Difference between revisions of "Sam Moskowitz"

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(June 30, 1920 -- April 15, 1997)  
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(June 30, 1920 – April 15, 1997)  
  
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'''SaM''' was one of the creators of [[fandom]], a member of [[First Fandom]], [[chairman]] of the [[first Worldcon]], writer, critic, book and [[fanzine]] collector, and historian of the field.  In [[mundane]] life, he was for many years editor of the trade publications ''Quick Frozen Foods'' and ''Quick Frozen Foods International''.  Physically, he was large man -- one friend described him as "physically massive" -- with a booming voice.
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[[File:MoskowitzSam1960.jpeg|thumb|left|upright|'''Sam Moskowitz, ca. 1960'''. ]]
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'''Samuel Moskowitz''', aka [[SaM]], was one of the creators of [[fandom]], a member of [[First Fandom]], [[chairman]] of the [[first Worldcon]], writer, [[critic]], [[book]] and [[fanzine]] [[collector]], and historian of the field.  He was large man — one friend described him as "physically massive" — with a booming voice.
  
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He found fandom as a teenager in 1936 and began published the [[fanzine]] ''[[Helios]]'' in June 1937.  He also organized a branch of the [[Science Fiction League]]
+
His most well-known work is undoubtedly ''[[The Immortal Storm]]'', a historical review of [[All Fandom Was Plunged Into War|internecine warfare]] within [[fandom]] in the 1930s, in which [[feuding]] he was an avid participant. It was written with so much over-the-top seriousness that, as fellow [[fan historian]] [[Harry Warner, Jr.]] said, "If read directly after a history of [[World War II]], it does not seem like an anticlimax." In spite of that, it remains the ''essential'' record of the invention of [[fandom]].
  
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In 1938, after leading the [[First National SF Convention]] in Newark he organized [[New Fandom]], while at the same time [[Donald A. Wollheim]] and others were organizing the [[Futurians]].  The Futurians' Marxism conflicted with [[Moskowitz]]'s focus on [[sf]] and fandom and at age 19, when he became chairman of the [[First Worldcon]] held in New York City in 1939, he barred several Futurians from the convention because they threatened to disrupt it, an event usually called the [[Exclusion Act]].
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His detractors [[nicknamed]] him [[Foghorn Samuel]], the [[Newark Neanderthal]] and [[De Fuhrer of Newark Swamps]].  
  
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He was Mystery Guest at the [[Clevention]] in 1955.  The Mystery Guest was one of the [[GoHs]], but the identity was not announced in advance of the convention. Moskowitz was not informed in advance, either, and many people feel that this was a sort of second-rate [[Worldcon]] GoHship which was surely less than his due.
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The [[I-CON Sam Moskowitz Award]] and the [[Sam Moskowitz Archive Award]] were named in his honor.  
  
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He was the founder of [[ESFA]].
 
  
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Starting in 1953 Moskowitz edited ''[[Science-Fiction Plus]]'', a [[prozine]] owned by [[Hugo Gernsback]]. In the 60s and 70s he edited two dozen anthologies, and a few single-author collections, but his most enduring work is likely to be his writing on the history of science fiction, in particular two collections of short author biographies, ''Explorers of the Infinite'' and ''Seekers of Tomorrow'', as well as ''Under the Moons of Mars: A History and Anthology of "The Scientific Romance" in the Munsey Magazines''.  
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==Fan==
 +
Sam found fandom as a teenager in 1936 and began published the [[fanzine]] ''[[Helios]]'' in June 1937.  He also organized a branch of the [[Science Fiction League]].  
  
