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Moriarty Yells, "Hey Boils And Ghouls! Forry Ackerman is in Trouble!!!"

Methinks he protests too much by ellid	Nov 20th, 1999 04:52:54 PM
I just reread Moriarty's comments on Forrest Ackerman, and I was appalled by the disingenous of some of Ackerman's statements. This is a man who tried to haul a senile, incontinent A.E. van Vogt into small claims court over a dispute Ackerman was having with Harlan Ellison (who dropped the whole matter when Van Vogt's wife/caretaker, in hysterics, begged him) complaining about being hauled into court; a man who may well have obtained much of his collection by borrowing it for his dreadful magazine and simply not returning it to its rightful owner complaining about being robbed; a man who has misrepresented the provenance of some his collection (20 years ago the Robot Maria from Metropolis was an exact copy, but lately I've seen print reports claiming that Ackerman owns the original - impossible, since the original was destroyed after the film wrapped), who has called one of the most distinguished speculative fiction writers alive "a k--e" in a letter, who inflicted the appalling Perry Rhodan books on America under the guise "sharing this great German space opera with the fen" - this man has managed to hide behind the "I'm just a naive old man in a house full of treasures" persona for decades, all the while merrily amassing a collection worth several million dollars and being considerably less than nice in his private life. I received word from Scotvox@cs.com after my original posts. Seems that Scotvox knew Ackerman back in the 80's and was friendly with him - until "gentle, naive Forry" tried to talk Scotvox's wife into posing semi-nude for one of his fanzines (he did the same thing to cartoonist Trina Robbins at the beginning of her career). Scotvox also reported seeing documentation that Ackerman was banned from at least one TV set in the 60's for "liberating" production stills for his collection, "forgot" to return memorabilia to a horror actor, and generally has behaved like one of his own monsters in his business dealings. He is NOT naive - he's very sharp, and not particularly scrupulous. One last thing: what precisely is Ackerman (or Moriarty, for that matter) hoping to accomplish by this "get out the fen" effort? Courts are not influenced by petitions, nor will a judge care if every single viewer of this Web site sends him a nasty letter. The law is concerned with facts, not popular opinion. If Ackerman signed a contract with Ray Parker, all the fannish protests in the world will not erase that signature. And all the character witnesses in the world (and how well will Ray Bradbury perform after a stroke? A decent cross examination will shred his testimony in about five seconds) really don't count for much if the facts indicate otherwise. The law isn't a popularity contest. If anything, a fan effort will produce the opposite effect. Judges do NOT like having their business questioned by non-professionals.....
Ferry's Brother? by Renfield	Nov 21st, 1999 12:36:33 AM
Sheesh! An attack like the foregoing sounds exactly like the kind of character assasination Ray Ferry's been doing on Forry. In fact, one wonders if that writer is Ferry's brother. At any rate, here's a few answers to his screed: "This is a man who tried to haul a senile, incontinent A.E. van Vogt into small claims court over a dispute Ackerman was having with Harlan Ellison (who dropped the whole matter when Van Vogt's wife/caretaker, in hysterics, begged him) complaining about being hauled into court;" My understanding is that Forry is welcoming this court action; at any rate, one hardly believes that Forry would try to get a witness who was "senile" to testify for him...that would be, ummm, "senile" of Forry. At any rate, this is irrelevant to the current situation "...a man who may well have obtained much of his collection by borrowing it for his dreadful magazine and simply not returning it to its rightful owner complaining about being robbed; a man who has misrepresented the provenance of some his collection (20 years ago the Robot Maria from Metropolis was an exact copy, but lately I've seen print reports claiming that Ackerman owns the original - impossible, since the original was destroyed after the film wrapped)..." My, my, such smears without verifiable specifics to back them up. There are a few of us who don't think his magazine was "dreadful," but let that pass. How does this poison-penner know for certain the fate of the "Maria" robot? Perhaps he worked for UFA in the Twenties...? "...who has called one of the most distinguished speculative fiction writers alive "a k--e" in a letter..." Proof? And proof that it wasn't a joking (albeit in bad taste) reference if true? "...who inflicted the appalling Perry Rhodan books on America under the guise "sharing this great German space opera with the fen"..." Now, now, different strokes also applies to one's source of preferred reading material. The size of Rhodan's following proves that Forry was quite justified in handling his works. "...this man has managed