The 30th World Science Fiction Convention (

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 L.A.con I, was held on 1–4 September 1972 at the International Hotel in

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

, United States. The organising committee was co-chaired by Charles Crayne and

Bruce Pelz Bruce Edward Pelz (August 11, 1936 – May 9, 2002) was a US science fiction fan. He was highly active in the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society (LASFS) and a major SMOF, co-chairing the 30th World Science Fiction Convention. He also wrote ...

Participants

Attendance was approximately 2,007.

Guests of Honor

Frederik Pohl Frederik George Pohl Jr. (; November 26, 1919 – September 2, 2013) was an American science-fiction writer, editor, and fan, with a career spanning nearly 75 years—from his first published work, the 1937 poem "Elegy to a Dead Satelli ...

(pro) *

Buck Coulson Robert Stratton "Buck" Coulson (May 12, 1928 – February 19, 1999) was an American science fiction writer, well-known fan, filk songwriter, fanzine editor and bookseller from Indiana. Biography He served as Secretary of the Science Fict ...

and

Juanita Coulson Juanita Ruth Coulson (née Wellons) (born February 12, 1933) is an American science fiction and fantasy writer most well known for her ''Children of the Stars'' books, published from 1981 to 1989. She was a longtime editor of the science fiction ...

(fan) *

Robert Bloch Robert Albert Bloch (; April 5, 1917September 23, 1994) was an American fiction writer, primarily of crime, psychological horror and fantasy, much of which has been dramatized for radio, cinema and television. He also wrote a relatively small ...

(toastmaster)

Awards

1972 Hugo Awards

* Best Novel: ''

To Your Scattered Bodies Go ''To Your Scattered Bodies Go'' (1971) is a science fiction novel by American writer Philip José Farmer, the first book in the Riverworld series. It won a Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1972 at the 30th Worldcon. The title is derived from the 7th ...

'' by

Philip José Farmer Philip José Farmer (January 26, 1918 – February 25, 2009) was an American author known for his science fiction and fantasy novels and short stories. Obituary. Farmer is best known for his sequences of novels, especially the ''World of Tiers ...

* Best Novella: ''The Queen of Air and Darkness'' by Poul Anderson * Best Short Story: "Inconstant Moon" by Larry Niven * Best Dramatic Presentation: ''

A Clockwork Orange ''A Clockwork Orange'' may refer to: * ''A Clockwork Orange'' (novel), a 1962 novel by Anthony Burgess ** ''A Clockwork Orange'' (film), a 1971 film directed by Stanley Kubrick based on the novel *** ''A Clockwork Orange'' (soundtrack), the film ...

'' * Best Professional Artist: Frank Kelly Freas * Best Professional Magazine: ''Fantasy & Science Fiction'' * Best Amateur Magazine: '' Locus'' (editors: Charles and Dena Brown)

Other awards

* Special Award:

Harlan Ellison Harlan Jay Ellison (May 27, 1934 – June 28, 2018) was an American writer, known for his prolific and influential work in New Wave speculative fiction and for his outspoken, combative personality. Robert Bloch, the author of '' Psycho'' ...

for excellence in anthologizing * Special Award: Club du Livre d'Anticipation (France) for excellence in book production * Special Award: Nueva Dimension (Spain) for excellence in magazine production

Future site selection

The

33rd World Science Fiction Convention The 33rd World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon), also known as Aussiecon, or Aussiecon One, was held on 14–17 August 1975 at the Southern Cross Hotel in Melbourne, Australia. The chairman was Robin Johnson. Aussiecon was significant in ...

was awarded to Aussiecon I in Melbourne, Australia. This was the first time a

was awarded to a site outside North America or Europe.

Notes

At the L.A.Con I masquerade, one of the contestants, artist

Scott Shaw! Scott Joseph Shaw (born September 4, 1951), often spelled Scott Shaw! and Scott Shaw? in ''Rick and Steve'', is an American cartoonist, animator, and historian of comics. Among Shaw's comic-book work is Hanna-Barbera's ''The Flintstones'' (for M ...

, came on stage wearing only a bathing suit, with his body completely covered with crunchy

peanut butter Peanut butter is a food paste or spread made from ground, dry-roasted peanuts. It commonly contains additional ingredients that modify the taste or texture, such as salt, sweeteners, or emulsifiers. Peanut butter is consumed in many countri ...

. The name of his costume was "The Turd." from an underground comic story Shaw wrote and illustrated. Since some of the peanut butter tended to drip off of him, making the floor sticky for other contestants, a rule was passed that forever after at science fiction convention masquerades, no peanut butter costumes would be allowed. This masquerade rule is universally known among science fiction fans as the "no peanut butter rule." The first video game competition at a science fiction convention was held, and a science fiction fan named Kevan Pritchard from Lawndale, California, won the world championship contest in the game ''

Spacewar! ''Spacewar!'' is a space combat video game developed in 1962 by Steve Russell in collaboration with Martin Graetz, Wayne Wiitanen, Bob Saunders, Steve Piner, and others. It was written for the newly installed DEC PDP-1 minicomputer at the Mas ...

''.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:World Science Fiction Convention 030 1972 conferences 1972 in California 1972 in the United States Culture of Los Angeles Science fiction conventions in the United States Worldcon