Difference between revisions of "Forrest J Ackerman"

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(November 24, 1916 – December 4, 2008)
 
(November 24, 1916 – December 4, 2008)
  
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'''Forrest J''' (he affected no period after the "J") '''Ackerman''' — '''4e''' — was a [[fan]] (indeed, one of the founders of [[fandom]]), collector of books and movie memorabilia (he was called '''The Grand Aquisitor'''), magazine editor, [[science fiction]] writer, [[Esperanto]] enthusiast (using [[ktp]] instead of "etc"), and literary agent.   
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'''Forrest J''' (he affected no period after the "J") '''Ackerman''' — '''4e''' — was a [[fan]] (indeed, one of the founders of [[fandom]]), [[collector]] of [[book]]s and movie memorabilia (he was called '''The Grand Aquisitor'''), magazine editor, [[science fiction]] writer, [[Esperanto]] enthusiast (using [[ktp]] instead of "etc"), and literary agent.   
 +
 
 +
==Fan==
  
 
He was central to creation and growth of [[science fiction fandom]].  Famous for his word play, [[simplifyd spelng]], and neologisms, he coined the genre nickname "[[sci-fi]]". In 1953, he was voted "#1 Fan Personality" by the members of the [[Worldcon]], a unique [[Hugo Award]] never granted to anyone else.
 
He was central to creation and growth of [[science fiction fandom]].  Famous for his word play, [[simplifyd spelng]], and neologisms, he coined the genre nickname "[[sci-fi]]". In 1953, he was voted "#1 Fan Personality" by the members of the [[Worldcon]], a unique [[Hugo Award]] never granted to anyone else.
  
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He had a forest of [[nicknames]]: [[Fojak]] (from Esperanto), '''Mr Science Fiction''' (self-applied), [[1 Face|#1 Face]], '''FJA''', [[Efjay]], '''Efjay the Terrible''', [[Ack-Ack]],  [[Wacky]], [[4e]], [[4sj]] and [[J|the J]]. [[Pen names]] included [[Erdstelulov]], [[Mirta Forsto]] (with [[Morojo]]), [[Jack Erman]], [[Claire Voyant]], [[Weaver Wright]] and, possibly, [[Allis Villette]].
+
He had a forest of [[nicknames]]: [[Fojak]] (from Esperanto), '''Mr Science Fiction''' (self-applied), [[1 Face|#1 Face]], '''FJA''', [[Efjay]], '''Efjay the Terrible''', [[Ack-Ack]],  [[Wacky]], [[4e]], [[4sj]] and [[J|the J]]. [[Pen names]] included [[Erdstelulov]], [[Mirta Forsto]] (with [[Morojo]]), [[Jack Erman]], [[Claire Voyant]], [[Weaver Wright]] and, possibly, [[Allis Villette]]. He used [[publishing house]] names Snafucius Publications and [[Fubar Pubs]].  
  
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He found [[SF]] when as a ten-year-old he saw the [[Frank R. Paul]] cover of the October 1926 ''[[Amazing]]''.  He became active as a fan around 1930.  (See [[Aubrey MacDermott on the Origins of Fandom]] for a dubiously reliable report.)
+
Forry found [[SF]] when as a ten-year-old he saw the [[Frank R. Paul]] cover of the October 1926 ''[[Amazing]]''.  He became active as a fan around 1930.  (See [[Aubrey MacDermott on the Origins of Fandom]] for a dubiously reliable report.)
  
 
He attended the [[First Worldcon]] in 1939, where he and [[Morojo]] wore the first "[[futuristicostumes]]" (a typical [[Ackermanism]]) and sparked [[fan]] costuming. He attended every [[Worldcon]] but two thereafter during his lifetime. He invited the very young [[Ray Bradbury]] to attend the [[LASFS|Los Angeles Chapter of the Science Fiction League]], later LASFS.  He was not a founder of LASFS, but joined in its first year and became so active in and important to the club, that in essence he ran it.   
 
