This is Skyrack 44, published on 2nd July 1962 by Ron Bennett, 13 West Cliffe Grove, Harrogate, Yorkshire, England. 6d per copy, 2/6d for six issues. 35 cents for six issues in USA (six issues sent airmail for 65¢) where subscriptions should be sent to Bob Pavlat, 6001 43rd Avenue, Hyattsville, Maryland. News of interest to sf fans always welcomed – and how. Read on, read on, dear friend. Cartoon on the left by Arthur “Atom” Thomson.
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VOTE WORLDCON SITING WASHINGTON DC IN 63
T.V. GOES S.F.
Gone, it appears, are the days when fans tore off prozine covers so that they could read their purchases in the tube, when convention reports in newspapers began “If you see an alien monster walking down the street next Saturday,” when your colleagues told you they had once read Jules Verne at school. For SF has now attained the ultimate status symbol. TV, after delving condescendingly with the genre for so many years, has finally gone overboard for science fiction. My, I bet you’re proud.
BBC Television has two serials currently running. In The Big Pull people are disappearing at an alarming rate and are being changed into other people by some alien force. The Andromeda Breakthrough is a sequel series to A for Andromeda by our old friend, Fred Hoyle. Let’s hope that the sequel is better than the original series. Last week the Saturday night play featured an adaptation of John Wyndham’s story ‘Dumb Martian’.
On ITV, the country’s second channel, one can follow a thirteen part “complete in each instalment” series, Out of This World, which is introduced by Boris Karloff. Eire ITV seems to have the best of the bargain with Science Fiction Theatre, which is understood to have some connection with the Los Angeles fan group, and Rod Serling’s The Twilight Zone, which has been awarded Hugos for the past two successive years.
Well, it makes a change from Z Cars.
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Do you have any odd pieces of current Continental currency lying around? In view of a proposed Continental holiday this year, this will be accepted, before the end of the month, as Skyrack subscriptions, pro rata.
TAFF DELEGATE ETHEL LINDSAY plans to fly to New York on 20th August. She will be driven up to Chicago by Dick Eney and is due to fly back to Britain on 19th September.
On the British side of the recently wound-up campaign, Ethel took an early lead over Eddie Jones and held the lead throughout. Final figures in the U.K. were 41 – 29 to Ethel, with Ethel also leading in the States 81 – 35. This Ethel’s overall victory was reflected in the 122 – 64 victory.
The following fans lodged votes with Eric Bentcliffe: Jill Adams, Brian Aldiss, Harry Ball, Dave Barber, Ron Bennett, Sid Birchby, Ken & Pamela Bulmer, Alan Burns, Jim Cawthorn, George Charters, Ken Cheslin, Jeff Collins, Audrey Eversfield, Ted Forsyth, Colin Freeman, Don Geldart, Rolf Gindorf, Bill and Bobbie Gray, Jim Groves, Dave Hale, Chuck Harris, John Humphries, Fred Hunter, E. R. James, Terry Jeeves, Eddie Jones, Eric Jones, Roy Kay, Pat Kearney, George Locke, Peter Mabey, Ian McAulay, Ken McIntyre, Peter Mansfield, Horst Margeit, Archie Mercer, Frank & Pat Milnes, John Nash, Joe Navin, Marjorie & Stan Nuttall, Guntram Ohmacht, John Owen, Darroll Pardoe, Ella Parker, Betty & Ian Peters, Ken & Irene Potter, Bob Richardson, Phil Rogers, John Roles, Tom Schlueck, Bob & Sadie Shaw, Norman & Ina Shorrock, Joyce and Ken Slater, Wolfgang Thadewald, Arthur Thomson, Ted Tubb, Brian & Frances Varley, Tony Walsh, Norman Weedall, James White, Walt & Madeleine Willis.