−
His most popular work is undoubtedly ''[[The Immortal Storm]]'', a historical review of internecine warfare within [[fandom]] in the 30s. It was written with so much over-the-top seriousness that, as fellow [[fan historian]] [[Harry Warner, Jr.]] said, "If read directly after a history of [[World War II]], it does not seem like an anticlimax." In spite of that, it remains the ''essential'' records of the invention of fandom.
+
In 1938, after leading the [[First National SF Convention]] in his hometown, [[Newark, NJ]], he organized [[New Fandom]], while at the same time [[Donald A. Wollheim]] and others were organizing the [[Futurians]]. The Futurians' [[Marxism]] conflicted with [[Moskowitz]]'s focus on [[sf]] and [[fandom]] and he, [[Will Sykora]] and [[Jimmy Taurasi]] (the [[Triumvirs]]) [[feuded]] with the [[Wollheimists]]. At age 19, when Sam became [[chairman]] of the [[First Worldcon]] held in [[New York City]] in 1939, he barred several Futurians from the [[convention]], allegedly for fear they would disrupt it, an event usually called the [[Exclusion Act]].
  
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He was married to [[Dr. Christine Haycock]] ([[Chris Moskowitz]]).
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He was the founder of [[ESFA]]. He [[co-chaired]] [[Metrocon 1]] and  was an adviser to the [[Silvercon]] [[committee]].
  
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He co-chaired [[Metrocon 1]] and was an adviser to the [[Silvercon]] committee.  
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He was Mystery Guest at the [[Clevention]] in 1955. The Mystery Guest was one of the [[GoHs]], but his identity was not announced in advance of the convention. Moskowitz was not informed in advance, either, and many people feel that this was a sort of second-rate [[Worldcon]] GoHship, which was surely less than his due.
  
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He wrote reminiscences of several [[Worldcons]] for the [[Noreascon Three]] [[PB]]:
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He was a noted [[collector]]. “I never threw anything away,” SaM told the BBC in 1965.
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* [[Nycon 1 Reminiscence (Moskowitz)|Nycon 1]]
 
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* [[Pittcon Reminiscence (Moskowitz)|Pittcon]]
 
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* [[Detention Reminiscence (Moskowitz)|Detention]]
 
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* [[Clevention Reminiscence (Moskowitz)|Clevention]]
 
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* [[Solacon Reminiscence (Moskowitz)|Solacon]]
 
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* [[Seacon Reminiscence (Moskowitz)|Seacon]]
 
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* [[SFCon Reminiscence (Moskowitz)|SFCon]]
 
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* [[Nolacon I Reminiscence (Moskowitz)|Nolacon I]]
 
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* [[Pacificon II Reminiscence (Moskowitz)|Pacificon II]]
 
  
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In 2017, [[Hal W. Hall]] published a 223-page [[bibliography]]/guide to the writings of Moskowitz that also included a profile of SaM as a fan by [[Jon D. Swartz]]. A brief biography of SaM by Swartz also appears in {{TNFF|date=September, 2017 |volume=76|number=9}}.
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==Pro==
 +
[[File:Sam Moskowitz (Noreascon 3 - 1989) Photo by Rick Katze-2.jpg|thumb|left|'''Sam Moskowitz at [[Noreascon 3]], 1989'''.<br>''Photo by [[Rick Katze]]''.]]
 +
Starting in 1953 Moskowitz edited ''[[Science-Fiction Plus]]'', a [[prozine]] owned by [[Hugo Gernsback]]. In the 1960s and ’70s, he edited two dozen anthologies, and a few single-author collections, but his most enduring work is likely to be his writing on the history of science fiction, in particular two collections of short author [[biographies]]:
 +
* ''Explorers of the Infinite'', a book of articles on the predecessors of modern [[SF]], mostly reprints of articles previously published in [[prozines]]. It was published in hardcover by World Publishing in 1963 with a paperback edition from Meridian Books in 1966.
 +
* ''Seekers of Tomorrow''.
 +
He also published ''Under the Moons of Mars: A History and Anthology of "The Scientific Romance" in the Munsey Magazines''.  
  
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[[Fanzines]]: ''[[Different]]'', ''[[Current Fantasy]]''.
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==Personal Life==
 +
He was married to fellow fan Dr. [[Christine Haycock]] ([[Chris Moskowitz]]). SaM’s siblings '''Pearl''', '''Morris''' and '''Herman "Harry" Moskowitz''' attended the [[first Worldcon]], possibly only in support of their brother, as we’ve so far found no evidence of their continuing [[fanac]].
  
