James Kahn
Encyclopedia
James Kahn is an American medical specialist and writer, best known for his novelization
of Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
. Born in Chicago
on December 30, 1947, Kahn received a degree in medical studies from the University of Chicago
. His post-graduate training, specializing in Emergency Medicine, was completed at USC-LA County Hospital and UCLA
. His original work includes three novels in the New World series: World Enough, and Time (1980), Time's Dark Laughter (1982), and Timefall (1987). As well as Return of the Jedi, he wrote the novelizations of the films Poltergeist and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
. He has also written for well-known TV shows such as Melrose Place and Star Trek: The Next Generation
. He was the producer of Melrose Place from 1996 to 1998.
James Kahn was born in Chicago
in 1947, and raised in one of its suburbs, Des Plaines. His father, Alfred Kahn, was a physician, and his mother, Judith Pesmen Kahn, a painter/sculptor/inventor. James began playing the guitar at age 12, influenced extensively by the folk music of the early ‘60’s. He graduated from Maine Township High School West (arch rival of Maine East, from which Harrison Ford had graduated two years earlier) in 1965; then attended the University of Chicago, where he majored in Biology, drew a draft lottery number of 3, became involved in the anti-Viet Nam War movement, participated in the 1968 Democratic Convention riots, and studied with the Byronic scholar Jerome McGann
. When, during his fifth year in the college, his short story, “The Box,” won second place in a U. of C. contest, one of the judges, well-regarded poet Daryl Hine
, sent Kahn’s story to Playboy
magazine, which bought it and published it in March, 1971 – marking Kahn’s debut as a professional writer. (That same issue of Playboy featured essays by sociologist Richard Flacks and psychotherapist Bruno Bettelheim
, two other University of Chicago
thinkers, making that issue a good one to buy for the articles.)
Kahn went to medical school at the University of Chicago
, as well, graduating in 1974. In 1973 he had another short story, “Mobius Trip,” published in the short-lived, Chicago-based magazine, Gallery. He did a medical internship at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, then took a year-long hiatus during which he married paper-artist Jill A. Littlewood, traveled to Europe, and wrote his first novel, Diagnosis: Murder, which was later published by Carlyle Press, now defunct. He proceeded to do the first year of a Residency in Emergency Medicine at L.A.County Hospital/USC – the busiest emergency room in the world – then took off another year in his training program to work various emergency rooms around Los Angeles. He finished his Residency training at UCLA, where he helped create the residency program in Emergency Medicine, and subsequently became part of the group of specialists who created and then ran the emergency room at St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica, California.
It was during this period that he wrote his science fiction trilogy – World Enough, and Time; Time’s Dark Laughter; and Timefall – the first two published by Del Rey Publishing, the third by St. Martin’s Press, which later published his medical thriller, The Echo Vector. During these years he also became the friend and local personal physician of Judy Lynn Del Rey, wife of renowned sci-fi author Lester Del Rey
, and editor/publisher of the Del Rey
imprint of Ballantine Books
.
While working at St. John’s Hospital, he and others in the emergency room there were contacted by Kathleen Kennedy and Melissa Matheson soliciting technical assistance in the resuscitation of an alien. Kahn and others were invited to join the cast and crew in the production of the Steven Spielberg
film, ET
(at that time tentatively titled A Boy’s Life), where they wrote medical dialogue (uncredited), donned hazmat suits, and pounded on ET’s chest during the scene in which scientists attempted to resuscitate the small green creature (Kahn may be recognized as one of the clipboard-wielding doctors). While on the set, Kahn gave a copy of his novel, World Enough, and Time, to Spielberg – which resulted in Kahn getting the assignment to novelize the movie Poltergeist, then in post-production.
Kahn did several more novelizations after that – Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
, The Goonies
, and Poltergeist II. During this period he also began to get television work, writing first for St. Elsewhere
, and later, E/R
– a sit-com about an emergency room starring Elliot Gould and Mary MacDonald, in which Kahn created the character of a teen orderly named Ace, played by a young George Clooney
– who, ten years later, would star in another television series titled ER.
Kahn wrote primarily for television for the next 20 years. Among the series he worked on were Family Medical Center, Star Trek:The Next Generation, Beyond Reality
, TekWar
(created by William Shatner
), Medicine Ball, Xena:Warrior Princess, Melrose Place (which he also co-executive produced in its last years), Star Trek:Voyager (also Supervising Producer), and All My Children
(for which he and the writing staff were Emmy-nominated).
Later, under the tutelage of singer-songwriter Kate Wallace, and music producer/multi-instrumentalist David West, he focused more on writing music, releasing the Americana/folk CD Waterline in 2011, followed by the music video/short film Dolores Quits Dancing, the first song from his second album, Roadhouse Full of Blues (set for release in 2012).
