Course Catalog > Lectures & Walking Tours

The Writer as Entrepreneur: Creating Roger Rabbit

Who Framed Roger Rabbit? hit movie theaters in 1988. This story of a rabbit in love, trying to uncover the truth, is now widely regarded as a 'cult classic'. The film won four Academy Awards and the Hugo Award and grossed one billion dollars. But it wasn't an easy ride to get there. On this evening, Brookline resident Gary K. Wolf will talk about the difficulty he experienced in trying to publish the book that the movie is loosely based upon, Who Censored Roger Rabbit? Since its debut in 1981, it has gone through 26 printings. Come hear about how film and book collided when Mr. Wolf envisioned Toontown, a place where cartoon characters co-exist with real people. He'll explain how he created Roger Rabbit, Roger's a-va-va-voom-mate Jessica Rabbit, Baby Herman, hard-boiled private eye Eddie Valiant, and the other denizens of Toontown. It is more important than ever for the writer to become an entrepreneur, in order to survive. Hear practical insights about these industries, and the complicated and frequently humorous process of turning a fantasy novel into a multiple-Academy-Award-winning film. Gary Wolf will tell tales, he'll name names, and he'll leave you thoroughly informed and amused.

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