# More famous George Martin? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 10, 2016, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-famous-george-martin/748515 "2016-03-10T03:43:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Subterraneanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Subterraneanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Subterraneanus)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-famous-george-martin/748515/41 "2016-03-10T22:22:27Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > That is not what the poll is asking. Never heard of _GoT_ guy until this thread. I “voted.” ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-famous-george-martin/748515/42 "2016-03-10T22:33:54Z")
I knew about both and am a big Beatles fan, but when I heard George Martin died my first thought was the author. He’s in the news a lot more. Sir George has not been high profile in many years years- especially since there hasn’t been a Beatlemania surge of late (there’s a stable fan base at all times and you get a surge every so so often, but the last really major one was probably when Paul, George, and Ringo made that documentary series back in the '90s). The writer is mentioned constantly, moreso now than usual since the HBO series has released a Season 6 trailer and people are wondering when _Winds of Winter_ will be released already. Also, there’s a fear of him dying since he’s 67, obese, notoriously “unrushed” in his writing, and nowhere near the end of his series. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-famous-george-martin/748515/43 "2016-03-10T22:39:33Z")
[QUOTE=Epimetheus] He is nowhere near as much a household name as say, Stephen King, or even J.K Rowling. In my experience, anyway. [/QUOTE] He is in certain circles. He’s famous enough and has a distinctive enough look that at sci-fi/fantasy cons 1- There are people who dress like him and 2- The costume is instantly recognizable to many (black shirt, suspenders, Greek sailor cap, gray beard, big belly) I know what Stephen King and JK Rowling look like, but if I passed by somebody dressed as either one I wouldn’t notice. I’d just assume “guy with conservatively-long dark hair and thick glasses” and “slim fairskinned woman with long blonde hair”. ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-famous-george-martin/748515/44 "2016-03-10T22:52:58Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Also, there’s a fear of him dying since he’s 67, obese, notoriously “unrushed” in his writing, and nowhere near the end of his series. While this is true, GRRM has written a detailed outline of his plan for the rest of the series for the producers of the TV show, so that if he dies before finishing the novels, the TV series can be completed in the way he intends. Obviously we’d like to see him live many years to come, but his death wouldn’t be the disaster for the TV show that people seem to imagine. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-famous-george-martin/748515/45 "2016-03-10T23:00:07Z")
> [@Shakester](#): > > While this is true, GRRM has written a detailed outline of his plan for the rest of the series for the producers of the TV show, so that if he dies before finishing the novels, the TV series can be completed in the way he intends. > > Obviously we’d like to see him live many years to come, but his death wouldn’t be the disaster for the TV show that people seem to imagine. Since (as always with thick books v. screen adaptations) there are a lot more plotlines and characters in the books as well as some major plot differences, I wonder if he’s done the same for the books. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-famous-george-martin/748515/46 "2016-03-11T00:18:22Z")
> [@Epimetheus](#): > > Certainly the producer is more famous. I think there are music nerds than fantasy nerds, and GRRM isn’t nearly as mainstream as somebody that is into the books or show would realize. Even those that watch the show, just know it as “That Fantasy Show on HBO” and would have no idea who GRRM is unless they read an article on it. And I don’t think the producer is as famous as people of a certain age and hardcore music buffs would think. The last Beatles album was nearly 50 years ago. There have been several generations that have come along since then who at best acknowledge the Beatles as an important piece of history and know some of their songs. I was born in 1967 and I know who Sir George Martin was because I went through a bit of a Beatles phase in high school. I was not typical. Those who came of age in the 90s, 00s and teens have no reason to have heard of him. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-famous-george-martin/748515/47 "2016-03-11T00:55:24Z")
The horndog from _Police Academy_. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-famous-george-martin/748515/48 "2016-03-11T02:05:51Z")
If record producer wasn’t the most top voted I would’ve been frothing 360 degree projectile white foam everywhere - foam of bemused hatred. My favourite stuff he did was maybe “Martha My Dear” (dang that tuba) and “Tomorrow Never Knows”. R.I.P. - maybe you’ll catch John and George trying to sneak another joint break again. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-famous-george-martin/748515/49 "2016-03-11T02:12:37Z")
