Theodore Sturgeon

(February 26, 1918 – May 8, 1985)

Theodore “Ted” Hamilton Sturgeon (born Edward Waldo), an American pro writer, sold his first sf story in 1939 to Astounding. He is primarily known for his short fiction. He was GoH at Chicon III, the 1962 Worldcon. He received numerous Hugo nominations including the 1956 Best Novelette Hugo, and the 1956 Best Short Story Hugo, and won the 1971 Best Short Story Hugo for "Slow Sculpture".

He was a member of the Trap Door Spiders. He also wrote screenplays for two Star Trek episodes.

Sturgeon's Law

"90 percent of everything is crud."

According to Philip Klass (William Tenn), Sturgeon said this in 1951, at a talk at New York University. It was subsequently included in a talk at the 1953 Worldcon in Philadelphia. He said, "90 percent of science fiction is crud." This upset his audience, but then he added, "90 percent of everything is crud."

Entry at the Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction.

More reading:

• Entry in The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction.
• Video of GoH speech at Lunacon 15, 1972.
• Video of speech at SunCon, 1977.

Awards, Honors and GoHships:

• 1950 -- Toastmaster at NorWesCon
• 1954 -- International Fantasy Award for More Than Human
• 1961 -- Philcon 1961
• 1962 -- Chicon III
• 1966 -- Westercon 19 toastmaster
• 1971 -- Forry Award, 1971 Best Short Story Hugo
• 1972 -- Lunacon 15
• 1973 -- Equicon '73
• 1974 -- TusCon IV
• 1978 -- Kubla Khan Sex, Unicon 4, Norwescon 1, ConClave 3
• 1979 -- Minicon 15, AggieCon X, StellarCon IV, The Fantasy Symposium, Just Imagicon, Future Party '79
• 1980 -- Michicon, Toastmaster at Norwescon III
• 1981 -- MileHiCon 13, Empiricon 3, Wichacon I, Future Party '81
• 1983 -- CopperCon 3, Colorado Mountain Con, Vikingcon 4
• 1984 -- ConQuistador 1, Texarkon '84
• 1985 -- Eucon '85
• 1985 -- World Fantasy Lifetime Achievement Award
• 1988 -- Readercon 2 (Memorial Guest)
• 2000 -- Science Fiction Hall of Fame
• 2020 -- 1945 Best Novella Retro Hugo

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Person

1918—1985

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