Robert Park Mills (1920−1986) was an American crime- and

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 uni ...

magazine editor and literary agent. Mills was the managing editor of ''

Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine ''Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine'' is a bi-monthly American digest size fiction magazine specializing in crime fiction, particularly detective fiction, and mystery fiction. Launched in fall 1941 by Mercury Press, ''EQMM'' is named after the fict ...

'' beginning in 1948 and ''

The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction ''The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction'' (usually referred to as ''F&SF'') is a U.S. fantasy and science fiction magazine first published in 1949 by Mystery House, a subsidiary of Lawrence Spivak's Mercury Press. Editors Anthony Boucher ...

'' from its inception in 1949; he took over as editor upon the resignation of

Anthony Boucher William Anthony Parker White (August 21, 1911 – April 29, 1968), better known by his pen name Anthony Boucher (), was an American author, critic, and editor who wrote several classic mystery novels, short stories, science fiction, and radio d ...

in 1958; while ''EQMM'' was sold by publishers Mercury Press in 1958 to B. G. Davis, Mills briefly remained on staff there during the transition and continued to edit '' Mercury Mystery Book-Magazine'' till its folding. From 1957-1958, he also served as editor of ''

Venture Science Fiction Magazine ''Venture Science Fiction'' was an American digest-size science fiction magazine, first published from 1957 to 1958, and revived for a brief run in 1969 and 1970. Ten issues were published of the 1950s version, with another six in the second ru ...

'', and '' Bestseller Mystery Magazine'' till it folded in 1961. Under Mills, ''F&SF'' won three Hugo Awards for best magazine (in 1959, 1960 and 1963). He also edited several "Best of" volumes based on the contents of ''F&SF'' among other anthologies. He was succeeded as editor by

Avram Davidson Abraham, ; ar, , , name=, group= (originally Abram) is the common Hebrew patriarch of the Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In Judaism, he is the founding father of the special relationship between the Jews ...

in 1962 and became a literary agent. As an agent, he represented James Baldwin,

Katherine Dunham Katherine Mary Dunham (June 22, 1909 – May 21, 2006) was an American dancer, choreographer, anthropologist, and social activist. Dunham had one of the most successful dance careers of the 20th century, and directed her own dance company for ...

, Harlen Ellison,

Richard Fariña Richard George Fariña ( Spanish IPA: ) (March 8, 1937 – April 30, 1966) was an American folksinger, songwriter, poet and novelist. Early years and education Fariña was born in Brooklyn, New York, United States, the son of an Irish mother, ...

, Ted Gottfried, James Gunn, and M. D. Post, among others.

References

External links

Robert Park Mills Papers
at the

Harry Ransom Center The Harry Ransom Center (until 1983 the Humanities Research Center) is an archive, library and museum at the University of Texas at Austin, specializing in the collection of literary and cultural artifacts from the Americas and Europe for the pur ...

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Mills, Robert P. 1920 births 1986 deaths Literary agents Science fiction editors