34th World Science Fiction Convention
Encyclopedia
The 34th World Science Fiction Convention was named MidAmeriCon and was held in Kansas City, Missouri
, USA, 2–6 September 1976, at the historic Radisson Muehlebach Hotel
and nearby Phillips House
hotel. The convention committee was chaired by Ken Keller, who had also chaired the "KC in '76" bid. There were 4200 registered members of the convention, of which 3014 actually attended.
The professional Guest of Honor at the 34th Worldcon
was former Kansas Citian Robert A. Heinlein
. During the convention he was in much demand and was at many of its events; this included a successful blood donation drive and a later blood donors' reception held at the nearby Hotel Contennental, one of the Worldcon's overflow hotels. Being someone with a very rare blood type, Heinlein had organized the blood drive and reception. He did not prepare a formal guest of honor speech, as such, but gave a generally well received one, immediately following the convention's Hugo Awards ceremony at the nearby Art Deco
-inspired Kansas City Municipal Auditorium. Heinlein came with an alarm clock and put it on his center stage podium and spoke casually until his own preset time period ended with the alarm going off. Heinlein was previously the Guest of Honor at the 3rd Worldcon
(1941) and the 19th Worldcon
(1961). He remains the only science fiction writer honored three times by the annual Worldcon.
Longtime fan and fantasy artist George Barr
was the convention's Fan Guest of Honor. He provided the beautiful, nostalgic, wrap-around dust jacket
art for the convention's program book. Longtime fan and science fiction
and mystery writer Wilson Tucker
(Bob Tucker) was the convention's Toastmaster.
Listed on the MidAmeriCon program was "The Star Wars Display" in Muehlebach Towers meeting room 364, where both actor Mark Hamill
and producer Gary Kurtz
were on hand promoting the upcoming George Lucas
film that at this time was being called The Star Wars (Star Wars
). A number of the film's used on-screen production props were on display in 364, including the Darth Vader
costume, C-3PO
and R2-D2
robots, lightsaber and blaster props, behind-the-scenes production 8x10 stills, and a wall of conceptual artwork by Ralph McQuarrie
. Chewbacca
's full Wookie costume and head piece was also on hand but proved to be just too tall for display, even on a tall manniquin, so it was never put out. As a part of the studio's promotion of their film, a mimeographed press release was handed out at the display; it depicted an early graphic of the Luke Skywalker
character. A three-inch blue promotional button and a full color poster were also made available. The display proved so popular that all three promo items were gone by day two of the display. An hour-long slide presentation, made up of 35mm slides of the film's production artwork and on-set production photos, was narrated live in the Muehlebach's largest ballroom to a standing room only crowd; this was presented by Charles Lippencott, 20th Century Fox
's head of publicity and promotion for the film. He outlined in great detail the entire plot of the film from scene one through to the last scene. A long question-and-answer period then followed with the large audience, with Lippencott, producer Gary Kurtz, and star Mark Hamill talking about the film. Nine months before Star Wars
hit the entire Free World
like a sneak atomic attack, members of the Kansas City Worldcon were given a close-up and detailed behind-the-scenes preview of the film that would eventually transform forever Hollywood, science fiction, and the western world's popular culture
.
The "electronic tonalities" soundtrack for the classic MGM science fiction film Forbidden Planet
was first released in 1976 by Louis and Bebe Barron
at MidAmeriCon. It was on a vinyl LP
album
, done for the film's 20th anniversary, on the Barron's own PLANET Records label (later changed to SMALL PLANET Records and distributed by GNP Crescendo Records). The LP was premiered at the convention by the Barrons as part of a 20th Anniversary celebration of the film being held at MidAmeriCon. They helped the convention's programming staff arrange for the rental of a pristine, fine-grain, stereophonic sound print of the film from MGM's own film vaults. Three separate screenings of Forbidden Planet were held as part of the convention's extensive all 35mm science fiction and fantasy film retrospective. The Barrons were on-hand to promote their signed soundtrack LP, and they introduced the first of the three screenings of the film.
