He did that with another TV sci-fi series hewas "writing". It's was supposed to be about humans on board a long-ship, a multigeneration slower than light interstellar trip, where everyone forgot the purpose of the trip.

Anywho, the climax was supposed to be the protagonists discovering the command center of the ship, but the idiot Hollywood types had the command center discovery the very first show.

Kinda destroyed the premise, so Harlan did just that, refused to let his name be used and changed it to the Bird pseudonym.

I saw that show. It was called 'starlost' and it was really bad.

I was at a convention in SF when Harlan was the Guest of Honor. An acquaintance asked me to have Harlan autograph his program book. After I handed it to him and he signed it, Harlan asked who it was for. I replied that it was for someone I knew from Sacramento. He asked what the person looked like, so I replied he had a crew cut -- at that time almost unheard of -- and wore glasses with thick, slightly melted frames.
Harlan tore the page he'd just signed from the program book, shredded it into small pieces and placed them in an ashtray and proceeded to light the paper shreds on fire.
I found out later the reason the person had asked me to get the signature was that he had gotten Harlan REALLY pissed by telling a short joke.
I still have the photos somewhere.
Another incident at the convention involved a rumor probably started by Harlan himself about Arthur C. Clarke's possible attendance at the con.
During Harlan's GoH speech, some poor soul quietly walked into the back of the hall to take a seat. So without missing a beat, Harlan said, "And here he is, Arthur C. Clarke!" The entire audience turns around to watch this poor guy freeze and turn white as a ghost.

It takes a great irritant to make pearls. Mr. Ellison is one of the universes greatest irritants. I think the guy is great. Billions of people have lived on the earth over its lifespan, but only a handful have managed to make the rest of us think. Mr. Ellison forces you to think and he doesnt much care if it makes you uncomfortable in the process.

Im also endeared to the man because on the jacket cover of one of his books he had the description "Harlan Ellison lives in Los Angeles, and he likes it". Which as an LA native I found particulary perfect.

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