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From: Ed.Seiler@gsfc.nasa.gov (Ed Seiler)
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Subject: Isaac Asimov FAQ, Part 3/3
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Date: Mon, 13 Feb 1995 02:01:08 -0500
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Summary: This document answers frequently asked questions about Isaac Asimov and his work.
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Last-modified: 11 February 1995


6. More Than Books...

6.1 What records, audio tapes, videotapes, and software are available?

RECORDS AND AUDIO TAPES:

  _Issac_[sic]_Asimov_, Minnesota Public Radio, St. Paul, Minn., 1972, 2
cassettes (120 mins.).
  Recorded Oct. 15, 1972, at the New England Conservatory of Music in
Boston.  Asimov talks about his belief that the goals of the women's
movement will be achieved not through persistent attacks on
discrimination, but by social necessity demanding the rationing of
motherhood in the face of massive overpopulation.

  _Isaac_Asimov_talks:_an_interview_,  Writer's Voice, Cincinnati, 1974, 1
cassette.
   Asimov discusses writing and his career as an author with Lois Rosenthal.

  Isaac_Asimov_Himself_, read by Isaac Asimov, Audio Partners Publishing,
Auburn Ca., 1975, 2 cassettes (180 mins.).
  Unabridged readings of "The Immortal Bard", "The Last Question",
"Someday", "The Jokester", and "The Ugly Little Boy", plus anecdotes and
comments.

  _Foundation:_the_psychohistorians_, read by William Shatner, Caedmon,
New York, 1976, 33 1/3 rpm., stereo, 12 in., 1 disc (59 mins.).

  _Foundation:_the_psychohistorians_, read by William Shatner,
HarperAudio, 1 cassette.

  _Nightfall_, read by various performers, Conde Nast, 1976, 33 1/3 rpm.,
12 in., 1 disc.

  _Inside_Star_Trek_, Columbia, New York, 1976, 33 1/3 rpm, stereo, 12
in., 1 disc.
  Includes the track "Asimov's world of science fiction".

  _The_Mayors_, read by Isaac Asimov, Caedmon, New York, 1977, 33 1/3
rpm., stereo, 12 in., 1 disc (71 mins.).

  _The_Mayors_, read by Isaac Asimov, HarperAudio, 1 cassette.

  _The_Mule_, read by Isaac Asimov, Caedmon, New York, 1981, 33 1/3 rpm.,
stereo, 12 in., 1 disc (59 mins.).

  _Foundation_and_Empire:_Mule_, read by Isaac Asimov, HarperAudio, 1 cassette.

  _Foundation's_Edge_, read by Isaac Asimov, Caedmon, New York, 1982, 33
1/3 rpm., stereo, 12 in., 1 disc (62 mins.).

  _Foundation's_Edge_, read by Isaac Asimov, HarperAudio, 1 cassette.

  _The_Robots_of_Dawn_, read by Isaac Asimov, Caedmon, New York, 1983, 33
1/3 rpm., stereo, 12 in., 1 disc (51 mins.).

  _Asimov_-_Science_Fiction_, read by Isaac Asimov, Listening Library,
1985, 2 cassettes (117 mins.)
  Unabridged readings of "I Just Make Them Up, See?", "Someday", "The
Feeling of Power", "Satisfaction Guaranteed", and "Living Space".

  _Stories_from_The_Complete_Robot_, read by Lloyd Battista with an
introduction by Asimov, Warner Audio Pub., New York, 1985, 2 cassettes
(120 mins.), Dolby processed.
  Unabridged readings of "Mirror image", "Segregationist", and "Evidence".

  _Isaac_Asimov's_Science_Fiction_Magazine_, read by Peter Marinker and Ed
Bishop, Listen For Pleasure, Ontario Canada, 1986, 2 cassettes (120
mins.), Dolby processed.
  Unabridged readings of "Strikebreaker" and "It's Such a Beautiful Day",
plus Frederik Pohl's "Soaking Up the Rays".

  _Foundation_, read by Isaac Asimov, Bantam Audio, New York, 1988, 2
cassettes (180 mins.), Dolby processed.
  Abridged reading of _Foundation_.

  _Best_of_Science_Fiction_and_Fantasy_, Dove Audio, 1991, 4 cassettes
(360 mins.).
  Unabridged reading of "Someday" plus 10 short stories by other authors.

  _Asimov's Mysteries_, read by Dan Lazar, Books on Tape, 8 cassettes (480
mins.).
  Unabridged reading.

  _The_Best_of_Isaac_Asimov_, read by Dan Lazar, Books on Tape, 8
cassettes (720 mins.).
  Unabridged reading.

