Difference between revisions of "Francis Towner Laney"

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(1914 -- June 8, 1958)
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(Did you mean a [[Faster-than-light|different FTL]]?)
  
'''Francis Towner Laney''' (known as '''FTL''') moved to [[LA]] in late 1943 or early 1944 and was an important [[fan]] there in the 1940s. He [[gafiated]] (spectacularly) in 1948 and went silent to even the friends he was still in touch with in March of 1957 and his death a year later was one of those which marked 1958 as the [[Year of the Jackpot]].
 
  
See [[Terry Carr]]'s ''[[The Stormy Petrel]]'' for articles by Carr, [[Charles Burbee]], [[Robert Bloch]], [[Harry Warner]] and [[Jack Speer]] about Laney after he died.
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(March 11, 1914 – June 8, 1958)
  
His best-known [[fanzine]] was ''[[The Acolyte]]'' (14 issues, 1942-1946) (with [[Duane W. Rimel]] and later [[Samuel D. Russell]]), devoted to the memory of [[H. P. Lovecraft]], but he is most remembered for his [[gafiation]] zine, the autobiographical ''[[Ah! Sweet Idiocy!]]'' (1948) that reported what Laney saw as the seamy side of [[fandom]].
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'''Francis Towner “Fran” Laney''' (also known as '''FTL''' and the '''Laniac''') moved from Lewiston, [[Idaho]], to [[LA]] in late 1943 or early 1944 and was an important [[fan]] there in the 1940s. He [[gafiated]] (spectacularly) in 1948 and went silent to even the friends he’d remained in touch with in March of 1957. Still, his death a year later was one of those which marked 1958 as the [[Year of the Jackpot]].  
  
Laney was one of the [[Insurgents]]. Other [[fannish]] publications included ''[[Fan-Dango]]''. He also tried to recognize [[fuggheadedness]] with the [[Fan-Dango Awards]]. He was active in the [[Fantasy Amateur Press Association]], (and was a member of the [[Order of Dagon]]), but left [[SF fandom]] in the late 1940s, and embraced [[Dianetics]] in 1950.
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His best-known [[fanzine]] was ''[[The Acolyte]]'' (14 issues, 1942-1946) (with [[Duane W. Rimel]] and later [[Samuel D. Russell]]), devoted to [[H. P. Lovecraft]], but he is most remembered for his [[gafiation]] zine, the autobiographical ''[[Ah! Sweet Idiocy!]]'' (1948) that reported what Laney saw as the seamy side of [[fandom]], which he characterized as “psychic misfits and social outcasts of every description — thieves, truants, dead-beats, psycho-pathic drinkers, [[communists]], crackpots, homosexuals....” His incisive writing made him a major figure long after his relatively brief tenure in fandom. In 1996, Laney was nominated for the [[1946 Best Fan Writer Retro Hugo]].
  
''Ah! Sweet Idiocy!'' was reprinted in 1962 by [[Richard H. Eney]] and in 2019 as an [[Ansible Editions]] ebook with additional commentary.
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Laney’s other [[fannish]] publications included ''[[Fan-Dango]]''. He was active in the [[Fantasy Amateur Press Association]] (and was a member of the [[Order of Dagon]]).
  
Laney was nominated for the [[1946 Best Fan Writer Retro Hugo]].
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Laney was one of the [[Insurgents]]. He and his friend, [[Charles Burbee]], had a mutual-admiration society, Laney coining the phrase “[[Fabulous Burbee-Like Character]].” They often turned their wit to cruelty. Laney popularized the term “[[fugghead]]” by giving out the [[Fan-Dango Awards]] to fans he felt deserved it. They made such mock of [[Al Ashley]] with the [[Ashley Mythos]], which [[Harry Warner]] said was an unfair characterization, that Ashley left [[California]] and [[gafiated]]. They were prone to homophobia and [[Meyer|antisemitism]]. 
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In 1937, Laney married Georgia Turner in [[Washington State]], but they divorced not long after.  In 1939, he married Alberta Mallow (apparently called "Jackie") in Clarksburg, Washington.  They had a daughter, Sonya (called "The Child Quiggie" in FTL's fanwriting), in 1942. FTL reported in fanzines to have had an older daughter called "Sandy." Alberta and Francis divorced in about 1947. He [[gafiated]] in the late 1940s, and embraced [[Dianetics]] in 1950.
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He wrote in the preface to [[ASI]] about a woman named Cecile, whom [[Elinor Busby]] in her [[ASI|Index to the People in ASI]], named “Cecile Laney.” In ''[[All Our Yesterdays]],'' [[Harry Warner]] reported that Laney married Cecile Barham on February 14, 1948, in [[Las Vegas]]. Cecile
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died on August 26, 1950. In 1951, he married Edith Campbell Bouck in [[California]]; he appears to have adopted her sons by a previous marriage: David and Lionel.  He died of bone cancer in 1958.
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''[[Ah! Sweet Idiocy!]]'' was reprinted in 1962 by [[Richard H. Eney]] and in 2019 as an [[Ansible Editions]] ebook with additional commentary. A later collection of Laney's other fanwriting in ''[[Fan-Dango]]'' and elsewhere is ''Ah! Sweet Laney! The Writings of a Great Big Man'' (2007), edited and introduced by [[Robert Lichtman]] and designed and published by [[Pat Virzi]] for the 2007 [[Corflu Quire]]; this was reissued as an [[Ansible Editions]] ebook in January 2022.
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*Obituary in ''[[Fanac (Carr)]] #19'' p. 1.
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* [[Terry Carr]]'s ''[[The Stormy Petrel]]'' has [[articles]] by Carr, [[Charles Burbee]], [[Robert Bloch]], [[Harry Warner]] and [[Jack Speer]] about Laney after he died.
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*[https://archon.library.tamu.edu/?p=collections/findingaid&id=627&q= Francis Towner Laney Collection, 1943–1952], Cushing Library, University of Texas.
  
