Frank M. Robinson, 1926-2014

The most versatile thing Frank M. Robinson ever did for me was to recite a litany of all the complaints that editors have about writers. I must have looked skeptical, because then he turned around and gave an equally lengthy and convincing litany of all the complaints that writers have about editors. Honestly, he could have been a lawyer.

Instead, he was both a writer and an editor, and good at both, as well as being one of the most colorful and senior and wise old heads around the Bay Area SF fannish community in the 1970s.

All that time, he was something else as well, and I may best convey that by repeating what I wrote when reviewing the film of Harvey Milk:

In just about every scene of Milk and his supporters sitting around having a political confab, there's an old man with a hat like mine. He was there at the time in real life (rather younger, of course). I know that man; I first met him just about the time these events took place. His name is Frank M. Robinson, and he helped write that great speech of Harvey's, the one where he reminds the bigots that America stands for freedom, and cleverly, wickedly concludes: "Love it or leave it." Here is what Frank has to say about himself and Harvey Milk. And here he tells about his part in making the film. Good going, Frank.