Worldcon
Worldcon, or more formally the World Science Fiction Convention, the annual convention of the World Science Fiction Society (WSFS), is a science fiction convention. It has been held each year since 1939 (except for the years 1942 to 1945, during ...
), also known as Chicon I, was held on 1–2 September 1940 at the Hotel Chicagoan in
Chicago, Illinois
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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, United States.
The convention was chaired by Mark Reinsberg with Erle Korshak (secretary) and Bob Tucker (treasurer) as equal partners. It was organized by fans Russ Hodgkins,
T. Bruce Yerke T. (Theodore) Bruce Yerke (1923–1998) was an American science fiction author and editor. A member of "an extensive network of active enthusiasts,", he was an early and active member of the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society, serving as its secre ...
Jack Williamson
John Stewart Williamson (April 29, 1908 – November 10, 2006), who wrote as Jack Williamson, was an American list of science fiction authors, science fiction writer, often called the "Dean of Science Fiction". He is also credited with one of t ...
masquerade
Masquerade or Masquerader may refer to:
Events
* Masquerade ball, a costumed dance event
* Masquerade ceremony, a rite or cultural event in many parts of the world, especially the Caribbean and Africa
* Masqueraders, the performers in the West ...
.
Chicon featured two masquerades, an unofficial event held in
Myrtle R. Douglas
Myrtle Rebecca Smith Gray Nolan ( Douglas; June 20, 1904 – November 30, 1964), known to science fiction history as Morojo or sometimes Myrtle R Douglas, was a science fiction fan, fanzine publisher, and cosplay pioneer from Los Angeles.
Fand ...
' hotel room and an official masquerade as part of the program. The official event, called the "Science Fiction Masquerade Party", was held in the evening of the first day, with
Jack Speer
John Bristol Speer (August 9, 1920 – June 28, 2008) was an attorney, practicing law for over 60 years; a judge; and a member of the Washington House of Representatives.
Also a long-time science fiction fan and important early historian of scie ...
and
Milton A. Rothman
Milton A. Rothman (November 30, 1919 – October 6, 2001) was a United States nuclear physicist and college professor.
He was also an active science fiction fan and a co-founder of the Philadelphia Science Fiction Society. An occasional aut ...
as the co-masters of ceremonies. This was the first Worldcon to include an official masquerade.
The winner of the Masquerade Party was David Kyle wearing a Ming the Merciless costume, for which he won an '' Amazing Stories'' original cover painting. The Ming costume was created by
Leslie Perri
Leslie may refer to:
* Leslie (name), a name and list of people with the given name or surname, including fictional characters
Families
* Clan Leslie, a Scottish clan with the motto "grip fast"
* Leslie (Russian nobility), a Russian noble family ...
, originally for
Donald A. Wollheim
Donald Allen Wollheim (October 1, 1914 – November 2, 1990) was an American science fiction editor, publisher, writer, and fan. As an author, he published under his own name as well as under pseudonyms, including David Grinnell, Martin Pearso ...
. However, he considered it too undignified but brought it with him to the convention and Kyle wore it instead. In second place was
Robert A. W. Lowndes
Robert Augustine Ward "Doc" Lowndes (September 4, 1916 – July 14, 1998) was an American science fiction author, editor and fan. He was known best as the editor of ''Future Science Fiction'', ''Science Fiction'', and ''Science Fiction Quarterly ...
wearing a Bar Senestro costume (from the novel ''
The Blind Spot
''The Blind Spot'' is a science fiction novel by American writers Austin Hall and Homer Eon Flint. The novel was originally serialized in six parts in the magazine '' Argosy'' beginning in May 1921. It was first published in book form in 1951 ...
Homer Eon Flint
Homer Eon Flint (born as Homer Eon Flindt; 1888 –1924) was an American writer of pulp science fiction novels and short stories.
He began working as a scenarist for silent films in 1912 (reportedly at his wife's insistence).Munn, Vella (Mar ...
).
Other costumed attendees included guest of honor E. E. "Doc" Smith as
Northwest Smith
Northwest Smith is a fictional character, and the hero of a series of stories by science fiction writer C. L. Moore.
Story setting
Smith is a spaceship pilot and smuggler who lives in an undisclosed future time when humanity has colonized the ...
(from
C. L. Moore
Catherine Lucille Moore (January 24, 1911 – April 4, 1987) was an American science fiction and fantasy writer, who first came to prominence in the 1930s writing as C. L. Moore. She was among the first women to write in the science fiction and ...
's series of short stories), Smith's daughter Honey as Clarissa MacDougal (from Smith's own '' Lensman'' series),
George Tullis
George may refer to:
People
* George (given name)
* George (surname)
* George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George
* George Washington, First President of the United States
* George W. Bush, 43rd Presiden ...
as
Johnny Black
Johnny is an English language personal name. It is usually an affectionate diminutive of the masculine given name John, but from the 16th century it has sometimes been a given name in its own right for males and, less commonly, females.
Variant ...
(from
L. Sprague de Camp
Lyon Sprague de Camp (; November 27, 1907 – November 6, 2000) was an American writer of science fiction, fantasy and non-fiction. In a career spanning 60 years, he wrote over 100 books, including novels and works of non-fiction, including biog ...
's series of short stories),
Cyril M. Kornbluth
Cyril M. Kornbluth (July 2, 1923 – March 21, 1958) was an American science fiction author and a member of the Futurians. He used a variety of pen-names, including Cecil Corwin, S. D. Gottesman, Edward J. Bellin, Kenneth Falconer, W ...
1933 film version), three versions of Buck Rogers (Jack Speer, plus convention organizers Erle Korshak and Mark Reinsberg), and both Forrest J Ackerman and Myrtle R. Douglas wearing the "futuristicostumes" they had previously worn to the first Worldcon.
See also
*
Hugo Award
The Hugo Award is an annual literary award for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year, given at the World Science Fiction Convention and chosen by its members. The Hugo is widely considered the premier a ...
*
Science fiction
Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...
*
Speculative fiction
Speculative fiction is a term that has been used with a variety of (sometimes contradictory) meanings. The broadest interpretation is as a category of fiction encompassing genres with elements that do not exist in reality, recorded history, na ...
*
World Science Fiction Society
Worldcon, or more formally the World Science Fiction Convention, the annual convention of the World Science Fiction Society (WSFS), is a science fiction convention. It has been held each year since 1939 (except for the years 1942 to 1945, during ...
*
Worldcon
Worldcon, or more formally the World Science Fiction Convention, the annual convention of the World Science Fiction Society (WSFS), is a science fiction convention. It has been held each year since 1939 (except for the years 1942 to 1945, during ...