View previous topic :: View next topic |
Author |
Message |
Bud Brewster Galactic Fleet Admiral (site admin)

Joined: 14 Dec 2013 Posts: 17637 Location: North Carolina
|
Posted: Sat Dec 05, 2015 7:03 pm Post subject: Legends of 1950s Sci-Fi - Forrest J Ackerman |
|
|
FORREST J ACKERMAN - Mr. Ackerman is undoubtedly the Honorary First Fan of science fiction, fantasy, and horror.
A generous and sociable man, he attended science fiction conventions all over the country, giving lectures and slide shows, and playing host to convention activities such as costume contests. For many years he served as editor for Famous Monsters of Filmland, a monthly magazine dedicated to the subject of past, present, and future motion pictures dealing with the subject of fantasy, science fiction, and horror.
Mr. Ackerman's Los Angles home was a veritable museum which houses thousands of rare items such as collectable books and magazines, and props from vintage sci-fi/horror films. It was perhaps the most extensive collection of its type in the world.
Mr. Ackerman even found time to appear in front the camera, making walk-on guest appearances in Planet of Blood and The Time Travelers, and the The Howling.
Trivia item: Mr. Ackerman claims to have originally coined the phrase "sci-fi" as an abbreviation for science fiction. He says he got the idea from a radio announcer who used the phrase "hi fi". _________________ ____________
Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)
Last edited by Bud Brewster on Sat Dec 16, 2017 2:40 pm; edited 4 times in total |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Robert (Butch) Day Galactic Ambassador

Joined: 19 Sep 2014 Posts: 1377 Location: Arlington, WA USA
|
Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2015 4:25 am Post subject: |
|
|
Forrey - 4SJ - Mr. Ackermonster, by which ever name you use NEVER put a period after his name.He wrote Forrest J Ackerman.
From his Wkipedia article:
A lifelong fan of science fiction "B-movies", Ackerman had cameos in over 210 films, including bit parts in many monster movies and science fiction films (The Howling, Innocent Blood, Return of the Living Dead Part II), more traditional "imagi-movies" The Time Travelers, Future War, spoofs and comedies (Amazon Women on the Moon, Attack of the 60 Foot Centerfold, The Wizard of Speed and Time, Curse of the Queerwolf), and at least one major music video (Michael Jackson's Thriller). His Bacon number is 2.
In 1961, Ackerman narrated the record Music for Robots created by Frank Allison Coe. The cover featured Forrest Ackerman's face superimposed on the movie robot Tobor the Great. The record was reissued on CD in 2005.
Ackerman himself appeared as a character in The Vampire Affair by David McDaniel (a novel in The Man from U. N. C. L. E. series), and Philip José Farmer's novel Blown. A character based on Ackerman, and his "Ackermansion", appears in the Niven/Pournelle/Flynn collaboration Fallen Angels. Another character, Eccar the Man, is mentioned in the Niven/Gerrold collaboration The Flying Sorcerers.
He appeared on the intro track of Ohio horror punk music group Manimals' 1999 album Horrorcore.
In 2001 Ackerman played the part of an old wax museum caretaker in the camp comedy film The Double-D Avenger directed by William Winckler and starring Russ Meyer stars Kitten Natividad, Haji, and Raven De La Croix. Ackerman played a crazy old man who was in love with Kitten Natividad's character, The Double-D Avenger, and he also talked to the Frankenstein figure and other wax monsters in the museum's chamber of horrors.
Ackerman appeared extensively on-screen discussing his life and the history of science fiction fandom in the 2006 documentary film Finding the Future.
In 2007, Roadhouse Films of Canada released a documentary, Famous Monster: Forrest J Ackerman. The documentary, available on DVD only in the UK, airs regularly on the BRAVO channel.
In the 2012 action film Premium Rush, the character of the corrupt policeman Bobby Monday (played by Michael Shannon) repeatedly uses the alias "Forrest J. Ackerman". _________________ Common Sense ISN'T Common
Last edited by Robert (Butch) Day on Fri Jun 28, 2019 12:15 am; edited 2 times in total |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
orzel-w Galactic Ambassador

Joined: 19 Sep 2014 Posts: 1865
|
Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2015 12:56 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Robert (Butch) Day wrote: | ...NEVER put a period after his name.He wrote Forrest J Askerman. |
Also, NEVER substitute an s for the c in "Ackerman" (or leave the c out altogether). _________________ ...or not...
WayneO
----------- |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Bud Brewster Galactic Fleet Admiral (site admin)

Joined: 14 Dec 2013 Posts: 17637 Location: North Carolina
|
Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2015 2:17 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I think I'll leave the period. I don't want to get into trouble with the IMDB. They list him as Forrest J. Ackerman.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0009969/[/s
And I Googled articles on the subject which said a period after an actual name is correct, while a period after an initial which does not stand for a name is incorrect.
So, Forrest James Ackerman should have a period, despite its omission in many publications. _________________ ____________
Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958) |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Rocky Jones Astral Engineer

Joined: 17 Dec 2014 Posts: 224 Location: North Texas
|
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Bud Brewster Galactic Fleet Admiral (site admin)

