Thread: christopher tolkien
Still he would be welcome here, but I'd suggest he use a nickname; though we probably wouldn't even believe he was him, if he didn't.
'CT doesn't do e-mail. He's 83 years old, and of another generation. He typed all of his published books on a manual typewriter!' William Cloud Hicklin
He does answer some questions by fans and scholars submitted to the Estate. And as there is now an official Tolkien Estate website (temporary version at the moment) I would guess he is part of it in some measure, with respect to its existing and its general content maybe, if not in the technical side of things.
Adam Tolkien too, I would also guess.
Perhaps Adam is the one who watches the site and tells his grandfather. Who knows.
I am quite sure many write in care of the estate to tell him of their admiration. He would like real letters I am thinking.
I guess the Estate or HarperCollins might have people looking out over the interweb for copyright concerns, and only cases of 'importance' (on some level) might reach the ears of Christopher or even Adam Tolkien in any real detail.
Or maybe I'm off about this
Not that the issue here was copyright anyway (I don't know), but if not I'm wondering why the hound was scratching at these doors.
who is adam?
(or something like that)
And Christopher and Faith Faulconbridge had one son, Simon.
Royd Tolkien, the great grandson of J.R.R. Tolkien, asked Mark Ordesky if he could have a quick look at the LOTR project. To Royd's surprise, Peter Jackson not only welcomed him with open arms, he offered him a part in ROTK. "As Faramir goes down to the shore to prepare Osgiliath's defences, you see a scene of me handing out spears to the troops." The cast and crew were also happy to meet him. Christopher Lee, experienced in meeting Tolkiens, took him out to dinner. Before leaving New Zealand, Royd was told he could return and visit any of Peter's future projects as well.
And what does it mean by Christopher Lee being "experienced in meeting Tolkiens"? Which other Tolkiens has he met?
I knew that he was a big fan of the books and that he reads them at least once a year and everything, but to actually have met the Prof himself! He's great for Saruman..
I remember when his face loomed on the screen, only for seconds really, the first time I saw him I thought, what a noble face, and I wondered who he was.
The other Gondorion standing beside Royd is Justin Nichols, his own business partner.
And I don't know what Christopher Tolkien thought of the words that Royd wrote in 2006 where he states that he had always enjoyed Peter Jackson's films but that since meeting him and so on he had come to trust and respect Peter. He was enormously worried about the problem between Jackson and New line and said that had not Peter Jackson and co. treated his grandfather with such enormous respect he would not have felt compelled to write on his behalf.
He also said he was only four when his grandfather died so he was in as much awe of the man as any body else.
And just how old is he now. I don't want him to leave us, no never.
I watched some interviews on utube of Priscilla, Tolkien's only daughter, a very scholarly sounding person, and Christopher and I realize that now he is really living on 'borrowed' time as it were, for he is well advanced in years. And that made me feel very very sad. I dread the day we must say good bye to him and all the work he has done to bring his father's dreams to reality.
I wish someone would do a documentary on him and get his thoughts on screen from now, today. See what he is up to , what he feels about the Hobbit and all that. One last time.
I hear so many mixed things about Chris Tolkien...
Personally I think he's awesome and am substantially more than grateful for what he's contributed to his father's work. However I do think the Tolkien estate is a little too stingy when it comes to usage, though I don't attribute that to him so much as the lawyers he hired who only want money and look for any little thing they can. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if he has little to do with the actual getting upset over Tolkien usage. Could be wrong, but it just doesn't add up...
I do agree with you Leelee that a documentary about him would be a great idea. Maybe I can talk one of my film major friends into doing it...
oh, WOULD YOU?!
Hi, this is my first post on Planet Tolkien, so I hope you'll forgive any bloopers.
I've been interested in 'Tolkien and all that' for many years now. One area of interest to me is Tolkien's biography; and I've built up a reasonable amount of knowledge in this area. It's always good to read of others' interest in Tolkien's life too, and that includes JRR's family. It's heartening to read of folks' regard for Christopher's state of health. I have friends who keep in touch with Christopher. As far as I know, he's keeping well - he's just passed his 86th birthday last month. I hope he's not on 'borrowed time :-) .