I see “other” at 6%… Strangely curious what other options there’d be. ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-famous-george-martin/748515/50 "2016-03-11T02:27:03Z")
> [@Eddie The Horrible](#): > > I see “other” at 6%… > Strangely curious what other options there’d be. Here you go: [George Martin (disambiguation) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Martin_%28disambiguation%29) ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-famous-george-martin/748515/51 "2016-03-11T02:27:58Z")
I answered record producer. The fantasy author is “George R.R. Martin”, and I never confused them in my mind. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-famous-george-martin/748515/52 "2016-03-11T07:08:50Z")
> [@Shakester](#): > > Here you go: [George Martin (disambiguation) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Martin_%28disambiguation%29) ah yes, thank-you yeah - understandable if people thought GM might be the American biogerontologist, or the New Zealand cricketer who played for Otago. ---
**Author:** ![BlackKnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-famous-george-martin/748515/53 "2016-03-11T16:24:16Z")
Yeah, I think there’s a serious age disconnect. I don’t know what the age cutoff is, but I doubt there were many people under the age of, say, 35ish who would have known who George Martin the producer was. (Obviously they know now, since it’s been all over the news.) ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-famous-george-martin/748515/54 "2016-03-11T18:07:08Z")
> [@Eddie The Horrible](#): > > If record producer wasn’t the most top voted I would’ve been frothing 360 degree projectile white foam everywhere - foam of bemused hatred. > > My favourite stuff he did was maybe “Martha My Dear” (dang that tuba) and “Tomorrow Never Knows”. > > R.I.P. - maybe you’ll catch John and George trying to sneak another joint break again. I just don’t get the frothing. Martha My Dear came out 48 years ago. The new season of Game of Thrones comes out next month. ---
**Author:** ![Shearer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/57b2e6/32.png) [@Shearer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shearer)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-famous-george-martin/748515/55 "2016-03-11T20:26:29Z")
The Beatle. Never heard of the other one. I’m 29 ---
**Author:** ![GreenElf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@GreenElf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenElf)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-famous-george-martin/748515/56 "2016-03-11T21:47:45Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > The writer is mentioned constantly, moreso now than usual since the HBO series has released a Season 6 trailer and people are wondering when _Winds of Winter_ will be released already. > Also, there’s a fear of him dying since he’s 67, obese, notoriously “unrushed” in his writing, and nowhere near the end of his series. But, and correct me if I’m wrong, the writer is almost always referred to by the media as _George R.R. Martin, not George Martin_, so I don’t know how the death would be assumed to be his and not the producers without further information. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-famous-george-martin/748515/57 "2016-03-12T02:34:08Z")
> [@Shakester](#): > > Here you go: [George Martin (disambiguation) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Martin_%28disambiguation%29) Wow, there have been a lot of George Martins (or is that Georges Martin?) who played cricket! My answer would be the Beatles’ producer, both because I’m old enough to remember him, and because, as many people have said, I’ve never heard the fantasy author called simply “George Martin”–he always has the R.R. in there. Many people must be making that mistake though, since GRRM has a post on his blog mentioning the confusion. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-famous-george-martin/748515/58 "2016-03-12T03:08:52Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I just don’t get the frothing. Martha My Dear came out 48 years ago. The new season of Game of Thrones comes out next month. Topicality, here, is worth a pinch of racoon scat. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-famous-george-martin/748515/59 "2016-03-12T15:26:07Z")
Definitely the record producer, but hey–I was alive in the 1960’s. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2016, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-famous-george-martin/748515/60 "2016-03-13T08:49:42Z")
I’m 37. I’ve never owned any music by the Beatles but I’ve never not known about their producer George Martin. I’ve never seen Game of Thrones or read any books of that genre. I know of George RR Martin from reading about him online, but I would never think of him as THE “famous” George Martin. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-famous-george-martin/748515.md?page=2)