to hide behind the "I'm just a naive old man in a house full of treasures" persona for decades, all the while merrily amassing a collection worth several million dollars and being considerably less than nice in his private life..." I don't recall even hearing or reading anything from Forry where he claims to be "naive." His success as a literary agent would dispell that impression in anyone who knew anything about him. Forry was one of the first folks to collect "fantastic film" memorabilia, and it's a case of being among the first and doing it for decades reaping a rich reward, and a well-deserved one. He genuinely enjoys his collection, enjoys showing folks that collection, and has suffered some thefts because of it. A money-grubbing arvacious collection should be made of sterner stuff. "...I received word from Scotvox@cs.com after my original posts. Seems that Scotvox knew Ackerman back in the 80's and was friendly with him - until "gentle, naive Forry" tried to talk Scotvox's wife into posing semi-nude for one of his fanzines (he did the same thing to cartoonist Trina Robbins at the beginning of her career)..." Horrors! Asking an attractive woman to pose for a magazine spread UN-NUDE! The fiend! Why isn't he doing time? "...Scotvox also reported seeing documentation that Ackerman was banned from at least one TV set in the 60's for "liberating" production stills for his collection, "forgot" to return memorabilia to a horror actor, and generally has behaved like one of his own monsters in his business dealings..." This is the most pernicious kind of character assasination, viz., "I heard" or "someone told me." Proof, please. At least the name of the TV station and/or "horror actor"? "...He is NOT naive - he's very sharp..." Q.E.D. "...and not particularly scrupulous..." Proof, again? This writer is not "particularly scrupulous" either, proffering accusations without facts. "...One last thing: what precisely is Ackerman (or Moriarty, for that matter) hoping to accomplish by this "get out the fen" effort? Courts are not influenced by petitions, nor will a judge care if every single viewer of this Web site sends him a nasty letter. The law is concerned with facts, not popular opinion. If Ackerman signed a contract with Ray Parker, all the fannish protests in the world will not erase that signature..." No, but it will alert Forry's fans to his situation and the fact that he's trying to take back what he created. Just what Forry really agreed to give and what Ferry took will come out in court. "...And all the character witnesses in the world (and how well will Ray Bradbury perform after a stroke? A decent cross examination will shred his testimony in about five seconds)" If Ray Bradbury gets on the stand and testifies, stroke or no stroke, the court will listen to him. If he's wanting to do that despite the stroke, it speaks well for Forry's side, don't you think? "...really don't count for much if the facts indicate otherwise. The law isn't a popularity contest. If anything, a fan effort will produce the opposite effect. Judges do NOT like having their business questioned by non-professionals..." No one's suggesting fan support will sway a judge. But, fan support of Forry will give Forry some measure of comfort whilst he battles the unlovely Mr. Ferry in court. That's the purpose of the "call to arms." as I understand it. Well, gentle friends, you've now gotten a taste of what Forry has had to put up for some time now. Keep the faith for Forry. Cheers!
famous monsters, forry and me by chancellor909	Nov 21st, 1999 05:59:48 PM
hey! my name is bill chancellor. im an illustrator. you might have seen my work on CULT MOVIES, SCREEM mag and coming in dec. SCARLET STREET..i just wanted to thank you for your cool site and all the forry info...i myself met forryfor the first time in 1974 at the famousmonsters of filmland convention in new york...i also visited his mansion in 1994..lemme tell you, as someone who grew up with fm and forry..i was jazzed! anyway i too feel it is a crime what evil ray ferry has done to forry...fm has always and willalways be forryand noone else in my book. more power to forry etal...i hope he kicks ray ferrys proverbial ass! bill chancellor
Ellison?! by DrPraetorius	Nov 22nd, 1999 04:07:16 AM
I have no doubt that Harlan Ellison and Forry are mortal enemies. But since Ellison has demonstrated throughout his overblown career that he can form lifelong hatreds toward anyone for any reason, it's not particularly damning nor even particularly relevant. Ellison could find reasons to get into a death match with Mother Teresa -- and it wouldn't even matter that she's already dead, as he so gutlessly proved when he published Harlan Ellison's City On The Edge Of Forever, a savage attack on Gene Roddenberry that he didn't have the balls to release while Roddenberry was still alive. As Ellison ages, his childish behavior becomes less and less "colorful" and more and more embarrassing. Forry, on the other hand, has no such reputation. As for the so-called ethnic slur, it sounds as though it's Harlan's word against Forry's. All things being equal, I'll side with Forry.