Christopher did take part in a documentary, back in 1992. I suppose it was part of the great publicity drive to commemorate the year of Tolkien's centenary. It was produced as a VHS tape by a firm called Landseer Films, though I haven't heard of its being available on disc. It's called JRRT : A Film Portrait of JRR Tolkien. Christopher, and Baillie, were filmed at their home in France. Priscilla appears in the film, too. Both she and Christopher had many fascinating things to say about their father.
I've been lucky enough to met Priscilla several times over the years; and one or two other members of the family (including Royd) at the Tolkien Society's annual 'bash' called Oxonmoot. Priscilla is our Vice-President, and she, and all the other family members I've met, are warm and kind; and unfailingly generous with their time, in talking with us fans about JRR. A lovely family, and a credit to the Professor. I haven't had the honour of meeting Christopher, but along with the other delegates of the Centenary Conference held at Keble College in '92, heard Christopher reading 'The New Shadow' at the Sheldonian Theatre.
I think it's sad when I hear folk speaking disparagingly of Christopher and the Tolkien Estate.I think a lot of this feeling comes from a lack of knowledge as to what an Estate is. I shan't go into the issues raised here, but if I may I'd like to say in my (lay) opinion what the Tolkien Estate is, and the function it carries out.
Tolkien's estate was established by JRR himself, in order to carry out his wishes as expressed by him in his will. That's what any estate is duty-bound to do. The members of the Estate's board are family members, as far as I know. JRR appointed Christopher as his literary executor. He left all his papers to Christopher, with full powers to do with them as he sees fit - including destroying them, I might add. Crucially for the sort of comments we see in this thread, Tolkien also expressed his desire that copyright in his works should remain in the family for as long as possible. So, when Christopher instructs the Estate's solicitors (Manches and co.) to act on the Estate's behalf, he is doing his duty to his father's will.
Of course, that's not all there is to be said - Christopher takes his role as literary executor seriously, and has performed it admirably, in my opinion. Far more of Tolkien's work has been published since 1973 than was ever published in his lifetime, and this is all due to Christopher. And I'm not just talking about Middle-earth writings; there have also been Tolkien's non- M.e fiction such as Roverandom, and the Father Christmas Letters, not to mention Mr Bliss. But also it seems to me that when folk get themselves worked up about the Tolkiens, they seem to forget JRR's real passion; his real life's work. I'm talking about his love of Language, and his studies in Old and especially Middle English. After JRR died in 1973, do you know what was the first book his literary executor had published? Nothing to do with Middle-earth at all. It was Tolkien's translations of the Middle English poems Sir Gawain and the Green Knight; Pearl, and Sir Orfeo - works which had occupied Tolkien's mind for decades, while the tales of hobbits and elves were bubbling away under the surface. That's Tolkien's legacy to the English language and people; and it's his son's faithful work which has brought it to us.
I'm just saying..
I think we are privileged to have someone join our PT who actually knows members of Tolkien's family. Welcome, Geordie. I'm sure we will have many good discussions with you about our dear Professor and his family. Within certain academic (unpublished) circles, I am something of a scholar on Tolkien and his works. But there is no replacing the unique knowledge of someone who has met and known those close to this great author. Namarie.
Gandalf
Geordie is here!
This post will self destruct, but I just wanted to say hi to geordie (no cap elsewhere) over here!
Thanks for your welcome; it's very kind of you to say so. But I don't make too much of my acquaintance with members of the family; which is no more than many other members of the Tolkien Society.
I've been a Tolkien fan for thirty-something years now, and as I said, one of my main interests is T's biography. I'm also interested in his bibliography (the 'geordie library runs to several hundred volumes, including many editions of Tolkien's works, and also books about Tolkien). I specialize in T's early poetry, and his academic works; though I hasten to add, I'm not an academic, and I don't think of myself as a scholar either. I'm mainly just an enthusiastic reader!
The third area in which I have a special interest is that of pictorial art - works by Tolkien and by Tolkien-inspired artists. The library has many books on the subject, and also posters and calendars (many of them signed by the likes of Ted Nasmith, Alan Lee etc) as well as one or two originals..
I'm looking forward to 'Talking Tolkien' here on Planet Tolkien - it's my favourite past-time!
Hi, Galin. *waves*
Yes, I don't know why I'm 'Geordie' here, when I'm 'geordie' elsewhere. I'm sure I used a lower-case 'g' - oh well; never mind.
:-)