For MidAmeriCon, science fiction and fantasy
author George R. R. Martin
, with his friend and fellow writer Gardner Dozois
, conceived of and organized the first ever Hugo Losers Party; it was to be a gathering spot for all past Hugo losers (and their friends and family), set to happen following the end of KC's Hugo Awards ceremony. Martin had planned the party well in advance and in a strong note of irony, he became the party's undisputed official host, having himself just lost two of MidAmeriCon's Hugo Awards: for the Novelette
"...and Seven Times Never Kill Man" and the novella
"The Storms of Windhaven," written with Lisa Tuttle
. One of the highlights of the first Hugo losers' party was writer Larry Niven
being presented with a replacement Hugo Award by convention chairman Ken Keller. This replacement was for the one he had dropped and broken backstage in a stairwell, shortly after winning it, as he rushed back to his seat (he was up for a second Hugo Award that year); he quickly departed after receiving a round of boos
and katcalls in response to the presentation. In the years and decades that followed, the Hugo Losers Party became an annual event and evolved into one of the largest social gatherings held at the annual Worldcon.
The convention also produced another first: a highly collectible hardcover program and souvenir book, edited and designed by the late Tom Reamy
, one of the finest produced in the history of the Worldcon; only two others have subsequently been done, one for the 45th World Science Fiction Convention
and one for the 63rd World Science Fiction Convention
.
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, USA, 2–6 September 1976, at the historic Radisson Muehlebach Hotel
Muehlebach Hotel
The Muehlebach Hotel is a historic hotel building in Downtown Kansas City that was visited by every President from Theodore Roosevelt to Ronald Reagan. It is currently operated as one of three wings of the Kansas City Marriott Downtown.-History:...
and nearby Phillips House
Hotel Phillips
The Hotel Phillips in Kansas City, Missouri is a building from 1929. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979....
hotel. The convention committee was chaired by Ken Keller, who had also chaired the "KC in '76" bid. There were 4200 registered members of the convention, of which 3014 actually attended.
The professional Guest of Honor at the 34th Worldcon
Worldcon
Worldcon, or more formally The World Science Fiction Convention, is a science fiction convention held each year since 1939 . It is the annual convention of the World Science Fiction Society...
was former Kansas Citian Robert A. Heinlein
Robert A. Heinlein
Robert Anson Heinlein was an American science fiction writer. Often called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was one of the most influential and controversial authors of the genre. He set a standard for science and engineering plausibility and helped to raise the genre's standards of...
. During the convention he was in much demand and was at many of its events; this included a successful blood donation drive and a later blood donors' reception held at the nearby Hotel Contennental, one of the Worldcon's overflow hotels. Being someone with a very rare blood type, Heinlein had organized the blood drive and reception. He did not prepare a formal guest of honor speech, as such, but gave a generally well received one, immediately following the convention's Hugo Awards ceremony at the nearby Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
-inspired Kansas City Municipal Auditorium. Heinlein came with an alarm clock and put it on his center stage podium and spoke casually until his own preset time period ended with the alarm going off. Heinlein was previously the Guest of Honor at the 3rd Worldcon
3rd World Science Fiction Convention
The 3rd World Science Fiction Convention was Denvention I, which was held July 4–6, 1941, at the Shirley-Savoy Hotel in Denver, USA. This was the last Worldcon before there was a break in the annual tradition due to World War II. The next Worldcon was held in 1946.The guest of honor at the third...
(1941) and the 19th Worldcon
19th World Science Fiction Convention
The 19th World Science Fiction Convention , also known as Seacon, was held September 2–4, 1961, at the Hyatt House Hotel in Seattle, Washington, USA. The convention chair was Wally Weber....
(1961). He remains the only science fiction writer honored three times by the annual Worldcon.
