Charles William Rotsler () was an American
artist
An artist is a person engaged in an activity related to creating art, practicing the arts, or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse refers to a practitioner in the visual arts only. However, th ...
,
cartoonist
A cartoonist is a visual artist who specializes in both drawing and writing cartoons (individual images) or comics (sequential images). Cartoonists differ from comics writers or comic book illustrators in that they produce both the literary and ...
,
pornographer and
science fiction
Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...
author. Rotsler was a four-time
Hugo Award
The Hugo Award is an annual literary award for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year, given at the World Science Fiction Convention and chosen by its members. The Hugo is widely considered the premier a ...
winner and one-time
Nebula Award
The Nebula Awards annually recognize the best works of science fiction or fantasy published in the United States. The awards are organized and awarded by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA), a nonprofit association of profe ...
nominee.
Rotsler's papers including dozens of matted color drawings, unpublished manuscripts and sketchbooks of original artwork are part of the
Eaton collection
The Eaton Collection of Science Fiction and Fantasy, formerly known as the J. Lloyd Eaton Collection of Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, and Utopian Literature, is "the largest publicly accessible collection of science fiction, fantasy, horror a ...
at
University of California, Riverside
The University of California, Riverside (UCR or UC Riverside) is a public land-grant research university in Riverside, California. It is one of the ten campuses of the University of California system. The main campus sits on in a suburban distr ...
.
Career
Pornography
From 1958, Rotsler was involved in the pornography industry, first as a stills photographer on the set of adult films, and later as a film director and actor.
In 1966, Rotsler created ''Adam Film Quarterly'', later called ''
Adam Film World
''Adam Film World'' (''AFW'') and ''Adam Film World Guide'' (''AFWG'') were American magazines about pornographic film, starting in 1966 as ''The Adam Film Quarterly.''
History
Knight Publishing Corp. had launched ''Adam'' magazine in 1956 as a ...
'', as a sibling magazine to Knight Publishing's ''Adam'' magazine. ''Adam Film Quarterly'' featured female nudity but only simulated sex acts. The magazine also provided commentary about simulated pornography, which other media outlets would not cover.
As a byproduct of his coverage of sexploitation films, Rostler earned a reputation as writer—creating novelizations of sexploitation films for his magazine—and as a pornographic photographer.
Because of ''Adam Film Quarterly'' success, Rotsler began using pseudonyms for his appearances including "Shannon Carse", "Cord Heller", "Clay McCord", and "Merrill Dakota". He even interviewed himself as these characters in ''Adam Film Quarterly''. Rotsler said, "On the 'lesser' productions, I'd direct as Shannon Carse and if I acted, I'd be Barney Boone. If I acted in a Rotsler-directed film, I'd be Shannon Carse."
Rotsler wrote, directed, or acted in some two dozen pornographic films during his career with
Boxoffice International Pictures
Boxoffice International Pictures, Inc. was a film distributor founded in 1950. The company was owned by Harry Novak, who later used the alternate name Harry Novak Productions. It ceased operations in 1977.
Films
References
Notes
:1.Titles ...
. In the 1980s, he was cameraman for the Hollywood segments for the French series ''Destination Series'', hosted by
Bill Warren. Rotsler occasionally appeared on camera. He also wrote ''Contemporary Erotic Cinema'' in 1973, published by
Ballantine and ''
Penthouse
Penthouse most often refers to:
*Penthouse apartment, a special apartment on the top floor of a building
*Penthouse (magazine), ''Penthouse'' (magazine), a British-founded men's magazine
*Mechanical penthouse, a floor, typically located directly u ...
'', about pornographic movies from an aesthetic point of view.
Science fiction
Rotsler was a popular cartoonist for a large number of science fiction
fanzine
A fanzine (blend word, blend of ''fan (person), fan'' and ''magazine'' or ''-zine'') is a non-professional and non-official publication produced by fan (person), enthusiasts of a particular cultural phenomenon (such as a literary or musical genre) ...
s. His first cover illustration appeared on ''National Fantasy Fan'', vol. 7, issue 2, published in 1948.
In 1969,
Harlan Ellison
Harlan Jay Ellison (May 27, 1934 – June 28, 2018) was an American writer, known for his prolific and influential work in New Wave speculative fiction and for his outspoken, combative personality. Robert Bloch, the author of '' Psycho'' ...
encouraged Rotsler to write science fiction stories.
He won the
Hugo Award for Best Fan Artist
The Hugo Award for Best Fan Artist is given each year for artists of works related to science fiction or fantasy which appeared in low- or non-paying publications such as semiprozines or fanzines. A Hugo Award for professional artists is also gi ...
four times: 1975, 1979, 1996, and 1997. He also won a "retro-Hugo" for his work in 1946 and was runner-up for 1951. Rotsler was a well-known attendee at
West Coast West Coast or west coast may refer to:
Geography Australia
* Western Australia
*Regions of South Australia#Weather forecasting, West Coast of South Australia
* West Coast, Tasmania
**West Coast Range, mountain range in the region
Canada
* Britis ...
science fiction conventions where he would give away his illustrations. He is also the author of "Rotsler's Rules for Costuming", which address the
cosplay
Cosplay, a portmanteau of "costume play", is an activity and performance art in which participants called cosplayers wear costumes and fashion accessories to represent a specific character. Cosplayers often interact to create a subculture, ...
often found at these conventions. He quipped that "people are making rules for themselves and always finding loop-holes." Through his illustrations Rotsler also helped perpetuate the image of science fiction fans wearing
propeller beanies.
