Difference between revisions of "Thursday"

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(Corrected spelling of Jon Stopa. Added Gail Burnick to attendees)
 
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'''Thursday''', an informal gathering of  [[Chicago|Chicagoland]] [[fans]], met weekly on Thursday nights during the 1970s and '80s. The meetings, predominantly social events, attracted a group of mostly younger [[fen]], occasionally also called the '''Thursday Night Irregulars'''.
 
'''Thursday''', an informal gathering of  [[Chicago|Chicagoland]] [[fans]], met weekly on Thursday nights during the 1970s and '80s. The meetings, predominantly social events, attracted a group of mostly younger [[fen]], occasionally also called the '''Thursday Night Irregulars'''.
  
The gatherings grew out of meeting up for road-trips to [[Midwest fandom|Midwestern]] [[conventions]] in other cities and eventually took on a life of their own, turning into a weekly party. Thursday began in [[Chip Bestler]] and [[Phil Foglio]]'s dorm room in the 1970s, and later continued at [[Phil Foglio|Foglio]] and [[Doug Rice]]'s apartment at 7660 N. Sheridan in the Rogers Park neighborhood of [[Chicago]]. [[George Price]] regularly hosted the meetings in his Rogers Park apartment as well.  Later, the location of the meetings changed weekly as different [[fans]] hosted them, prompting the typical question, "Where's Thursday?"  
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The gatherings grew out of meeting up for road-trips to [[Midwest fandom|Midwestern]] [[conventions]] in other cities and eventually took on a life of their own, turning into a weekly party. Thursday began in [[Chip Bestler]] (later Caitlin Bestler) and [[Phil Foglio]]'s dorm room in 1974, and later continued at Foglio and [[Doug Rice]]'s apartment at 7660 N. Sheridan in the [[Rogers Park]] neighborhood of [[Chicago]]. Later, the location of the meetings changed weekly as different [[fans]] hosted them, prompting the typical question, "'''Where's Thursday?'''"  
  
After most Thursdays, some attendees adjourned to a local pub or late-night restaurant, initially the Public Trough. In the '80s, the designated spot was the West Rogers Park branch of the Belden Deli; by that time, the ''aprés''-Thursdays had come to be called "[[Ool]]," and those who planned to attend surreptitiously signaled to one other with a secret sign before leaving, in order to escape without attracting attention from deadbeats known to skip out without paying their share of the check.  
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In the early 1980s, Thursday featured monthly [[collations]] of [[Windyapa]].  
  
Thursday meetings were completely open, so any [[fan]] might turn up, but regulars included [[Phil Foglio|Foglio]], [[Doug Rice|Rice]], [[Steve Johnson]], [[Chip Bestler|Bestler]], [[Paul Gadzikowski]], [[Phyllis Eisenstein|Phyllis]] and [[Alex Eisenstein]], [[Barry Lyn-Waitsman|Barry]] and [[Marcy Lyn-Waitsman]], [[Martha Soukup]], [[Doug Van Dorn|Doug]] and [[Gretchen Roper|Gretchen Van Dorn]], [[Dick Smith|Dick]] and [[Leah Zeldes Smith|Leah Smith]], [[Doug Price]], [[Neil Rest]], [[Michael Blake]], [[Lisa Golladay]], [[Thalia St. Lewis]], [[Valli Hoski]], [[Midge Reitan]], [[Moshe Yudkowsky]], [[Bill Higgins]], [[Alex Ellingsen]], [[Mike Bentley]], [[Alice Insley|Alice]] and [[Angel Insley]], [[Bill Roper]], [[Bill Leininger]], [[Bill Surrett]] and [[Ben Zuhl]].  [[George R. R. Martin]] and [[Gail Burnick]] attended frequently, as did [[Jon Stopa|Jon]] and [[Joni Stopa]].
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After most Thursdays, some attendees adjourned to a local pub or late-night restaurant, initially the Public Trough. In the '80s, the designated spot was the West Rogers Park branch of the Belden Deli; by that time, the [[After-meeting|''aprés''-Thursdays]] had come to be called "[[Ool]]," and those who planned to attend surreptitiously signaled to one other with a secret sign before leaving, in order to escape without attracting attention from deadbeats known to skip out without paying their share of the check.  
  
