Difference between revisions of "Erle Korshak"

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(1923 --)
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(October 29, 1923 – August 25, 2021)
  
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Erle Melvin Korshak (who often went by '''Mel Korshak''' in his younger days) discovered [[sf]] in 1934 with the August ''[[Astounding]]'' and became a "rabid" collector in 1937. By 1939 he was a well-known [[fan]] and one of the leaders of the [[Moonstruck Press]] [[publishing house]].
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[[File:Erle Korshak Auctioning.jpg|thumb|upright=2|'''Erle Korshak auctioning at [[Pacificon]], 1946.''']]
  
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He was one of the organizers, with [[Mark Reinsberg]] and [[Bob Tucker]], of [[Chicon I]], the second [[World Science Fiction Convention]], held at the [[Hotel Chicagoan]], September 1-2, 1940. He was secretary of the [[concomm]] and presided over the first day of the con as "temporary chairman", when Reinsberg, the chairman, fell ill. The earliest lists of [[Worldcons]] (though not [[Chicon]]'s own!) named him as the [[chairman]], though Reinsberg was restored to that position in the list published by [[Discon II]] in 1974.
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'''Erle<ref>Pronounced “ˈər(-ə)l.”</ref>  Melvin Korshak''' (who often went by '''Mel Korshak''' in his younger days) discovered [[sf]] in 1934 with the August ''[[Astounding]]'' and became a "rabid" [[collector]] in 1937. He was introduced to [[fandom]] by his friend [[Mark Reinsberg]] and by 1939, he was a well-known [[fan]] and one of the leaders of the [[Moonstruck Press]] [[publishing house]]. He was a member of the [[SFL]] towards the end of its run.  
  
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After [[World War II]], Korshak established a used book business, which led in 1947 to [[Shasta Publishers]], one of the first hardback [[SF]] speciality presses. The company's first major book was ''[[The Checklist of Fantastic Literature]]'' by [[Everett F. Bleiler]] (1948), a pioneering work of SF bibliography. This was followed by major works by [[Robert A. Heinlein|Heinlein]], [[Alfred Bester|Bester]], [[Fredric Brown]] and others. Unhappily, overambitious expansion and an ill-fated effort to diversify into mainstream publishing brought the venture to an end in 1957. The verdict of [[Jack Chalker]] and [[Mark Owings]] in ''[[The Science Fantasy Publishers]]'' was that Shasta and Korshak "had more lasting impact than many major specialty presses of today ever will or could".
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He was one of the organizers, with [[Mark Reinsberg]] and [[Bob Tucker]], of [[Chicon]], the second [[World Science Fiction Convention]], held September 1-2, 1940. He was [[secretary]] of the [[concom]] and presided over the first day of the [[con]] as "temporary [[chairman]]", when Reinsberg, the chairman, fell ill. The earliest lists of [[Worldcons]] (though not [[Chicon]]'s own!) named him as the [[chairman]], though Reinsberg was restored to that position in the list published by [[Discon II]] in 1974. Korshak would have been a [[GoH]] at [[Chicon 8]], the 2022 Worldcon, had he lived till then.  
  
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Korshak did not have much contact with [[fandom]] for the next 30 years. After graduating from law school, he became successful as a lawyer and businessman in California and Nevada. Starting in the late 1980's, he began attending conventions again. With his son, [[Stephen D. Korshak]], he revived the [[Shasta]] imprint (as "[[Shasta-Phoenix]]") in 2009 to publish collections of classic [[SF]] art.
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After [[World War II]], Korshak established a used-book business, which led in 1947 to [[Shasta Publishers]], one of the first hardback [[SF]] speciality presses. The company's first major book was ''[[The Checklist of Fantastic Literature]]'' by [[Everett F. Bleiler]] (1948), a pioneering work of [[SF]] [[bibliography]]. This was followed by major works by [[Robert A. Heinlein|Heinlein]], [[Alfred Bester|Bester]], [[Fredric Brown]] and others. Unhappily, overambitious expansion and an ill-fated effort to diversify into [[mainstream]] publishing brought the venture to an end in 1957 after many financial problems. The verdict of [[Jack Chalker]] and [[Mark Owings]] in ''[[The Science-Fantasy Publishers]]'' was that Shasta and Korshak "had more lasting impact than many major specialty presses of today ever will or could".
  