Novelization
A novelization is a novel that is written based on some other media story form rather than as an original work.Novelizations of films usually add background material not found in the original work to flesh out the story, because novels are generally longer than screenplays...
of Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi is a 1983 American epic space opera film directed by Richard Marquand and written by George Lucas and Lawrence Kasdan. It is the third film released in the Star Wars saga, and the sixth in terms of the series' internal chronology...
. Born in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
on December 30, 1947, Kahn received a degree in medical studies from the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
. His post-graduate training, specializing in Emergency Medicine, was completed at USC-LA County Hospital and UCLA
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
. His original work includes three novels in the New World series: World Enough, and Time (1980), Time's Dark Laughter (1982), and Timefall (1987). As well as Return of the Jedi, he wrote the novelizations of the films Poltergeist and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is a 1984 American adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg. It is the second film in the Indiana Jones franchise and prequel to Raiders of the Lost Ark . After arriving in India, Indiana Jones is asked by a desperate village to find a mystical stone...
. He has also written for well-known TV shows such as Melrose Place and Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
. He was the producer of Melrose Place from 1996 to 1998.
Early life
James Kahn was born in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in 1947, and raised in one of its suburbs, Des Plaines. His father, Alfred Kahn, was a physician, and his mother, Judith Pesmen Kahn, a painter/sculptor/inventor. James began playing the guitar at age 12, influenced extensively by the folk music of the early ‘60’s. He graduated from Maine Township High School West (arch rival of Maine East, from which Harrison Ford had graduated two years earlier) in 1965; then attended the University of Chicago, where he majored in Biology, drew a draft lottery number of 3, became involved in the anti-Viet Nam War movement, participated in the 1968 Democratic Convention riots, and studied with the Byronic scholar Jerome McGann
Jerome McGann
Jerome McGann is a textual scholar whose work focuses on the history of literature and culture from the late eighteenth-century to the present.-Career:Educated at Le Moyne College , Syracuse University Jerome McGann (born July 22, 1937) is a textual scholar whose work focuses on the history of...
. When, during his fifth year in the college, his short story, “The Box,” won second place in a U. of C. contest, one of the judges, well-regarded poet Daryl Hine
Daryl Hine
Daryl Hine is a Canadian poet and translator.-Life:Daryl Hine was born in Burnaby in 1936 and grew up in New Westminster B.C. He attended McGill University in Montreal 1954-58...
, sent Kahn’s story to 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...
magazine, which bought it and published it in March, 1971 – marking Kahn’s debut as a professional writer. (That same issue of Playboy featured essays by sociologist Richard Flacks and psychotherapist Bruno Bettelheim
Bruno Bettelheim
Bruno Bettelheim was an Austrian-born American child psychologist and writer. He gained an international reputation for his work on Freud, psychoanalysis, and emotionally disturbed children.-Background:...
, two other University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
thinkers, making that issue a good one to buy for the articles.)
Career
Kahn went to medical school at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
, as well, graduating in 1974. In 1973 he had another short story, “Mobius Trip,” published in the short-lived, Chicago-based magazine, Gallery. He did a medical internship at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, then took a year-long hiatus during which he married paper-artist Jill A. Littlewood, traveled to Europe, and wrote his first novel, Diagnosis: Murder, which was later published by Carlyle Press, now defunct. He proceeded to do the first year of a Residency in Emergency Medicine at L.A.County Hospital/USC – the busiest emergency room in the world – then took off another year in his training program to work various emergency rooms around Los Angeles. He finished his Residency training at UCLA, where he helped create the residency program in Emergency Medicine, and subsequently became part of the group of specialists who created and then ran the emergency room at St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica, California.
It was during this period that he wrote his science fiction trilogy – World Enough, and Time; Time’s Dark Laughter; and Timefall – the first two published by Del Rey Publishing, the third by St. Martin’s Press, which later published his medical thriller, The Echo Vector. During these years he also became the friend and local personal physician of Judy Lynn Del Rey, wife of renowned sci-fi author Lester Del Rey
Lester del Rey
Lester del Rey was an American science fiction author and editor. Del Rey was the author of many of the Winston Science Fiction juvenile SF series, and the editor at Del Rey Books, the fantasy and science fiction branch of Ballantine Books, along with his fourth wife Judy-Lynn del Rey.-Birth...
, and editor/publisher of the Del Rey
Del Rey Books
Del Rey Books is a branch of Ballantine Books, which is owned by Random House and, in turn since 1998, by Bertelsmann AG. It is a separate imprint established in 1977 under the editorship of author Lester del Rey and his wife Judy-Lynn del Rey. It specializes in science fiction and fantasy...
imprint of Ballantine Books
Ballantine Books
Ballantine Books is a major book publisher located in the United States, founded in 1952 by Ian Ballantine with his wife, Betty Ballantine. It was acquired by Random House in 1973, which in turn was acquired by Bertelsmann AG in 1998 and remains part of that company today. Ballantine's logo is a...
.
