Difference between revisions of "Hugo Award"
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| − | The '''Hugo Award''', | + | The '''Hugo Award''', the most prestigious award in [[Science Fiction]], is named after [[Hugo Gernsback]], publisher of the first all-[[stf]] magazine ''[[Amazing Stories]]''. The Hugos are [[fandom]]’s highest honor to its members and others whose work [[fans]] admire. Hugo winners are selected annually by the [[members]] of the [[World Science Fiction Society]] and the presentation ceremonies are central to fandom's most important event, the [[World Science Fiction Convention]]. |
| − | Regular categories are [[Best Fanzine]], [[Best Fan Writer]], [[Best Fan Artist]], [[Best Novel]], [[Best Novella]], [[Best Novelette]], [[Best Short Story]], [[Best Related Work]], [[Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form]], [[Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form]]. [[Best Editor, Long Form]], [[Best Editor, Short Form]], [[Best Professional Artist]], [[Best Semiprozine]], [[Best Graphic Story]], | + | Regular categories are [[Best Fanzine]], [[Best Fan Writer]], [[Best Fan Artist]], [[Best Novel]], [[Best Novella]], [[Best Novelette]], [[Best Short Story]], [[Best Related Work]], [[Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form]], [[Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form]]. [[Best Editor, Long Form]], [[Best Editor, Short Form]], [[Best Professional Artist]], [[Best Semiprozine]], [[Best Graphic Story]], [[Best Fancast]], and [[Best Series]], with others being considered (but probably not "[[Ditmar Award|Best Fannish Cat]]," at least not yet) from time to time. The Worldcon [[Committee]] can and sometimes does name a [[Committee Special Award]] each year. |
The [[Hugo Trophy]] consists of a silvery cast-metal [[Hugo rocket]], which is the same from year to year mounted on a [[Hugo base]] which each [[Worldcon]] designs specially. | The [[Hugo Trophy]] consists of a silvery cast-metal [[Hugo rocket]], which is the same from year to year mounted on a [[Hugo base]] which each [[Worldcon]] designs specially. | ||
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===The First Hugos=== | ===The First Hugos=== | ||
| − | [[Fans]] first awarded the Hugo at Worldcon in 1953. The first Hugos were called the '''Science Fiction Achievement Awards''' and were announced in [[Philcon II]]'s [[PR]] 3. | + | [[Fans]] first awarded the Hugo at Worldcon in 1953. The first Hugos were called the '''Science Fiction Achievement Awards''' and were announced in [[Philcon II]]'s [[PR]] 3. They seem to have hoped that the SFAA would become a permanent award, since they called them the "First Annual". (The following [[Worldcon]], [[SFCon]] did not award the [[Hugos]] in 1954, but the [[Clevention]] did in 1955 and that made them a [[Fannish Tradition|Hallowed Tradition]]. |
The informal name stuck, and in 1992 was made the official (trademarked, even) name. | The informal name stuck, and in 1992 was made the official (trademarked, even) name. | ||
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===Process History=== | ===Process History=== | ||
| − | The Hugo Award started out in 1953 as a one-step process; there was no separate nominations phase prior to voting, but, instead, simply a vote among all the works that were considered eligible. | + | The Hugo Award started out in 1953 as a one-step process; there was no separate nominations phase prior to voting, but, instead, simply a vote among all the works that were considered eligible. Voting was very low. Over the next few years each Worldcon [[committee]] invented its own process and its own set of categories, with [[Loncon]] in 1957 going [[1957 Hugos|its own way entirely]]. |
| − | + | For the first time [[Detention]] in 1959 provided a nominations ballot followed by a separate vote among the nominees on a final ballot. The ''nominators'' weren't required to be members of the Worldcon (or any Worldcon) -- nominating ballots were freely distributed. In fact, on pg 167 of the May 1962 ''[[Analog]]'', there's an open solicitation for nominations as part of [[P. Schuyler Miller]]'s "The Reference Library" column (the book reviews section of ''[[Analog]]''). | |
