Forry Ackerman News Today

(0) The Saturday Scroll will be a short one. I am on my way to celebrate my sister-in-law’s birthday -- which will feel a bit incongruous because I’m still shocked and saddened by this first piece of news: (1) DEB GEISLER, FN (1957-2024). Dr. Deborah M. Geisler (Deb), chair of Noreascon 4, the 2004 Worldcon,

By Mike Glyer: Fifty years ago on October 25, 1973 the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society met for the first time in its very own clubhouse. Founded in 1934 in a member’s garage, over the decades the club led a nomadic existence, at better times meeting in Clifton’s Cafeteria, or the former beauty shop it

Fred Patten, a fannish polymath who helped introduce anime to Americans, died November 12. Fred had lived in a nursing facility since suffering a stroke in 2005. His sister, Sherrill Patten, told LASFS that on November 1 he was found non-responsive, moved to a hospital and treated, but never regained consciousness. Patten’s first sf convention

By Steve Vertlieb: Allan Asherman has passed away. He was a revered writer, journalist, Star Trek scholar ... and cherished friend. My brother Erwin and I first encountered Allan at Forry Ackerman's original "Famous Monsters Convention" at Loew's Midtown Manhattan Motor Inn in the heart of New York City in September 1965. Along with fellow

By Steve Vertlieb: Allan Asherman has passed away. He was a revered writer, journalist, Star Trek scholar ... and cherished friend. My brother Erwin and I first encountered Allan at Forry Ackerman's original "Famous Monsters Convention" at Loew's Midtown Manhattan Motor Inn in the heart of New York City in September 1965. Along with fellow

Worldcon Wayback Machine Introduction: Thirty years ago this weekend ConFrancisco, the 1993 World Science Fiction Convention, was held in San Francisco, California. I thought it would fun to compile a day-by-day recreation drawing on the report I ran in File 770, Evelyn Leeper’s con report on Fanac.org (used with permission), and the contributions of others. Here

(1) EVADING DUTIES. Richard Garriott’s announcement that he secretly hid some of James Doohan’s ashes on the ISS inspired Steven H Silver’s post “A Brief History of Space Smuggling” for Amazing Stories. …The first mission to orbit the moon was the Apollo 8 mission on December 24 and 25, 1968. Knowing that the crew would be in orbit around the Moon on Christmas, NASA wanted to make sure that they had an appropriate Christmas dinner and provided dehydrated versions of the appropriat...

Posted on (1) EVADING DUTIES. Richard Garriott’s announcement that he secretly hid some of James Doohan’s ashes on the ISS inspired Steven H Silver’s post “A Brief History of Space Smuggling” for Amazing Stories. …The first mission to orbit the moon was the Apollo 8 mission on December 24 and 25, 1968. Knowing that the crew would be in orbit around the Moon on Christmas, NASA wanted to make sure that they had an appropriate Christmas dinner and provided dehydrated versions of ...

Ray Bradbury and Steve Vertlieb in 2011. By James H. Burns: Today marks the 70th birthday of long time science fiction and fantasy, and film music historian, Steve Vertlieb! Born and raised in Philadelphia, Vertlieb has also been a long-time fan, and a frequent guest speaker at Philcon, and other science fiction-related conventions (including many years at Fanex, and Monster Bash). In 1965, Vertlieb Famous Monsters of Filmland‘s loyal readers in Manhattan. That small event, held in Ackerm...