As an author, Rotsler's best-known story, "Patron of the Arts" (1972), was a finalist for the Hugo and Nebula award for best novelette; it was expanded to novel length in 1974 under the same title. In 1982, Rotsler published several Star Trek ties-ins for children for
Wanderer Books
Pocket Books is a division of Simon & Schuster that primarily publishes paperback books.
History
Pocket Books produced the first mass-market, pocket-sized paperback books in the United States in early 1939 and revolutionized the publishing in ...
. He is credited with the first use of Nyota as
Uhura
Nyota Uhura () is a fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' franchise. In the Star Trek: The Original Series, original television series, the character was portrayed by Nichelle Nichols, who reprised the role for the first six List of Star Trek ...
's first name. Rotsler was the source of the title of
Harlan Ellison
Harlan Jay Ellison (May 27, 1934 – June 28, 2018) was an American writer, known for his prolific and influential work in New Wave speculative fiction and for his outspoken, combative personality. Robert Bloch, the author of '' Psycho'' ...
's short story "
I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream" (1967). This was adopted, with permission, from a caption of a Rotsler cartoon of a rag doll with no mouth.
The Rotsler Award, named for Rotsler, is given annually at
Loscon
The Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society, Inc., or LASFS, is a science fiction and fantasy fan society that meets in the Los Angeles area. The current meeting place can be found on thLASFS website
LASFS is the oldest continuously operating scienc ...
by the Southern California Institute for Fan Interests to recognize "lifetime work of outstanding fan artists." The award comes with a honorarium.
Filmography
Bibliography
* ''Contemporary Erotic Cinema'' (1973)
* ''Patron of the Arts'' (1974), expanded from a 1972 novelette of the same name.
* ''To the Land of the Electric Angel'' (1976)
* ''
Futureworld
''Futureworld'' is a 1976 American science fiction thriller film directed by Richard T. Heffron and written by Mayo Simon and George Schenck. It is a sequel to the 1973 Michael Crichton film ''Westworld'', and is the second installment in the ...
'' (1976), novelization as by John Ryder Hall
* ''
Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger
''Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger'' is a 1977 fantasy film directed by Sam Wanamaker and featuring stop-motion effects by Ray Harryhausen. The film stars Patrick Wayne, Taryn Power, Jane Seymour and Patrick Troughton. The third and final ''Sin ...
'' (1977), novelization as by John Ryder Hall
* ''Zandra'' (1978)
* ''The Far Frontier'' (1980)
* ''Shiva Descending'' (1980), with Gregory Benford
* ''Blackhawk'' (1982), based on the DC comic series of the
same name.
*
''Vice Squad'' (1982), novelization
* ''The Hidden Worlds of Zandra'' (1983)
* ''Science Fictionisms'' (1995)
Marvel Novel Series (1979)
Rotsler and his collaborator,
Sharman DiVono, also enjoyed a humorous appearance in
Daredevil (Marvel Comics series)
''Daredevil'' is the name of several comic book titles featuring the character Daredevil (Marvel Comics character), Daredevil and published by Marvel Comics, beginning with the original ''Daredevil'' comic book series which debuted in 1964.
Whi ...
#142 and #143 (1977). "Bill" Rotsler and his girlfriend Sharman, dressed as Tarzan and Jane, are in Rotsler's Manhattan rooftop recreation of an African jungle when they are attacked by the super-villains Cobra and Mr. Hyde, who want to steal his rare book collection.
''Tom Swift'' (1981–82)
Co-author Sharman DiVono and Rotsler were jointly credited as
Victor Appleton
Victor Appleton was a house pseudonym used by the Stratemeyer Syndicate and its successors, most famous for being associated with the Tom Swift series of books.
The following series have been published under the Victor Appleton and Victor Apple ...
.
''Star Trek'' tie-ins (1982–1984)
''The Wrath of Khan'' (1982)
Edited and co-written by Wendy Barish, who is not credited.
* ''Star Trek II: Biographies'' (reference). First reference to
Uhura
Nyota Uhura () is a fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' franchise. In the Star Trek: The Original Series, original television series, the character was portrayed by Nichelle Nichols, who reprised the role for the first six List of Star Trek ...
forename, Nyota. The remaining contents are not
canon
Canon or Canons may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Canon (fiction), the conceptual material accepted as official in a fictional universe by its fan base
* Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture
** Western ca ...
.
* ''Distress Call'' (
gamebook
A gamebook is a work of printed fiction that allows the reader to participate in the story by making choices. The narrative branches along various paths, typically through the use of numbered paragraphs or pages. Each narrative typically does not ...
)
* ''Star Trek II: Short Stories'' (anthology)
''The Search for Spock'' (1984)
* ''Star Trek III: Short Stories'' (anthology)
* ''The Vulcan Treasure'' (gamebook)
References
Further reading
*
*
External links
*
*
William Rotslerat Demian's Gamebook Web Page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rotsler, William
1926 births
1997 deaths
20th-century American novelists
American male novelists
American science fiction writers
Science fiction fans
Hugo Award-winning artists
20th-century American male writers