Index

 

This is SKYRACK No 36, dated 5th September 1961 and edited by Ron Bennett, l3 West Cliffe Grove, Harrogate, Yorkshire, England. 6d per copy Six issues for 2/6d; USA 35 cents for 6 issues (65cents airmail) from Bob Pavlat, 6001- 43rd Avenue, Hyattsville, Maryland. Cartoon heading by Chris Miller. News of interest to sf fandom always welcomed.

FIRST WITH THE NEWS AGAIN!!

HUGO FOR WHO KILLED S-F

Bantam’s “A Canticle for Leibowitz” by Walter M  Miller Jr  was awarded the Hugo for the year’s best novel at the Seattle 19th World S F Convention, held last weekend 2nd-4th September. Poul Anderson,whose novel “The High Crusade” was nominated won through in another award section, his Analog story “The Longest Voyage” taking the Hugo for the Best Shorter Work.

Analog Science Fact & Fiction broke a lengthy string of F&SF successes by winning the Hugo for the best professional magazine. Ed Emshwiller took the Best Artist Hugo for the second year in succession, as did Rod Serling’s programme “The Twilight Zone” in the section for best dramatic presentation.

In the fanzine field the award for best amateur publication went to the bulky symposium "Who Killed  Science Fiction". Already a collector’s item WKSF was last year circulated through SAPS by its producers, Nancy and Earl Kemp.

(Many thanks to our reporter)

VERY MUCH STOP PRESS:: Just too late to catch more than a mention is a glowing report from Len Moffatt on Ella Parker’s meanderings around Los Angeles,:: Bob Pavlat, in a cable from the SeaCon, also reports that Ella is wonderful::: Further to the SeaCon, late flashes are that Robert Heinlein, 1960 Hugo award winner (novel, Starship Troopers) spoke at length about his worries concerning the future of the world. Chicago took the 1962 World Con and 250 attended this year’s SeaCon. PARKER IN LOS ANGELES Rick Sneary reports :: :VOTE TAFF – LAST CHANCE

ELLA’S IN  WONDERLAND  Ella Parker, leading light of London fandom, arrived safely in Los Angeles after her fifteen hour flight from Newark. Ella flew from London Airport on 22nd August and had to switch airlines and airports from Idlewilde to Newark for her internal flight to LA by TWA. Ella made the switch by helicopter and reports that she saw the famous skyline and the Statue of Liberty. The plane to LA made up time lost on other stops and arrived ten minutes earlier than scheduled. Ella reports that she was presented with the first copy of THE WILLIS PAPERS which are now out. She was met at the airport by Len and Anna Moffatt and Rick Sneary. She mentions meeting the Los Angeles fans who were  delighted with their ATOM-produced SFCoL membership scroll and who presented her with a Parker pen in return. Ella would probably not be known to us stay at homes, it seems, for not only has she bought a pair of shorts, but she is wearing them!

Of Ron Ellik, Ella writes that she is still supporting Eney for TAFF, but that “Ellik is a dream of a boy and b----- good fun...he is a lot more handsome (this is for the girls) than his pics would lead you to think.” Ella also mentions being impressed by the cops, the lack of pedestrians, but not at the Los Angeles traffic. These blase Londoners.

Rick Sneary, that kind  hearted cog-wheel of Los Angeles fandom, was good enough to report on Ella’s reception in LA.....

29th August: “This proved to be one of the saddest days I’ve had in some years. All because Len and  Anna and I had to see Ella on her plane to Seattle this morning, putting an end to an unbelievably happy visit. .... Whilst my regard  for one Britisher has gone up, my feeling towards the rest of you, has hit a new low. Everything that I’ve read to date about the Parker personality has been proven a base slander. Of course, I knew none of you were telling the truth. You’re a bunch of nuts who love to, insult each other. It didn’t seem likely that you chaps were spending so much time at the Penitentiary just because she made good tea. Even so, it hardly left me prepared to meet quite so wonderful a person. ..... None of you limies who call her "Auntie Ella” had better ever come to California. Or I’m apt to blind the other eye, with me fist!

“Ella was due to arrive on Aug 23rd at 9 45pm but she was ten minutes early. We drove her to the Moffatt’s where we put on a pot of tea, and Ella relaxed and talked and showed us snaps of English fans (No good shots of you with a beard - were there any?). Ella was taken shopping the following afternoon and shown round the city and on down to Ackerman’s. There she got the standard private tour. From there to the Fan Hilton for a festive dinner. Ron Ellik had to wash up even though he hadn’t eaten dinner. There were 40 or so fans at the LASFS meeting, with the Schultheises from out of town. A small group sat around  talking until 2am.

Friday 25th Len and I took Ella to the Hotel Alexandria so she could say she had had a drink in the Solacon Hotel. More sightseeing followed.

Sat August 26th lunch at the Moffatts, over to Stan Woolston’s and finally out to Rory Faulkner’s with the day given over to tea drinking, talking and watching TV.

On Sunday 27th, Len and Anna picked Ella up at Rory’s, meeting Ron Ellik and Paul and Ellie Turner. Then on to Disneyland where they met Jack and Julie Jardine. Ron and the Turners took Ella to dinner and a tour of their ghost town. Then to Ellik’s in Long Beach where she met his mother and was given some moonlight sightseeing.

