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Gary K. Wolf

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American author (born 1941) Not to be confused with the science fiction critic Gary K. Wolfe. For other people named Gary Wolf, see Gary Wolf (disambiguation).
Gary K. Wolf
Born (1941-01-24) January 24, 1941 (age 83)
Earlville, Illinois, U.S.
OccupationAuthor
Alma materUniversity of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign
Years active1975–present
Notable worksThe Roger Rabbit series
Spouse Bonnie Wolf ​(m. 1969)​

Gary K. Wolf (born January 24, 1941) is an American author. He is best known as the author of Who Censored Roger Rabbit? (1981), which was adapted into the hit feature-length film Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988).

Early life and career

Wolf was born on January 24, 1941. He grew up in Earlville, Illinois, the son of Ed and Hattie Wolf. His father owned the town's pool hall and later had an upholstering business, while his mother worked in the school cafeteria. As an only child, Wolf would occupy himself by reading comic books and science fiction stories. Wolf graduated from Earlville High School in June 1959. He later attended the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, where he earned a Bachelor's degree in Advertising and a Master's degree in Communications. He served as an Air Force Captain with the 5th Air Commando Squadron in the Vietnam War, where he won a Bronze Star and two Air Medals.

Wolf and childhood friend John J. Myers, former Catholic Archbishop of Newark, New Jersey, co-wrote a novel named Space Vulture, released by TOR books during 2008. Wolf and co-author Jehane Baptiste have a story named "The UnHardy Boys in Outer Space" in the annual anthology of humorous science fiction, Amityville House of Pancakes Vol 3 (ISBN 1-894-95335-5).

Wolf owns an extensive collection of carousel horses. Because of this, Wolf was featured on the cover of the September 4, 1976 issue of Peninsula Living Magazine; the magazine issue itself also showcased his collection.

Wolf resides with his wife of 50 years, Bonnie, and their cat, in Boston, Massachusetts.

Roger Rabbit

Gary K. Wolf is best known for creating the comedic mystery series centered on Roger Rabbit, a cartoon character in an alternate universe where “toons” and humans coexist. The series began with Who Censored Roger Rabbit? (1981), which inspired the hit film Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988). In the original novel, Eddie Valiant, a hard-boiled detective, is hired by Roger Rabbit, a comic strip star, to investigate broken promises from his employers. The case spirals into a murder mystery exposing deception, a magical genie, and Roger’s true nature.

The series continued with Who P-P-P-Plugged Roger Rabbit? (1991), retconning the original as Jessica Rabbit’s dream and aligning with the Disney film. Eddie investigates new murders and Roger's scheming cousin, Dodger Rabbit, in a noir-inspired tale blending toons and human intrigue. In The Road to Toontown (2012), Wolf collected short stories, including a new Jessica Rabbit narrative that delves deeper into the Roger Rabbit universe. The series returned with Who Wacked Roger Rabbit? (2013), where Eddie Valiant protects actor Gary Cooper during a Toontown film shoot, uncovering threats and sinister underworld schemes. In Jessica Rabbit: XERIOUS Business (2022), Jessica Rabbit is reimagined as Jessica Krupnick, a human turned secret agent for the XERIOUS Organization, showcasing her intelligence and evolution beyond her femme fatale origins.

In 2001, Wolf sued The Walt Disney Company for unpaid royalties. After appeals and hearings, Wolf prevailed in 2005, receiving $180,000–$400,000. Wolf proposed a prequel to Who Framed Roger Rabbit in 2013, reimagining Disney’s The Stooge with Roger and Mickey Mouse, exploring Roger’s backstory and his relationship with Jessica Rabbit. Following Roger Rabbit’s cameo in Disney+’s 2022 Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers film, reports emerged that character rights were reverting to Wolf.

Selected bibliography

References

  1. "Internet Speculative Fiction Database on Gary K. Wolf". Internet Speculative Fiction Database. Retrieved 2013-06-26.
  2. Kahn, Joseph P. (February 28, 2007). "Intergalactic Allies: 'Roger Rabbit' creator Gary K. Wolf and Archbishop John J. Myers travel back in time and conquer the universe". Boston Globe. Retrieved 22 January 2009.
  3. "'Roger Rabbit' creator on display in hometown of Earlville | Local | mywebtimes.com". Archived from the original on 2017-06-20. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  4. Wolf, Gary K. (10 July 2016). The Late Great Show!. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN 978-1535221313.
  5. "Gary K. Wolf: Roger Rabbit Creator and Archbishop of Newark Team up to Write Science Fiction Novel". Science Fiction Writers of America. 13 March 2007. Archived from the original on 1 July 2007. Retrieved 2009-01-22.
  6. "Amityville House of Pancakes 3". Creative Guy Publishing. Archived from the original on 2009-03-21. Retrieved 2009-01-22.
  7. "Gary K. Wolf". Facebook. Archived from the original on 2022-02-26.
  8. "The Road To Toontown".
  9. Jesse Hiestand (March 22, 2005). "Roger Rabbit Animated In Court". AllBusiness.com. Archived from the original on January 8, 2009. Retrieved November 4, 2008.
  10. "Disney To Pay Wolf 'Rabbit' Royalties". Billboard. July 5, 2005. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
  11. "Mickey Mouse & Roger Rabbit in The Stooge". Dvdizzy. 13 March 2013. Archived from the original on July 28, 2014. Retrieved August 24, 2014.
  12. "Roger Rabbit Trends Following Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers Trailer Appearance". MovieWeb. 15 February 2022. Retrieved August 10, 2024.
  13. "Roger Rabbit Returns In "Who Wacked Roger Rabbit?"". Cartoon Brew. September 27, 2013.

Further reading

  • "Wolf, Gary K. 1941—". Contemporary Authors. Vol. 160. Gale Group. 1998. pp. 440–442.

External links

Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Characters
Films
Theme parks
Video games
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