 
{{fanzines}}
 
{{fanzines}}
 
* ''[[The Acolyte]]'' [1942-46] (with [[Duane W. Rimel]] and [[Samuel D. Russell]])
 
* ''[[The Acolyte]]'' [1942-46] (with [[Duane W. Rimel]] and [[Samuel D. Russell]])
 
* ''[[Ah! Sweet Idiocy!]]'' [late 40s]
 
* ''[[Ah! Sweet Idiocy!]]'' [late 40s]
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* ''[[Cosmic Circle Commentator]]''
 
* ''[[Facts in the Case of W. Dunkelberger]]'' [1946]
 
* ''[[Facts in the Case of W. Dunkelberger]]'' [1946]
 
* ''[[Fan-Dango]]'' [1943-50] (for [[FAPA]])
 
* ''[[Fan-Dango]]'' [1943-50] (for [[FAPA]])
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* ''[[Laniac]]'' [1945]
 
* ''[[One Fingers Number Four Fingers Number One]]'' [1940s] (with [[Charles Burbee]], [[Walt Liebscher]] and [[Jack Speer]])
 
* ''[[One Fingers Number Four Fingers Number One]]'' [1940s] (with [[Charles Burbee]], [[Walt Liebscher]] and [[Jack Speer]])
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* ''[[The Panty Raiser]]'' [1944] (with [[James Kepner]])
 
* ''[[Shangri L'Affaires]]'' [1940s] (some issues)
 
* ''[[Shangri L'Affaires]]'' [1940s] (some issues)
 
* ''[[Wild Hair]]'' [late 40s-1950] (for [[FAPA]] with other [[Insurgents]])
 
* ''[[Wild Hair]]'' [late 40s-1950] (for [[FAPA]] with other [[Insurgents]])
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* ''[[Venus-Con]]'' [1944] (with [[Mel Brown]], for [[FAPA]])
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{{person | born=1914 | died=1958}}
 
{{person | born=1914 | died=1958}}
 
[[Category:fan]]
 
[[Category:fan]]
 
[[Category:US]]
 
[[Category:US]]
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[[Category:notable]]

Revision as of 10:17, 4 January 2022

(Did you mean a different FTL?)


(March 11, 1914 – June 8, 1958)

Francis Towner “Fran” Laney (also known as FTL and the Laniac) moved from Lewiston, Idaho, to LA in late 1943 or early 1944 and was an important fan there in the 1940s. He gafiated (spectacularly) in 1948 and went silent to even the friends he’d remained in touch with in March of 1957. Still, his death a year later was one of those which marked 1958 as the Year of the Jackpot.

His best-known fanzine was The Acolyte (14 issues, 1942-1946) (with Duane W. Rimel and later Samuel D. Russell), devoted to H. P. Lovecraft, but he is most remembered for his gafiation zine, the autobiographical Ah! Sweet Idiocy! (1948) that reported what Laney saw as the seamy side of fandom, which he characterized as “psychic misfits and social outcasts of every description — thieves, truants, dead-beats, psycho-pathic drinkers, communists, crackpots, homosexuals....” His incisive writing made him a major figure long after his relatively brief tenure in fandom. In 1996, Laney was nominated for the 1946 Best Fan Writer Retro Hugo.

Laney’s other fannish publications included Fan-Dango. He was active in the Fantasy Amateur Press Association (and was a member of the Order of Dagon).

Laney was one of the Insurgents. He and his friend, Charles Burbee, had a mutual-admiration society, Laney coining the phrase “Fabulous Burbee-Like Character.” They often turned their wit to cruelty. Laney popularized the term “fugghead” by giving out the Fan-Dango Awards to fans he felt deserved it. They made such mock of Al Ashley with the Ashley Mythos, which Harry Warner said was an unfair characterization, that Ashley left California and gafiated. They were prone to homophobia and antisemitism.

In 1937, Laney married Georgia Turner in Washington State, but they divorced not long after. In 1939, he married Alberta Mallow (apparently called "Jackie") in Clarksburg, Washington. They had a daughter, Sonya (called "The Child Quiggie" in FTL's fanwriting), in 1942. FTL reported in fanzines to have had an older daughter called "Sandy." Alberta and Francis divorced in about 1947. He gafiated in the late 1940s, and embraced Dianetics in 1950.

He wrote in the preface to ASI about a woman named Cecile, whom Elinor Busby in her Index to the People in ASI, named “Cecile Laney.” In All Our Yesterdays, Harry Warner reported that Laney married Cecile Barham on February 14, 1948, in Las Vegas. Cecile died on August 26, 1950. In 1951, he married Edith Campbell Bouck in California; he appears to have adopted her sons by a previous marriage: David and Lionel. He died of bone cancer in 1958.

Ah! Sweet Idiocy! was reprinted in 1962 by Richard H. Eney and in 2019 as an Ansible Editions ebook with additional commentary. A later collection of Laney's other fanwriting in Fan-Dango and elsewhere is Ah! Sweet Laney! The Writings of a Great Big Man (2007), edited and introduced by Robert Lichtman and designed and published by Pat Virzi for the 2007 Corflu Quire; this was reissued as an Ansible Editions ebook in January 2022.

Fanzines and Apazines:



Person 19141958
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