--- name: "Michael Crichton" canonical: "https://film.one/person/michael-crichton" fi1m_id: "michael-crichton" imdb_id: "nm0000341" tmdb_id: 4782 wikidata_id: "Q172140" roles: ["Writer","Producer"] born: "23 October 1942" died: "4 November 2008" reviewed_on_fi1m: 12 average_fi1m_score: 65 average_as: "writer" average_over: 12 updated: "2026-10-05T00:07:58.683694+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Michael Crichton ## Identity Michael Crichton - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/michael-crichton - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** michael-crichton - **IMDb ID:** nm0000341 - **TMDB ID:** 4782 - **Wikidata ID:** Q172140 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Crichton, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q172140, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000341/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/4782 Writer and producer. Born 23 October 1942 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Died 4 November 2008. ## Details - **Work:** Writer, Producer - **Born:** 23 October 1942, Chicago, Illinois, USA - **Died:** 4 November 2008 - **Active:** 1993–2025 - **Also known as:** John Lange, John Michael Crichton  - **Frequently works with:** [Kathleen Kennedy](https://film.one/person/kathleen-kennedy.md) - **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar (1 won) - **Average Fi1m score:** 65, as writer, over 12 titles - **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 73 (5), 2000s 58 (1), 2010s 64 (3), 2020s 56 (3) - **Fi1m against the critics:** 65 to 63 across 12 titles - **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 6 at 60–79, 4 under 60 - **Genres:** Adventure 8, Science Fiction 7, Thriller 6, Action 5, Drama 3, Crime 1 - **Screen time:** 21 hours of reviewed films - **Box office:** $7,982m across 10 films with figures - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Crichton, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q172140, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000341/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/4782 ## Streaming the US now - **AMC+:** [*Jurassic Park*](https://film.one/film/jurassic-park.md) (91) - **Disney+:** [*ER*](https://film.one/tv/er.md) (88) - **The Roku Channel:** [*Twister*](https://film.one/film/twister.md) (64) - **Tubi:** [*Disclosure*](https://film.one/film/disclosure-1994.md) (56) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Michael Crichton > Michael Crichton makes complicated work gripping by showing how quickly people can lose control of it. We rate his storytelling highly, though he sometimes gives his characters too little to do beyond keeping the plot moving. In *ER* (1994), the staff have to make decisions before they are ready, and their own troubles cannot be allowed to stop the work. Michael Crichton gets suspense out of the difficulty of paying attention when several things need doing at once. We were gripped because even capable staff could struggle to give each problem the attention it needed. That leaves room for sympathy when their judgement is imperfect. The scientific thrillers established his method. His novel *The Andromeda Strain* (1969) made researched science the basis of a fast-moving plot; writing and directing *Westworld* (1973) took his concern with technology escaping control onto the screen. Then the novel *Jurassic Park* (1990) became the basis of Steven Spielberg’s *Jurassic Park* (1993). His recurring subject is the confidence of people who think they have understood enough to take charge. In that film, the confidence is especially persuasive because Richard Attenborough makes Hammond’s enthusiasm so appealing. The screenplay, co-written by Crichton and David Koepp, gives Spielberg room for wonder as well as suspense, and we recommend the result with little hesitation. It also exposes a persistent weakness in Crichton’s storytelling: the characters can be organised too neatly around what the plot needs. Sam Neill’s Grant and Laura Dern’s Ellie provide steadiness, while Jeff Goldblum’s Malcolm punctures the certainty around him. They are good company, but the writing too often settles for their most obvious response. *ER*, developed with Spielberg from an earlier screenplay, gives the people more room. John Wells served as showrunner and producer on a series that draws much of its strength from an ensemble whose fallibility matters to the drama. Its pace follows from the demands of the job, rather than an arbitrary need to keep everyone running. The crowding can wear us down, though: sometimes we want to stay with one person while the programme is already attending to another. Start with *Jurassic Park* if the evening calls for wonder and scares. Choose *ER* when there is time to get to know an ensemble and tolerate the occasional wish that fewer of them needed attention at once. Crichton’s hospital is not likely to clear its schedule for a quiet conversation. ## Biography Michael Crichton was an American writer. He wrote the novel *Jurassic Park* (1990) and co-wrote the screenplay for the 1993 film adaptation with David Koepp. Born in Chicago, he studied at Harvard University and Harvard Medical School, qualifying as a doctor in 1969 but choosing to write instead. He published early novels under the pseudonym John Lange. His other works include *The Andromeda Strain* (1969) and *The Lost World* (1995). He also wrote and directed the film *Westworld* (1973) and created the television series *ER*. *Sources: michaelcrichton.com, britannica.com.