Difference between revisions of "Murray Leinster"

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(June 16, 1896 -- June 8, 1975)
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(June 16, 1896 June 8, 1975)
  
Murray Leinster was a [[pen name]] of William [Will] F. Jenkins, a life-long Virginian and a [[pro]] writer who was one of several writers called the [[Dean of Science Fiction]].  (He was also, for 25 years, the [[Most Senior SF Writer]].)
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'''Murray Leinster''' was the principal [[pen name]] of '''William Fitzgerald “Will” Jenkins''', a lifelong [[Virginia]]n [[pro]] writer. He was one of several writers called the [[Dean of Science Fiction]].  (He was also, for 25 years, the [[Most Senior SF Writer]].)
  
He was [[GoH]] at [[Discon I]], the 1963 [[Worldcon]].  He also won two [[Hugo Awards]]: the [[1956 Best Novelette Hugo]] for "Exploration Team" and the [[1946 Best Novelette Retro Hugo]] for "First Contact".
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He was [[GoH]] at [[Discon I]], the 1963 [[Worldcon]].  He also won the [[1956 Best Novelette Hugo]] for "Exploration Team" and, in 1996, the [[1946 Best Novelette Retro Hugo]] for "[[First Contact (fanspeak)]]," a term he coined.
  
He began his career as a freelance writer before World War I writing for the [[pulps]] in all genres: detective, western, jungle, romance, and, [[SF]]. His first science fiction story, "The Runaway Skyscraper", appeared in 1919  in ''[[Argosy]]''.  Through the 30s he continued to write across the genres.
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He used several other [[pseudonyms]], including '''William Fitzgerald, Will F. James, Hal Jenkins, Louise Carter Lee, '''and''' Herbert Shappiro'''.
  
In [[SF]], Leinster is credited with a number of firsts: "Sidewise in Time" published in ''[[Astounding]]'' in 1934 was the first alternate history story, (and the [[Sidewise Award]] is named in honor of it.) "A Logic Named Joe" written for ''[[Astounding]]'' in ''1946'' was the first story to not only feature vaguely realistic computers, but also something like the Internet, and even more importantly, to begin to fathom some of the changes it would bring to society. "First Contact"  from 1946 seems to be the first appearance of a universal translator in [[science fiction]].
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He began his career as a freelance writer in 1916, writing for the [[pulps]] in all genres: detective, western, jungle, romance, and, [[SF]]. His first [[science fiction]] story, "The Runaway Skyscraper," appeared in 1919 in ''[[Argosy]]''.  Through the 1930s, he continued to write across the genres.
  
He was one of the few pre-[[Golden Age]] [[SF]] writer to survive in the [[Campbell]] era of higher writing standards. He published over three dozen stories in ''[[Astounding]]'' and ''[[Analog]]'' under Campbell's editorship, including most of his best work.
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In [[SF]], Leinster is credited with a number of firsts: "Sidewise in Time," published in ''[[Astounding]]'' in 1934, was the first [[alternate history]] story (and the [[Sidewise Award]] is named in honor of it).  "A Logic Named Joe," written for ''[[Astounding]]'' in ''1946'', was the first story to not only feature vaguely realistic computers, but also something like the internet, and even more importantly, to begin to fathom some of the changes it would bring to society."[[First Contact]]," from 1945, seems to be the first appearance of a universal translator in [[science fiction]]; Leinster coined the phrase “[[First Contact (fanspeak)|first contact]]” in a March 1935 ''Astounding'' story, “Proxima Centauri.”
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He was one of the few pre-[[Golden Age]] [[SF]] writers to survive in the [[Campbell]] era of higher writing standards. He published over three dozen stories in ''[[Astounding]]'' and ''[[Analog]]'' under Campbell's editorship, including most of his best work.
  
 
He was also an inventor, best known for the front projection process used in special effects.  
 
He was also an inventor, best known for the front projection process used in special effects.  
  
He used several other pseudonyms, including William Fitzgerald, Will F. James, Hal Jenkins, Louise Carter Lee, and Herbert Shappiro.
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{{SFE|name=leinster_murray}}.
  
 
{{recognition}}
 
{{recognition}}
* 1968 -- [[1968 Open ESFA]]
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* 1956 — '''[[1956 Best Novelette Hugo| Best Novelette Hugo]]'''
* 1969 -- [[First Fandom Hall of Fame Award]]
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* 1968 [[1968 Open ESFA]]
* 1994 -- [[First Contact]]
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* 1969 [[First Fandom Hall of Fame Award]]
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* 1994 [[First Contact 1]]
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* 1996 — [[1946 Best Novelette Retro Hugo]]
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{{person | born=1896 | died=1975}}
 
{{person | born=1896 | died=1975}}
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[[Category:pro]]
 
[[Category:pro]]
 
[[Category:US]]
 
[[Category:US]]
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[[Category:first_fandom]]

Revision as of 15:57, 15 October 2021

(June 16, 1896 – June 8, 1975)

Murray Leinster was the principal pen name of William Fitzgerald “Will” Jenkins, a lifelong Virginian pro writer. He was one of several writers called the Dean of Science Fiction. (He was also, for 25 years, the Most Senior SF Writer.)

He was GoH at Discon I, the 1963 Worldcon. He also won the 1956 Best Novelette Hugo for "Exploration Team" and, in 1996, the 1946 Best Novelette Retro Hugo for "First Contact," a term he coined.

He used several other pseudonyms, including William Fitzgerald, Will F. James, Hal Jenkins, Louise Carter Lee, and Herbert Shappiro.

He began his career as a freelance writer in 1916, writing for the pulps in all genres: detective, western, jungle, romance, and, SF. His first science fiction story, "The Runaway Skyscraper," appeared in 1919 in Argosy. Through the 1930s, he continued to write across the genres.

In SF, Leinster is credited with a number of firsts: "Sidewise in Time," published in Astounding in 1934, was the first alternate history story (and the Sidewise Award is named in honor of it). "A Logic Named Joe," written for Astounding in 1946, was the first story to not only feature vaguely realistic computers, but also something like the internet, and even more importantly, to begin to fathom some of the changes it would bring to society."First Contact," from 1945, seems to be the first appearance of a universal translator in science fiction; Leinster coined the phrase “first contact” in a March 1935 Astounding story, “Proxima Centauri.”

He was one of the few pre-Golden Age SF writers to survive in the Campbell era of higher writing standards. He published over three dozen stories in Astounding and Analog under Campbell's editorship, including most of his best work.

He was also an inventor, best known for the front projection process used in special effects.

Entry in The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction.

Awards, Honors and GoHships:



Person 18961975
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