Longtime fan and fantasy artist George Barr
George Barr (artist)
George Barr is a US science fiction and fantasy artist.-Career:Barr's work shows influences from Arthur Rackham, Hannes Bok and Virgil Finlay. The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction describes him as one of the least appreciated SF/fantasy artists. His work is often romantic and whimsical...
was the convention's Fan Guest of Honor. He provided the beautiful, nostalgic, wrap-around dust jacket
Dust jacket
The dust jacket of a book is the detachable outer cover, usually made of paper and printed with text and illustrations. This outer cover has folded flaps that hold it to the front and back book covers...
art for the convention's program book. Longtime fan and science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
and mystery writer Wilson Tucker
Wilson Tucker
Arthur Wilson "Bob" Tucker was an American mystery, action adventure, and science fiction writer, who wrote professionally as Wilson Tucker....
(Bob Tucker) was the convention's Toastmaster.
Listed on the MidAmeriCon program was "The Star Wars Display" in Muehlebach Towers meeting room 364, where both actor Mark Hamill
Mark Hamill
Mark Richard Hamill is an American actor, voice artist, producer, director, and writer, best known for his role as Luke Skywalker in the original trilogy of Star Wars. More recently, he has received acclaim for his voice work, in such roles as the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series, Firelord...
and producer Gary Kurtz
Gary Kurtz
Gary Kurtz is an American film producer whose list of credits include American Graffiti, Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back. He later produced The Dark Crystal and Return to Oz after departing from the Star Wars series...
were on hand promoting the upcoming George Lucas
George Lucas
George Walton Lucas, Jr. is an American film producer, screenwriter, and director, and entrepreneur. He is the founder, chairman and chief executive of Lucasfilm. He is best known as the creator of the space opera franchise Star Wars and the archaeologist-adventurer character Indiana Jones...
film that at this time was being called The Star Wars (Star Wars
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, originally released as Star Wars, is a 1977 American epic space opera film, written and directed by George Lucas. It is the first of six films released in the Star Wars saga: two subsequent films complete the original trilogy, while a prequel trilogy completes the...
). A number of the film's used on-screen production props were on display in 364, including the Darth Vader
Darth Vader
Darth Vader is a central character in the Star Wars saga, appearing as one of the main antagonists in the original trilogy and as the main protagonist in the prequel trilogy....
costume, C-3PO
C-3PO
C-3PO is a robot character from the Star Wars universe who appears in both the original Star Wars films and the prequel trilogy. He is also a major character in the television show Droids, and appears frequently in the series' "Expanded Universe" of novels, comic books, and video games...
and R2-D2
R2-D2
R2-D2 , is a character in the Star Wars universe. An astromech droid, R2-D2 is a major character throughout all six Star Wars films. Along with his droid companion C-3PO, he joins or supports Anakin Skywalker, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Obi-Wan Kenobi in various points in the saga...
robots, lightsaber and blaster props, behind-the-scenes production 8x10 stills, and a wall of conceptual artwork by Ralph McQuarrie
Ralph McQuarrie
Ralph McQuarrie is a conceptual designer and illustrator who designed Star Wars , the original Battlestar Galactica , E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Cocoon, for which he won an Academy Award....
. Chewbacca
Chewbacca
Chewbacca, also known as Chewie, is a character in the Star Wars franchise, portrayed by Peter Mayhew. In the series' narrative chronology, he appears in Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Episode IV: A New Hope, Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Episode VI: Return of the Jedi...
's full Wookie costume and head piece was also on hand but proved to be just too tall for display, even on a tall manniquin, so it was never put out. As a part of the studio's promotion of their film, a mimeographed press release was handed out at the display; it depicted an early graphic of the Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the original film trilogy of the Star Wars franchise, where he is portrayed by Mark Hamill. He is introduced in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, in which he is forced to leave home, and finds himself apprenticed to the Jedi master...