Heartless/groundless by HellTemple	Nov 22nd, 1999 12:52:10 PM
What a lot of time Ellid is spending on a vendetta. And for what? To sway a legion of fans to the suggestion that Forrest J Ackerman
Protests, Ellison by Sorcerer	Nov 22nd, 1999 01:15:31 PM
I too have gotten e-mail from the same person that ellid contacted, detailing the same allegations. No proof, though he claims a book coming out early next year will tell all. Still have to give a guy the benefit of the doubt, especially when accusing him of theft, lechery and racism. As for Ellison- I felt the CITY ON THE EDGE OF FOREVER script-book was wholly justified in the allegations, as he had the photostatic proof to back up his allegations. And the script WAS much better than what was aired, and rejecting it on the basis of "not being STAR TREK" set a precedent for a narrow, limiting environment that's caused the franchise to stagnate. I regard Ellison as a man of integrity still, with some legitimate grievances, but as I said I have to give Ackerman the benefit of the doubt until incontrovertible proof is made available. Hearsay doesn't cut it.
oh, come on by DrPraetorius	Nov 22nd, 1999 07:25:40 PM
I don't want to get too far off the topic, but the pity party for Ellison regarding his treatment at the hands of Roddenberry has really got to stop. Ellison won a Writer's Guild award and a Hugo award THAT YEAR for "City". The quality of the work was immediately recognized. Yet he would have us believe that he's been nursing a secret grudge for 30 years, that he's been horribly heartsick over it -- but that he could only work up the nerve to say anything about it AFTER Roddenberry was dead. And gee, all sympathy to poor, defenseless Harlan -- but if he couldn't deal with the CREATOR of the show and the characters stepping in to make changes, then he shouldn't have taken a job writing SOMEONE ELSE'S creation to begin with. There's an asinine quote in Ellison's book that claims that if it had been an episode of Outer Limits, not one word would have been changed. Well, yeah -- but then it wouldn't have been James Kirk in the lead role, would it? Does anyone really think that the story would have worked at all if it had been filled with totally unfamiliar characters? Ellison hates. Irrationally. And he attacks his targets with all the dignity of a rabid dog, and all the courage of a jackal. Forry's just one of the latest targets.
The Facts about Forry by Torgosi	Nov 23rd, 1999 01:16:49 PM
Here's some news delivered by folks who have firsthand knowledge of facts ... that's F-A-C-T-S, not speculation, idle rumor, or mean-spirited sniping ... relating to the outragious accusations being made in this forum. Forry's lawyer was his original secretary about 40 years ago. She is not working pro bono but gives him a regular official monthly statement which Forry has been paying to the best of his ability. So far he has had to sacrifice 5 of his most precious possessions, including his Margaret Brundage Weird Tales pastel cover, a Frank R. Paul original painting, and an early Ray Bradbury painting. He is in dept but not being pressed by his lawyer. Several months ago he publically offered $10,000 to anyone who could prove him to be an anti-Semite (Hugo Gernsback, life-long friend Robert Bloch, clients Horace Gold & Stanlet Weinbaum, and Forry's late wife were all Jewish as are scores of other friends). Naturally, no one has come forward with any proof. There is none. Forry denies ever cheating any of his clients of royalties, doesn't know what the meaning is of accusing him of wishing to drag A.E. van Voght (an Alzheimer's victim) into Small Claims Court on his behalf (Mrs. Lydia van Voght will gladly deny this calumny). Forry sees nothing wrong with having asked his dear friend Robert Bloch, famous for his macabre sense of humor, for his last autograph after Vincent Price had given him his, and now A.E. van Vogt has followed suit. Forry himself has promised his own last autograph to a friend. To attack (falsely) an 83 year old national treasure while he's invloved in the fight of his life, disregarding the known facts of the current case in order to engage in forwarding petty and blatantly untrue accusations and rumors is a travesty which no amount of strung-together four letter words could accurately sum up. These accusations, timed as they are, trumped up as they are, speak volumes about the person leveling them and in no way reflect the reality of events. Forry Ackerman holds a unique and well-earned place in the mosaic of American popular culture. He has been nothing but kind, generous and sincere for generations. And no amount of malicious misinformation 'reported' here can ultimately do anything to damage his reputation or his place in the hearts of fans around the world. Signed, The Bat Pack (a group of professional people who volunteer time and energy to the preservation and improvement of Forry's life for a debt owed which can never be repayed)
So How's About An Update? by Rich Wannen	Nov 23rd, 1999 11:17:59 PM
It's been a week now since the trial started - what's the status of the thing? How is Forry doing? Could you get us a copy of the written suit and Ferry's response (both should be available as public documents for the cost of copying)? Keep us posted.
