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FORREST J. ACKERMAN

1916-- 2008

Forrest J Ackerman^[2] (November 24, 1916 – December 4, 2008) was an American collector of science fiction books and movie memorabilia and a science fiction fan. He was, for over seven decades, one of science fiction's staunchest spokesmen and promoters.

Ackerman was a Los Angeles, California-based magazine editor, science fiction writer and literary agent, a founder of science fiction fandom and possibly the world's most avid collector of genre books and movie memorabilia.^[3] He was the editor and principal writer of the American magazine Famous Monsters of Filmland, as well as an actor and producer (Vampirella).

Also called "Forry," "The Ackermonster," "4e" and "4SJ," Ackerman was central to the formation, organization, and spread of science fiction fandom, and a key figure in the wider cultural perception of science fiction as a literary, art and film genre. Famous for his word play and neologisms, he coined the genre nickname "sci-fi".^[4][5] In 1953, he was voted "#1 Fan Personality" by the members of the World Science Fiction Society, a unique Hugo Award never granted to anyone else.^[6]

He was also among the first and most outspoken advocates of Esperanto in the science fiction community.^[3][7]

Ackerman saw his first "imagi-movie" in 1922 (One Glorious Day^[12]), purchased his first science fiction magazine, Amazing Stories, in 1926, created The Boys' Scientifiction Club in 1930 ("girl-fans were as rare as unicorn's horns in those days"). He contributed to both of the first science fiction fanzines, The Time Traveller, and the Science Fiction Magazine, published and edited by Shuster & Siegel of Superman fame, in 1932, and by 1933 had 127 correspondents around the world. His name was used for the character of the reporter in the original Superman story "The Reign of the Super-Man" in issue 3 of Science Fiction magazine.^[13] He was one of the early members of the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society, and remained active in it for many decades.

He attended the 1st World Science Fiction Convention in 1939, where he wore the first "futuristicostume"^[14][15] (designed and created by Myrtle R. Douglas) and sparked fan costuming, the latest incarnation of which is cosplay. He attended every Worldcon but two thereafter during his lifetime. Ackerman invited Ray Bradbury to attend the Los Angeles Chapter of the Science Fiction League, then meeting weekly at Clifton's Cafeteria in downtown Los Angeles. The club changed its name to the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society during the period it was meeting at the restaurant. (There never was a "Clifton’s Cafeteria Science Fiction Club.") Among the writers frequenting the club were Robert A. Heinlein, Emil Petaja, Fredric Brown, Henry Kuttner, Leigh Brackett, and Jack Williamson. Bradbury often attended meetings with his friend Ray Harryhausen; the two Rays had been introduced to each other by Ackerman. With $90 from Ackerman, Bradbury launched a fanzine, Futuria Fantasia, in 1939.

Ackerman amassed an extremely large and complete collection of science fiction, fantasy and horror film memorabilia, which, until 2002, he maintained in a remarkable 18-room home and museum known as the "Son of Ackermansion." (The original Ackermansion where he lived from the early 1950s until the mid-1970s, was at 915 S. Sherbourne Drive in Los Angeles; the site is now an apartment building.) This second house, in the Los Feliz district of Los Angeles, contained some 300,000 books and pieces of movie and science-fiction memorabilia. From 1951 to 2002, Ackerman entertained some 50,000 fans at open houses- including, on one such evening, a group of 186 fans and professionals including astronaut Buzz Aldrin. Ackerman was a board member of the Seattle Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame, where many items of his collection are now displayed.

Ackerman, Ray Harryhausen, and Ray Bradbury at 2005 Comic-Con

MORE: http://flickhead.blogspot.com/2006/11/forrest-j-ackerman-blog-thon.html

He knew most of the writers of science fiction in the first half of the twentieth-century. As a literary agent, he represented some 200 writers, and he served as agent of record for many long lost authors, thereby allowing their work to be reprinted in anthologies. He was Ed Wood's "illiterary" agent.^[16] Ackerman was credited with nurturing and even inspiring the careers of several early contemporaries^[17] like Ray Bradbury, Ray Harryhausen, Charles Beaumont, Marion Zimmer Bradley and L. Ron Hubbard.^[3]

Ackerman had 50 stories published, including collaborations with A. E. van Vogt, Francis Flagg, Robert A. W. Lowndes, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Donald Wollheim and Catherine Moore and the world's shortest – one letter of the alphabet. His stories have been translated into six languages. Ackerman named the sexy comic-book character Vampirella and wrote the origin story for the comic.