character. A three-inch blue promotional button and a full color poster were also made available. The display proved so popular that all three promo items were gone by day two of the display. An hour-long slide presentation, made up of 35mm slides of the film's production artwork and on-set production photos, was narrated live in the Muehlebach's largest ballroom to a standing room only crowd; this was presented by Charles Lippencott, 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
's head of publicity and promotion for the film. He outlined in great detail the entire plot of the film from scene one through to the last scene. A long question-and-answer period then followed with the large audience, with Lippencott, producer Gary Kurtz, and star Mark Hamill talking about the film. Nine months before Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
hit the entire Free World
Free World
The Free World is a Cold War-era term often used to describe states not under the rule of the Soviet Union, its Eastern European allies, China, Vietnam, Cuba, and other communist nations. The term often referred to states such as the United States, Canada, and Western European states such as the...
like a sneak atomic attack, members of the Kansas City Worldcon were given a close-up and detailed behind-the-scenes preview of the film that would eventually transform forever Hollywood, science fiction, and the western world's popular culture
Popular culture
Popular culture is the totality of ideas, perspectives, attitudes, memes, images and other phenomena that are deemed preferred per an informal consensus within the mainstream of a given culture, especially Western culture of the early to mid 20th century and the emerging global mainstream of the...
.
The "electronic tonalities" soundtrack for the classic MGM science fiction film Forbidden Planet
Forbidden Planet
Forbidden Planet is a 1956 science fiction film directed by Fred M. Wilcox, with a screenplay by Cyril Hume. It stars Leslie Nielsen, Walter Pidgeon, and Anne Francis. The characters and its setting have been compared to those in William Shakespeare's The Tempest, and its plot contains certain...
was first released in 1976 by Louis and Bebe Barron
Louis and Bebe Barron
Bebe Barron and Louis Barron were two American pioneers in the field of electronic music...
at MidAmeriCon. It was on a vinyl LP
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, done for the film's 20th anniversary, on the Barron's own PLANET Records label (later changed to SMALL PLANET Records and distributed by GNP Crescendo Records). The LP was premiered at the convention by the Barrons as part of a 20th Anniversary celebration of the film being held at MidAmeriCon. They helped the convention's programming staff arrange for the rental of a pristine, fine-grain, stereophonic sound print of the film from MGM's own film vaults. Three separate screenings of Forbidden Planet were held as part of the convention's extensive all 35mm science fiction and fantasy film retrospective. The Barrons were on-hand to promote their signed soundtrack LP, and they introduced the first of the three screenings of the film.
For MidAmeriCon, science fiction and fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
author George R. R. Martin
George R. R. Martin
George Raymond Richard Martin , sometimes referred to as GRRM, is an American author and screenwriter of fantasy, horror, and science fiction. He is best known for A Song of Ice and Fire, his bestselling series of epic fantasy novels that HBO adapted for their dramatic pay-cable series Game of...
, with his friend and fellow writer Gardner Dozois
Gardner Dozois
Gardner Raymond Dozois is an American science fiction author and editor. He was editor of Asimov's Science Fiction magazine from 1984 to 2004...
, conceived of and organized the first ever Hugo Losers Party; it was to be a gathering spot for all past Hugo losers (and their friends and family), set to happen following the end of KC's Hugo Awards ceremony. Martin had planned the party well in advance and in a strong note of irony, he became the party's undisputed official host, having himself just lost two of MidAmeriCon's Hugo Awards: for the Novelette
Novelette
A novelette is a piece of short prose fiction. The distinction between a novelette and other literary forms is usually based upon word count, with a novelette being longer than a short story, but shorter than a novella...
"...and Seven Times Never Kill Man" and the novella
Novella
A novella is a written, fictional, prose narrative usually longer than a novelette but shorter than a novel. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Nebula Awards for science fiction define the novella as having a word count between 17,500 and 40,000...
"The Storms of Windhaven," written with Lisa Tuttle
Lisa Tuttle
Lisa Tuttle is an American-born science fiction, fantasy, and horror author. She has published over a dozen novels, five short story collections, and several non-fiction titles, including a reference book on feminism. She has also edited several anthologies and reviewed books for various...
