LARSON, Glen A.

(1937-)

   US TELEVISION producer, perhaps best known as producer of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (from 1978). However, GL had been long involved with tv previously, being responsible for Quincy, McCloud, BJ and the Bear and other non-sf programmes before he turned to sf. All the sf tv series that GAL has produced have been simplistic, grossly formulaic, and generallycontemptuous of science; in interviews he has adopted a cavalier attitude about the various SCIENTIFIC ERRORS pointed out to him. However, he remained loyal to sf/fantasy programming on tv for a number of years. Subsequent series of this kind for which he received the "Created by"credit include: the Battlestar Galactica sequel-series GALACTICA 1980 (1980); BUCK ROGERS IN THE 25TH CENTURY (1979-81); his most successfulseries, Knight Rider, 4 seasons, 83 episodes 1982-6, starring David Hasselhoff as Michael Knight, the former police officer almost killed inan accident who is given a new identity and groovy futuristic car controlled by a COMPUTER called KITT (Knight Industries Two Thousand), to help him catch bad people as a kind of licensed vigilante; Manimal, 8 episodes 1983, about a shapeshifting crimefighter, Jonathan Case (Simon MacCorkindale), who catches bad people by adopting the guise of panther,eagle, etc.; Automan, 11 episodes 1983-4, starring Desi Arnaz Jr as the computer expert who creates Automan (Chuck Wagner), the world's first living holographic image, to catch bad people; and The Highwayman, 10 episodes 1987-8, another road-movie series in which future law enforcers, Highwaymen, use futuristic vehicles to catch bad people, starring SamJones.GL was given cover credit for writing, always in collaboration, the Battlestar Galactica series of tied novels, including Battlestar Galactica * (1978) with Robert THURSTON, Battlestar Galactica \#2: The Cylon Death Machine * (1979) with Thurston, \#3: The Tombs of Kobol * (1979) with Thurston, \#4: The Young Warriors * (1980) with Thurston, \#5: Galactica Discovers Earth * (1980) with Michael RESNICK, \#6: The Living Legend * (1982) with Nicholas Yermakov, \#7: War of the Gods * (1982) with Yermakov, \#8: Greetings from Earth * (1983) with Ron GOULART, \#9: Experiment in Terra * (1984) with Goulart, \#10: The Long Patrol * (1984) with Goulart, \#11: The Nightmare Machine * (1985) with Thurston, \#12: "Die, Chameleon!" * (1986) with Thurston, \#13: Apollo's War * (1987) with Thurston and \#14: Surrender the Galactica! * (1987) with Thurston. With Roger Hill, GL wrote a series of Knight Rider ties: Knight Rider * (1983), \#2: Trust Doesn't Rust * (1984), \#3: Hearts of Stone * (1984),\#4: The 24-Carat Assassin *(1984 UK).and\#5: Mirror Image * (1985 UK)

   PN/JC

   Other works: The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew Meet Dracula * (1978) with Michael Sloan.