Harvey Lawrence Pekar was an American underground comic book writer, music critic, and media personality, best known for his autobiographical American Splendor comic series. In 2003, the series inspired a well-received film adaptation of the same name. Frequently described a...
July 12, 2010, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, United States
Place Of Birth
Cleveland
Profession
Writer, Cartoonist, Author, Actor
Education
Shaker Heights High School, Case Western Reserve University
Nationality
United States of America
Spouse
Joyce Brabner (m. 1984–2010), Helen Lark Hall (m. 1977–1981), Karen Delaney (m. 1960–1972)
Children
Danielle Pekar
Siblings
Allen Pekar
Nicknames
Harvey Lawrence Pekar
Awards
American Book Awards, Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame
Movies
, American Splendor, HypaSpace
TV Shows
HypaSpace
Star Sign
Libra
#
Quote
1
"Life is about women, gigs, an' bein' creative." (Epitaph on his headstone)
2
As a matter of fact, I deliberately look for the mundane, because I feel these stories are ignored. The most influential things that happen to virtually all of us are the things that happen on a daily basis. not the traumas. Yet, because they are common, writers ignore them as not being fit to write about. I take the opposite point of view. I think you can find all the elements that you can find in great literature in mundane experiences. You can find heroism everyday, like guys working terrible jobs because they've got to support their families. Or as far as humor, the things I see on the job, on the street, are far funnier than anything you'll ever see on TV.
3
I very frequently get letters from people that say, "Yea, I went through that myself, and I really got a lot of comfort from your story." That makes me feel good. People who've had lousy experiences like to read about somebody else going through the same crap, so they find out they're not the only ones. Misery loves company. There's a lot to that.
4
(On friend and collaborator R. Crumb (aka Robert Crumb): "He has a good eye and ear for the way people are and the way they talk. And he draws better than just about anybody in the world".
5
(On first meeting Paul Giamatti): "You'd better be the man your father was". (Bart Giamatti, who was a professor of Renaissance Literature at Yale and was Commissioner of Baseball when Pete Rose was banned from the game).
#
Fact
1
According to his widow, Joyce Brabner, his ashes will be interred in Cleveland, Ohio's Lakeview Cemetery, next to Elliot Ness. [2010]
2
Retired from his job as a filing clerk in a Veteran's hospital. [2003]
3
Died on the exact same day as counter-culture poet and musician Tuli Kupferberg.
4
At the time of his death, he had been suffering from prostate cancer, asthma, high blood pressure and depression.
Paid $100 for his first appearance on Late Show with David Letterman (1993). He joined AFTRA some time afterward and was paid $600 for his final appearance.
7
Contributing columnist for the Cleveland Free Times
8
Wrote a comic book called American Splendor. Various artists drew the artwork for the comic book scripts Harvey writes.
9
Worked as a file clerk to support himself.
10
Politically Harvey has described himself as "a strident leftist".
11
Lived in Cleveland, Ohio.
12
Wrote about jazz and books for various publications.
13
Radio commentator for WKSU-FM in Kent, Ohio.
14
Winner of the 1987 American Book Award for his autobiographical comic book American Splendor.
$12 Million