While working at St. John’s Hospital, he and others in the emergency room there were contacted by Kathleen Kennedy and Melissa Matheson soliciting technical assistance in the resuscitation of an alien. Kahn and others were invited to join the cast and crew in the production of the Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, video game designer, and studio entrepreneur. In a career of more than four decades, Spielberg's films have covered many themes and genres. Spielberg's early science-fiction and adventure films were seen as an...
film, ET
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is a 1982 American science fiction film co-produced and directed by Steven Spielberg, written by Melissa Mathison and starring Henry Thomas, Dee Wallace, Robert MacNaughton, Drew Barrymore, and Peter Coyote...
(at that time tentatively titled A Boy’s Life), where they wrote medical dialogue (uncredited), donned hazmat suits, and pounded on ET’s chest during the scene in which scientists attempted to resuscitate the small green creature (Kahn may be recognized as one of the clipboard-wielding doctors). While on the set, Kahn gave a copy of his novel, World Enough, and Time, to Spielberg – which resulted in Kahn getting the assignment to novelize the movie Poltergeist, then in post-production.
Kahn did several more novelizations after that – Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is a 1984 American adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg. It is the second film in the Indiana Jones franchise and prequel to Raiders of the Lost Ark . After arriving in India, Indiana Jones is asked by a desperate village to find a mystical stone...
, The Goonies
The Goonies
The Goonies is a 1985 American adventure-comedy film directed by Richard Donner. The screenplay was written by Chris Columbus from a story by executive producer Steven Spielberg. The premise surrounds a band of pre-teens who live in the "Goon Docks" neighborhood of Astoria, Oregon hoping to save...
, and Poltergeist II. During this period he also began to get television work, writing first for St. Elsewhere
St. Elsewhere
St. Elsewhere is an American medical drama television series that originally ran on NBC from October 26, 1982 to May 25, 1988. The series is set at fictional St. Eligius, a decaying urban teaching hospital in Boston's South End neighborhood...
, and later, E/R
ER (TV series)
ER is an American medical drama television series created by novelist Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994 to April 2, 2009. It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Entertainment, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
– a sit-com about an emergency room starring Elliot Gould and Mary MacDonald, in which Kahn created the character of a teen orderly named Ace, played by a young George Clooney
George Clooney
George Timothy Clooney is an American actor, film director, producer, and screenwriter. For his work as an actor, he has received two Golden Globe Awards and an Academy Award...
– who, ten years later, would star in another television series titled ER.
Kahn wrote primarily for television for the next 20 years. Among the series he worked on were Family Medical Center, Star Trek:The Next Generation, Beyond Reality
Beyond Reality
Beyond Reality is the 2002 album of Dreamtale. Marco Hietala from Nightwish and Tarot sings on track number 4 and 5.- Tracklisting :#"Intro: The Dawn" - 4:06#"Memories of Time" - 4:47#"Fallen Star" - 4:46#"Heart's Desire" - 4:26...
, TekWar
TekWar
Tekwar is a series of science fiction novels officially authored by William Shatner and co-written by uncredited science-fiction author Ron Goulart, published by Putnam...
(created by William Shatner
William Shatner
William Alan Shatner is a Canadian actor, musician, recording artist, and author. He gained worldwide fame and became a cultural icon for his portrayal of James T...
), Medicine Ball, Xena:Warrior Princess, Melrose Place (which he also co-executive produced in its last years), Star Trek:Voyager (also Supervising Producer), and All My Children
All My Children
All My Children is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 5, 1970 to September 23, 2011. Created by Agnes Nixon, All My Children is set in Pine Valley, Pennsylvania, a fictitious suburb of Philadelphia. The show features Susan Lucci as Erica Kane, one of daytime's most...
(for which he and the writing staff were Emmy-nominated).
Later, under the tutelage of singer-songwriter Kate Wallace, and music producer/multi-instrumentalist David West, he focused more on writing music, releasing the Americana/folk CD Waterline in 2011, followed by the music video/short film Dolores Quits Dancing, the first song from his second album, Roadhouse Full of Blues (set for release in 2012).
Studio albums
- WaterlineWaterlineThe term "waterline" generally refers to the line where the hull of a ship meets the water surface. It is also the name of a special marking, also known as the national Load Line or Plimsoll Line, to be positioned amidships, that indicates the draft of the ship and the legal limit to which a ship...
(self-released, 2011)
- Roadhouse Full of Blues (expected 2012)
New World series
- World Enough, and Time (1980)
- Time's Dark Laughter (1982)
- Timefall (1987)
Poltergeist
- Poltergeist (1982)
- Poltergeist II: The Other SidePoltergeist II: The Other SidePoltergeist II: The Other Side is a 1986 horror film. A sequel to Poltergeist, it features the return of the original's family and once again sees a spirit trying to harm their daughter, Carol Anne. It received mixed reviews from critics and did not gross as much at the box office as its...
(1986)