You probably won't know the name unless you read the acknowledgments in books about movies, but he worked in USC's Cinema-TV department, which houses about four jillion tons of behind-the-scenes material on old (and I'm sure newer) movies and TV shows. And he knew where everything was. And if you struck him as sincere, if you struck him as someone who really would finish the book you were currently writing, he went the extra mile for you. And over time it'd get to the point where he'd go the extra TWO miles for you. And then three, and four, and ....... there was no end to his energy and generosity.
He found out that I was doing a SCRIPTS FROM THE CRYPT book on Karloff's TV series THE VEIL. I didn't ask him for anything, I didn't think USC would HAVE anything. Next thing I know: "In the Hal Roach paperwork, there are production reports on every episode. Wanna see 'em?" Ummmmm ... well, yeah! Next thing I know: "We have all the scripts." Good grief.
Next thing I know: "We have VEIL scripts they never got around to filming." The stuff just kept coming. On practically every project I took on.
And of course it wasn't just me. Ev-er-y-bod-y I know, who got to know Ned, got that kind of help from him.
Tell him you want to take him out to a fancy restaurant, as a thank-you gesture: "No no no, that's all right, I just want to help." Try to give him money to do with as he pleased: "No no no." Insist, MAKE him take the money: "Welllll, okay, I can use it to buy some more folders and pencils for the reading room." The guy bent over backwards for EVERYbody, and would take NOTHING in return: "I have fun doing it!"
When he retired, I told him that film scholarship had just taken a gigantic blow. Practically every good writer-researcher I know, knew that the answer to every research problem was: "Ask Ned."
I dedicated two of my books to him (including CREATURE CHRONICLES, to which he contributed tre-men-dous-ly). This made him a little uncomfortable, I think -- he didn't want attention, he just wanted to help, always. I once asked him for a photo that I could put on a dedication page. "Oh no no no!" Mr. Under the Radar.
He woulda been 68 in a couple months. Cancer.
I bet a LOT of the Monster Kid-friendly books you regard as favorites, ARE your favorites, thanks to "behind the curtain" Ned as much as to the guy with his name on the cover. That's certainly true of many of my books. R.I.P.!!!
He found out that I was doing a SCRIPTS FROM THE CRYPT book on Karloff's TV series THE VEIL. I didn't ask him for anything, I didn't think USC would HAVE anything. Next thing I know: "In the Hal Roach paperwork, there are production reports on every episode. Wanna see 'em?" Ummmmm ... well, yeah! Next thing I know: "We have all the scripts." Good grief.
Next thing I know: "We have VEIL scripts they never got around to filming." The stuff just kept coming. On practically every project I took on.
And of course it wasn't just me. Ev-er-y-bod-y I know, who got to know Ned, got that kind of help from him.
Tell him you want to take him out to a fancy restaurant, as a thank-you gesture: "No no no, that's all right, I just want to help." Try to give him money to do with as he pleased: "No no no." Insist, MAKE him take the money: "Welllll, okay, I can use it to buy some more folders and pencils for the reading room." The guy bent over backwards for EVERYbody, and would take NOTHING in return: "I have fun doing it!"
When he retired, I told him that film scholarship had just taken a gigantic blow. Practically every good writer-researcher I know, knew that the answer to every research problem was: "Ask Ned."
I dedicated two of my books to him (including CREATURE CHRONICLES, to which he contributed tre-men-dous-ly). This made him a little uncomfortable, I think -- he didn't want attention, he just wanted to help, always. I once asked him for a photo that I could put on a dedication page. "Oh no no no!" Mr. Under the Radar.
He woulda been 68 in a couple months. Cancer.
I bet a LOT of the Monster Kid-friendly books you regard as favorites, ARE your favorites, thanks to "behind the curtain" Ned as much as to the guy with his name on the cover. That's certainly true of many of my books. R.I.P.!!!
statistics: Posted by TomWeaver999 — 6:24 PM - 1 day ago — Replies 8 — Views 574