Cool News
The Coolest Geek on Earth... Mr. Sci-Fi... Dr. Acula... Uncle Forry is in the Hospital for 3 weeks
Father Geek here... I was in 8th grade back in 1959 (I think) when I became aware of Forry Ackerman. In the band hall one rainy morning a friend pulled a rolled up copy of FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND #1 from his tenor sax case, and I haven't been the same since. I rushed home from school that afternoon, mowed the yard next door to my house to earn 50 cents, hopped on my bike and hustled down to the 5 & 10 to buy my own copy, buuuuuut it was no longer there, I had to settle for issue #2. My mind blown, I sent off for a 3 year subscription and ol' Father Geek didn't miss another issue till sometime my junior year in college.
Harry and I got some sad news today from ol' Smilin Jack Ruby... the editor/writer of that phantastic mag, the man who wrote the 1st VAMPIRELLA story for Frazetta to draw, Uncle Forry is in the Hospital for a long stay, and can use all our well-wishes. Still don't know who I'm talking about? Well, he's a lifetime resident of Hollywood. His Grandfather built the Bradbury Building there. The one from THE DEMON WITH THE GLASS HAND, that leaking one from BLADE RUNNER. Forrey acted as the agent for a young Robert Heinlien and more old world-famous Science Fiction writers than you can probably name. He was the 1st to put Stephen King on the printed page. He was a close friend to Lugosi, Karloff, Lorre, Chaney Jr and scores of other classic Horror-SciFi-Fantasy actors and actresses and writers and Directors. He was very very COOL long before there was a word to describe it. He, and boyhood buddies Ray Bradbury and Ray Harryhausen would put on Ray's homemade masks and scare the bejezus out of the other teenagers in the back of dark theaters in the early 30's. They formed the 1st LA Science Fiction club back in their teens.
Well, folks this old geek can use alittle good cheer... He's certainly given us enough of it throughout the years.
Back on Monday, Nov. 24, 1997 Harry posted the following story of our 3rd visit to Forry's Hollywood home/archives. I took loads of pictures as we wandered thru the 4 floors of film and SciFi history. Trip back to that day with us by using the below link and you'll see just who this man is...
Just Click Here For The First of The 6 Part Story With Tons Of Pics
Now here's the note Smilin Jack sent today...
Still don't know who I'm talking about? Well, he's a lifetime resident of Hollywood. His Grandfather built the Bradbury Building there. The one from THE DEMON WITH THE GLASS HAND, that leaking one from BLADE RUNNER. Forrey acted as the agent for a young Robert Heinlien and more old world-famous Science Fiction writers than you can probably name. He was the 1st to put Stephen King on the printed page. He was a close friend to Lugosi, Karloff, Lorre, Chaney Jr and scores of other classic Horror-SciFi-Fantasy actors and actresses and writers and Directors. He was very very COOL long before there was a word to describe it. He, and boyhood buddies Ray Bradbury and Ray Harryhausen would put on Ray's homemade masks and scare the bejezus out of the other teenagers in the back of dark theaters in the early 30's. They formed the 1st LA Science Fiction club back in their teens.
Well, folks this old geek can use alittle good cheer... He's certainly given us enough of it throughout the years.
Back on Monday, Nov. 24, 1997 Harry posted the following story of our 3rd visit to Forry's Hollywood home/archives. I took loads of pictures as we wandered thru the 4 floors of film and SciFi history. Trip back to that day with us by using the below link and you'll see just who this man is...
Just Click Here For The First of The 6 Part Story With Tons Of Pics
Now here's the note Smilin Jack sent today...
Back on Monday, Nov. 24, 1997 Harry posted the following story of our 3rd visit to Forry's Hollywood home/archives. I took loads of pictures as we wandered thru the 4 floors of film and SciFi history. Trip back to that day with us by using the below link and you'll see just who this man is...
Just Click Here For The First of The 6 Part Story With Tons Of Pics
Now here's the note Smilin Jack sent today...
Tim Sullivan called me this morning to say that Forry was back in the
hospital after his blood clot from two weeks ago with another one. He gave
me the information on how he was doing and I called down there again this
afternoon and actually talked to Forry (he's a fighter), who said he's a
physical wreck, but that they're estimating he'll be out in three weeks.
If you or anybody wants to send Forry a card, flowers, whatever you think
might cheer him up while he's cooped up in the hospital for the next three
weeks, the address is:
Kaiser Permanente Hospital...
4867 Sunset Boulevard, Room 650...
Los Angeles, CA 90027
They're running a bit on this on the CHUD, and I will update with anything else I
hear on the boards.
Smilin Jack RubyFather Geek back... I just realized that I didn't mention any of the wonderful films Forry lent his talents to, like as the writer of the fantastic claymation epic horror fest, 1967's MAD MONSTER PARTY, or his effects expertise as the chief Space Ship String Puller on 1955's classic BEAST WITH A MILLION EYES, or as the Technical Advisor on 1971's SATAN'S BLOODY FREAKS. But Uncle Forry wasn't content to remain a faceless man behind the cameras, Noooooo, he was out in front in over 50 Horror/SciFi/Fantasy films. Movies like: THE TIME TRAVELERS, and THE QUEEN OF BLOOD, and SCHLOCK, and THE HOWLING, and BRAINDEAD, and RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD 2, and INNOCENT BLOOD, and AMAZON WOMEN ON THE MOON. He even did non genre flicks like KENTUCKY FRIED MOVIE and BEVERLY HILLS COP 3. Yeah his career in front of the camera stretched from the 1940's right to 2001's VAMPIRE HUNTERS CLUB and this year's ATTACK OF THE B-MOVIE MONSTER. He's made us smile along time, now its time for us to return the favor...