Through his magazine, Famous Monsters of Filmland (1958–1983), Ackerman introduced the history of the science fiction, fantasy and horror film genres to a generation of young readers.^[20] At a time when most movie-related publications glorified the stars in front of the camera, "Uncle Forry", as he was referred to by many of his fans, promoted the behind-the-scenes artists involved in the magic of movies. In this way, Ackerman provided inspiration to many who would later become successful artists, including Peter Jackson, Steven Spielberg, Tim Burton, Stephen King, Penn & Teller, Billy Bob Thornton, Gene Simmons (of the band Kiss), Rick Baker, George Lucas, Danny Elfman, Frank Darabont, John Landis and countless other writers, directors, artists and craftsmen.

MORE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forrest_J_Ackerman

Vampirella is a fictional character, a comic book vampire heroine created by Forrest J Ackerman for Warren Publishing's namesake black-and-white horror-comics magazine, and developed by Archie Goodwin with artists Frank Frazetta and Tom Sutton.

Vampirella first appeared as a horror-story hostess in Vampirella #1 (Sept. 1969), continuing in that capacity through issue #8 (Nov. 1970) when she was "revamped" as a leading character.

MORE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vampirella

http://www.fanboy.com/2008/12/forrest-j-ackerman-fanboy-extraordinaire.html

MORE: http://sergioleoneifr.blogspot.com/2008/12/rip-ackermonster-forrest-j-ackerman.html

Ackerman’s Legendary Sci-Fi Props Going on the Block

Significant portions of the amazing sci-fi and horror relic collection amassed by the late Forrest J. Ackerman are going up for sale.

Ackerman, publisher of Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine, assembled tens of thousands of science fiction and horror props and collectibles over the years, showing them off to tour groups in his Ackermansion in Los Feliz, California.

MORE: http://www.wired.com/underwire/tag/books/page/2/

Forry Ackerman Auction Metropolis Maria Robot

Forrest J Ackerman or Mr. Science Fiction Estate Auction will showcase seven decades of science fiction and classic movie memorabilia…Ackerman was a Los Angeles, California-based magazine editor, science fiction writer and literary agent, a founder of science fiction fandom and possibly the world’s most avid collector of genre books and movie memorabilia. The Auction takes place April 30th : 12 noon & May 1st : 11am action

MORE:  http://www.moresay.com/art-advertisement-advertisement/2412.html

(detailed replica of the Maria robot from Metropolis, part of the collection of the late Forrest J Ackerman)

(an original, screen-used model Hunter-Killer from the first Terminator movie)

MORE ACKERMAN MEMORABILIA: http://forbiddenplanet.co.uk/blog/2009/comics-horror-and-science-fiction-delights-for-auction/

If you frequent sites like this, over the next few weeks you're going to read a lot of things about a man named Forrest J. Ackerman, creator, founder, rightful father of Famous Monsters of Filmland, easily the best periodical ever produced on films of the fantastic; I say that with no qualification because none is needed. If you knew the magazine in its heyday, when Forry ran it, you know exactly what I mean. Forry's love of the medium of film and his keen understanding of the mechanism of fandom is unrivaled. I say 'is' because as of today, Forry is still with us. But word has spread 'not for very long.' Forry's 92 birthday is on November 22 of this year, but there is serious doubt he'll be with us to celebrate it in body; spirit is another matter entirely.

MORE: http://www.collider.com/clubhouse/vivid/article.asp?aid=9712&tcid=6

Sci-fi’s grand old man, Forrest J Ackerman, dies

Associated Press Writer John Rogers, Associated Press Writer –

LOS ANGELES – Forrest J Ackerman, the sometime actor, literary agent, magazine editor and full-time bon vivant who discovered author Ray Bradbury and was widely credited with coining the term “sci-fi,” has died. He was 92.

Ackerman died Thursday [Dec. 4, 2008] of heart failure at his Los Angeles home, said Kevin Burns, head of Prometheus Entertainment and a trustee of Ackerman’s estate.

Although only marginally known to readers of mainstream literature, Ackerman was legendary in science-fiction circles as the founding editor of the pulp magazine Famous Monsters of Filmland. He was also the owner of a huge private collection of science-fiction movie and literary memorabilia that for years filled every nook and cranny of a hillside mansion overlooking Los Angeles.

MORE: http://www.cryptomundo.com/cryptozoo-news/ackerman-obit/