  In_Memory_Yet_Green_, read by Dan Lazar, Books on Tape, 20 cassettes
(1800 mins.).
  Unabridged reading.

  _The_Complete_Robot_, read by Larry McKeever, Books on Tape, 17
cassettes (1530 mins.).
  Unabridged reading.

  _Foundation_, read by Larry McKeever, Books on Tape, 6 cassettes (360 mins.).
  Unabridged reading.

  _Foundation_and_Empire_, read by Dan Lazar, Books on Tape, 8 cassettes
(480 mins.).
  Unabridged reading.

  _Second_Foundation_, read by Dan Lazar, Books on Tape, 8 cassettes (480
mins.).
  Unabridged reading.

  _Foundation's_Edge_, read by Larry McKeever, Books on Tape, 9 cassettes
(810 mins.).
  Unabridged reading.

  _The_Complete_Robot_, Random Audiobooks, 2 cassettes, 1988.

  _The_Isaac_Asimov_Cassette_Library_, Random Audiobooks, 6 cassettes.

  _Science_Fiction_Favorites_of_Isaac_Asimov_, read by Isaac Asimov,
Listening Library, 1975, 6 cassettes (288 mins.).
  Unabridged reading of more than 10 stories.

  _Murder_at_the_ABA_, read by Daniel Grace, Books on Tape, 8 cassettes
(480 mins.).
  Unabridged reading.

  _Prelude_to_Foundation_, read by David Dukes, Bantam Audio Publishing,
1989, 2 cassettes (180 mins.).

  _The_Robots_of_Dawn_, read by Isaac Asimov, HarperAudio, 1 cassette.
  Abridged reading.

  _Norby_the_Mixed-Up_Robot_, read by Mark Hamill, HarperAudio, 1 cassette
(45 mins).


VIDEOTAPES:

  _Analog_Presents:_Isaac_Asimov_Visions_of_the_Future_, Quality Video,
Minneapolis, Minn., 1992 (45 mins.).
  Asimov's last major interview, in which he talks about robots and
robotics, genetic engineering, nanotechnology, deep space travel,
terraforming planets, artificial intelligence, and the origins of the
universe.

  _Voyage_to_the_Outer_Planets_and_Beyond_, Today Home Entertainment, 1987
(54 mins.).
  A simulated video voyage through the Solar System, combining NASA and
JPL images from the Voyager space probe with a digitized recording of
Holst's "The Planets", with Isaac Asimov as host and narrator.  Includes a
full color NASA brochure about the planets, and a space almanac listing
solar and lunar eclipses, occultations, and periodic comets.

  _Isaac_Asimov's_Robots_VCR_Mystery_Game, Eastman Kodak Company, 1988 (40
mins.).
  A game based on the worlds of _The_Caves_of_Steel_ and _The_Naked_Sun_,
the players watch the tape and uncover each of the six photo clue cards at
selected points in the story.  At the end of the tape, each player makes
an accusation based on the clues provided.  Each clue card has two sides
with different clues on each side, providing 32 possible outcomes to the
game.  Clue cards are provided for four levels of difficulty; suggested
for 1 to 12 players, ages 10 and up.

 COMPUTER SOFTWARE

  _The_Complete_Stories_Volume_1, a Voyager Expanded Book, The Voyager
Company, Santa Monica, Ca., 1992, one 1.4 MB high density floppy. 
Available for Macintosh, requires at least system 6.0.7 and hard drive
with 2.2 MB available.
  The entire text of the book, including features allowing the reader to
search for every occurrence of any word, add margin comments and end
notes, highlight text, mark pages and leave bookmarks.

  _Isaac_Asimov's_The_Ultimate_Robot, Byron Preiss Multimedia, Microsoft
Home, CD-ROM.  Available for Macintosh, requires Mac II or better, 13 in.
color monitor, System 7.0 or later, 5 MB memory, CD-ROM drive.
  Contains the text of all of Asimov's major stories and essays about
robots; illustrations of Asimov's robots by Ralph McQuarrie (production
designer of Star Wars); an interactive robot toolkit for building animated
robots; photos of many Asimov book covers; a collection of photos of
Asimov in various settings; Quicktime movies of Asimov interviews and some
of his television appearances, Quicktime clips from several motion
pictures featuring robots, including _Star_Wars_, _2001:_A_Space_Odyssey_,
and _Forbidden_Planet_; videos of real robots used in space, undersea,
offices, and labs; an animated handbook on robot movement; and a timeline
of robotic history.