| − | + | Voting was somewhat open (the final ballot went out in the convention [[Progress Report]], but there was little or no attempt to limit voting to members) until 1961, when the rules were changed to limit voting to current Worldcon members. | |
| − | + | 1960 [[Pittcon]] saw the first largish Hugo controversy with [[1960 Hugos|claims of Nefarious Activities]] | |
| − | And so the current two-step process wasn't fully in place until 1963 | + | The rules adopted in 1961 formally limited nominations to the members of the current Worldcon, although that procedure had been followed since 1959. The procedure stayed unchanged until 1988, when Worldcon members from the previous year were added to the group that could nominate. And so the current two-step process wasn't fully in place until 1963. |
| − | The [[WSFS Constitution]] didn't exist until 1963. | + | The [[WSFS Constitution]] itself didn't exist until 1963. There were a set of [[WSFS Business Meeting]] resolutions, but they hadn't all been collected, or determined as to which were binding, and how, prior to then. The WSFS Constitution was put together by a committee appointed by the 1962 ([[Chicon III]]) [[WSFS Business Meeting]], headed by [[George Scithers]], and was adopted by the [[1963 Worldcon]]. |
| − | From 1963 on, the | + | From 1963 on, the WSFS Constitution specified what the categories were. |
| − | [[Jo Walton]] has written | + | [[Jo Walton]] has written an interesting history of the Hugos up to the year 2000. |
See also: [[Retro Hugos]]. | See also: [[Retro Hugos]]. | ||
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<tab> | <tab> | ||
| − | [[Best Novel]] ||[[1953 Hugos|1953]]-present | + | [[Best Novel]] ||| [[1953 Hugos|1953]]-present |
| − | [[Best Professional Magazine]] ||[[1953 Hugos|1953]]-present (Became [[Best Professional Editor]] category in [[1973 Hugos|1973]].) | + | [[Best Professional Magazine]] ||| [[1953 Hugos|1953]]-present (Became [[Best Professional Editor]] category in [[1973 Hugos|1973]].) |
| − | [[Best Cover Artist]] ||[[1953 Hugos|1953]] | + | [[Best Cover Artist]] ||| [[1953 Hugos|1953]] |
| − | [[Best Interior Illustrator]] ||[[1953 Hugos|1953]] | + | [[Best Interior Illustrator]] ||| [[1953 Hugos|1953]] |
| − | [[Best Feature Writer]] ||[[1953 Hugos|1953]], [[1955 Hugos|1955]] | + | [[Best Feature Writer]] ||| [[1953 Hugos|1953]], [[1955 Hugos|1955]] |
| − | [[Most Promising New Author]] ||[[1953 Hugos|1953]], [[1956 Hugos|1956]], [[1959 Hugos|1959]] | + | [[Most Promising New Author]] ||| [[1953 Hugos|1953]], [[1956 Hugos|1956]], [[1959 Hugos|1959]] |
| − | [[Number 1 Fan Personality]] ||[[1953 Hugos|1953]], [[1957 Hugos|1957]] | + | [[Number 1 Fan Personality]] ||| [[1953 Hugos|1953]], [[1957 Hugos|1957]] |
| − | [[Best Novelette]] ||[[1955 Hugos|1955]]-[[1956 Hugos|1956]], [[1959 Hugos|1959]], [[1967 Hugos|1967]]-[[1969 Hugos|1969]], [[1973 Hugos|1973]]-present | + | [[Best Novelette]] ||| [[1955 Hugos|1955]]-[[1956 Hugos|1956]], [[1959 Hugos|1959]], [[1967 Hugos|1967]]-[[1969 Hugos|1969]], [[1973 Hugos|1973]]-present |
| − | [[Best Short Story]] ||[[1955 Hugos|1955]]-[[1956 Hugos|1956]], [[1958 Hugos|1958]]-[[1959 Hugos|1959]], [[1967 Hugos|1967]]-present | + | [[Best Short Story]] ||| [[1955 Hugos|1955]]-[[1956 Hugos|1956]], [[1958 Hugos|1958]]-[[1959 Hugos|1959]], [[1967 Hugos|1967]]-present |
| − | [[Best Professional Artist]] ||[[1955 Hugos|1955]]-[[1956 Hugos|1956]], [[1958 Hugos|1958]]-present | + | [[Best Professional Artist]] ||| [[1955 Hugos|1955]]-[[1956 Hugos|1956]], [[1958 Hugos|1958]]-present |
| − | [[Best Fanzine]] ||[[1955 Hugos|1955]]-[[1957 Hugos|1957]], [[1959 Hugos|1959]]-present | + | [[Best Fanzine]] ||| [[1955 Hugos|1955]]-[[1957 Hugos|1957]], [[1959 Hugos|1959]]-present |
| − | [[Best Book Reviewer]] ||[[1956 Hugos|1956]] | + | [[Best Book Reviewer]] ||| [[1956 Hugos|1956]] |
| − | [[Best Novel or Novelette]] ||[[1958 Hugos|1958]] (replaced [[Best Novel]] for this one year.) | + | [[Best Novel or Novelette]] ||| [[1958 Hugos|1958]] (replaced [[Best Novel]] for this one year.) |
| − | [[Best Dramatic Presentation]] ||[[1958 Hugos|1958]]-present | + | [[Best Dramatic Presentation]] ||| [[1958 Hugos|1958]]-present |
