Vodoso

(November 29, 1924 – January 5, 1978?)

Virgil (Roger) Douglas Smith (called by Esperanto initialism Vodoso) was a fan and fan artist from Los Angeles active from the mid-1930s. He was a member of the LASFL from at least mid-1937 and of the UK's Science Fiction Association (SFA), joining in July 1937. He was also a member of FAPA.

He drew the hectographed cover on the first issue of Imagination! (October 1937).

He was profiled in Imagination! #8 (May 1935), the following all sic (see Ackermanese):

Vodoso is derived from th Esperanto initials of Virgil Douglas Smith, son of Myrtle R. Douglas (Morojo).
Bsides, naturly, th SFL, Vodoso is mem th S-FA & FAPA. He contribs to th FAPA as artist. He dsignd Madge's first covr. His favorit subjects to draw r futur aeroplanes, rokets & spaceships.
Skylark of Space, told to him by Unc, aroused his intrest in stf. Has best njoyd th Skylark series & Morey-Wade-Areotales, EESmith & Campbell Jr being his best-liked authrs.
Pet Peeve: Dr Keller. 'Wen a story by him apears I don’t read it & I don't read th story bfor it & I don’t read th story aftr it!'
Nearst nown LA rivalr of 4E's record of 10 times on Things to Come, havng seen it (his favorit scientifilm) 8 times. Raymond Massey masculin film fave in compny with Karloff & Warren William; only lady he seems to like is Annabella.
Top mag, AS—F; ilustrater, Wesso.
Atheist. Pacifist. Favors mentl telepathy over Esperanto apathy.
Xtrovert. Optomist. Habitual xpresion: 'I don't get it.
Ambition: To b electricl ngineer

Soon afterward he stopped using his father's surname and went by Virgil Roger Douglas. He married Lucille Linn Fox in August 1947; by then he worked as "draftsman" in "metals" industry and lived at 643 South Bixel Street.

An obituary by Ackerman appeared in Science Fiction Chronicle #94, July 1987. This says that he 'just learned of [Smith's] death some years ago' so isn't inconsistent with the 1978 death date.

From Fancyclopedia 1, ca. 1944

Nickname of Virgil Douglas Smith, son of Morojo and artist for Madge.

• https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/971G-7B7 with several photos

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Person

1924—1978

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