John Michael Crichton was an American author, screenwriter, and film director. He was born in Chicago in 1942, graduated from Harvard Medical School with an MD in 1969, and published over 200 million books worldwide. Crichton was a pioneer in science fiction and medical thrillers, writing bestselling novels like Jurassic Park and Disclosure. He battled throat cancer for several years before succumbing to the disease in 2008.