| − | [[Best SF or Fantasy Movie]] ||[[1959 Hugos|1959]] | + | [[Best SF or Fantasy Movie]] ||| [[1959 Hugos|1959]] |
| − | [[Best Novella]] ||[[1968 Hugos|1968]]-present | + | [[Best Novella]] ||| [[1968 Hugos|1968]]-present |
| − | [[Best Short Fiction]] ||[[1960 Hugos|1960]]-[[1966 Hugos|1966]] | + | [[Best Short Fiction]] ||| [[1960 Hugos|1960]]-[[1966 Hugos|1966]] |
| − | [[Best SF Book Publisher]] ||[[1964 Hugos|1964]]-[[1965 Hugos|1965]] | + | [[Best SF Book Publisher]] ||| [[1964 Hugos|1964]]-[[1965 Hugos|1965]] |
| − | [[Best All-Time Series]] ||[[1966 Hugos|1966]] | + | [[Best All-Time Series]] ||| [[1966 Hugos|1966]] |
| − | [[Best Fan Writer]] ||[[1967 Hugos|1967]]-present | + | [[Best Fan Writer]] ||| [[1967 Hugos|1967]]-present |
| − | [[Best Fan Artist]] ||[[1967 Hugos|1967]]-present | + | [[Best Fan Artist]] ||| [[1967 Hugos|1967]]-present |
| − | [[Best Professional Editor]] ||[[1973 Hugos|1973]]-present | + | [[Best Professional Editor]] ||| [[1973 Hugos|1973]]-present |
| − | [[Best Non-Fiction Book]] ||[[1980 Hugos|1980]]-present | + | [[Best Non-Fiction Book]] ||| [[1980 Hugos|1980]]-present |
| − | [[Best Semiprozine]] ||[[1983 Hugos|1983]]-present | + | [[Best Semiprozine]] ||| [[1983 Hugos|1983]]-present |
| − | [[Best Other Forms]] ||[[1988 Hugos|1988]] | + | [[Best Other Forms]] ||| [[1988 Hugos|1988]] |
| − | [[Best Translation]] ||[[1990 Hugos|1990]] | + | [[Best Translation]] ||| [[1990 Hugos|1990]] |
| − | [[Best Original Artwork]] ||[[1990 Hugos|1990]], [[1992 Hugos|1992]]-[[1996 Hugos|1996]] | + | [[Best Original Artwork]] ||| [[1990 Hugos|1990]], [[1992 Hugos|1992]]-[[1996 Hugos|1996]] |
| − | [[Best Related Book]] ||re-titling of [[Best Non-Fiction Book]] from [[1999 Hugos|1999]] to [[2009 Hugos|2009]] | + | [[Best Related Book]] ||| re-titling of [[Best Non-Fiction Book]] from [[1999 Hugos|1999]] to [[2009 Hugos|2009]] |
| − | [[Best Web Site]] ||[[2003 Hugos|2003]], [[2005 Hugos|2005]] | + | [[Best Web Site]] ||| [[2003 Hugos|2003]], [[2005 Hugos|2005]] |
| − | [[Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form]] ||[[2004 Hugos|2004]]-present. ([[Best Dramatic Presentation]] after short form split out.) | + | [[Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form]] ||| [[2004 Hugos|2004]]-present. ([[Best Dramatic Presentation]] after short form split out.) |
| − | [[Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form]] ||[[2004 Hugos|2004]]-present | + | [[Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form]] ||| [[2004 Hugos|2004]]-present |
| − | [[Best Editor, Long Form]] ||[[2006 Hugos|2006]]-present. ([[Best Professional Editor]] after Short Form split out) | + | [[Best Editor, Long Form]] ||| [[2006 Hugos|2006]]-present. ([[Best Professional Editor]] after Short Form split out) |
| − | [[Best Editor, Short Form]] ||[[2006 Hugos|2006]]-present. (split out from [[Best Professional Editor]]) | + | [[Best Editor, Short Form]] ||| [[2006 Hugos|2006]]-present. (split out from [[Best Professional Editor]]) |
| − | [[Best Graphic Story]] ||[[2009 Hugos|2009]]-present | + | [[Best Graphic Story]] ||| [[2009 Hugos|2009]]-present |
| − | [[Best Related Work]] ||[[2010 Hugos|2010]]-present. (retitling of [[Best Related Book]]) | + | [[Best Related Work]] ||| [[2010 Hugos|2010]]-present. (retitling of [[Best Related Book]]) |
| − | [[Best Fancast]] ||[[2012 Hugos|2012]]-present | + | [[Best Fancast]] ||| [[2012 Hugos|2012]]-present |
| − | [[Best Series]] ||[[2017 Hugos|2017]]-present | + | [[Best Series]] ||| [[2017 Hugos|2017]]-present |
| − | ([[Campbell Award]]) ||1973-2019 | + | ([[Campbell Award]]) ||| 1973-2019 |
| − | ([[Astounding Award]]) ||2020-present | + | ([[Astounding Award]]) ||| 2020-present |
</tab> | </tab> | ||
Revision as of 10:01, 27 June 2022
The Hugo Award, the most prestigious award in Science Fiction, is named after Hugo Gernsback, publisher of the first all-stf magazine Amazing Stories. The Hugos are fandom’s highest honor to its members and others whose work fans admire. Hugo winners are selected annually by the members of the World Science Fiction Society and the presentation ceremonies are central to fandom's most important event, the World Science Fiction Convention.