Joined: 14 Dec 2013 Posts: 17637 Location: North Carolina
|
Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2015 4:47 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Yep, I had every issue until my mini-warehouse accumulated a few inches of water on the floor, and it soaked up into the footlocker I had a ton of magazines and books in.
Everything ended up wet and stinking form the mildew -- including all my Famous Monsters and Spacemen magazines. Damn.
Anyway, here's what they looked like.
 _________________ ____________
Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958) |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Robert (Butch) Day Galactic Ambassador

Joined: 19 Sep 2014 Posts: 1377 Location: Arlington, WA USA
|
Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2015 5:35 pm Post subject: |
|
|
orzel-w wrote: | Also, NEVER substitute an s for the c in "Ackerman" (or leave the c out altogether). |
I corrected it. Thanks.
* * * * * * * * * * _________________ Common Sense ISN'T Common |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Robert (Butch) Day Galactic Ambassador

Joined: 19 Sep 2014 Posts: 1377 Location: Arlington, WA USA
|
Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2015 7:53 am Post subject: |
|
|
Forry's "signature" as used in the magazines he edited:
No period after the J. _________________ Common Sense ISN'T Common |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Bud Brewster Galactic Fleet Admiral (site admin)

Joined: 14 Dec 2013 Posts: 17637 Location: North Carolina
|
Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2015 12:17 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Okay, I changed it. Now perhaps we can discuss something more interesting than a small dot. _________________ ____________
Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958) |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
orzel-w Galactic Ambassador

Joined: 19 Sep 2014 Posts: 1865
|
Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2015 1:23 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I, too, had been buying Spacemen from the magazine stand. I finally decided to subscribe and sent in my money. They never published another issue. _________________ ...or not...
WayneO
----------- |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Bud Brewster Galactic Fleet Admiral (site admin)

Joined: 14 Dec 2013 Posts: 17637 Location: North Carolina
|
Posted: Thu Dec 24, 2015 12:14 am Post subject: |
|
|
I just remembered that I did have a subscription to Famous Monsters of Filmland, and this issue had a big crease down the middle because it was folded when mailed out.
I bought another copy at the news stand.
___________________ _________________ ____________
Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958) |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Rocky Jones Astral Engineer

Joined: 17 Dec 2014 Posts: 224 Location: North Texas
|
Posted: Sat Dec 26, 2015 9:38 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Bud Brewster wrote: | ...and this issue had a big crease down the middle because it was folded when mailed out. |
Don't you just hate that. Awhile back I had to have my subscription to Amazing Figure Modeler rerouted to my PO box because they did that with the first issue I received-- which was their cool King Kong one. The USPS does a great job considering, but now and then they do get me steamed. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
ufso Junior Crewman
Joined: 16 Oct 2015 Posts: 6 Location: Menifee, CA
|
Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 3:02 pm Post subject: |
|
|
First met Forry before I went to 'Nam in '69. Visited his home on Olympic Blvd. and gave me the grand tour. He let me handle anything I wanted that was loose, including the original sketch of the monster of the Id from Forbidden Planet by Joshua Meador. Down in his basement was the one eyed blob creature from an Outer Limits episode (Don't Open 'till Doomsday). Also, stacked on the side walls were all his issues of FMoF. Never thought to ask him for a few copies.
He later called and told me of a night one of the Planet of the Apes (Conquest of the Planet of the Apes) was filming at the new Century City. Got to see them film...awesome. He also got me 2 tickets to see the '76 filming of King King out at MGM. The scene at the stadium with the giant Kong standing still and the cover comes off him.
Years later when I became a firefighter for LAFD, we were dispatched to a person having a heart attack at a house going into Griffith Park on Glendower Ave. Forry met me at the door and said his friend was upstairs...I was in awe and I couldn't move at first.
On the way out I asked if I could bring by my family to see his home and being so gracious that he was, an appointment was made for a few weeks later and my family got to see what I saw many years before.
A truly great experience and a chance of a lifetime to see one of my idols. _________________ SPARKSPLEX HT - Epson 6040 3D/4K UB Projector;110".09 16x9 Dalite HD Progressive Screen;Sammy 3D/4K K8500(r-free);Panny ub420;7.2.4. Def Tech speakers;Earthquake P12v2 Subs; Audio Source 100vs Amp;Denon 4300H;MX990 Remote;Panamax 4300;Fire TV Stick 4K |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Bud Brewster Galactic Fleet Admiral (site admin)

Joined: 14 Dec 2013 Posts: 17637 Location: North Carolina
|
Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 9:01 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Those are some wonderful anecdotes. Makes me wish you'd had a camera with you during those tours, with a few dozen rolls of film.
Please share more golden memories like those, sir. We're hoping you've got plenty of them. _________________ ____________
Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958) |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
ufso Junior Crewman
Joined: 16 Oct 2015 Posts: 6 Location: Menifee, CA
|
Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2016 1:15 am Post subject: |
|
|
I sure will! I was a Uniformed Fire Safety Officer on over a 1000 movies filmed in Los Angeles with plenty of stories to tell. _________________ SPARKSPLEX HT - Epson 6040 3D/4K UB Projector;110".09 16x9 Dalite HD Progressive Screen;Sammy 3D/4K K8500(r-free);Panny ub420;7.2.4. Def Tech speakers;Earthquake P12v2 Subs; Audio Source 100vs Amp;Denon 4300H;MX990 Remote;Panamax 4300;Fire TV Stick 4K |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
|