Franz Lidz

Franz Lidz (born September 24, 1951) is an American writer, journalist and pro basketball executive.

A ''New York Times'' archaeology, science and film essayist, he's a former ''Sports Illustrated'' senior writer,Jason Collins
, May 6, 2013 – ''Sports Illustrated''''Smithsonian magazine'' columnist and a onetime vice president for the Detroit Pistons. His childhood memoir ''Unstrung Heroes'' was adapted into a Hollywood film of the same title in 1995.Lost In Translation
September 21, 1995 – ''Philadelphia Inquirer''
March 4, 1991 – ''New York Times''

Early life

Lidz was born in Manhattan, to Sidney, a Jewish electronics engineer who designed the first transistorized portable tape recorder (the Steelman Transitape), and Selma, a homemaker. His father gave him early exposure to authors like Samuel Beckett, Harold Pinter and Eugène Ionesco.From the Editor
, April 8, 1991

At age nine, still named Stephen before later legally taking Franz as his first name, he moved to the Philadelphia suburbs.A Writer's Relative Chaos: How Crazy Were Franz Lidz's Uncles? We're Glad You Asked That . . .
April 7, 1991 – ''Philadelphia Inquirer'' Lidz attended high school in CheltenhamLetter From The Publisher
– May 10, 1982 – ''Sports Illustrated''Letter From The Publisher
– March 9, 1987 – ''Sports Illustrated'' and college at Antioch College,Letter from the Publisher
March 26, 1984 – ''Sports Illustrated'' where he was a theater major.Lidz weaves a tale of family, life on fringes
, February 9, 1991 – ''Baltimore Sun''

Career

Lidz was a novice reporter at the weekly ''Sanford Star'', where he wrote a column and covered police and fire beats. He left Maine to become a crime reporter and write a column called "Insect Jazz" for an alternative newspaper in Baltimore.Odds are, these guys are real characters
, September 21, 1995 – ''Baltimore Sun'' He later became an editor of ''Johns Hopkins University'' Magazine.

In 1980, he joined the staff of ''Sports Illustrated,''GOOD OL' CHARLIE SCHULZ
, December 23, 1985 - ''Sports Illustrated''What is Jeopardy!?
, May 1, 1989 - ''Sports Illustrated''From Hair To Eternity
, December 10, 1990 - ''Sports Illustrated''Meat Bomb
, May 18, 1992 - ''Sports Illustrated''She's Got Balls
, November 2, 1998 - ''Sports Illustrated'' even though he had never read the magazine
, May 7, 2008 – ''Philadelphia Inquirer'' and had covered only one sporting event in his life – a pigeon race in Shapleigh, Maine.Gil Rogin Resurfaces
, September 24, 2010 – ''AARP, The Magazine'' Lidz remained on the writing staff for 27 years.Almost Famous
, August 15, 2016 – ''Sports Illustrated'' In 2007 he jumped to the short-lived business monthly ''Conde Nast Portfolio'', and then WSJ. magazine before landing at ''Smithsonian'' in 2012. His first feature story in ''The New York Times'', on making the second descent of the Zambezi River, appeared on January 30, l983.

Among his most controversial features are essays on Neanderthals; the effects of climate change on glacial archaeology; Hannibal; the 2002 Paris-to-Dakar Rally;Off-Road Warriors
, January 21, 2002 - ''Sports Illustrated'' George Steinbrenner and the New York Yankees' line of succession; the hijinks of onetime Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling;Up and Down in Beverly Hills
April 17, 2000 – ''Sports Illustrated''Sterling's offensive behavior was no secret for years
April 30, 2014 – ''Sports Illustrated'' and a ''S.I.'' cover story with NBA player Jason Collins in which Collins became the first active male in one of the four major North American team sports to announce he was gay.Why NBA center Jason Collins is coming out now
April 29, 2013 – ''Sports Illustrated''The story behind Jason Collins' story: How it happened
April 29, 2013 – ''Sports Illustrated''