Aug 28th  In the morning the Moffatts drove Ella to the Beach so she could wade in the Pacific. In the afternoon we talked and drank root beer and in the evening we sort of realised that this was our last dinner together and that it was something of an occasion. Ella put on a lovely flame coloured frock and we had wine before the meal. I even remembered to help the ladies with their chairs. Then, after washing up, we sat and had a last long talk. Len and I couldn’t bear to be parted from Ella any sooner than we had to so we followed her around as she packed things and sorted those things to be mailed. As always with all good things, the last night was the best. There was only one thing to do in the morning, catch the plane – so we talked and talked and the bond between us grew. Damn it all Ron, I guess I take back my earlier remarks about your not saying enough about her. You can’t put Ella into words.”

All this, I should note, is condensed, - extremely condensed – from a detailed four page letter from Rick. On 29th August, Anna, Len, and Rick saw Ella off on the UAL flight to Seattle. The plane was due to stop at San Francisco/Oakland and Portland before hitting Seattle at 4.30pm. Ella had the idea of getting to Seattle a couple of days before the con in order to catch the meeting of the Nameless Ones and surprise Wally Weber. Did she make it? Well, we’ll have to see next time round!

And many, many thanks, Rick, for such a glowing account.

BASTION 2 (Eric Bentcliffe & Norman Shorrock, 47 Alldis Street, Great Moor,Stockport, Cheshire  1/6 per issue, 4 for 5/-  51pp)  Running through this latest offering from the Liverpool Group and  Satellites are the usual worth-while-having Eddie Jones illustrations and he’s given plenty of scope to show what he can do with his stylus. There are three excellent pictorial extracts from Starship Troopers. Faversham and Hurstmonceaux contribute another Harrison adventure which is well up to the high standard expected of them. John Owen gives the low down on Merseyside happenings. Eric Bentcliffe sums up th Gloucester LXIcon. Doc Weir is present with an article on historical sf, Avram Davidson’s Pittcon speech is reprinted (re-?) in full. Millions of letters, illos by Joni Cornell and Terry Jeeves complete this Harrison Approved publication  Get it  

TAFF  We are now in the last month for voting in the campaign te bring over a delegate to next year’s National Convention. Dick Eney and Ron EIlik are both good men (SKYRACK is supporting Ellik) and  it is hoped that one of them will get your support. If you haven’t yet voted, VOTE NOW!!! Meanwhile, even before the present campaign winds up on 30th September, the nomination period for the 1962 return trip has been thrown open. Eddie Jones and  Ethel Lindsay have already filed for nomination. Any more? Votes, cash, nominations, etc to Eric Bentcliffe (address above) or Don Ford, RR2, Ward’s Corner Road, Loveland, Ohio, USA  

10th ANNIVERSARY WILLIS FUND NEARS MINIMUM TARGET  Axe, that excellent newszine published  by Larry & Noreen Shaw, 16 Grant Place, Staten Island 6, New York, reports that over $880 are already on hand, with a further $80 plus being guaranteed from postal auction bids. The TAWF is going great guns and it is impossible to see how it can fail. Contributions to Noreen or to Arthur Thomson 17 Brockham House, Brookham Drive, London SW 2  

SINCERE CONGRATUlATIONS to Marjorie and  Susan who this coming week marry Stan Nuttall and Chuck Harris. Respectively, I hasten to add. Both events will, I hope, be covered by Skyrack reporters.

SKYRACK AMERICANA  Dick, Pat and Poops Ellington have moved  to 1818 Hearst Avenue, Berkeley 3, California  Dick recently lost his job and is thinning out the dole by driving an Oakland hack ::: Communal feed for the Willis Fund at Bill Donaho’s place 23rd  September ::: Miri and Terry Carr have split up after two years marriage. Terry is now in New York (c/o Graham, 635 East 5th St Apt 8; New York 9, NY) is growing a beard and writing a novel ::: Bob Lichtman, George Spencer and Andy Main have all moved up to the Bay Area ::: Ted White is pushing a move to change the date of the annual World Cons away from Labor Day Weekend ::: “Belle and I have made an amicable separation, pending divorce at a later date” writes Frank Dietz. The word ‘amicable’ does tend to soften the blow but to learn of another couple who are friends of mine splitting up does not exactly give me joy.

I WONDER IF ELLA HAS PLAYED THAT TAPE YET? Bruce Burn, Arthur Thomson, Jimmy Groves, Ted Forsyth and I cooked up a little ploy on tape for Ella Parker at the SeaCon. Reports on how Ella took the news that the Penitentiary has been burnt down would be appreciated.:::: ALAN RISPIN tells me that Jhim Linwood is shortly to visit Jim Norris and that I have to send this issue to Jhim at Jim’s in order to surprise him. Oh yeh? :::: Sandra Hall left 1st September for lengthy stay in Egypt.

PRONEWS Ken Slater writes:-
“Difficulties over importing US ACE paperbacks (due to the fact that “Ace” is imprint of another publishing house in the UK) show no sign of being resolved. Odd copies come through, but A A Wyn Co. quite rightfully will not export to UK while the difficulty exists .... Bertram Chandler’s RIM OF SPACE coming in US ACE soon .... Sep/Oct Doubleday BC selections are FIFTH GALAXY READER and Nourse’s TIGER BY THE TAIL .... E.E. Smith has a new serial in Nov IF .... Ace pbs up to 40 cents from July .... Harry Harrison in Napoli. Back to Denmark mid-Sept. His STAINLESS STEEL RAT coming Nov from Pyramid, and SENSE OF OBLIGATION coming early next year in Bantam .... Penguin have put out Wolfe’s LIMBO 90 at 5/- .... Bradbury profile coming October Amazing.”

Many thanks, Ken.