Thanks!! by Rich Wannen	Nov 24th, 1999 12:28:17 PM
That's what I call super service! :)
Forry by chernabogboy	Dec 9th, 1999 10:15:56 AM
I want to talk about Forry but let me say this about Harlan. HE is not a nice guy. I met him at a convention some years ago and asked him to sign my copy of Strange Wine, he threw the book back at me and said
THE TRIAL by djv	Dec 19th, 1999 02:18:11 PM
So what was the result of the court case?
James Warren by Scrivner	Dec 19th, 1999 04:20:26 PM
I had to groan when I saw James Warren's name come up. This is the guy who fire Forry one issue before the last one published by Warren was done. But worse, more than ten years after his company went bankrupt (which means that all assets were sold to satisfy creditors) he's trying to claim that he just leased rights, not sold them, and has been harrassing the now legal owners of what he sold. That's not how bankruptcy works. What brought him out was the realization that Vampirella has been turned into a lucrative property by the new owners. If anyone deserves anything from Vampirella, it's her creator, Forry, but he has no legal standing there either due to the bankruptcy liquidation which took everything out of his hands.
James Warren by Scrivner	Dec 19th, 1999 04:20:35 PM
I had to groan when I saw James Warren's name come up. This is the guy who fire Forry one issue before the last one published by Warren was done. But worse, more than ten years after his company went bankrupt (which means that all assets were sold to satisfy creditors) he's trying to claim that he just leased rights, not sold them, and has been harrassing the now legal owners of what he sold. That's not how bankruptcy works. What brought him out was the realization that Vampirella has been turned into a lucrative property by the new owners. If anyone deserves anything from Vampirella, it's her creator, Forry, but he has no legal standing there either due to the bankruptcy liquidation which took everything out of his hands.
James Warren by Scrivner	Dec 19th, 1999 04:20:56 PM
I had to groan when I saw James Warren's name come up. This is the guy who fire Forry one issue before the last one published by Warren was done. But worse, more than ten years after his company went bankrupt (which means that all assets were sold to satisfy creditors) he's trying to claim that he just leased rights, not sold them, and has been harrassing the now legal owners of what he sold. That's not how bankruptcy works. What brought him out was the realization that Vampirella has been turned into a lucrative property by the new owners. If anyone deserves anything from Vampirella, it's her creator, Forry, but he has no legal standing there either due to the bankruptcy liquidation which took everything out of his hands.
James Warren by Scrivner	Dec 19th, 1999 04:21:05 PM
I had to groan when I saw James Warren's name come up. This is the guy who fire Forry one issue before the last one published by Warren was done. But worse, more than ten years after his company went bankrupt (which means that all assets were sold to satisfy creditors) he's trying to claim that he just leased rights, not sold them, and has been harrassing the now legal owners of what he sold. That's not how bankruptcy works. What brought him out was the realization that Vampirella has been turned into a lucrative property by the new owners. If anyone deserves anything from Vampirella, it's her creator, Forry, but he has no legal standing there either due to the bankruptcy liquidation which took everything out of his hands.
James Warren by Scrivner	Dec 19th, 1999 04:21:12 PM
I had to groan when I saw James Warren's name come up. This is the guy who fire Forry one issue before the last one published by Warren was done. But worse, more than ten years after his company went bankrupt (which means that all assets were sold to satisfy creditors) he's trying to claim that he just leased rights, not sold them, and has been harrassing the now legal owners of what he sold. That's not how bankruptcy works. What brought him out was the realization that Vampirella has been turned into a lucrative property by the new owners. If anyone deserves anything from Vampirella, it's her creator, Forry, but he has no legal standing there either due to the bankruptcy liquidation which took everything out of his hands.