He attended the [[First Worldcon]] in 1939, where he and [[Morojo]] wore the first "[[futuristicostumes]]" (a typical [[Ackermanism]]) and sparked [[fan]] costuming. He attended every [[Worldcon]] but two thereafter during his lifetime. He invited the very young [[Ray Bradbury]] to attend the [[LASFS|Los Angeles Chapter of the Science Fiction League]], later LASFS.  He was not a founder of LASFS, but joined in its first year and became so active in and important to the club, that in essence he ran it.   
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He originated the [[Big Pond Fund]], the first [[fan fund]] and was also active in the [[National Fantasy Fan Federation]] (N3F) and was for many year its only [[N3F Life Member|lifetime member]]. He was [[West Coast]] Representative for [[Silvercon]].  (And, embarrassingly, he was a supporter of [[Claude Degler]] and effectively the only member of Degler’s [[Futurian Society of California]] and the [[Futurian Society of Los Angeles]].) His publishing included the [[publishing houses]] [[dyktawo]], [[Snafucius Pubs]], and [[Fubar Pubs]].  
 
He originated the [[Big Pond Fund]], the first [[fan fund]] and was also active in the [[National Fantasy Fan Federation]] (N3F) and was for many year its only [[N3F Life Member|lifetime member]]. He was [[West Coast]] Representative for [[Silvercon]].  (And, embarrassingly, he was a supporter of [[Claude Degler]] and effectively the only member of Degler’s [[Futurian Society of California]] and the [[Futurian Society of Los Angeles]].) His publishing included the [[publishing houses]] [[dyktawo]], [[Snafucius Pubs]], and [[Fubar Pubs]].  
  
 +
He was a candidate for [[TAFF]] in 1956.
 +
 +
==Pro==
 
He was the editor and principal writer of ''[[Famous Monsters of Filmland]]'', as well as an actor and producer (''Vampirella'').  He and [[Wendayne]] also brought [[Perry Rhodan]] to the [[US]].
 
He was the editor and principal writer of ''[[Famous Monsters of Filmland]]'', as well as an actor and producer (''Vampirella'').  He and [[Wendayne]] also brought [[Perry Rhodan]] to the [[US]].
  
 
For many years, he served as a de facto agent for [[sf]] writers who were dead or couldn’t be located, allowing their stories to be reprinted and holding payments in escrow until heirs were located.  
 
For many years, he served as a de facto agent for [[sf]] writers who were dead or couldn’t be located, allowing their stories to be reprinted and holding payments in escrow until heirs were located.  
  
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He accumulated an extremely large collection of [[science fiction]], [[fantasy]] and horror film memorabilia, which he stored in a house and museum known as the "Son of Ackermansion." (The original [[Ackermansion]] was where he lived from the early 50s until the mid-70s.) The Ackermansion contained some 300,000 books and pieces of movie and science-fiction memorabilia.  One of his attempts to deal with the accumulation was the [[Fantasy Foundation]].  He was a candidate for [[TAFF]] in 1956.
+
==Collector==
 +
 
 +
He accumulated an extremely large collection of [[science fiction]], [[fantasy]] and horror film memorabilia, which he stored in a house and museum known as the "Son of Ackermansion." (The original [[Ackermansion]] was where he lived from the early 50s until the mid-70s.) The Ackermansion contained some 300,000 books and pieces of movie and science-fiction memorabilia.  One of his attempts to deal with the accumulation was the [[Fantasy Foundation]].   
  
 +
==Personal Life==
 
He was married to [[Wendayne Ackerman]], whom he met in a [[Los Angeles]] department store where she worked as a clerk selling books. They married in 1949. After nine years of marriage, she and FJA divorced — but, after a brief hiatus, remained friends and companions, reconciling and remarrying in 1972. Forry and her son from a previous marriage, Michael Porjes, did not get along.  
 
He was married to [[Wendayne Ackerman]], whom he met in a [[Los Angeles]] department store where she worked as a clerk selling books. They married in 1949. After nine years of marriage, she and FJA divorced — but, after a brief hiatus, remained friends and companions, reconciling and remarrying in 1972. Forry and her son from a previous marriage, Michael Porjes, did not get along.  
  
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He suffered heart problems in 1966, but recovered and on December 2, 1966, 185 people paid $5 each to attend a not-quite-a-surprise Birthday Dinner and Testimonial at the Hollywood Knickerbocker Hotel.  It was organized by [[Walt Daugherty]], [[Robert Bloch]] was [[toastmaster]].  Speakers included [[Ray Bradbury]], [[Jim Warren]], [[Guy Gifford]], Carel Borland,  [[A. E. van Vogt]], [[Walt Leibscher]] and many others.  He was presented with a plethora of plaques, trophies, scrolls and other stuff.  The tradition of huge birthday celebrations continued and on November 21, 1986, there was a [[Fan Gathering|fan gathering]] called (in the best Ackerman tradition) [[4E 2B 70]].
 