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Forrest J Ackerman has been a tentpole to SF fandom for decades. Sure, his fondness for the pulpiest bug-eyed monster style space opera got kind of quaint towards the end of the 20th Century, but his enthusiasm and spirit has infused all of SF. I met him briefly at the San Diego Comic Con waaay back in 1989; gave me a keychain which I've since lost and we talked for a few moments. Sadly, though, he's getting old and one day his time will come. Hopefully it will be peaceful and not for a long time yet. --Thomas @ www.sfreviews.net
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I wouldn't check my dog into a Kaiser hospital. Get better Forrey.
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He was there and doin it, before the most of the talkback's parents were alive. On a completely unrelated side note: what's up with this 'Norrington doin a live-action version of AKIRA'?? With Jon Peters praduzzin?? Any truth in that Headgeek?
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...I don't think I could stand losing you too. Not so soon after Chuck Jones and Spike Milligan and Dudley Moore. Take care of yourself and know that we all love you!
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He gave my History of Hollywood class a tour of his house. He hammed it up in Dracula duds. A great time was had by all. Seeing the idol from the opening of Raiders was the highlight for me.
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And that's one of my few regrets so far in life. I can remember hanging out in the woods behind my suburban development as a kid in the mid-70s reading some friend's copies of FAMOUS MONSTERS along with some new magazine called STARLOG. I'm still planning on getting out to LA on vacation in the next year or two and hope he'll be the one who will guide ne on a tour of the Ackermansion. My thoughts and prayers are with you Forrey...
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Long before the net the only geek news that was reliable was Famous Monsters. Every month a little of my paper route cash went into getting every issue. I loved that certain issues had covers soooo gross that I would have to hide them from parents and grand parents. The first Friday The 13th movie coverage had some nice gore shots that would freak out any teacher. I remember reading about the history of my favorite Sci-Fi classics from Forry. I enjoyed the speculation about what would happen in the next Star Wars with the unknown title of The Empire Strikes Back. You screwed up my childhood and warped my brain Mr. Forry J. Ackerman...THANKS and get well!
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to the GOD of Horror and Sci-Fi! This man is one of our Geek Gods. I can only hope that one day I will be able to visit his Horrorwood home and pay respect to the man who brought us the goods before Starlog, Fango or any of the other knock-off Famous Monster clones. And to you bastards who post non-sensical rubish about whatever bullshit that you are peddling today...get the hell on and do some studying on who this man is. If you do not respect, then you do not belong. (Not that there was any question in most of your cases.) Get well, Forry....you are the Father that most of us wish we had had.
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Hey. Heard more news. Forry will likely be starting up a rehabilitation program this Tuesday and may be out in TWO weeks, rather than three, which rocks the casbah!
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Apr 13, 2002 3:30:36 PM CDT
Up Up and Away with Forry J. Owner and Curator of the Ackermansi
by regis travolta
If you're ever in Hollywood it's worth seeing, he usually conducts guided tours one or two Saturdays each month, you can even look him up in the phone book, Forrest J. Ackerman, or call 411 for the (323) area code, to hear his funny phone message and info on the tours which will no doubt resume when he leaves the hospital. Bring him a collectable and he'll even sign it for you!
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...but I guess Harry got closest. I was too young, and too far out of the U.S. to get Famous Monsters in its heyday, but I did collect Monsterland when it came along about 20 years ago. Get well soon, Forry.
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i remember the first time i got a copy of the magazine...i must've been about 9 or 10.....
stil the coolest thing ive ever read... -
after touring his house (he was quite a gentleman
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I was the perfect age for FMOF, having turned 10 in 1960. That magazine! I rarely missed an issue, and I bought all the brand extensions like WILD WEST and SERIAL THRILLERS and whatever the sic-fi title was called. It is true CASTLE OF FRANKENSTEIN eventually beat Forry at his own game, and I eventually grew too old for FMOF but not COF, which was writen at a much higher level. But FMOF shaped me in my most formative years, as did a lot of 60s stuff like the rebirth of Marvel Comics and reissues of classic books like LORD OF THE RINGS and the various Burroughs series. Get well, Forry!
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Do I need it to drop good ol' Forry a card? Thanks in advance everyone! ^^
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I didn't see it but sure enough it's in address posted above. Sorry everyone. ^_^;;;
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...from my first issue of FMOF, #69 with Lon Chaney's vampire from "London after Midnight" on the cover, to the inexplicably numbered issue #80 appearing right after that (something to do with incorporating Monster World's count) to the best issue of Famous Monsters EVER, issue #100, right up to the Star Wars years until the time I began to move away from it. I hated to see the stories about what the jerk Ray Ferry did to Forry, and I hope he will survive to be vinidcated. God Bless You, Forry, and get better. You have shaped my personality, and that of untold numbers of other folks, because of your life's work. Much love to you and yours.
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About the rose issue, I'm sure Suckmyass meant well, but unless you know the person or they're into goth, to send black roses to someone means that you want them to die. To send red or silver roses, means that you love them and yellow for welcoming them back from a journey. The appropriate choice would be white which means get well or recover soon. But, you could always go with a nice table top piece with mixed flowers or a vase of carnations, your choice. But, never black.
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This site has had NO news in weeks. Oh - sorry - it did have a story about American Psycho 2. Of course, I did read the same one last summer, but that's okay.
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I had the honor to speak with Forry several times last summer when he was in Kansas City for the Area (19)51 Festival. He was a delightful man, always ready with a geek-thrilling anecdote. He even had a ready answer when I asked him how he wants to spend his hundredth birthday. Science Fiction to you, Mr. Ackerman.
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Hopefully he will feel better. The anticlotting drugs are really good now. Best wishes.
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