Notable works

''Unstrung Heroes''

''Unstrung Heroes'' is about Lidz's childhood, with his mother, father and his dad's four older brothers.To Our Readers
, September 25, 1995 – ''Sports Illustrated'' He had previously written about two of the uncles in'' Sports Illustrated''.My Uncle, The Collector: A Hobbyist on a Shoestring
, January 25, 1987 – ''Sports Illustrated''Uncle Harry Never Lost A Fight But He Never Really Fought One, Either
December 20, 1982 – ''Sports Illustrated''

In his review of ''Unstrung Heroes'' in the ''New York Times'', Christopher Lehmann-Haupt called the memoir "unusual and affecting... a melancholy, funny book, a loony tune played with touching disharmony on mournful woodwinds and a noisy klaxon." Jonathan Kirsch of the ''Los Angeles Times'' likened the memoir to a "miniature ''Brothers Karamazov''. There's not a false moment in the book, and that is high praise indeed." ''The Village Voice'' called ''Unstrung Heroes'': "Astonishing, hilarious, angry, poignant, always pointed."

In 1995, ''Unstrung Heroes'' was adapted into a film of the same title. The setting was switched from New York City to Southern California, and the four crazy uncles were reduced to an eccentric odd couple. Asked what he thought of the script, Lidz said: "It's very neatly typed". He was unhappy with the adaptation, but was prevented by his contract from publicly criticizing it. "My initial fear was that Disney would turn my uncles into Grumpy and Dopey," he told New York magazine. "I never imagined my life could be turned into Old Yeller." In a later essay for the ''New York Times'', he said that the cinematic Selma had died not of cancer, but of 'Old Movie Disease'. "Someday somebody may find a cure for cancer, but the terminal sappiness of cancer movies is probably beyond remedy."

''Ghosty Men''

''Ghosty Men'' (2003) is the story of the Collyer brothers. Lidz has said that he was inspired by the real-life cautionary tales that his father told him, the most macabre of which was the story of the Collyer brothers, the hermit hoarders of Harlem. The book also recounts the parallel life of Arthur Lidz, the hermit uncle of ''Unstrung Heroes,'' who grew up near the Collyer mansion.

In his review for the ''Washington Post'', Adam Bernstein wrote, "The Collyer Brothers made compelling reading then, as they do now in this short, captivatingly detailed book."

''Fairway to Hell''

''Fairway to Hell'' is a 2008 memoir centering on Lidz' unusual golfing experiences: encountering nudists, llama caddies and celebrities like the heavy metal band Judas Priest. Bill Littlefield reviewed the book on the National Public Radio show '' Only A Game'', saying "His estimable wit is also evident in ''Fairway To Hell''."

Collaborations

Lidz has written numerous essays for ''The New York Times'' with novelist and former ''Sports Illustrated'' colleague Steve Rushin. Three of them appear under the title ''Piscopo Agonistes'' in the 2000 collection ''Mirth of a Nation: The Best Contemporary Humor''.

Lidz has been a commentator for ''Morning Edition'' on NPR, and was a guest film critic on the syndicated Siskel & Ebert, following Gene Siskel's passing. The segment did not air. He also appeared on David Letterman's show.

Personal life

Lidz lives in Ojai, California with his wife, Maggie, an author and onetime historian at the Winterthur Museum in Delaware. They have two daughters.Introducing Miss Daisy
June 23, 2003 – ''Sports Illustrated''
July 23, 2010 – ''New York Times''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lidz, Franz
21st-century American novelists
21st-century American memoirists
American male novelists
Antioch College alumni
Living people
1951 births
People from Sanford, Maine
People from Cheltenham, Pennsylvania
Smithsonian (magazine) people
Journalists from New York City
21st-century American male writers
Novelists from New York (state)
American male non-fiction writers
Sportswriters from New York (state)