Bye Bye Forry (Forrest J Ackerman, 1916-2008)

I just learned by way of CINEBEATS that Forrest J Ackerman, a man who inspired so many of us - as film fan and friend to film fans, as a writer, as the editor of Famous Monsters of Filmland, as a literary agent, and one of the world’s leading collectors of all things science fiction and fantasy related - has passed away. There will be no more trick or treating at the Ackermansion.

Forry (aka "4E," "4SJ," or "Dr. Acula") is pictured above, most likely on the set of Roger Corman’s The Day the World Ended (1956), with the film’s female star, Lori Nelson, and its three-eyed mutant monster designed and played by the great Paul Blaisdell. He is holding an Eastern European sci-fi magazine of some kind - not at all surprising since Forry coined the term "sci-fi" and attempted to collect every sci-fi magazine every published.

As I wrote here, "Forry made liking monster movies respectable. Forry made writing about monster movies respectable."

GreenCine Daily is collecting tributes here.