I believe that he's wearing the rings from Karloff's The Mummy and Lugosi's Dracula in this photo.
Posted on 12/08/2008 7:57:29 AM PST by weegee
...Forrest J Ackerman, who died Thursday at 92 of a heart attack in Los Angeles, was all these things and many more: literary agent for such science fiction authors as Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov, A.E. van Vogt, Curt Siodmak and L. Ron Hubbard; actor and talisman in more than 50 films ... editor of Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine and creator of the Vampirella comic....
...Born in Los Angeles in 1916, Ackerman traced the birth of his vocation to 1926, when he read his first "scientifiction" tale in an early issue of Amazing Stories...
...His dream of bringing together the writers and readers of science fiction was starting to bloom. He brought his young friend Ray Bradbury to the Clifton's Cafeteria Science Fiction Club, hangout of Heinlein, Leigh Brackett, Henry Kuttner, Fredric Brown and other future giants of the genre. He bankrolled Bradbury's own fan magazine, Futuria Fantasia.
That was 1939, when Ackerman and his friend Myrtle R. Douglas attended the first World Science Fiction Convention in Manhattan — both dressed in space suits. ...Ackerman recalled that 165 people attended the confab. "We had a banquet so expensive that only 29 of us could afford it," he told Ed. "I couldn't even afford to lend the money to Ray Bradbury, 'cause it was one dollar a plate. Of course no food, you understand, just a dollar for a plate."
...He leads a tour of his home, every inch of which is crammed and wallpapered with memorabilia: Bela Lugosi's ring and Dracula cape; Ray Harryhausen's miniature of a shattered U.S. Capitol dome from an entire room dedicated to the silent SF film Metropolis...
..."I regard myself as a sci-fi sponge that should be squeezed for information and anecdotes as long as I'm here. So while I'm still around, squeeze me."
(Excerpt) Read more at time.com ...
I believe that he's wearing the rings from Karloff's The Mummy and Lugosi's Dracula in this photo.
I believe hew was an early adherent of Scientology, but left when it got too crazy for even him.
gee, who’s gonna write the script for our age now?
So sad. I met him a few times at sci-fi conventions. He was an amazing man.
Bump.
Looks like he was a generous and [at least in regards to sci-fi] engaging person, judging from only that line.
IIRC, he had a small part in the film Future War, which was hilariously lampooned by Mystery Science Theater 3000 (of blessed memory).
Well, God rest him!
The Ackermansion was amazing!
Rest in peace, 4SJ. What a character!
Wish I could have visited. With the exception of Ray Bradbury everyone from the Golden Age is now gone.
Not quite. There are still a few "active" members of First Fandom around. To qualify as "active" you must have been active in Fandom before 1939 (published a fanzine, wrote to magazines, went to 'cons, etc.)
I'm editor of SCIENTIFICTION, the newsletter of First Fandom. I'm inviting anyone who has met or knew Forry to write a short appreciation for the next issue. Send it to me via Private Reply.
I'm an Associate Member of First Fandom. My first fanac was in 1949, so I've missed the cutoff for being an active member. Anyone who was active in Fandom for more than 30 years is eligible for Associate Member.
Well, he had a great life and I will always remember Famous Monsters with a great deal of fondness. It was a great source for all those wonderful full page pics of Karloff as Frankenstien’s monster or maybe a good publicity shot from Creature From The Black Lagoon.
Sometimes I do miss being 12 years old.
RIP Forry.
Me too! I had the monster movie bug bad and read and reread many an issue of FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND as well as some of its competition like CASTLE OF FRANKENSTEIN and MONSTER MANIA. I even sent off for some back issues.
BTW, I caught Lon Chaney, Jr. in OF MICE AND MEN the other day with a very young Burgess Meredith and was impressed by it.
LOL
Forry loved a good pun or a bad joke and when I met him 20 years ago it seemed like there would be nothing more that he would rather do than to spend his final moments out on the road conversing.
His wife was killed in a particularly nasty mugging 18 years ago but he carried on. He also endured a legal battle for control of his magazine/name as a property. But he lived a long life and was an inspiration to many people.
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