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He was a frequent [[convention]] [[auction]]eer.
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[[File:KorshakIreneMel1951.jpeg|thumb|left|'''[[Irene Korshak|Irene]] and Mel Korshak at [[Nolacon]], 1951.''' ]]
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In 1950, he married [[Irene Korshak|Irene Odenheimer]], who worked with him at Shasta, and with whom he had a son on June 1, 1952. Nevertheless, they were both on the [[concom]] for [[Chicon II]], the [[Worldcon]] that year. They divorced by 1976.
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Korshak did not have much contact with [[fandom]] after the late 1950s collapse of Shasta through the late 1980s. After graduating from law school, he became successful as a lawyer and businessman in [[California]] and [[Nevada]]. Starting in the late 1980s, he began attending [[conventions]] again. With his son, [[Stephen D. Korshak]], he built the Korshak Collection, one of the finest SF [[art]] [[collections]] ever and revived the [[Shasta]] imprint (as "Shasta-Phoenix") in 2009 to publish collections of classic [[SF]] [[art]].
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[[File:Erle-Korshak-Dublin-2019-Bill-Burns-Photo.jpg|thumb|upright=.75|'''Erle Korshak at [[Dublin 2019]].'''<br>''Photo by [[Bill Burns]].'']]
 
He published ''[[Putting My Two Cents In]]'' to explain why [[Denver]] won the [[1941 Worldcon]].
 
He published ''[[Putting My Two Cents In]]'' to explain why [[Denver]] won the [[1941 Worldcon]].
  
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He was inducted into the [[First Fandom Hall of Fame]] in 1996, and won the [[Barry R. Levin Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature Lifetime Collectors Award]] in 2001.
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Korshak was attending cons until 2019. While he died before [[Chicon 8]], where he would have been a guest of honor, [[FANAC]] provided a life-sized standee of him at the con, and many of Korshak's relatives attended.
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While Erle's father, Sam, was born in the United States, the rest of Sam's family were born in the Ukraine (then Russia).  One of Erle's uncles, Stanley Korshak, was a high-end couturier and retailer to wealthy socialites, and another, Harry, was a doctor. He doesn’t appear to be have been closely related to attorney Sidney Korshak, the notorious fixer for the Chicago mob.
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* Early short biography in {{WhosWho1940|page=9}}.
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* [https://firstfandomexperience.org/2019/04/21/a-conversation-with-erle-korshak/ “A Conversation with Erle M. Korshak.”]
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* [http://web.archive.org/web/20220120143414/https://www.joshuablubuhs.com/blog/erle-melvin-korshak-as-a-fortean “Erle Melvin Korshak as a Fortean,”] ''From an Oblique Angle,'' April 9, 2016 (archived).
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* Erle Korshak Fanhistory Zoom with [[Joe Siclari]], 2021: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wrUeYvvzJ8 Part One], [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PE8pcwolOo Part Two].
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* Original Member Spotlight in the New Series #48, 2nd Quarter 2016 issue of ''[[Scientifiction: The First Fandom Report]]''.
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* {{SFE|name=korshak_erle}}.
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{{recognition}}
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* 1996 — [[First Fandom Hall of Fame]]  
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* 2001 — [[Barry R. Levin Science Fiction & Fantasy Literature|Barry R. Levin Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature Lifetime Collectors Award]]
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* 2022 — '''[[Chicon 8]]''' (which, sadly, he did not live to attend)
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[[File:1939ConeyCar.jpeg|frame|center|upright|'''During the [[first Worldcon]], [[fans]] took the opportunity to visit Coney Island, where this [[foto]]-op took place. '''''Front, from left:''''' [[Mark Reinsberg]], [[Jack Agnew]], [[Ross Rocklynne]].''' ''Rear:'' '''[[V. Kidwell]], [[Robert A. Madle]], Erle Korshak, [[Ray Bradbury]], July 4, 1939.''' ''Courtesy of Robert Madle.'']]
  