James Warren by Scrivner	Dec 19th, 1999 04:21:22 PM
I had to groan when I saw James Warren's name come up. This is the guy who fire Forry one issue before the last one published by Warren was done. But worse, more than ten years after his company went bankrupt (which means that all assets were sold to satisfy creditors) he's trying to claim that he just leased rights, not sold them, and has been harrassing the now legal owners of what he sold. That's not how bankruptcy works. What brought him out was the realization that Vampirella has been turned into a lucrative property by the new owners. If anyone deserves anything from Vampirella, it's her creator, Forry, but he has no legal standing there either due to the bankruptcy liquidation which took everything out of his hands.
James Warren by Scrivner	Dec 19th, 1999 04:21:29 PM
I had to groan when I saw James Warren's name come up. This is the guy who fire Forry one issue before the last one published by Warren was done. But worse, more than ten years after his company went bankrupt (which means that all assets were sold to satisfy creditors) he's trying to claim that he just leased rights, not sold them, and has been harrassing the now legal owners of what he sold. That's not how bankruptcy works. What brought him out was the realization that Vampirella has been turned into a lucrative property by the new owners. If anyone deserves anything from Vampirella, it's her creator, Forry, but he has no legal standing there either due to the bankruptcy liquidation which took everything out of his hands.
James Warren by Scrivner	Dec 19th, 1999 04:21:36 PM
I had to groan when I saw James Warren's name come up. This is the guy who fire Forry one issue before the last one published by Warren was done. But worse, more than ten years after his company went bankrupt (which means that all assets were sold to satisfy creditors) he's trying to claim that he just leased rights, not sold them, and has been harrassing the now legal owners of what he sold. That's not how bankruptcy works. What brought him out was the realization that Vampirella has been turned into a lucrative property by the new owners. If anyone deserves anything from Vampirella, it's her creator, Forry, but he has no legal standing there either due to the bankruptcy liquidation which took everything out of his hands.
James Warren by Scrivner	Dec 19th, 1999 04:21:43 PM
I had to groan when I saw James Warren's name come up. This is the guy who fire Forry one issue before the last one published by Warren was done. But worse, more than ten years after his company went bankrupt (which means that all assets were sold to satisfy creditors) he's trying to claim that he just leased rights, not sold them, and has been harrassing the now legal owners of what he sold. That's not how bankruptcy works. What brought him out was the realization that Vampirella has been turned into a lucrative property by the new owners. If anyone deserves anything from Vampirella, it's her creator, Forry, but he has no legal standing there either due to the bankruptcy liquidation which took everything out of his hands.
James Warren by Scrivner	Dec 19th, 1999 04:21:51 PM
I had to groan when I saw James Warren's name come up. This is the guy who fire Forry one issue before the last one published by Warren was done. But worse, more than ten years after his company went bankrupt (which means that all assets were sold to satisfy creditors) he's trying to claim that he just leased rights, not sold them, and has been harrassing the now legal owners of what he sold. That's not how bankruptcy works. What brought him out was the realization that Vampirella has been turned into a lucrative property by the new owners. If anyone deserves anything from Vampirella, it's her creator, Forry, but he has no legal standing there either due to the bankruptcy liquidation which took everything out of his hands.
Warren by Eagle One	Dec 23rd, 1999 10:30:30 AM
Mr. Scrivner, Im not a lawyer and I'm not sure whether you are, but did you ever suppose that maybe Jim Warren sold the rights to his published properties and trademarks but not the rights to future development of the existing properties? Also, did you ever think that maybe Forry Ackerman owned Vampirella, at a minimum "intellectually," and that Jim Warren had no legal basis to sell Forry's rights and ownership in that property. The question as to Forry Ackerman's rights in Vampirella probably has more to do with whether he created the character as a Warren employee (in which case Warren would most likely own the property) or as an independent contractor (in which case Forry would probably own the property). Think about it.