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For an early short biography, see {{WhosWho1940|page=11}}.
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In [[mundane]] life, Sam was for many years editor of the trade publications ''Quick Frozen Foods'' and ''Quick Frozen Foods International'', for which he used the [[pseudonym]] Sam Martin.
 +
 
 +
A few years before his death, he had throat cancer, which required the surgical removal of his larynx. He was able to speak via an electronic voice-box held against his throat, and continued to appear at [[cons]].
 +
 
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==More Details ==
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* {{SFE|name=moskowitz_sam}}.
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* A short, early biography: {{WhosWho1940|page=11}}.
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* [https://oaktrust.library.tamu.edu/handle/1969.1/164593 ''Sam Moskowitz: A Bibliography and Guide''] by [[Hal W. Hall|Halbert Hall]] (2017): a [[bibliography]]/guide to the writings of Moskowitz including a profile of SaM as a fan.
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* [https://youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1559&v=UlCwj-SMlCQ Audio interview of SaM] by [[Fred Lerner]], 1963.
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* [https://youtu.be/yNvAuTSGAzk Amazing BBC interviews] of SaM and [[Hugo Gernsback]], 1965.
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* Brief biography in {{TNFF|date=September, 2017 |volume=76|number=9}}.
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* ''After All These Years: Sam Moskowitz On His Science Fiction Career'' ([[Niekas]], 1991) is a 96-page paperback publication, edited by [[Fred Lerner]], "based on a postal interview conducted by Jeffrey Elliot." Contents include Moskowitz's memories of the beginnings of SF [[fandom]], his interactions with important early SF writers and editors, his published anthologies (and ghost editing), his personal SF [[collection]], and a comprehensive [[bibliography]] of his work in the field.
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* Moskowitz materials at the Internet Archive: [https://archive.org/search.php?query=creator%3A%22Sam+Moskowitz%22 Page 1,] [https://archive.org/search.php?query=creator%3A%22Moskowitz%2C+Sam%22 Page 2.]
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* [https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/51669 Works at Project Gutenberg.]
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* [https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/13359018/samuel-martin-moskowitz FindAGrave entry. ]
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*SaM’s reminiscences of [[Worldcons]] for the [[Noreascon Three]] [[PB]]:
 +
** [[Nycon 1 Reminiscence (Moskowitz)|Nycon 1]]
 +
** [[Pittcon Reminiscence (Moskowitz)|Pittcon]]
 +
** [[Detention Reminiscence (Moskowitz)|Detention]]
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** [[Clevention Reminiscence (Moskowitz)|Clevention]]
 +
** [[Solacon Reminiscence (Moskowitz)|Solacon]]
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** [[Seacon Reminiscence (Moskowitz)|Seacon]]
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** [[SFCon Reminiscence (Moskowitz)|SFCon]]
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** [[Nolacon I Reminiscence (Moskowitz)|Nolacon I]]
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** [[Pacificon II Reminiscence (Moskowitz)|Pacificon II]]
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{{Fanzines}}
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* ''[[After Ten Years -- A Tribute to Stanley G. Weinbaum]]'' [1945] (with [[Gerry de la Ree]])
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* ''[[Charles Fort: A Radical Corpuscle]]'' [1976]
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* ''[[Current Fantasy]]'' [1938]
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* ''[[Different]]'' [1938-1977] (with [[Christine Moskowitz]] for [[FAPA]])
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* ''[[Helios]]'' [1937–38] (with [[Alex Osheroff]])
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* ''[[The Science Fiction Circular]]'' [1938]
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* ''[[Vad-Jong]]'' [1939]
  
 
{{recognition}}
 
{{recognition}}
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* 1987 -- [[VCON 15]]  
 
* 1987 -- [[VCON 15]]  
 
* 1995 -- [[Archon 19]]
 
* 1995 -- [[Archon 19]]
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{{person | born=1920 | died=1997}}
 
{{person | born=1920 | died=1997}}

Latest revision as of 22:04, 20 March 2023

(June 30, 1920 – April 15, 1997)

Sam Moskowitz, ca. 1960.