{{club |start=1970s | end=1980s}}
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Thursday meetings were completely open, so any [[fan]] might turn up, but regulars included [[Phil Foglio|Foglio]], [[Doug Rice|Rice]], [[Steve Johnson]], [[Chip Bestler|Bestler]], [[Paul Gadzikowski]], [[Phyllis Eisenstein|Phyllis]] and [[Alex Eisenstein]], [[Barry Lyn-Waitsman|Barry]] and [[Marcy Lyn-Waitsman]], [[Martha Soukup]], [[Doug Van Dorn|Doug]] and [[Gretchen Roper|Gretchen Van Dorn]], [[Dick Smith|Dick]] and [[Leah Zeldes Smith|Leah Smith]], [[Doug Price]], [[Neil Rest]], [[E. Michael Blake]], [[Lisa Golladay]], [[Thalia St. Lewis]], [[Valli Hoski]], [[Midge Reitan]], [[Moshe Yudkowsky]], [[Bill Higgins]], [[Alex Ellingsen]], [[Alice Bentley|Alice]] and [[Angel Insley]], [[Todd Johnson]], [[Mary Lynn Skirvin]], [[Bill Leininger]], [[Bill Roper]], [[Bill Surrett]] and [[Ben Zuhl]].
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A centerpiece of [[Chicon 6]], the 2000 [[Worldcon]], was the [[Fan Lounge]], designed by [[Dick Smith|Dick]] and [[Leah Smith]] to resemble a typical [[Chifan]] living room of the Thursday era, complete with ratty furniture, brick-and-board bookcases stuffed with [[sf]], and life-sized soft-sculpture replicas of [[Phyllis Eisenstein]] and [[Neil Rest]] (created by [[Gretchen Roper]]), along with [[fanzine]] displays and [[repro]] equipment.
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[[File:FanLoungeChicon6-2000.jpeg|frame|center| '''[[Fan Lounge]], part of the [[Chicon 6]] concourse, designed by [[Leah Zeldes]] and [[Dick Smith]] to represent a typical [[Chifan]] living room of the Thursday era, featuring ratty sofas and brick-and-board [[bookshelves]]. Front: [[Roger Sims]], left, and [[Dave Kyle]] with life-sized soft-sculptures of Thursday regulars. Behind them, working [[repro]] equipment from the Smiths’ collection: a [[ditto machine]], [[mimeo]] and [[letterpress]].''' ''Photo by [[Laurie Mann]].'']]
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{{club |start=1974 | end=1980s}}
 
[[Category:US]]
 
[[Category:US]]

Latest revision as of 21:03, 21 September 2022

Thursday, an informal gathering of Chicagoland fans, met weekly on Thursday nights during the 1970s and '80s. The meetings, predominantly social events, attracted a group of mostly younger fen, occasionally also called the Thursday Night Irregulars.

The gatherings grew out of meeting up for road-trips to Midwestern conventions in other cities and eventually took on a life of their own, turning into a weekly party. Thursday began in Chip Bestler (later Caitlin Bestler) and Phil Foglio's dorm room in 1974, and later continued at Foglio and Doug Rice's apartment at 7660 N. Sheridan in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago. Later, the location of the meetings changed weekly as different fans hosted them, prompting the typical question, "Where's Thursday?"

In the early 1980s, Thursday featured monthly collations of Windyapa.

After most Thursdays, some attendees adjourned to a local pub or late-night restaurant, initially the Public Trough. In the '80s, the designated spot was the West Rogers Park branch of the Belden Deli; by that time, the aprés-Thursdays had come to be called "Ool," and those who planned to attend surreptitiously signaled to one other with a secret sign before leaving, in order to escape without attracting attention from deadbeats known to skip out without paying their share of the check.

Thursday meetings were completely open, so any fan might turn up, but regulars included Foglio, Rice, Steve Johnson, Bestler, Paul Gadzikowski, Phyllis and Alex Eisenstein, Barry and Marcy Lyn-Waitsman, Martha Soukup, Doug and Gretchen Van Dorn, Dick and Leah Smith, Doug Price, Neil Rest, E. Michael Blake, Lisa Golladay, Thalia St. Lewis, Valli Hoski, Midge Reitan, Moshe Yudkowsky, Bill Higgins, Alex Ellingsen, Alice and Angel Insley, Todd Johnson, Mary Lynn Skirvin, Bill Leininger, Bill Roper, Bill Surrett and Ben Zuhl.

A centerpiece of Chicon 6, the 2000 Worldcon, was the Fan Lounge, designed by Dick and Leah Smith to resemble a typical Chifan living room of the Thursday era, complete with ratty furniture, brick-and-board bookcases stuffed with sf, and life-sized soft-sculpture replicas of Phyllis Eisenstein and Neil Rest (created by Gretchen Roper), along with fanzine displays and repro equipment.


Fan Lounge, part of the Chicon 6 concourse, designed by Leah Zeldes and Dick Smith to represent a typical Chifan living room of the Thursday era, featuring ratty sofas and brick-and-board bookshelves. Front: Roger Sims, left, and Dave Kyle with life-sized soft-sculptures of Thursday regulars. Behind them, working repro equipment from the Smiths’ collection: a ditto machine, mimeo and letterpress. Photo by Laurie Mann.



Club 19741980s
This is a club page. Please extend it by adding information about when and where the club met, when and by whom it was founded, how long it was active, notable accomplishments, well-known members, clubzines, any conventions it ran, external links to the club's website, other club pages, etc.

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