He suffered heart problems in 1966, but recovered and on December 2, 1966, 185 people paid $5 each to attend a not-quite-a-surprise Birthday Dinner and Testimonial at the Hollywood Knickerbocker Hotel.  It was organized by [[Walt Daugherty]], [[Robert Bloch]] was [[toastmaster]].  Speakers included [[Ray Bradbury]], [[Jim Warren]], [[Guy Gifford]], Carel Borland,  [[A. E. van Vogt]], [[Walt Leibscher]] and many others.  He was presented with a plethora of plaques, trophies, scrolls and other stuff.  The tradition of huge birthday celebrations continued and on November 21, 1986, there was a [[Fan Gathering|fan gathering]] called (in the best Ackerman tradition) [[4E 2B 70]].
  
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[[Christopher M. O'Brien]] has written ''[[The Forrest J Ackerman Oeuvre]]'', a comprehensive catalog of his writing.
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==More reading ==
 +
 
 +
*{{SFE |name=ackerman_forrest_j}}.
 +
*[[Christopher M. O'Brien]]’s ''[[The Forrest J Ackerman Oeuvre]]'', a comprehensive catalog of his writing.
 +
* Founding Members profile in {{TNFF|date=June, 2016 |volume=75|number=6}}.
 +
*Early biography in {{WhosWho1940|page=3}}.
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* {{link | website=https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/28535|text=Con report}} on [[Nycon II]]
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In 1989, Forry wrote several reminiscences of [[Worldcons]] he had attended for the [[Noreascon Three]] [[program book]]:
 +
* [[ackerman-nycon-reminiscence|NYcon]]
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* [[ackerman-pacificon-reminiscence|Pacificon]]
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* [[Denvention I Reminiscence (Ackerman)|Denvention]]
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* [[Chicon I Reminiscence (Ackerman)|Chicon I]]
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 +
===Video Links===
 +
* {{link | website=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlQCHHGbhhQ|text=Audio interview with Richard Lynch, 1996}}
 +
* {{link | website=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYUQm1QsxN0|text=Documentary on Ackerman}}
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* {{link | website=https://youtu.be/5WFRsm0-PTc|text=Video tour of the Ackermansion}}
  
 
'''[[Fanzines]] and [[Apazines]]:'''
 
'''[[Fanzines]] and [[Apazines]]:'''
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* ''[[The War Lock]]'' [1942] (for [[FAPA]])
 
* ''[[The War Lock]]'' [1942] (for [[FAPA]])
 
* ''[[Yngvi (Ackerman)]]''
 
* ''[[Yngvi (Ackerman)]]''
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He won the [[1946 Best Fan Writer Retro Hugo]] at [[L.A.con III]] in 1996.  In 1989, he wrote several reminiscences of [[Worldcons]] he had attended for the [[Noreascon Three]] [[program book]]:
 
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* [[ackerman-nycon-reminiscence|NYcon]]
 
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* [[ackerman-pacificon-reminiscence|Pacificon]]
 
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* [[Denvention I Reminiscence (Ackerman)|Denvention]]
 
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* [[Chicon I Reminiscence (Ackerman)|Chicon I]]
 
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He is the subject of a Founding Members profile by [[Jon D. Swartz]] in {{TNFF|date=June, 2016 |volume=75|number=6}}.
 
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For an early biography, see {{WhosWho1940|page=3}}.
 
  
 
{{recognition}}
 
{{recognition}}
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* 2002 -- [[Astronomicon 2002]], [[Forry Award]], [[World Fantasy Convention Lifetime Achievement Award]]  
 
* 2002 -- [[Astronomicon 2002]], [[Forry Award]], [[World Fantasy Convention Lifetime Achievement Award]]  
 
* 2006 -- [[Big Heart Award]]
 
* 2006 -- [[Big Heart Award]]
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'''Links:'''
 
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* {{link | website=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlQCHHGbhhQ|text=Audio interview with Richard Lynch, 1996}}
 
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* {{link | website=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYUQm1QsxN0|text=Documentary on Ackerman}}
 
−
* {{link | website=https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/28535|text=Con report}} on [[Nycon II]]
 
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* {{link | website=https://youtu.be/5WFRsm0-PTc|text=Video tour of the Ackermansion}}
 
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*{{SFE|name=ackerman_forrest_j}}
 
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{{person | born=1916 | died=2008}}
 
{{person | born=1916 | died=2008}}

Revision as of 00:46, 26 December 2020

(November 24, 1916 – December 4, 2008)

Forrest J (he affected no period after the "J") Ackerman — 4e — was a fan (indeed, one of the founders of fandom), collector of books and movie memorabilia (he was called The Grand Aquisitor), magazine editor, science fiction writer, Esperanto enthusiast (using ktp instead of "etc"), and literary agent.