  _Isaac_Asimov_Science_Adventure_II_, Knowledge Adventure.  Available for
DOS computers.
  A virtual science museum with over 150 rooms, with over 1000
illustrated, interactive, and interlinked articles by Isaac Asimov,
adapted from _Isaac_Asimov's_Chronology_of_Science_and_Discovery_.

_Isaac Asimov's Kayleth_, (only released in the U.K.).  Available for the
Commodore 64.
  A graphic adventure with a robot storyline which is not in the least
integrated into the universe of the novels.

_The Robots of Dawn_, Epyx.  Available for the Commodore 64.
  A text adventure released in 1986 which is well integrated into the
world of the novels.

BOARD GAMES

_Isaac Asimov Presents Stellar Traders_, Steve Jackson games.
  A game of stellar cargo transportation with little relation to Asimov.

_Isaac Asimov Presents Superquiz_.
  A trivia game based on Ken Fisher's Superquiz books.

------------------------------

6.2  Have any of Asimov's books or stories been made into a movie or
television series?

Nightfall:

  A movie named _Nightfall_ was made after a group in Hollywood bought the
rights from Doubleday in the late 1980's.  The movie plot had practically
no relation to the story, and by all accounts is truly and thoroughly
awful. Asimov was never consulted in the making of it, and completely
disowned any responsibility for it.

  _Nightfall_ was released in 1988, starring David Birney and Sarah
Douglas; directed by Paul Mayersberg; running time 83 minutes.  If you
should happen to have a chance to view it, run, don't walk, the other way.

Light Years:

  An animated science fiction film from France, for which Asimov took the
original, poorly done translation to English, and reworked the translation
into good English.  He did not have any part in writing the script or
story, concerning a warrior that begins an adventure into the future in a
search to discover the unseen evil force that is destroying his world.

  _Light Years_ was released in 1988; directed by Harvey Weinstein,
produced by Rene Laloux, running time 79 minutes.


Fantastic Voyage:

  Rather than an Asimov story made into a movie, FV is a movie for which
Asimov wrote a novelization of the screenplay.  Initially he considered
such a project as beneath his dignity, but then warmed to the idea once he
realized that he could include a lot of anatomy and physiology.  In his
book he tried to correct some of the most glaring flaws in the screenplay,
but nevertheless felt uncomfortable about the whole idea of
miniaturization.  (His dissatisfaction eventually led him to write
_Fantastic Voyage II_).  Asimov wrote so much faster than the movie was
produced that the book came out half a year before the movie was released,
giving the mistaken impression that the movie was based on the book.  He
is not listed in the credits of the movie because he had no part in its
production.

  _Fantastic Voyage_ was released in 1966, starring Raquel Welch, Edmond
O'Brien, and Donald Pleasance; directed by Richard Fleischer; running time
100 minutes.


I, Robot:

  In August 1967, John Mantley, the producer of the television show
"Gunsmoke" expressed interest in Asimov's robot stories, and paid for
option rights.  The option was renewed every year for the next twelve
years until finally the rights to produce a movie were bought.  After
Asimov refused to do the screen adaptation, Harlan Ellison was hired, and
though he wrote a screenplay in that Asimov was greatly pleased with, the
movie was never made.  Ellison tells the story of his battle with
Hollywood in the introduction to _I, Robot: The Illustrated Screenplay_,
published in December 1994.


Foundation:

  The rights to a _Foundation_ movie were purchased in 1994, but as the
_I, Robot_ experience illustrates, it remains to be seen if a film will
ever be produced and released.


Evidence:

  In September of 1946, Asimov sold the movie, radio, and television
rights to the short story "Evidence" for $250. Welles never made a movie
from the story.


Star Trek - The Motion Picture:

  At the request of Gene Roddenberry, Asimov provided advice for this
picture, and was listed at the very end of the credits as the Science
Adviser.


Salvage 1:

  A science fiction television series starring Andy Griffith which aired
on ABC in 1979, for which Asimov served as a science adviser.  Griffith
played Harry Broderick, a scarp and salvage man who undertook such
adventures as building a rocket that took him to the moon to collect
abandoned space hardware, moving an iceberg from the North Pole to provide
water for a drought-stricken island, and pumping oil from dried-out wells.


Probe:

  Asimov was credited as adviser and co-creator of this television series,
which lasted for a 2-hour pilot and six 1-hour episodes on ABC in 1988
before a writer's strike came along and ended the series.  It starred
Parker Stevenson as brilliant young scientist Austin James, who owned his
own high-tech think tank consulting firm, and used his scientific
expertise to solve baffling crimes as a sort of modern day Sherlock
Holmes.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

7. Coming attractions...

Here are just some of the questions planned to be answered in a future
version of the FAQ:

  Can the three laws work in "the real world"?