Room 770

Room 770 denotes fannish merrymaking, fandom kicking up its heels, and the emergence of All-Night Fandom. The actual Room 770 was the site of the most famous room party in fanhistory, a two-day event that erupted at Nolacon, the 9th Worldcon in 1951.

The room was registered to Detroit fans Max Keasler, Roger Sims, Rich Elsberry and Ed Kuss, but Frank Dietz was actually the instigator. Dietz had been hosting a room party elsewhere, which was asked to quiet down by a hotel detective. He solved the problem by taking the partying fans to Room 770. A massive party developed, and lasted till 11 the next morning.

It was an instant legend and became an emblem of fannish fun.

The name of File 770, Mike Glyer's Hugo Award-winning fanzine, commemorates this infamous room.

From Fancyclopedia 2, ca. 1959

The otherwise undistinguished Nolacon's gifts to fandom were the exposure of the Lee Hoffman Hoax and this most famous of smoke-filled rooms. It was a two-day session in room 770 of the St. Charles Hotel -- Max Keasler's room -- and noted for the vast quantities of gin and creme de menthe disposed of [separately, we hope] and the amount of noise that filtered out of the room thru the ventilating system.

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Venue

1951

This is a venue page, covering buildings from 4-star hotels to slan shacks. Please include only structures of major fannish significance. See Standards for Venues.