* ## On Fi1m (12) - *Jurassic World Rebirth* (2025), Fi1m 63, Characters — [page](https://film.one/film/jurassic-world-rebirth.md) - *Twisters* (2024), Fi1m 64, Characters — [page](https://film.one/film/twisters.md) - *Jurassic World Dominion* (2022), Fi1m 42, Characters — [page](https://film.one/film/jurassic-world-dominion.md) - *Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom* (2018), Fi1m 58, Characters — [page](https://film.one/film/jurassic-world-fallen-kingdom.md) - *Westworld* (2016), Fi1m 74, Story, Original Film Writer — [page](https://film.one/tv/westworld-2016.md) - *Jurassic World* (2015), Fi1m 60, Characters — [page](https://film.one/film/jurassic-world.md) - *Jurassic Park III* (2001), Fi1m 58, Characters — [page](https://film.one/film/jurassic-park-iii.md) - *The Lost World: Jurassic Park* (1997), Fi1m 64, Novel — [page](https://film.one/film/the-lost-world-jurassic-park.md) - *Twister* (1996), Fi1m 64, Screenplay, Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/twister.md) - *Disclosure* (1994), Fi1m 56, Novel, Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/disclosure-1994.md) - *ER* (1994), Fi1m 88, Creator, Writer — [page](https://film.one/tv/er.md) - *Jurassic Park* (1993), Fi1m 91, Screenplay, Novel — [page](https://film.one/film/jurassic-park.md) ## Complete filmography (40) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *Jurassic World Rebirth* (2025), Characters — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/film/jurassic-world-rebirth.md) - *Twisters* (2024), Characters — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/film/twisters.md) - *Jurassic World: Chaos Theory* (2024), series, Novel - *Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous: Hidden Adventure* (2022), Novel - *Jurassic World Dominion* (2022), Characters — Fi1m 42, [page](https://film.one/film/jurassic-world-dominion.md) - *Battle at Big Rock* (2019), Novel - *Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom* (2018), Characters — Fi1m 58, [page](https://film.one/film/jurassic-world-fallen-kingdom.md) - *Westworld* (2016), series, Story, Original Film Writer — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/tv/westworld-2016.md) - *Jurassic World* (2015), Characters — Fi1m 60, [page](https://film.one/film/jurassic-world.md) - *The Andromeda Strain* (2008), series, Novel - *Timeline* (2003), Novel - *Jurassic Park III* (2001), Characters — Fi1m 58, [page](https://film.one/film/jurassic-park-iii.md) - *The 13th Warrior* (1999), Novel, Producer - *Sphere* (1998), Producer, Novel - *The Lost World: Jurassic Park* (1997), Novel — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/film/the-lost-world-jurassic-park.md) - *Twister* (1996), Screenplay, Producer — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/film/twister.md) - *Congo* (1995), Novel - *Disclosure* (1994), Producer, Novel — Fi1m 56, [page](https://film.one/film/disclosure-1994.md) - *ER* (1994), series, Writer, Executive Producer, Creator — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/er.md) - *ER: 24 Hours* (1994), Writer, Creator, Executive Producer - *Rising Sun* (1993), Screenplay, Novel - *Jurassic Park* (1993), Novel, Screenplay — Fi1m 91, [page](https://film.one/film/jurassic-park.md) - *Physical Evidence* (1989), Director - *Runaway* (1984), Director, Screenplay - *Looker* (1981), Director, Writer - *Beyond Westworld* (1980), series, Creator - *The First Great Train Robbery* (1978), Screenplay, Director, Novel - *Coma* (1978), Director, Screenplay - *The Terminal Man* (1974), Novel - *Westworld* (1973), Director, Writer - *Extreme Close-Up* (1973), Writer - *Pursuit* (1972), Director, Novel - *The Carey Treatment* (1972), Novel - *Dealing: Or the Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues* (1972), Novel - *The Andromeda Strain* (1971), as Bearded Surgeon (uncredited) · Novel - *Eruption*, Novel - *Westworld*, Original Film Writer - *Untitled Jurassic World Rebirth Sequel*, Characters - *Information Processing*, Consulting Producer - *Micro*, Novel ## Gallery - ![Portada de la primera edición de la novela Disclosure de Michael Crichton (1994)](https://film.one/media/person/82307/gallery-6d9e2f782b32.jpg) Portada de la primera edición de la novela Disclosure de Michael Crichton (1994) — Chip Kidd, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/05/Disclosure_%28Michael_Crichton%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Kühlungsborn FILMTHEATER AM CAMPINGPLATZ (1996) (2017)](https://film.one/media/person/82307/gallery-d2fa57973270.jpg) Kühlungsborn FILMTHEATER AM CAMPINGPLATZ (1996) (2017) — Jörg Ostheimer, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d7/K%C3%BChlungsborn_FILMTHEATER_AM_CAMPINGPLATZ_%281996%29_%2852064160284%29.jpg/1280px-K%C3%BChlungsborn_FILMTHEATER_AM_CAMPINGPLATZ_%281996%29_%2852064160284%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![American author and speaker Michael Crichton speaking at Harvard. (2002)](https://film.one/media/person/82307/gallery-b9af6b6fc2d8.jpg) American author and speaker Michael Crichton speaking at Harvard. (2002) — Jon Chase photo/Harvard News Office, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ef/MichaelCrichton.jpg/1280px-MichaelCrichton.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Michael Crichton](https://film.one/media/person/82307/gallery-f173ff314486.jpg) Michael Crichton — Jon Chase photo/Harvard News Office, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/af/MichaelCrichton_2.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Michael Crichton](https://film.one/media/person/82307/gallery-e4357fdadc61.jpg) Michael Crichton — Image via TMDB - ![Michael Crichton](https://film.one/media/person/82307/gallery-db7266b8c113.jpg) Michael Crichton — Image via TMDB - ![Michael Crichton](https://film.one/media/person/82307/gallery-3d020308bc64.jpg) Michael Crichton — Image via TMDB ## Awards ### Academy Awards — 1 won - 1995: Technical Achievement (won) ### Other awards — 3 won, 1 nominated - Lucien Barrière Literary Award 1996: Lucien Barrière Literary Award (won) - Hugo Awards 1994: Best Dramatic Presentation (won), for *Jurassic Park* - Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel 1991: Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel (nominated), for *Jurassic Park* - Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Novel 1969: Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Novel (won), for *A Case of Need* *From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.* --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/michael-crichton