Elsie Wollheim

(June 26, 1910 – Feb. 9, 1996)

Elsie Balter Wollheim was one of the original Futurians of New York, assisted them in their publishing efforts, and published her own one-shot fanzine, Highpoints, dated March, 1945.

Daughter of a jeweler, in the 1920s, she attended Hunter College. She studied bookkeeping, and took over the bookkeeping for her father during the Depression. She then learned stenography and typing and ended up working in a law office. She briefly dated a couple of other Futurians, but married Donald Wollheim in 1943.

She was a member of Vanguard.

Friends referred to the Wollheims as "the Wollies." When Wollheim started DAW Books in 1971, Elsie was the co-founder, and inherited the company when he died. Their daughter, Betsy, now runs the company.

Donald Wollheim dedicated his nonfiction book on SF, The Universe Makers (1971): "For Elsie, who shares my personal universe."

Awards, Honors and GoHships:

• 1981 -- WisCon 5
• 1983 -- Lunacon 26, Darkover Grand Council 6
• 1984 -- British Fantasy Awards Special Award
• 1995 -- DeepSouthCon 33
• 1996 -- L.A.Con III

---

Person

1910—1996

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.