Cash came into Eric as follows: 50% Harrogate Auction £19. 15. 10½d, Candidates’ Bonds £1. 15s each, Lenny Kaye £1. 6s, Ted Forsyth £1, Rolf Gindorf £1, Dick Schultz 16/1d, Ken Slater 15/-, Jim Cawthorn 12/6d, Vic Ryan 10/6d; Dave Barber, Ken Bulmer, Pam Bulmer, Jeff Collins, Don Geldart, Bill Gray, Bobbie Gray, George Locke, Peter Mabey, Archie Mercer, Archie Mercer (subs to Wanted, Northlights & Gaul), Darroll Pardoe, Ella Parker, Phil Rogers, Norman Shorrock, Ian Shorrock 10/- each.
Liverpool Group 10th Anniversary Party 9/-, Eric Jones 8/-, Tom Schlueck 8/-, Sid Birchby 6/6d.
Jill Adams, Harry Ball, Fred Hunter, Terry Jeeves, Ian McAulay, Ken McIntyre, Peter Mansfield, Stan Nuttall, Joyce Slater, Wolfgane Thadewald, Brian Varley, Francis Varley, Martine Versins, Pierre Versins, Tony Walsh, Madeleine Willis, Walt Willis 5/- each.
Audrey Eversfield, Joe Navin 4/6d each; Ken & Irene Potter 4/- each; Guntram Ohmacht 3/6d, John Nash 3/-.
Brian Aldiss, Ron Bennett, Alan Burns, George Charters, Ken Cheslin, Colin Freeman, Jim Groves, Dave Hale, Chuck Harris, John Humphries, E. R. James, Eddie Jones, Roy Kay, Pat Kearney, Horst Margeit, Pat Milnes, Frank Milnes, Marjorie Nuttall, John Owen, Betty Peters, Ian Peters, Bob Richardson, John Roles, Bob Shaw, Sadie Shaw, Arthur Thomson, Ted Tubb, Norman Weedall, James White 2/6d each.
Total £47. 18s. 5½d. (E&OE)
Eric Bentcliffe writes: “The total number of voters was 74, of
which two were voided because of the voters not being connected
with fandom prior to voting. One convention attendee voted twice,
once for each candidate, so at least he was fair about it! There
is enough money in the TAFF Treasury to ensure Ethel’s return fare,
though I’m personally disappointed that British fandom hasn’t donated
sufficient to cover the cost of Ethel’s ticket without assistance
from the States – but, I would like to thank all those of you who
voted and donated most sincerely. Thank you for making my job a
pleasant and easy one.”
Norman Shorrock & Eric Bentcliffe
scored one write-in vote each.–rmb.
ART CASTILLO
Bill Donaho reports that Art Castillo died of an intestinal complaint on 19th April, following a fairly lengthy illness. Art, the ex-husband of Playgirl Trina Castillo, was one of the leading writers in Discussion Fandom that was all the rage a year or so ago and his views on Chessman and on beatniks in Habakkuk were worth reading. There are all too few thoughtful and precise writers around fandom and Art will surely be missed.
CHURCH, ANYONE? It has been a long-standing generalisation that Fandom and religion don’t mix, but from California comes the news that The Church of the Brotherhood of the Way has been incorporated according to U.S. law. It aims to spread its Brotherhood to the entire human race, says Patriarch William L. Donaho who is supported by his Council of Elders, Dick Ellington and Danny Curran. This is a bona fide legal church and has all the privileges of one. It pays no taxes whatsoever on property owned and contributions to the church are tax deductable! The Rev. Robert Lichtman is head of the Los Angeles Church, the Rev. Larry McCombs is busy organising a Church in New England and there is the possibility of a New York Church organised by the Rev. Walter Breen. Council Elder the Rev. Daniel J. Curran has moved to Portland, Oregon, and is now head of the Portland branch of the Church. What next? Well, as a start, Elder Donaho is shortly to perform his first marriage.
CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Joe Patrizio, 22 Eaton Road, St. Albans, Herts.