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He was the subject of an Original Member Spotlight feature by [[John L. Coker, III]] and [[Jon D. Swartz]] in the New Series #48, 2nd Quarter 2016 issue of ''[[Scientifiction]]: The First Fandom Report''.
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____<br>
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<references/>
  
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For an early short biography, see {{WhosWho1940|page=9}}.
 
  
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{{person}}
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{{person | born=1923 | died=2021}}
 
[[Category:fan]]
 
[[Category:fan]]
 
[[Category:first_fandom]]
 
[[Category:first_fandom]]
 
[[Category:US]]
 
[[Category:US]]

Latest revision as of 03:13, 14 March 2023

(October 29, 1923 – August 25, 2021)

Erle Korshak auctioning at Pacificon, 1946.

Erle[1] Melvin Korshak (who often went by Mel Korshak in his younger days) discovered sf in 1934 with the August Astounding and became a "rabid" collector in 1937. He was introduced to fandom by his friend Mark Reinsberg and by 1939, he was a well-known fan and one of the leaders of the Moonstruck Press publishing house. He was a member of the SFL towards the end of its run.

He was one of the organizers, with Mark Reinsberg and Bob Tucker, of Chicon, the second World Science Fiction Convention, held September 1-2, 1940. He was secretary of the concom and presided over the first day of the con as "temporary chairman", when Reinsberg, the chairman, fell ill. The earliest lists of Worldcons (though not Chicon's own!) named him as the chairman, though Reinsberg was restored to that position in the list published by Discon II in 1974. Korshak would have been a GoH at Chicon 8, the 2022 Worldcon, had he lived till then.

After World War II, Korshak established a used-book business, which led in 1947 to Shasta Publishers, one of the first hardback SF speciality presses. The company's first major book was The Checklist of Fantastic Literature by Everett F. Bleiler (1948), a pioneering work of SF bibliography. This was followed by major works by Heinlein, Bester, Fredric Brown and others. Unhappily, overambitious expansion and an ill-fated effort to diversify into mainstream publishing brought the venture to an end in 1957 after many financial problems. The verdict of Jack Chalker and Mark Owings in The Science-Fantasy Publishers was that Shasta and Korshak "had more lasting impact than many major specialty presses of today ever will or could".

He was a frequent convention auctioneer.

Irene and Mel Korshak at Nolacon, 1951.

In 1950, he married Irene Odenheimer, who worked with him at Shasta, and with whom he had a son on June 1, 1952. Nevertheless, they were both on the concom for Chicon II, the Worldcon that year. They divorced by 1976.

Korshak did not have much contact with fandom after the late 1950s collapse of Shasta through the late 1980s. After graduating from law school, he became successful as a lawyer and businessman in California and Nevada. Starting in the late 1980s, he began attending conventions again. With his son, Stephen D. Korshak, he built the Korshak Collection, one of the finest SF art collections ever and revived the Shasta imprint (as "Shasta-Phoenix") in 2009 to publish collections of classic SF art.

Erle Korshak at Dublin 2019.
Photo by Bill Burns.

He published Putting My Two Cents In to explain why Denver won the 1941 Worldcon.

Korshak was attending cons until 2019. While he died before Chicon 8, where he would have been a guest of honor, FANAC provided a life-sized standee of him at the con, and many of Korshak's relatives attended.

While Erle's father, Sam, was born in the United States, the rest of Sam's family were born in the Ukraine (then Russia). One of Erle's uncles, Stanley Korshak, was a high-end couturier and retailer to wealthy socialites, and another, Harry, was a doctor. He doesn’t appear to be have been closely related to attorney Sidney Korshak, the notorious fixer for the Chicago mob.

Awards, Honors and GoHships:


During the first Worldcon, fans took the opportunity to visit Coney Island, where this foto-op took place. Front, from left: Mark Reinsberg, Jack Agnew, Ross Rocklynne. Rear: Vincent Kidwell, Robert A. Madle, Erle Korshak, Ray Bradbury, July 4, 1939. Courtesy of Robert Madle.

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  1. ↑ Pronounced “ˈər(-ə)l.”


Person 1923—2021
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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