Denvention
The 1941 Worldcon, and first in Denver, Denvention I was held July 4-6 at the Shirley-Savoy Hotel in Denver, CO. GoH: Robert A. Heinlein. The chairman was Olon F. Wiggins and Lew Martin was most of the rest of the committee. The pre-convention publication was the 4-issue CFS Review.
Fantasy Times reported in October 1941 that attendance was estimated to be about 100 of which 68 actually registered. Fans attended from 28 states, including Forrest J Ackerman, Morojo, E. E. Evans, Art Widner, Robert Heinlein, Leslyn Heinlein, Erle Korshak, Bill Deutsch, Walt Daugherty, Cyril Kornbluth, Robert Lowndes, Milt Rothman, Olon F. Wiggins, Lew Martin, Edmond Hamilton, Gus Wilmorth, Julius Unger, and D. B. Thompson. The proceedings were recorded on 65 phonograph records by Daugherty. There was a combozine, The Denventioneer. In 1981, Denvention Two published a carefully research List of Denvention members.
Denver won the right to host the 1941 Worldcon at Chicon I, apparently over a bid by fans from New York. See Erle Korshak's Putting My Two Cents In. See 1941 Worldcon Site Selection.
See Forrest J Ackerman's remembrance of Denvention from the Noreascon Three PB.
Extracted from Rusty Hevelin's Denvention con report:
At the Denvention bids to host the 1942 Worldcon were presented for San Francisco by Joe Fortier, Washington, DC by Milton Rothman, Philadelphia by Robert A. Madle, Los Angeles by Walter Daugherty. Los Angeles won but the con was held in 1946 due to WWII. Denvention Medals were given to Forry Ackerman for Best Fan and being of most service to Fandom Roy Hunt for Best Fan Artist Wiggins for Best and Most Consistent Fan Mag Damon Knight for Top Humorist Julie Unger for Best News-weekly
At the costume ball, Forrest J Ackerman wore a mas designed by the young fan, Ray Harryhausen, Damon Knight dressed as a junior G-man, Cyril Kornbluth was a mad scientist, and Heinlein as Adam Stink, the world's most life-like robot.
Original Hannes Bok illustrations sold for $9 and Virgil Finlay covers went as high as #20.
| From Fancyclopedia 1, ca. 1944 |
| (Wollheim) - The Denver Convention of 1941. |
| Chicon I | Worldcon - Bidding - Hugos | Pacificon I |
| 1941 |
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