Samuel Moskowitz, aka SaM, was one of the creators of fandom, a member of First Fandom, chairman of the first Worldcon, writer, critic, book and fanzine collector, and historian of the field. He was large man — one friend described him as "physically massive" — with a booming voice.

His most well-known work is undoubtedly The Immortal Storm, a historical review of internecine warfare within fandom in the 1930s, in which feuding he was an avid participant. It was written with so much over-the-top seriousness that, as fellow fan historian Harry Warner, Jr. said, "If read directly after a history of World War II, it does not seem like an anticlimax." In spite of that, it remains the essential record of the invention of fandom.

His detractors nicknamed him Foghorn Samuel, the Newark Neanderthal and De Fuhrer of Newark Swamps.

The I-CON Sam Moskowitz Award and the Sam Moskowitz Archive Award were named in his honor.


Fan[edit]

Sam found fandom as a teenager in 1936 and began published the fanzine Helios in June 1937. He also organized a branch of the Science Fiction League.

In 1938, after leading the First National SF Convention in his hometown, Newark, NJ, he organized New Fandom, while at the same time Donald A. Wollheim and others were organizing the Futurians. The Futurians' Marxism conflicted with Moskowitz's focus on sf and fandom and he, Will Sykora and Jimmy Taurasi (the Triumvirs) feuded with the Wollheimists. At age 19, when Sam became chairman of the First Worldcon held in New York City in 1939, he barred several Futurians from the convention, allegedly for fear they would disrupt it, an event usually called the Exclusion Act.

He was the founder of ESFA. He co-chaired Metrocon 1 and was an adviser to the Silvercon committee.

He was Mystery Guest at the Clevention in 1955. The Mystery Guest was one of the GoHs, but his identity was not announced in advance of the convention. Moskowitz was not informed in advance, either, and many people feel that this was a sort of second-rate Worldcon GoHship, which was surely less than his due.

He was a noted collector. “I never threw anything away,” SaM told the BBC in 1965.

Pro[edit]

Sam Moskowitz at Noreascon 3, 1989.
Photo by Rick Katze.

Starting in 1953 Moskowitz edited Science-Fiction Plus, a prozine owned by Hugo Gernsback. In the 1960s and ’70s, he edited two dozen anthologies, and a few single-author collections, but his most enduring work is likely to be his writing on the history of science fiction, in particular two collections of short author biographies:

  • Explorers of the Infinite, a book of articles on the predecessors of modern SF, mostly reprints of articles previously published in prozines. It was published in hardcover by World Publishing in 1963 with a paperback edition from Meridian Books in 1966.
  • Seekers of Tomorrow.

He also published Under the Moons of Mars: A History and Anthology of "The Scientific Romance" in the Munsey Magazines.

Personal Life[edit]

He was married to fellow fan Dr. Christine Haycock (Chris Moskowitz). SaM’s siblings Pearl, Morris and Herman "Harry" Moskowitz attended the first Worldcon, possibly only in support of their brother, as we’ve so far found no evidence of their continuing fanac.

In mundane life, Sam was for many years editor of the trade publications Quick Frozen Foods and Quick Frozen Foods International, for which he used the pseudonym Sam Martin.

A few years before his death, he had throat cancer, which required the surgical removal of his larynx. He was able to speak via an electronic voice-box held against his throat, and continued to appear at cons.

More Details[edit]

Fanzines and Apazines:

Awards, Honors and GoHships:


Person 1920—1997
This is a biography page. Please extend it by adding more information about the person, such as fanzines and apazines published, awards, clubs, conventions worked on, GoHships, impact on fandom, external links, anecdotes, etc. See Standards for People and The Naming of Names.

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