Farewell, Forry

[filkertom]

Dammit, we knew it was coming, but that does not make it easier. Forrest J Ackerman has passed away at the age of 92.

I never met of him, but of course I heard of him. Who hadn't? He was the ultimate collector, the ultimate fanboy. Hell, he started one of the greatest of all fannish magazines, Famous Monsters of Filmland. He was a pretty amazing dude, and he will be missed.

In honor of Forry, what are your favorite fannish tchotchkes? Mine would include a talking stuffed Kermit, the Harry and Hermione bookends Anne got me a couple of years ago, and my various stuffed Cthulhus (including the Summer Fun Cthulhu markbernstein got me awhile back that proudly sits atop my DVD collection). Bunches and bunches of stuff.

Comments

[pocketnaomi.livejournal.com]

The knitted Dumbledoll and McGonidoll that aunty_marion made for me.

[madamruppy.livejournal.com]

I had the extreme good fortune to meet him several years ago at a convention in Iowa. My husband and I were able to sit with him and talk for quite a while in the hotel lobby. It was one of the last years he was well enough to travel.

So for fannish tchotchkes aside from my autograph by Adam Baldwin my favorites are from Forrey. I have to autographed photos of him on the bookshelves in my bedroom. I also have a couple books signed by him.

I want to be him when I grow up.

[drzarron.livejournal.com]

After the '96 World Con, John Hall and I lead our merry band.. following a long standing invitation.

In every issue of "Famous Monsters of Filmland" magazine that Forry published there was a side bar which said "When in Hollywood, visit the fabulous "Ackermansion"" so we did. So so so many amazing, impossible things filled the place.

[drzarron.livejournal.com]

Ohh.. hmm..

My soft sculpture Geiger Alien.. we call him "Fluffy". I treasure my "Dark Crystal" press kit I got autographed by Jim Henson, Gary Kurtz and Brian Froud and my '83 WorldCon pocket program autographed by Chuck Yeager, Gordo Cooper and Dennis Quaid.

Diana loves either her Orc helmet or her Dark Rider sculpture

Sabrina loves her D-Gray Man jewelry

[madamruppy.livejournal.com]

I love that you named your Alien Fluffy, I would do that.

[ericcoleman]

My Mom made me a Dr Who scarf ... the colors area little off, since she only had a black and white TV at the time, but it is one of my most prized possessions. It is in my ex's house or storage area at the moment. I need to find it this weekend.

[metafrantic.livejournal.com]

When I was about 11 or 12 I went to a Boston SF convention and got George Takei's signature on a B&W photo. I was too young to really get the gay thing (and I don't think he was out then), but I thought he was awesome. I still have the photo and of all of the original Trek crew he's always been my favorite.

I also barely kept myself from spilling fanboy all over Connie Willis when she signed my copy of Impossible Things at WorldCon in Denver. It's been one of my favorite books for many years and will be one of my most prized possessions for the rest of my life.

For me, tchotchkes have always been useful things rather than curios. One of the few things I protect with a passion is the original stegosaur dinobot that I played with as a kid. But I am rather fond of the huge-eyed stuffed sea turtle my wife got at the local aquarium, which we've named li'l a'tuin.

[starcat-jewel.livejournal.com]

Aside from my Cthulhu fuzzy slippers, I think my personal favorite would be the lampwork glass Mesklinite I commissioned from Steve Scherer some years back, based on the picture in Barlowe's Guide to Aliens. Steve said it was a one-of-a-kind item because he never wanted to make another one -- those segments were a stone bitch to get right!

[bayushisan.livejournal.com]

My favorite would be the autographed photo of Erin Grey, Wilma Dearing to all you Buck Rogers fans, that I was able to get one year at GenCon. She was a sweetheart of a lady and I'll always look back on talking with her with fondness. She expressed concern because at the time I was having horrible shin splints and went out of her way to reccomend things that would alleviate the pain.

I'm devastated to hear about Uncle Forrey. I always wanted to meet him because he seemed like such a wonderful person.

