From Scary Monsters 70: My Tribute to Forry Ackerman References DS

[David]

 

From page 106 of the just published Scary Monsters #70:
proudly written by yours truly!

Forry:
My Own Observations of A Gentleman

During my 1960s youth, Famous Monsters was my favorite magazine and Dark Shadows was my favorite TV show. In my mind, the two were intertwined.
I discovered Dark Shadows in the Fall of 1967 and began reading Famous Monsters because of it.
Because of FM, I began watching the Universal classics on TV
and running to see the latest Hammer films at the Mayfair, Marboro & Canarsie Theatres in my native Brooklyn, NY.

I grew up in the same neighborhood that became famous in the film Saturday Night Fever: these were mean streets indeed! If you were a male who watched Dark Shadows, which was a daytime soap, then your "manhood" was questioned.   
I'm sorry to recall that I was taunted many times because of this strange, Gothic horror show that I dearly loved, and still love.

It was in the pages of Famous Monsters, edited by Forrest Ackerman, where I first saw Dark Shadows treated with respect.  Uncle Forry put Jonathan Frid's Barnabas on the cover of isues 52 & 59. In 1970 & 1971, the DS movies were also awarded FM cover stories.

Forry, Bless His Heart, didn't make fun of Dark Shadows. He recognized it for what it was: a grand horror show that created many new "Monster Kids." He accorded it the same respect that he gave to the classics of Karloff, Lugosi & the Chaneys.

To me that was the main thing that made Forry such a beloved icon: he embraced all things horror without judgement. He encouraged us kids to live our dreams and enjoy that which gave us pleasure. Whether if it was a Karloff film, an Ed Wood film, or Dark Shadows, if you enjoyed it, it was OK with Forry. No one was ever put down for what they liked.

In 1993, I wrote a letter to Forry when Famous Monsters was
revived. Then 37 years old, I told him how against the horror genre my parents had been, how watching every film & TV episode was a battle. I did not know Forry and had never met him up to that point. But he called me personally, to tell me how moved he was by my letter & how sorry he was that my parents wouldn't let me enjoy myself.

Editing the magazine & everything else he did wasn't a job to Forry: he loved it all, and he loved all of us. The day he left us was a sad day indeed.

Hail & Farewell,
Sir.  

[Pansity]

Thanks for posting this, David.  A lovely tribute to a lovely guy. Congratulations on it getting in the mag.

Readiing this I had a memory of something folks on this board may have seen that gives a real portrait of Forry.  Anyone remember that ghastly ET type show Sciffi used to do, called Sci Fi Buzz?  Aimed at what SciFi thought for years (and probably still does) was their audience -- 15 year old fanboys exclusively). 

There was a feature on a few of the shows where Forry took you on a tour of the Ackermansion, his home out in Calif, which was essentially a museum to horror and sci fi.  It was so clear watching him in that piece that he was still a fan himself, gleeful as anything to be sharing his interest with fellow fans.  Your story about your letter really shows that side of him; a regular guy who related to the fan letter, and your experiences as a kid.

With fandom becoming more and more commercialized (and most people's idea of conventions being the moneymaking machines like the present incarnation of Creation, charging for every little thing) mentors like Forry are becoming thin on the ground.

It's the interaction of fans, and the care and nurturing of new fans that keeps fandom alive and growing.

Jeannie

[jimbo]

David congratulations on your tribute letter being published. Very well done. It's true what Jeannie (Pansity) said about that it is the fans that keep fandoms alive and growing.
Jim

[Gothick]

I think Forry did a DVD (or maybe it was a CD-Rom) of the Ackermansion tour a few years ago.  I saw an ad for it and recall thinking it would be a fascinating thing to own.  But alas I never did buy it.

I met Forry at a Famous Monsters convention in NYC in the mid 1970s that I think has become part of classic horror movie history.  Peter Cushing (a true gentleman, and genuinely courtly), Ingrid Pitt, and Michael Carreras also attended.  I have vague memories of meeting all three of the celebrities (and all three were very kind--I remember Michael patiently listening while I tried to explain to him why Sax Rohmer's Brood of the Witch Queen would make a fabulous Hammer horror film--unaware that just a couple of years previously, Michael himself had had to finish Blood from the Mummy's Tomb, based on Bram Stoker's Jewel of the 7 Stars, a story very similar to that in the Rohmer novel which was written just a few years later).  But one of the most vivid memories is of Forry allowing me to ogle, and take photograph after photograph, of his hands while wearing the Lugosi Dracula ring and, even more legendary in my eyes, the ring worn by Karloff in the role of Im-Ho-Tep in the original 1932 film of The Mummy--my forever favorite of all the Universal classics because of its pervading atmosphere of mysticism and the ancient occult.

Forry was a gem.  We miss him!

G.

[Nancy]

FAMOUS MONSTERS was a big part of my childhood as well.  I couldn't wait for the next issue and spent most of my allowance purchasing it. 

