EXCAVATIONS - Photos, not Fanzines
It's been a long day of writing work. Heart-breaking work, in some ways. A trio of my earliest stories were typed on an actual typewriter and never onto any kind of computer storage. But a new project necessitated that those stories be digitized and made available as scans. So the heart-breaking part - ripping up old paperbacks and tearing the pages out for scanning. My hands quivered and my body shivered at the thought of tearing up books, particularly old ones, and particularly books with my stories. But it had to be done.
So, it's a short and easy EXCAVATIONS tonight. Rather than comb through some old fanzines, I thought I'd share a few old photos from the large box of fhannish photos Bob Tucker left in my care. I hope these come out well here.
This first photo is Isaac Asimov. I don't have specific information about the locale or the event, but the photo is dated 1948. It's obviously taken at the check-in desk of some hotel -- you can see the word "Registration" over the desk -- and most likely at a convention. I'm going out on a limb here and say that this is either a Philcon or possibly a NY-Con. But that's just a guess. Tucker didn't provide anything more than Asimov's identity.
The lady in this photo is Judith Merrill. The date stamp on the photo is somewhat blurred but also appears to be 1948. Again, I'm guessing that this is taken at a convention, as many of Bob's photos were, and given it's grouping with other photos, I think this is taken at the same event as the Asimov photograph. I would have loved to meet Merrill, whose YEAR'S BEST SF volumes were among my earliest introductions to science fiction. When the Nebula Awards Weekend first came to Kansas City, she was to be Author Emeritus that year, and I would have had my chance. Alas, health issues prevented her from attending at the last minute. I was able to talk with her, however, and include a few of her stories when I edited ARCHITECTS OF DREAMS: THE SFWA AUTHOR EMERITUS ANTHOLOGY.
Next up are two photographs of Forrest J. Ackerman, or "Forry" as some called him, or "4E" as he was often known in early fanzines. Ackerman, is probably best remembered as the editor of FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND and for his extensive collection of sf film memorabilia. I met him on a number of occasions through my early work with the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame when we transferred the HoF to Seattle. Ackerman and I both served, along with others, on the museum's board of advisors until we were summarily disbanded.
This second photo of Ackerman shows his humorous side. Some years ago, the Kansas City Science Fiction and Fantasy Society sponsored a special week of science fiction movies at the Englewood Theater when it first opened as a revival house. As guests we brought in Ackerman and Robert Cornthwaite, who appeared as the crazed polar scientist in THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD, as well as our third guest, Billy Gray, who played the young boy from THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL. One of the great highlights of the week came when I spent almost an hour interviewing Forry on stage at the theater. He proudly showed me his ring, the self-same ring that Bella Lagosi had worn for DRACULA. He was a terrific guest and a genuine entertainer.
And finally, there's this, one of my favorite photographs in the entire collection. There was a far thinner line between fans and pros in the early days, and at any convention with a masquerade the professionals were just as likely to don costumes as the fans. This is not only one of my favorite photos, but it's of one of my favorite people -- Harlan Ellison. Tucker labeled the photo as taken at Chicon in 1952, but when I showed this to Harlan, he thought that it was a Philcon and much earlier. In any case, the costume is his version of a character taken from the works of A. Bertram Chandler. I had the honor of naming Harlan Ellison as a SFWA Grand Master during my time as president of that organization, and I'm pleased that he recently received the Nebula Award for his story, "How Interesting: A Tiny Man." Most of all, I'm pleased to call him a friend.
There are many photographs of fans and professionals in this collection, some taken as far back as the 30s and many in the 40s and 50s. I recently provided some photographs of Henry Kuttner to Stephen Hafner for his wonderful three-volume collection of Kuttner's complete works. If you haven't seen the first volume, TERROR IN THE HOUSE, which was recently released, take my word - it's terrific.
As for the rest, I'm tired, it's late, and the Beam's Choice is empty, so -- Good night, Bob Tucker, wherever you are!
So, it's a short and easy EXCAVATIONS tonight. Rather than comb through some old fanzines, I thought I'd share a few old photos from the large box of fhannish photos Bob Tucker left in my care. I hope these come out well here.
This first photo is Isaac Asimov. I don't have specific information about the locale or the event, but the photo is dated 1948. It's obviously taken at the check-in desk of some hotel -- you can see the word "Registration" over the desk -- and most likely at a convention. I'm going out on a limb here and say that this is either a Philcon or possibly a NY-Con. But that's just a guess. Tucker didn't provide anything more than Asimov's identity.
The lady in this photo is Judith Merrill. The date stamp on the photo is somewhat blurred but also appears to be 1948. Again, I'm guessing that this is taken at a convention, as many of Bob's photos were, and given it's grouping with other photos, I think this is taken at the same event as the Asimov photograph. I would have loved to meet Merrill, whose YEAR'S BEST SF volumes were among my earliest introductions to science fiction. When the Nebula Awards Weekend first came to Kansas City, she was to be Author Emeritus that year, and I would have had my chance. Alas, health issues prevented her from attending at the last minute. I was able to talk with her, however, and include a few of her stories when I edited ARCHITECTS OF DREAMS: THE SFWA AUTHOR EMERITUS ANTHOLOGY.
Next up are two photographs of Forrest J. Ackerman, or "Forry" as some called him, or "4E" as he was often known in early fanzines. Ackerman, is probably best remembered as the editor of FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND and for his extensive collection of sf film memorabilia. I met him on a number of occasions through my early work with the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame when we transferred the HoF to Seattle. Ackerman and I both served, along with others, on the museum's board of advisors until we were summarily disbanded.
This second photo of Ackerman shows his humorous side. Some years ago, the Kansas City Science Fiction and Fantasy Society sponsored a special week of science fiction movies at the Englewood Theater when it first opened as a revival house. As guests we brought in Ackerman and Robert Cornthwaite, who appeared as the crazed polar scientist in THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD, as well as our third guest, Billy Gray, who played the young boy from THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL. One of the great highlights of the week came when I spent almost an hour interviewing Forry on stage at the theater. He proudly showed me his ring, the self-same ring that Bella Lagosi had worn for DRACULA. He was a terrific guest and a genuine entertainer.
And finally, there's this, one of my favorite photographs in the entire collection. There was a far thinner line between fans and pros in the early days, and at any convention with a masquerade the professionals were just as likely to don costumes as the fans. This is not only one of my favorite photos, but it's of one of my favorite people -- Harlan Ellison. Tucker labeled the photo as taken at Chicon in 1952, but when I showed this to Harlan, he thought that it was a Philcon and much earlier. In any case, the costume is his version of a character taken from the works of A. Bertram Chandler. I had the honor of naming Harlan Ellison as a SFWA Grand Master during my time as president of that organization, and I'm pleased that he recently received the Nebula Award for his story, "How Interesting: A Tiny Man." Most of all, I'm pleased to call him a friend.
There are many photographs of fans and professionals in this collection, some taken as far back as the 30s and many in the 40s and 50s. I recently provided some photographs of Henry Kuttner to Stephen Hafner for his wonderful three-volume collection of Kuttner's complete works. If you haven't seen the first volume, TERROR IN THE HOUSE, which was recently released, take my word - it's terrific.
As for the rest, I'm tired, it's late, and the Beam's Choice is empty, so -- Good night, Bob Tucker, wherever you are!