[peachtales.livejournal.com]

A friend of mine got me an Agent C - Cthulhu as an MIB.

[bfirrera.livejournal.com]

My "Wizard of Oz" DVD signed by two original film munchkins, my Disney park plushed of Minnie and Mickey...as topiary bushes of themselves, our Tom Baker Dr. Who scarf, my talking Freddy Krueger doll, my original Six Million Dollar Man and Bionic Woman dolls from my childhood, the "test" View-Master Reels of a Barbie set, so many other things I'm sure, but these are what come to mind...

[wouldyoueva.livejournal.com]

Someone made Jack a little sculpture of Serge Ortega, from MIDNIGHT AT THE WELL OF SOULS that I'm quite fond of. Jack liked it a lot, too (it used to sit on top of his monitor). I had to sell my other favorite, a sculpture of a centaur from FANTASIA.

[kilbia.livejournal.com]

I suppose my prized possession of fandom is my black sports bra autographed by Peter S. Beagle. I was in a coffee klatch with him at Archon 37 and he mentioned that in all his years, nobody had ever yet asked him to sign a bra - and absolutely nobody who knows me is surprised that I took that as a challenge. (Though now I feel compelled to clarify that I brought it to him the next day - it's not like I took it all off right then and there.)

I harbor vague dreams of getting to meet Rene Auberjonois at a convention, and asking him to autograph the other cup. Auberjonois was a voice actor in "The Last Unicorn" animated movie, and is apparently a fan of Beagle.

[bayushisan.livejournal.com]

That is indeed an interesting and unique autograph. I tip my hat to you. :)

[capplor.livejournal.com]

I've met Forry on several occasions. Being a fan in (Northern) California it wasn't hard to find us both at the same Con. The most pleasant surprise was bumping into him (literally) in a Winnipeg hallway. I was chatting (in Esperanto) with Harry Harrison & Forry gleefully joined the conversation.

I don't have many "things" which I cherish, necessarily, but I have a great many memories. Forry & Larry Niven singing in lousy harmony in a restaurant near a LosCon. Inadvertently eating breakfast with Anne McCaffery, and family in a little English pub. Stuff like that.

[orangemike.livejournal.com]

Forry and I did a panel at the con in Iowa madamruppy references above, on Esperanto in SF and SF in Esperanto. I will miss him.

[zillafan.livejournal.com]

I posted on my LiveJournal Forry's birthday (Nov 24th) and tonight I read of his passing and I don't have the heart to post it.

Thank-you Tom for a great way to pay homage by reflecting on our own fannish collections here is mine... My Alex Ross JSA Litho, X-Plus USA’s Model of the original Godzilla (and the Godzilla vs Anguirus companion piece), assorted Bandai Godzilla toy collection, my Balrog votive holder and somewhere my childhood clippings from Starlog magazine of all the Star Trek 2 articles leading up to it's cancellation and the release of Star Trek the Motion Picture!

[archiver-tim.livejournal.com]

...your favorite fannish tchotchkes?

My Ghoul Show production artwork by Dave Ivy, a froggie used in production (he had a leg blown off by boom-b00m in the episode he was used in, and repaired for the Contraption I bought him at. A compainion piece, "Boom-b00m Betty" that survived due to cancellation. Her job was to look frantic because of the bomb she was holding. These are from when The Ghoul Show was made here in the Detroit area.

Through Forrie,

[sffilk.livejournal.com]

whose mansion I got to visit over 30 years ago, I got to meet Ray Bradbury and A.E. van Vogt at a salute to someone (I don't recall whom). He will be sorely missed.

[judifilksign.livejournal.com]

I have a Catbus stuffy from the animated _Totoro_. I also have a Jane Austin action figure, complete with writing desk and quill pen. I am such an English major geek.

[jinx-of-2ndlaw.livejournal.com]

I'm sad. He was missed at LOSCON, an unspoken name in the background of every mind.