Forry was a great guy by all accounts.  Nice tribute, David.

nancy

[Nancy]

Readiing this I had a memory of something folks on this board may have seen that gives a real portrait of Forry.  Anyone remember that ghastly ET type show Sciffi used to do, called Sci Fi Buzz?  Aimed at what SciFi thought for years (and probably still does) was their audience -- 15 year old fanboys exclusively). 

Yes, I do have that singular painful memory. 

There was a feature on a few of the shows where Forry took you on a tour of the Ackermansion, his home out in Calif, which was essentially a museum to horror and sci fi.  It was so clear watching him in that piece that he was still a fan himself, gleeful as anything to be sharing his interest with fellow fans.  Your story about your letter really shows that side of him; a regular guy who related to the fan letter, and your experiences as a kid.

I think that's one reason youngsters looked up to Forry - he shared their glee and curiousity and many parents didn't get why their child was so into the horror genre.  Forry was in a sense a paternal figure who gave his approval.

Nancy
a/k/a Dr. Philylis

[PennyDreadful]

Nicely done David!  I had the pleasure of meeting Forry at Monster Bash 2006.  He described, in remarkable detail, his memories of repeatedly watching the lost Lon Chaney film 'London After Midnight' when it first came out!  He also brought along Lon's actual top hat and fangs from that very film.

~Penny~

[Pansity]

But one of the most vivid memories is of Forry allowing me to ogle, and take photograph after photograph, of his hands while wearing the Lugosi Dracula ring and, even more legendary in my eyes, the ring worn by Karloff in the role of Im-Ho-Tep in the original 1932 film of The Mummy--my forever favorite of all the Universal classics because of its pervading atmosphere of mysticism and the ancient occult.

Gothick, you just brought back a great memory with your story about the ring.  Back at my 2nd Worldcon (World Science Fiction Convention -- the first was held in 1939 and they've been held every year, barring the war, since then).  It was in Anaheim in 1984, so a lot of space was devoted to film and TV exhibits.  A gang of us, including my collaborator on a series of Indy Jones fanfiction (and the editor of an Indy zine) were there, ogling the Lucasfilm exhibits, including the Warrior Idol and other like goodies.  We had been debating just how far we'd get if we tried to get away with the full size Han Solo in Carbonite <G>, then hovered around other horror and tv stuff.

I started talking to this guy standing near me, and we were well into a great conversation when he showed me THAT RING.  Only THEN did it click that I was talking to FORRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Nancy -- Don't even get me started on how NON FAN FRIENDLY Sciffi was, particularly in it's early days.     You would think they'd have done enough market research to at least market to the fans with disposable cash to spend on their product -- and that wasn't the 15 year olds, it was the 30 something  and up professionals who tended to be the ones running fan conventions and fan clubs.

Jeannie

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Don't even get me started on how NON FAN FRIENDLY Sciffi was, particularly in it's early days.     You would think they'd have done enough market research to at least market to the fans with disposable cash to spend on their product -- and that wasn't the 15 year olds, it was the 30 something  and up professionals who tended to be the ones running fan conventions and fan clubs.

Funny that we should be mentioning the programs Sci-fi produced and aimed at consumers because, while working on the Robs captures and the ones for the CTP/FITBs game, I just came across a bunch of captures from the 10/04/96 installment of The Sci-fi Trader in which they were offering the 30th Anniversary Collection CD and KLS was hawking the 30th Anniversary Tribute version of the Almanac. Though somehow I don't think either of those two items were aimed at 15-year-olds. 

[Gothick]

I love that photo of Cassandra, Barn, Nicholas and Adam from '68.  It really evokes the feel and taste of that Summer for me.

Too bad Lara Parker herself has no memory of even playing Cassandra...

G.

[Taeylor Collins]

I love that portrait of 1968 as well.  Another favorite of mine is all of the villains closing in on good ole VICTORIA!  Great tribute about FORRY who I didn't know until you guys just introduced me to him.  I am a child of the 80's though so I guess that is why.  I sometimes envy you guys.  I know I would be older, but I really would have loved to have lived back in the 1960's and 1970's! I am a bit like Victoria in early Barney episodes, slightly obsessed with the past.  I dare no go to any seances though.  After seeing the early Barney episodes it was very interesting that she was afraid she would get lost in the past...something [spoiler] that actually ended up happening!![/spoiler]  Wait, Lara doesn't recall playing Cassandra! Where was she??? 

I am headed off to research Forry on Wikipedia.  I could spend hours on that site and have!

[Taeylor Collins]

Sorry for the double post!  However, I wondered who the man was beside KLS??

[Mysterious Benefactor]

That would be Dave Anderson, the host of the show.

[Taeylor Collins]

Thanks...I didn't ever have SCI FI!   

[Pansity]

LOL I didn't recognize him either, and I HAD -- and have -- Sciffi.

Jeannie