Regular categories are Best Fanzine, Best Fan Writer, Best Fan Artist, Best Novel, Best Novella, Best Novelette, Best Short Story, Best Related Work, Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form, Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form. Best Editor, Long Form, Best Editor, Short Form, Best Professional Artist, Best Semiprozine, Best Graphic Story, Best Fancast, and Best Series, with others being considered (but probably not "Best Fannish Cat," at least not yet) from time to time. The Worldcon Committee can and sometimes does name a Committee Special Award each year.
The Hugo Trophy consists of a silvery cast-metal Hugo rocket, which is the same from year to year mounted on a Hugo base which each Worldcon designs specially.
Despite some filthy pros' efforts to use the Hugo as a marketing tool, ithe awards are entirely a fannish endeavor. While pros who pay for membership in WSFS may vote, the administration of the awards, counting of the ballots and production of the awards ceremony are all done by volunteer fans.
To even be nominated (be a finalist on the ballot) is considered a great honour, and unlike other awards, we record that here.
See Hugo Rules for more information and Hugo voting process if you really want the gory details. See also Campbell Award (now renamed the Astounding Award), Special Committee Awards and Retro Hugos.
Contents
History of the Hugos[edit]
The First Hugos[edit]
Fans first awarded the Hugo at Worldcon in 1953. The first Hugos were called the Science Fiction Achievement Awards and were announced in Philcon II's PR 3. They seem to have hoped that the SFAA would become a permanent award, since they called them the "First Annual". (The following Worldcon, SFCon did not award the Hugos in 1954, but the Clevention did in 1955 and that made them a Hallowed Tradition.
The informal name stuck, and in 1992 was made the official (trademarked, even) name.
The Hugo has been called "the tail that wagged the dog": the first awards were given out more than a dozen years after the first Worldcon, but at present the WSFS Constitution that governs the Worldcon list the giving of the Hugo as the primary function of the convention.
Process History[edit]
The Hugo Award started out in 1953 as a one-step process; there was no separate nominations phase prior to voting, but, instead, simply a vote among all the works that were considered eligible. Voting was very low. Over the next few years each Worldcon committee invented its own process and its own set of categories, with Loncon in 1957 going its own way entirely.
For the first time Detention in 1959 provided a nominations ballot followed by a separate vote among the nominees on a final ballot. The nominators weren't required to be members of the Worldcon (or any Worldcon) -- nominating ballots were freely distributed. In fact, on pg 167 of the May 1962 Analog, there's an open solicitation for nominations as part of P. Schuyler Miller's "The Reference Library" column (the book reviews section of Analog).
Voting was somewhat open (the final ballot went out in the convention Progress Report, but there was little or no attempt to limit voting to members) until 1961, when the rules were changed to limit voting to current Worldcon members.
1960 Pittcon saw the first largish Hugo controversy with claims of Nefarious Activities
The rules adopted in 1961 formally limited nominations to the members of the current Worldcon, although that procedure had been followed since 1959. The procedure stayed unchanged until 1988, when Worldcon members from the previous year were added to the group that could nominate. And so the current two-step process wasn't fully in place until 1963.
The WSFS Constitution itself didn't exist until 1963. There were a set of WSFS Business Meeting resolutions, but they hadn't all been collected, or determined as to which were binding, and how, prior to then. The WSFS Constitution was put together by a committee appointed by the 1962 (Chicon III) WSFS Business Meeting, headed by George Scithers, and was adopted by the 1963 Worldcon.
From 1963 on, the WSFS Constitution specified what the categories were.
Jo Walton has written an interesting history of the Hugos up to the year 2000.
See also: Retro Hugos.
| From Fancyclopedia 2, ca. 1959 |
| (Madle) The International Fantasy Award, named after Hugo Gernsback & by analogy with mundane Oscars, Emmys, etc. Hal Lynch and Bob Madle brainstormed this annually presented set of commendations at the Philcon II; they are presented by a committee to top fanzines, proz, artists, ktp, at the Worldcon. The poll selecting winners in the various categories is perhaps the only fan poll which still produces results reflecting general fan attitudes, thanks to its size. |
Category History[edit]
Hugo Category Timeline[edit]
Hugo Winners[edit]
1953, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
| Award | 1953— |
| This is an award page. If you know something about it, such as who awarded it, who the winners were, what the criteria were, and when it was awarded, please add it! See Standards for Awards. |