. One of the highlights of the first Hugo losers' party was writer Larry Niven
Larry Niven
Laurence van Cott Niven / ˈlæri ˈnɪvən/ is an American science fiction author. His best-known work is Ringworld , which received Hugo, Locus, Ditmar, and Nebula awards. His work is primarily hard science fiction, using big science concepts and theoretical physics...
being presented with a replacement Hugo Award by convention chairman Ken Keller. This replacement was for the one he had dropped and broken backstage in a stairwell, shortly after winning it, as he rushed back to his seat (he was up for a second Hugo Award that year); he quickly departed after receiving a round of boos
Boos
-Surname:*Tino Boos , a German ice hockey player*Martin Boos, evangelical Roman Catholic theologian*Georgi Boos, the governor of Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia*Count Ludwig von Boos Waldeck...
and katcalls in response to the presentation. In the years and decades that followed, the Hugo Losers Party became an annual event and evolved into one of the largest social gatherings held at the annual Worldcon.
The convention also produced another first: a highly collectible hardcover program and souvenir book, edited and designed by the late Tom Reamy
Tom Reamy
Tom Reamy was an American science fiction and fantasy author and a key figure in 1960s and 1970s science fiction fandom. He died prior to the publication of his first novel; his work is primarily dark fantasy....
, one of the finest produced in the history of the Worldcon; only two others have subsequently been done, one for the 45th World Science Fiction Convention
45th World Science Fiction Convention
The 45th World Science Fiction Convention , also known as Conspiracy '87, was held 27 August – 1 September 1987 at the Metropole Hotel and The Brighton Centre in Brighton, England....
and one for the 63rd World Science Fiction Convention
63rd World Science Fiction Convention
The 63rd World Science Fiction Convention was called Interaction, and was held in Glasgow, Scotland 4–8 August 2005. The event was also the Eurocon. The Venue for the 63rd Worldcon was the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre with the attached Clyde Auditorium and Moat House Hotel...
.
Awards
- Hugo AwardHugo AwardThe Hugo Awards are given annually for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was officially named the Science Fiction Achievement Awards...
s:- Best NovelHugo Award for Best NovelThe Hugo Awards are given every year by the World Science Fiction Society for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was once officially...
: The Forever WarThe Forever WarThe Forever War is a science fiction novel by American author Joe Haldeman, telling the contemplative story of soldiers fighting an interstellar war between humanity and the enigmatic Tauran species...
by Joe HaldemanJoe HaldemanJoe William Haldeman is an American science fiction author.-Life :Haldeman was born June 9, 1943 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. His family traveled and he lived in Puerto Rico, New Orleans, Washington, D.C., Bethesda, Maryland and Anchorage, Alaska as a child. Haldeman married Mary Gay Potter, known... - Best NovellaHugo Award for Best NovellaThe Hugo Awards are given every year by the World Science Fiction Society for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was once officially...
: "Home Is the Hangman" by Roger ZelaznyRoger ZelaznyRoger Joseph Zelazny was an American writer of fantasy and science fiction short stories and novels, best known for his The Chronicles of Amber series... - Best NoveletteHugo Award for Best NoveletteThe Hugo Awards are given every year by the World Science Fiction Society for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was once officially...
: "The Borderland of Sol" by Larry NivenLarry NivenLaurence van Cott Niven / ˈlæri ˈnɪvən/ is an American science fiction author. His best-known work is Ringworld , which received Hugo, Locus, Ditmar, and Nebula awards. His work is primarily hard science fiction, using big science concepts and theoretical physics... - Best Short StoryHugo Award for Best Short StoryThe Hugo Awards are given every year by the World Science Fiction Society for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was once officially...
: "Catch That Zeppelin!" by Fritz LeiberFritz LeiberFritz Reuter Leiber, Jr. was an American writer of fantasy, horror and science fiction. He was also a poet, actor in theatre and films, playwright, expert chess player and a champion fencer. Possibly his greatest chess accomplishment was winning clear first in the 1958 Santa Monica Open.. With... - Best Dramatic PresentationHugo Award for Best Dramatic PresentationThe Hugo Awards are given every year by the World Science Fiction Society for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was once officially...
