Author Michael Crichton Dies at 66 DEVELOPING: "Jurassic Park" author and "ER" creator Michael Crichton died Tuesday at age 66, according to a statement from his family.
The novelist passed away in Los Angeles after a private battle with cancer.
The family said his death was unexpected in a statment available on his
Web site. "While the world knew him as a great story teller that challenged our
preconceived notions about the world around us — and entertained us all
while doing so — his wife Sherri, daughter Taylor, family and friends
knew Michael Crichton as a devoted husband, loving father and generous
friend who inspired each of us to strive to see the wonders of our
world through new eyes," his family said.
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"He did this with a wry sense of humor that those who were privileged to know him personally will never forget." A private funeral service is planned, a publicist for Crichton told FOXNews.com, but declined to offer further comment.
According to his publisher Random House, the Chicago-born author attended HarvardUniversity, where he graduated with highest honors. He paid his way through medical school by writing pseudonymous thrillers and afterwinning an Edgar Award for 1968's "A Case of Need," he wrote the
bestseller "The Andromeda Strain" — all before graduation. He later
pursued postgraduate studies at the Salk Institute before becoming a
full time writer.
In addition to
"Jurassic Park," Crichton also wrote
"The Lost World," "
Sphere" and "Disclosure." The 6-foot-9-inch author was also a screenwriter and filmmaker, earning
producing and writing credits for the film versions of many of his
titles. He also created the TV hospital series "ER" in 1994.
In recent years, he was the rare writer to get on well with President
George W. Bush, perhaps because of his skepticism about global warming,
which Crichton addressed in the 2004 novel, "State of Favor."
Crichton's views were strongly condemned by environmentalists, who
alleged that the author was hurting efforts to pass legislation to
reduce emissions of carbon dioxide.
A new novel by Crichton had been tentatively scheduled to come out next month, but publisher Harper Collins said the book was postponed indefinitely
because of his illness.
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