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Memoirs of a Superfluous Fan, 1944

Page 7

justified.  There was something remarkably exhilerating <sic> in going up to the Ackerman den and looking at movie stills from Metropolis, Deluge, Things to Come, The Golem, The Girl in the Moon, and countless others.  It seemed to make a faith in the future justified.

  The Los Angeles Chapter, #4, of the Science Fiction League, lead a most sedate sort of social life in 1937.  The primary contact between members were the 1st and 3rd Thursday meetings at Clifton's Cafe, 648 S. Broadway, in downtown Los Angeles.  On these occassions <sic>, when there was no schedualed <sic> speaker, the topic of current and passed stories was a valid and always interesting basis of discussion.  One of my earliest staunch friends at the Chapter was David L. Fox.  We had a common interest in the exploits of Bill Barnes, an air Ace who built his own forerunners of P-38's and Flying Fortresses back in 1934-35, through the medium of a Street & Smith pulp of the same name.  I remember his Flying Fortress, which carried a whippet tank or else a small airplane, after the Macon and Akron style.  It was all very amazing, and Fox and I could and did discuss them for hours.

  Roy Test and Squires were old-style scientifiction collectors.  But much of the chapter was old style, in that there was a proper respect for visitors and authors.  Even the Director and Secretary were paid attention.  Guests were always introduced to the membership during the meeting.  At a later date guests and even authors were often left to shift for themselves in a very awkward silence.  The impressions I carry from those early days, though, are that the crowd was quite a well-behaved bunch of serious-minded, intelligent, science-fiction readers and collectors.  I carried then and now an admiration for these persons, since I had been taught to respect my elders.

  I WAS FORTUNATE to join the Society just at a time when it had its first deluge of celebrities passing through.  The frequency of visiting authors and editors was not equalled or surpassed again until the Summer of 1940, three years later.  Aside from David H. Keller, we managed to lure Arthur J. Burks and Joe Skidmore, who died shortly afterwards.  There were occassional <sic> lectures by such persons as H. Atlantis Sudburry, a well-know Horologist, and Dr. Feeley of Los Angeles City College.  In adition <sic>, we had the resident attendance of Henry Kuttner, Arthur K. Barnes, and the artist Tom Mooney, who lended their unique and witty presence to the chapter at frequent intervals.  At the time the club was keeping a scrapbook of important advances in science, the prize item being the Los Angeles Herald-Express' account of the discovery of Pluto.

  The club is different now.  (NOTE: These lines were written late in December 1943.) Keller could drop in and he would probably be left to stand around in the background, unintroduced, much as the eminent Dr. Adophe DeCastro was neglected at the Open House meeting in June 1943 when the present quarters were dedicated.  In 1937 there was usually someone of interest to meet.  Kuttner was always bringing in a character or so, and while I was much too young to appreciate the hilarious discussions that went on between members, I know they were first rate . . . current fans enjoyed no better in those riotous stags in Art Widner's room at the Shirley-Savoy during the Denvention.

  I still don't know what to think of Vernon Harry.  My own opinion is that he was a sort of genial scoundrel.  I was interested in the 1st issue of WONDER STORIES QUARTERLY, and he offered to sell me his copy, inviting me over to his house on S. Grand Ave one Saturday to pick it up.  Once I arrived, after a few awkward moments, he produced the thing which I grabbed avidly, and then discovered he had no change.  (I think I paid him 75 cents for it.)  While I stood sweating for fear he would want the magazine back, he very generously offered to let me

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justified. There was something remarkably exhilerating in going up to the Ackerman den and looking at movie stills from Metropolis, Deluge, Things to Come, The Golem, The Girl in the Moon, and countless others. It seemed to make a faith in the future justified. The Los Angeles Chapter, #4, of the Science Fiction League, lead a most sedate sort of social life in 1937. The primary contact between members were the 1st and 3rd Thursday meetings at Clifton's Cafe, 648 S. Broadway, in downtown Los Angeles. On these occassions , when there was no schedualed speaker, the topic of current and passed stories was a valid and always interesting basis of discussion. One of my earliest staunch friends at the Chapter was David L. Fox. We had a common interest in the exploits of Bill Barnes, an air Ace who built his own forerunners of P-38's and Flying Fortresses back in 1934-35, through the medium of a Street & Smith pulp of the same name. I remember his Flying Fortress, which carried a whippet tank or else a small airplane, after the Macon and Akron style. It was all very amazing, and Fox and I could and did discuss them for hours. Roy Test and Squires were old-style scientifiction collectors. But much of the chapter was old style, in that there was a proper respect for visitors and authors. Even the Director and Secretary were paid attention. Guests were always introduced to the membership during the meeting. At a later date guests and even authors were often left to shift for themselves in a very awkward silence. The impressions I carry from those early days, though, are that the crowd was quite a well-behaved bunch of serious-minded, intelligent, science-fiction readers and collectors. I carried then and now an admiration for these persons, since I had been taught to respect my elders. I WAS FORTUNATE to join the Society just at a time when it had its first deluge of celebrities passing through. The frequency of visiting authors and editors was not equalled or surpassed again until the Summer of 1940, three years later. Aside from David H. Keller, we managed to lure Arthur J. Burks and Joe Skidmore, who died shortly afterwards. There were occassional lectures by such persons as H. Atlantis Sudburry, a well-know Horologist, and Dr. Feeley of Los Angeles City College. In adition , we had the resident attendance of Henry Kuttner, Arthur K. Barnes, and the artist Tom Mooney, who lended their unique and witty presence to the chapter at frequent intervals. At the time the club was keeping a scrapbook of important advances in science, the prize item being the Los Angeles Herald-Express' account of the discovery of Pluto. The club is different now. (NOTE: These lines were written late in December 1943.) Keller could drop in and he would probably be left to stand around in the background, unintroduced, much as the eminent Dr. Adophe DeCastro was neglected at the Open House meeting in June 1943 when the present quarters were dedicated. In 1937 there was usually someone of interest to meet. Kuttner was always bringing in a character or so, and while I was much too young to appreciate the hilarious discussions that went on between members, I know they were first rate . . . current fans enjoyed no better in those riotous stags in Art Widner's room at the Shirley-Savoy during the Denvention. I still don't know what to think of Vernon Harry. My own opinion is that he was a sort of genial scoundrel. I was interested in the 1st issue of WONDER STORIES QUARTERLY, and he offered to sell me his copy, inviting me over to his house on S. Grand Ave one Saturday to pick it up. Once I arrived, after a few awkward moments, he produced the thing which I grabbed avidly, and then discovered he had no change. (I think I paid him 75 cents for it.) While I stood sweating for fear he would want the magazine back, he very generously offered to let me