: A Boy and His DogA Boy and His DogA Boy and His Dog is a cycle of narratives and films including or stemming from works of science fiction author Harlan Ellison.Ellison began the cycle with the 1969 short story of the same title, and a revised and expanded novella-length version was published in Ellison's story collection The Beast... - Best Professional EditorHugo Award for Best Professional EditorThe Hugo Awards are given every year by the World Science Fiction Society for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was once officially...
: Ben BovaBen BovaBenjamin William Bova is an American science-fiction author and editor. He is the recipient of six Hugo Awards for Best Professional Editor for his work at Analog Science Fiction in the 1970's.-Personal life:... - Best Professional ArtistHugo Award for Best Professional ArtistThe Hugo Awards are given every year by the World Science Fiction Society for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was once officially...
: Frank Kelly FreasFrank Kelly FreasFrank Kelly Freas , called the "Dean of Science Fiction Artists", was a science fiction and fantasy artist with a career spanning more than 50 years.-Early life, education, and personal life:... - Best FanzineHugo Award for Best FanzineThe Hugo Awards are given every year by the World Science Fiction Society for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was once officially...
: LocusLocus (magazine)Locus, subtitled "The Magazine Of The Science Fiction & Fantasy Field", is published monthly in Oakland, California. It reports on the science fiction and fantasy publishing field, including comprehensive listings of all new books published in the genre. It is considered the news organ and trade...
, edited by Charles N. BrownCharles N. BrownCharles Nikki Brown was the co-founder and editor of Locus, the long-running news and reviews magazine covering the genres of science fiction and fantasy literature. He was born on June 24, 1937 in Brooklyn, New York. He attended City College until 1956, when he joined the military ; he served in...
and Dena Brown - Best Fan WriterHugo Award for Best Fan WriterThe Hugo Awards are presented every year by the World Science Fiction Society for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was once officially...
: Richard E. GeisRichard E. GeisRichard E. Geis is an American erotica writer and science fiction fan and writer from Portland, Oregon who won the Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer in 1982 and 1983; and whose science fiction fanzine Science Fiction Review won the 1969, 1970, 1977 and 1979 Hugo Awards for Best Fanzine... - Best Fan ArtistHugo Award for Best Fan ArtistThe Hugo Awards are presented every year by the World Science Fiction Society for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was once officially...
: Tim KirkTim KirkTim Kirk is an American fan artist. He has been a senior designer at Tokyo DisneySea. Previously, he was an Imagineer for Walt Disney, and an illustrator for Hallmark Cards. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts with an emphasis in Commercial Art, and his Master’s degree in Illustration from...
- Best Novel
- Special Award: James E. GunnJames E. GunnJames Edward Gunn is the Eugene Higgins Professor of Astronomy at Princeton University. Gunn's early theoretical work in astronomy has helped establish the current understanding of how galaxies form, and the properties of the space between galaxies...
for Alternate Worlds, The Illustrated History of Science Fiction
- John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer: Tom ReamyTom ReamyTom Reamy was an American science fiction and fantasy author and a key figure in 1960s and 1970s science fiction fandom. He died prior to the publication of his first novel; his work is primarily dark fantasy....
- Gandalf Grand Master AwardGandalf AwardThe Gandalf Awards, honoring achievement in fantasy literature, were conferred by the World Science Fiction Society annually from 1974 to 1981. They were named for Gandalf the wizard, from the Middle-earth stories by J. R. R. Tolkien. The award was created and sponsored by Lin Carter and the...
: L. Sprague de CampL. Sprague de CampLyon Sprague de Camp was an American author of science fiction and fantasy books, non-fiction and biography. In a writing career spanning 60 years, he wrote over 100 books, including novels and notable works of non-fiction, including biographies of other important fantasy authors...