve in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, where he managed to keep writing, read a lot, and was published in the magazine Astounding
Analog Science Fiction and Fact
Analog Science Fiction and Fact is an American science fiction magazine. As of 2011, it is the longest running continuously published magazine of that genre...
.
After the Navy he went to graduate school in journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
, then worked for a Chicago-based Sunday supplement. Soon after he switched to Science Digest
Science Digest
Science Digest was a monthly American magazine published by the Hearst Corporation from 1937 through 1986. It initially had an 8 x 5 inch format with about 100 pages, and was targeted at persons with a high school education level...
, where he worked from 1956-1959. From there, he moved into men's magazines: Rogue
Rogue (magazine)
This article is about a magazine, for other uses of the term see Rogue.Rogue was a Chicago-based men's magazine published by William Hamling from December 1955 until 1967. Founding editor Frank M...
(1959–65) and Cavalier
Cavalier (magazine)
Cavalier is an American magazine that was launched by Fawcett Publications in 1952 and has continued for decades, eventually evolving into a Playboy-style men's magazine...
(1965–66). In 1969 Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
asked him to take over the Playboy Advisor column. He remained with Playboy until 1973, when he left to write full time.
After moving to San Francisco in the 1970s, Robinson, who is gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
, was a speechwriter for gay politician Harvey Milk
Harvey Milk
Harvey Bernard Milk was an American politician who became the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California when he won a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors...
; he also has a small role in the film Milk
Milk (film)
Milk is a 2008 American biographical film on the life of gay rights activist and politician Harvey Milk, who was the first openly gay person to be elected to public office in California, as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors...
.
As of 2008, he is the author of 16 books, the editor of two others, and has penned numerous articles. Three of his novels have been made into movies. The Power (1956) was a supernatural
Supernatural
The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...
science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
and government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
conspiracy
Conspiracy theory
A conspiracy theory explains an event as being the result of an alleged plot by a covert group or organization or, more broadly, the idea that important political, social or economic events are the products of secret plots that are largely unknown to the general public.-Usage:The term "conspiracy...
novel about people with superhuman
Superhuman
Superhuman can mean an improved human, for example, by genetic modification, cybernetic implants, or as what humans might evolve into, in the near or distant future...
skills, filmed in 1968 as The Power
The Power (film)
The Power is a 1968 film based on the science fiction novel The Power by Frank M. Robinson. It stars George Hamilton and Suzanne Pleshette.-Plot:...
. The technothriller The Glass Inferno
The Glass Inferno
The Glass Inferno is a 1974 novel by Thomas N. Scortia and Frank M. Robinson. It is one of the two books that was used to create the movie The Towering Inferno, the other being The Tower.-Plot summary:...
, co-written with Thomas N. Scortia
Thomas N. Scortia
Thomas Nicholas Scortia was a science fiction author. He worked in the American aerospace industry until the late 60s/early 70s. He collaborated on several works with fellow author Frank M. Robinson. He sometimes used the pseudonyms "Scott Nichols", "Gerald MacDow", and "Arthur R....
, was combined with Richard Martin Stern
Richard Martin Stern
Richard Martin Stern was an American novelist. Stern began his writing career in the 1950s with mystery tales of private investigators, winning a 1959 Edgar Award for Best First Novel, for The Bright Road to Fear.He was most notable for his 1973 novel The Tower, in which a fire engulfs a new...
's The Tower
The Tower (novel)
The Tower is a 1973 novel by Richard Martin Stern. It is one of the two books that was used to create the movie The Towering Inferno, the other being The Glass Inferno....
to produce the 1974 movie
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
The Towering Inferno
The Towering Inferno
The Towering Inferno is a 1974 American action disaster film produced by Irwin Allen featuring an all-star cast led by Steve McQueen and Paul Newman.A co-production between Twentieth Century-Fox and Warner Bros...
. The Gold Crew, also co-written Scortia, was a tense nuclear threat thriller and was filmed as an NBC miniseries re-titled The Fifth Missile
The Fifth Missile
The Fifth Missile is a 1986 TV movie starring Robert Conrad, Sam Waterston and David Soul about an American ballistic missile submarine, based on the novel The Gold Crew by Frank M. Robinson and Thomas N. Scortia. Her crew goes slowly insane due to exposure to chemicals in paint onboard and...
.
Besides The Glass Inferno
The Glass Inferno
The Glass Inferno is a 1974 novel by Thomas N. Scortia and Frank M. Robinson. It is one of the two books that was used to create the movie The Towering Inferno, the other being The Tower.-Plot summary:...
and The Gold Crew he collaborated on several other works with Scortia, including The Prometheus Crisis, The Nightmare Factor and Blow-Out. More recent works include The Dark Beyond the Stars, and an updated version of The Power (2000) which closely followed Waiting (1999), a novel with similar themes to The Power. His newest novel is a medical thriller about organ theft called The Donor.
External links
- Frank M. Robinson's Official Web Site
- Frank M. Robinson's online fiction at Free Speculative Fiction Online