William Rotsler - Writing and Other Arts

Writing and Other Arts

Rotsler's novels include Patron of the Arts (1974), To the Land of the Electric Angel (1976), Zandra (1978), and The Far Frontier (1980). As a Star Trek tie-in book writer, Rotsler proposed a first name, Nyota, for communications officer Uhura, whose first name was never mentioned in the original series. Both series creator Gene Roddenberry and actress Nichelle Nichols agreed to the adoption of this name, which means "star" in Swahili. This as Uhura's first name is also featured in the 2009 Star Trek film.

For ten years, he was the cameraman for Bill Warren as they traveled about Los Angeles shooting segments for the French TV series, Destination séries. Rotsler, like Warren, also appeared on camera in this series. He was a participant in the production of numerous "adults only" features produced by Harry Novak. His credits, sometimes under the pseudonym "Shannon Carse" include direction, camera and electrical department, writer, actor, editor, producer, and cinematographer on numerous Novak productions. Most notably, he directed the cult items Mantis in Lace (1968) and Agony of Love. Much of Rotsler's film work remains available from the cult-specialist video label Something Weird.

Rotsler was also a sculptor (he located the fossils, crystals and stones for the Nebula Award trophies), and contributed to the 1994 computer game Inherit the Earth: Quest for the Orb.