Fan[edit]

He was central to creation and growth of science fiction fandom. Famous for his word play, simplifyd spelng, and neologisms, he coined the genre nickname "sci-fi". In 1953, he was voted "#1 Fan Personality" by the members of the Worldcon, a unique Hugo Award never granted to anyone else.

He had a forest of nicknames: Foĵak (from Esperanto), Mr Science Fiction (self-applied), #1 Face, FJA, Efjay, Efjay the Terrible, Ack-Ack, Wacky, 4e, 4sj and the J. Pen names included Erdstelulov, Mirta Forsto (with Morojo), Jack Erman, Claire Voyant, Weaver Wright and, possibly, Allis Villette. He used publishing house names Snafucius Publications and Fubar Pubs.

Forry found SF when as a ten-year-old he saw the Frank R. Paul cover of the October 1926 Amazing. He became active as a fan around 1930. (See Aubrey MacDermott on the Origins of Fandom for a dubiously reliable report.)

He attended the First Worldcon in 1939, where he and Morojo wore the first "futuristicostumes" (a typical Ackermanism) and sparked fan costuming. He attended every Worldcon but two thereafter during his lifetime. He invited the very young Ray Bradbury to attend the Los Angeles Chapter of the Science Fiction League, later LASFS. He was not a founder of LASFS, but joined in its first year and became so active in and important to the club, that in essence he ran it.

He originated the Big Pond Fund, the first fan fund and was also active in the National Fantasy Fan Federation (N3F) and was for many year its only lifetime member. He was West Coast Representative for Silvercon. (And, embarrassingly, he was a supporter of Claude Degler and effectively the only member of Degler’s Futurian Society of California and the Futurian Society of Los Angeles.) His publishing included the publishing houses dyktawo, Snafucius Pubs, and Fubar Pubs.

He was a candidate for TAFF in 1956.

Pro[edit]

He was the editor and principal writer of Famous Monsters of Filmland, as well as an actor and producer (Vampirella). He and Wendayne also brought Perry Rhodan to the United States.

For many years, he served as a de facto agent for sf writers who were dead or couldn’t be located, allowing their stories to be reprinted and holding payments in escrow until heirs were located.

Collector[edit]

He accumulated an extremely large collection of science fiction, fantasy and horror film memorabilia, which he stored in a house and museum known as the "Son of Ackermansion." (The original Ackermansion was where he lived from the early 50s until the mid-70s.) The Ackermansion contained some 300,000 books and pieces of movie and science-fiction memorabilia. One of his attempts to deal with the accumulation was the Fantasy Foundation.

Personal Life[edit]

He was married to Wendayne Ackerman, whom he met in a Los Angeles department store where she worked as a clerk selling books. They married in 1949. After nine years of marriage, she and FJA divorced — but, after a brief hiatus, remained friends and companions, reconciling and remarrying in 1972. Forry and her son from a previous marriage, Michael Porjes, did not get along.

Belle Wyman, Forry’s grandmother, was also a LASFan.

He suffered heart problems in 1966, but recovered and on December 2, 1966, 185 people paid $5 each to attend a not-quite-a-surprise Birthday Dinner and Testimonial at the Hollywood Knickerbocker Hotel. It was organized by Walt Daugherty, Robert Bloch was toastmaster. Speakers included Ray Bradbury, Jim Warren, Guy Gifford, Carel Borland, A. E. van Vogt, Walt Leibscher and many others. He was presented with a plethora of plaques, trophies, scrolls and other stuff. The tradition of huge birthday celebrations continued and on November 21, 1986, there was a fan gathering called (in the best Ackerman tradition) 4E 2B 70.

More reading[edit]

In 1989, Forry wrote several reminiscences of Worldcons he had attended for the Noreascon Three program book:

Video Links[edit]

Fanzines and Apazines:

Awards, Honors and GoHships:

Person 1916—2008
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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