I love my Locutus teddy bear from the Star Trek Experience, the Mattel Mars Rover set, hubby loves his dragons, his Death figurine, and his Transmet figures.

Will Forry's museum remain open? Will there be an estate sale? (Dibs on Maria!) Sigh... Definitely will miss him.

[jinx-of-2ndlaw.livejournal.com]

Favorite memory was when Forry won the Forry award at LOSCON. The meta-ness of it tickles me still!

[invader-tak-1.livejournal.com]

My fave is gone, I was at Uncle Hugo's SF bookstore many years ago, and Philip Farmer was autographing books. I had a copy of Venus on the Half shell, and I asked if he would sign it he said "I don't sign my name to that" I said OK and he signed it Kilgore Trout" somewhere down the line someone picked it up and strolled off with it. Dammit.

I had a real autograph of a fictional author. :)

[scriviner.livejournal.com]

I have a small bunch of stuffed Cthulhus (including summer fun and two MIB ones), but my prized fannish possession is my ceramic Rei Ayanami statue that some friends all chipped in and got me for my birthday years back..

[kayshapero]

Just offhand, Baskek, the black and red dragon sitting on top of my computer tower (name comes from a noble house in Vicky's Land of the Three Sons which uses those colors, and is run by one of my favorite characters of hers), the Imperial Walker and Babylon 5 figures on the monitor, and the R2D2 keychain that's taken up permanent residence on my purse.

I'd cite various stuffy Cthulhus except I think they're all Vicky's. :)

[selenesue.livejournal.com]

Farewell, 4SJ. If there's a sci-fi heaven, you know they've got a helluva dead dog party. Or is that live dog party?

OK, a Forry Storry: my friend Alan brought a big stack of A.E. Van Vogt paperbacks and followed the great man around a convention getting them autographed one by one. He handed one of them to Forry by mistake, but Forry signed it anyway. Of course. Beast Witches!

Fannish tchachkes, hmmm... my whole living room, pretty much. Largest: TNG set piece, Captain Picard's ready room window. Most recent: animation art from MORE TRIBBLES MORE TROUBLES, Kirk and McCoy, signed by David Gerrold. In between: a Totoro foot warmer, like a big fuzzy slipper for both feets. Matching champagne flutes commemorating the wedding of King Verence II and Magrat of Lancre. Full runs of the Harry Potter series from the US and UK, including the "adult covers" suitable for reading on the Metro without embarrassment.

[blindaurora.livejournal.com]

The footwarmer sounds so cute it hurts. :-)

[wyldemusick.livejournal.com]

My assorted Airwolf models (I wrote for Airwolf) might well top the list, along with my handful of trolley and tram models, and the origami swan diorama my girlfriend made and gifted to me some time back. The assorted walruses (including a Tuskarr from Thundercats) also have a sentimental place.

[wyldemusick.livejournal.com]

I had the pleasure of meeting 4E quite some time back. He was a nice old gentleman with a somewhat raffish mien and a pleasant sense of humor.

[maikujaku.livejournal.com]

Mine will probably be the two jewelry items I'm getting myself for the holidays. A Twilight inspired necklace, and a Swavroski crystal TRiforce necklace. I also love my Animal plushie, and my Rocky Horror pocketbook and Zippo. This doesn't inclue my bunny and cat ears and tail on the furry fandom scale.

[maikujaku.livejournal.com]

I also forgot about one that's now gone. I had a signed copyof a B-movie Linda Blair did, someone made off with it when I had to leave the group home I was in in a hurry. It was long gone when I finally got the rest of my stuff back. I know one of my boyfriends is the "Office Space" kit I bought him recently. And a Batman ornament we found in a thrift store. We find a lot of fun stuff in thrift stores.

[fayanora.livejournal.com]

There are 3 kinds of celebrity deaths, for me:

1. The death of a celebrity I knew, and knew was alive.

2. The death of a celebrity that I knew, but thought they died years ago.

3. The death of a celebrity I never heard of until they died.

Ackerman is #3.