The undisputed world’s biggest fan of horror, fantasy, and science fiction died over the weekend at 92 years of age.
Ackerman might have created the term “sci-fi.” His house, which was stuffed with memorabilia, was a kind of Nerd Mecca for decades. Here is Forrest Ackerman being menaced by the Flaming Carrot:
You sure can’t say he didn’t have fun.
Ah, Forry Ackerman! It’s too bad he never got to make it with the Tocs and the Ogs. I wonder if he got his painting back from Heepish.
Good god, I thought only 10 people ever read the magnificently obscure Flaming Carrot! (I have a pile of back issues bought cheap in mint condition from eBay via someone despairing over their own purchases.)
Ut! Poobah! Is bad.
Paul,
I tried emailing you about this on Saturday, but alas, apparently not all Stranger email addys use the same format.
Sad all around. 4e was truly the fan’s fan. I practically lived on “Famous Monsters of Filmland” in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, when all the other kids were oogling “Tiger Beat” or “Dynamite”; got me through a lot of tough times, did those mags.
Sorry to see him go.
I’m sad.
Forry and I both loved a certain german SF book series that had hundreds of volumes. It was … an acquired taste. Think of space opera, german style.
And he was a nice guy, too. Back when I lived in the boonies, he made me realize (pre-Net) that the world was a lot bigger than it seemed.
Bummer.
Naw, I loved the Perry Rhodan books too, @5. Haven’t seen one in years, though…
The inside of his house was amazing. For the longest time he owned the original fembot from “Metropolis.”
Rhodanites of the world unite!
(grin)
Thanks for this — I’ve been saddened by how little notice his death has received. Forry — yes 4e! — was a hell of a guy, a fan among fen, and the world is smaller without him.