As a young man, I well remember Harry Nilsson and his supreme talents as a singer and songwriter. But, I was not aware of how he wasted those talents -- and, in the end, his own life at only age 52 -- through a decades-long alcoholic spiral. It was interesting to see people like Jimmy Webb, Perry Botkin and Mickey Dolenz alternately describe Harry's journey as a thrill ride and descent into hell. Of all the interviews, I thought producer Richard Perry's was the most detailed and intelligent synopsis of Harry's career suicide and ultimate death wish. But, in the end, I was struck at the paradox of Harry being described as a great father, even though he walked out on his first son (and the son's mother) and left behind six young children. What a selfish bastard.