Forry 'n Stuff by AniJourGuy	Jan 28th, 2000 02:20:29 AM
I first met Forry at the '66 WorldCon (Tricon) in Cleveland. Shortly after I got a postcard from Harlan Ellison (typed, unsigned) re: Star Trek. Maybe I should auction it on eBay as an Ellison autograph... Anyway, I started reading FM with issue #11 and there's no doubt in my mind how much of the intellectual property (and how much of the moral authority) goes to Forry. FM without Forry is the walking dead, soulless. Of course KISS on the cover was a low point for many purists because it tainted the mag with rock and roll, which even I as a longtime rock musician know is a line that shouldn't have been crossed, though I am moved somewhat by Gene Simmons' speech. I guess maybe the satanic makeup could be a rationalization for such an appearance, as Forry has always covered makeup people, amateur and pro. I digress. From about 1969-72 I had the good fortune to hang with Forry quite often (dinner at Ship's, trips to the then-Ackermansion, functions & screenings) because I was a reluctant Vice President of the Count Dracula Society for a couple of years. I organized at least one of tne annual banquets (George Pal, Ray Bradbury, Robt. Bloch, Roger Corman, A. E. VanVogt etc etc in attendance) and generally was a social go-between. All I have to say is that I found Forry generous, courteous, more than friendly, kind, considerate, supportive and never a clue about any of the stuff being bandied about here. I do know that Forry is an original, and L.A. has exponentially more than its share of wannabes, hangers on, bathers in reflected glory, and plain wackos of the variety Woody Allen so pointedly criticized in Stardust Memories. Forry's publishers have always, it seems, tended to want to try to whittle him down to their size, hold him back, assert legal ownership of things they could never have owned by virtue of creative right. They have always, unfortunately, treated him like an employee instead of making him, as in a good law firm, the partner he had long ago deserved to be. And the eventual inheritor of all he had created. Forry Ackerman and Famous Monsters are, if this life means anything at all, two terms for the same being, one organism. Two names like Yahweh and Allah, describing two facets of a oneness. No legal shenanigan can change that reality, and no court can give Forry what is already his, though they can make it possible for him to again access society's rewards for his property. Like good hero protagonists in Hollywood classics, Forry is the stable, unchangeable force in the eye of the hurricane, around which things whirl. I have no doubt whatsoever that he has been much taken advantage of. I'm glad that an effort is now being made to restore him. When people like Forry get abused, "things fall apart". In this existence we often don't get what we deserve, but I can say with assurance that the world will be a little saner if and when Forry is redressed. Steve Towsley Co-editor, The Animation Journal, 1963-66; VP, CDS, 1969-71
4SJ Trial, etc. by rscurry	Feb 11th, 2000 03:59:08 PM
Just wondering if there was more news on the Ackerman/Ferry trial? Also, in Forry's column in the new issue of Cult Movies, he mentions a forthcoming magazine called "It's Alive!" (hmm...sounds familiar). Any news on this item? Thanks -- Robert Curry
Saint Forry by FJA Ultra-Fan #1	Mar 25th, 2000 03:38:40 AM
My name is Stuart Gardner and I'm fortunate enough to be a friend of Forry's. To read vile garbage about this dear man such as the above posting by Ellid is incredibly infuriating; I thank Renfield, Helltemple, and Torgosi for their reactions against these idiotic lies and for their loving support of the amazing Forrest J Ackerman, a living saint if there ever was one. I feel these three have said enough about Ellid, but I will add the fact that Forry takes every opportunity to point out that his METROPOLIS robotrix (Ultima Futura Automaton, for the record) is a reproduction which was built for him and that the original was undoubtedly blown to bits in the Berlin blitz. If any article in print describes Forry's model of the METROPOLIS robotrix as being the original, it's the fault of the writer of the article. Forry takes every opportunity to read and correct articles written about him and his collection, and very often the corrections he makes are of errors that would sound more appealing and more flattering than the truth (I know this, because I've been made gifts of MANY such manuscripts by Forry). Throughout his astounding career Forry has been lauded by thousands of people who have had the good fortune to benefit directly from his selflessness, his kindess, his generosity and his honesty. A.E. van Vogt was so pleased with Forry's honesty as his literary agent that he voluntarily increased the agentorial commission which Forry received from that point on in their business dealings! Another of Forry's clients, Charles Beaumont, wrote an open letter to the publishing industry (I have a copy of it) describing Forry as being "scrupulously honest in all of his business dealings, almost fanatically so." There are