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Forry Ackerman Dead At 92

Posted by kdawson on from the famous-monsters-wave-bye-bye dept.

rrohbeck was one of several readers to note the passing of Forrest J. Ackerman at the age of 92. Ackerman, who coined the term sci-fi in 1954, has been called the 'world's biggest fan.' Over a long career he acted as literary agent for Isaac Asimov, A.E. van Vogt, Hugo Gernsback, and L. Ron Hubbard; he published Ray Bradbury's first short story in a fan magazine in 1938. Ackerman wrote over 2,000 articles and short stories, including, oddly enough, lesbian fiction in the 1940s. In recent years, mounting health bills forced him to sell his home, the 'Ackermansion,' and most of the 300,000 items of memorabilia it stored.

6 of 83 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Nothing wrong with lesbian fricton by auric_dude · · Score: 3, Informative

    He also wrote what has been reported to have been the first lesbian science-fiction story ever published, âoeWorld of Loneliness.â And under the pen name Laurajean Ermayne, he wrote lesbian romances in the late 1940s for the lesbian magazine Vice Versa. via http://larryfire.wordpress.com/2008/12/05/forrest-j-ackerman-writer-editor-who-coined-sci-fi-dies-at-92/

  2. Re:does anyone have any links by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    The October 2008 issue of Rue Morgue has a lengthy interview with the guy.

  3. Re:link? by sesshomaru · · Score: 3, Informative

    Wendy Ackerman would probably disagree, and I seriously doubt that any man who owned an 18 room mansion would lack for girlfriends.

    He created Vampirella, as well.

    --
    "MIT betrayed all of its basic principles."
  4. Re:"Cue" the lesbian jokes by Hanyin · · Score: 2, Informative

    There, fixed that for ya... unless of course you meant for /.ers to start queuing to make lesbian jokes...

  5. Re:costly medical care by westlake · · Score: 3, Informative
    He must be an American or live in America. I see he had to sell off his assets to pay for health care.

    Forrest Ackerman needed 24-hour home care and as late as 2003 was still engaged in a long, debilitating, and expensive lawsuit against a former business partner. Welcome to his planet [Jan 06,2003]

  6. The Man Who Was Skiffy by jman.org · · Score: 2, Informative

    Another one bites the dust. We just lost Ursula K. Leguin last month, Robert Asprin this past May, Arthur C. Clarke in March. No more chances to chat with them at cons anymore!

    The term "sci-fi" was an alliterative way of honoring Hugo Gernsback, one of the early SF editors, who was also very much into radio and coined the term "Hi-Fi". Forry was trying to come up with a catchy title, and he did.

    Most TruFen - hard-core science fiction enthusiasts - would pronounce it "Skiffy", though.

    See 'ya on the other side, Forry, we'll miss you!