OXFAN ORBITS – LANDS ON MERCURY. Brian Aldiss sent a copy of the Oxford Mail for Monday, 4th June which ran the front page headline “End of Eights damage – £500.” Celebrations to mark the end of the University inter-college “Eights” (boat races) resulted in £500 damage at Christ Church College, this year's winners. 400 windows were broken and it took over two hours to sweep up the broken glass. The Mail reports, “In the evening one under-graduate, Mr. Christopher Miller, was thrown into Mercury, the pond in the middle of Tom Quad and had to be taken to the Radcliffe Infirmary.” He was discharged the following day. That’s what so wonderful about the varied college life, I guess, even training one for convention parties.
CHANGE OF ADDRESS:
Bob Tucker, Box 478, Heyworth,
Illinois, USA.
Brian Jordan, 86 Piccadilly Road, Burnley, Lancs.
BRIAN JORDAN graduated from Sheffield University with B.Sc. Honours in Chemistry. Now back home in Burnley. Intends moving back to Sheffield in October. GEORGE LOCKE has resigned editorial chair of proposed SFCoL Clubzine, EROS, because of pressure of mundac (and gliding). Card in from TOM SCHLUECK, visiting the Berlin “wall”. Congratulations to TERRY CARR, one-time editor of INNUENDO and FANAC Terry is selling so well to F&SF (as the May and June issues show) that the June issue runs a story under the by-line “Carl Brandon”.
Harry Douthwaite reports on New Worlds: The recent cover on NW 118 (by Enrique) was bought from an agency which handles a number of Spanish artists and on the day after publication Carnell received three phone calls, five letters and two personal callers, all praising the cover. Ted says that he will be buying others and has on hand two completely revolutionary lay-outs. It will be interesting to see the final outcome of this experimentation.
WESTERCON XV took place in Los Angeles this weekend, at the celebrated Alexandria Hotel. Jack Vance GoH and Alva Rogers Fan Guest of Honour.
No bids at all in the latest auction. What gives? You all as broke as I am? 50% of buying price goes to any fannish charity named. Send your ceiling price only. Each lot sold to top bidder at 2/6d (35¢) above second highest bid. LOT 4: 8 issues of British wonderzine Aporrheta. Numbers 2 (no cover), 4, 6–10. LOT 5: US Edition IF Worlds of SF. First two volumes complete. 12 issues March 52 – Jan 54. Reserve £1 ($2.80). LOT 6: Early Nova mags. Science Fantasy 3, 4, 6. New Worlds 4. Four zines, good condition. LOT 7: British hardcovers. Frazee The Sky Block. Moore Bring the Jubilee. Heinlein The Man Who Sold The Moon. Bleiler & Dikty The Best SF Stories (First series) Four books in d/w.
SHOULD SKYRACK FOLD? For the past three and a half years I have been attempting to publish British sf and fan news on as wide a front as possible. Now, a newszine editor cannot live in a vacuum and it should be realised that in Harrogate I am somewhat off the main routes of fannish movements. I haven’t seen a fan since Ron Ellik left for Belfast over two months ago. Accordingly, I rely for my news on correspondence. The sparsity of actual meaty news in this issue makes me think that Skyrack is not serving any useful purpose, for little news has reached me during the past month and I refuse to believe that fans in the country have not done anything worth writing about. Otherwise, boy! those club meetings in Liverpool, London and Cheltenham must be getting mighty dull. And this says nothing about the isolated fans up and down the country. Accordingly, the only conclusion I can reach is that Skyrack does not have sufficient “drawing power” to encourage fans to write on their doings. During Skyrack’s life the sheet has had a hardy band of supporters and I would prefer to satisfy their trust by giving them what they pay for – news. Should the present state of affairs continue then I’ll fold Sky and return the sub money on hand. This is not a “twist your arm” warning. Fans may either be too busy or too disinterested to write, Which adds up to the same thing – that Skyrack isn’t wanted. And hell, who am I to argue against the majority opinion on the subject? –rmb.