many adults today who as children wrote letters to Forry during his helming of FAMOUS MONSTERS and had the surprise of their lives when a package of gifts arrived unexpectedly in the mail; Forry adores giving unexpected gifts (I should know; I'm tempted to detail some of the remarkable things he's given me out of the blue, but I'm almost afraid that if I did he'd be barraged with requests... and I've never asked Forry for a thing). Throughout his 83 years Forry Ackerman has lived a life which any human being should be proud to emulate. His passion for science fiction and the fantastic and his accomplishments in these fields are the LEAST of what makes Forry a great man... my enormous respect for him is not due to the facts that he's famous, has known a lot of people, been a lot of places, or done a lot of things. Instead, my respect for Forry is due to having known firsthand what an extraordinarily GOOD man he is, plain and simple... and there are tons of people like me who have had the same kinds of experiences with Forry. Ray Ferry claims that Forry has placed posts on the internet encouraging his fans to use violence against Ferry... what utter, fantastic nonsense! I have followed Forry's career with such keen interest for such a long time that I have seen EVERYTHING which Forry has ever had on the internet, and not one word of it could possibly be construed as a call to violence, even by the wildest imagination. Anyone who's read a smattering of Forry's work knows that he abhors violence; and if he DID desire that anyone should hurt Ferry, can any of you conceive of his being so foolish as to post such a desire on the internet? The claim is so stupid that it deserves no response; unfortunately, Forry has to respond to it in court. Ferry is amazingly shameless about the fact that his incarnation of FAMOUS MONSTERS slavishly copies not only Forry's unique and extremely idiosyncratic style but actually uses many coinages of Forry's; "Dr. Acula" is only one of dozens. Thousands of us watched Forry write and edit FAMOUS MONSTERS for 25 years, and the fact is that it was Forry Ackerman and no one else who made FM what it is... nothing could be plainer. Ferry made and marketed a video tape of the FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND 35TH ANNIVERSARY CONVENTION, at which the debut issue of the Dynacomm FM (#200) was unveiled. In introducing Forry to the audience, Ferry said (watch the tape and see and hear this for yourself) that only one man is and will be forever associated with FAMOUS MONSTERS, and that that man is Forrest J Ackerman (I can't quote these words verbatim, but this is extremely close and may well be exactly correct). Now somehow Ferry feels that he can get away with usurping "Dr. Acula" and doing his best Forry Ackerman imitation in the hopes that the world will simply not notice. WE NOTICE. On Sunday 26 March 2000 Forry will be seen in E! Entertainment's documentary on Al Adamson, the murdered independent filmmaker. On Tuesday 4 April 2000 the trial against Ray Ferry begins; Court TV will be covering it, and witnesses for Forry include Ray Bradbury, John Landis, Gene Simmons of Kiss, Ron "Graven Images" Borst, and Sara Karloff. Look for Forry's new monster movie magazine... the debut issue of IT'S ALIVE! is due in April! Stuart Gardner 25 March 2000 forryfan@yahoo.com
Forry vs. Ferry (Pray Forry Wins) by tales_from_ack	Apr 28th, 2000 05:15:51 PM
I can't believe what's being done to Forry. I couldn't have been more elated when Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine was revived with Forry Ackerman back as the editor (he should be the publisher too). I had read for years how original publisher Jim Warren had mistreated him and it was good to see Forry reunited with his creation. I have yet to meet anyone who has anything nice, good or positive to say about current "publisher" Ray Ferry. I witnessed first hand how Mr. Ferry treats people when I saw him in "action" at one of the Famous Monsters conventions. I am a filmmaker currently in post-production on a feature film entitled TALES FROM THE ACKERMANSION. As the title suggests, Forry introduces and provides narration for the 3 stories comprising the film. Forry has never been less than cooperative and encouraging during the negotiations and long, "less-than-Dreamworks" production period. Long before ACKERMANSION, despite having appeared on hundreds of network and nationally seen television shows, Forry was gracious enough to appear on my public access show. As if this wasn't enough, without asking, Forry went through his rolodex and gave me mailing addresses of celebrity friends he felt would be good sports about being future guests. If there is any legal and moral justice Forry will be the publisher of Famous Monsters or at the very least never be harassed by the Ray Ferrys of the world again. Sincerely, Scott Halper Hollywood International Productions tycoon_scott@hotmail.com

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Moriarty Yells, "Hey Boils And Ghouls! Forry Ackerman is in Trouble!!!"

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