I was saddened that Forest J. Ackerman was not acknowledged during the tribute to those involved in the movie industry who had passed away in 2008. Why not Forest, who appeared in many movies, albeit in cameo appearances in a lot of them? And then for his being the inspiration behind the creativity of such greats as Steven Spielberg and others. Why wasn't he included?

I feel the same way. How could they ignore such a monumental figure in the world of entertainment.

I was pleased, however, that they put Vampira in, but that doesn't erase my astonishment at the omission of our beloved Ackermonster.

I imagine it was due to the fact that his influence was primarily within the realms of magazines, agenting authors, collecting memorabilia, and spreading the gospel of sci-fi, rather than anything to do with a mainstream career in pictures.

His multitudinous cameos didn't distinguish him as an actor, but rather as a personality. And most were in B movies which are normally ignored by the Academy.

However, that said, I feel the same way as you two, and was hoping to see him up there.

Thanks, Doug, for putting that into perspective. I should have been aware of those circumstances as well, but agreeing with fanboy, it would have great, especially since Vampira was mentioned.

quote:

Originally posted by biplane1:
...especially since Vampira was mentioned.

He should have been right there after Maila Nurmi.

Who???? I must have missed that one. I certainly did not appreciate the way they were doing it, camera angles from all over and so far away you couldn't read the names. I wonder what was up this guy's butt who decided to do it that way instead of a normal screen with the sequences all the same.

quote:

Originally posted by biplane1:
Who????

You know Maila.

Yeah, the camera angles were dumb. Hard to read the names.

biplane, can I say you watch your programming on the old small screen? Say a 30 incher or less? We were watching on a 50 inch and there were a half dozen other screens surrounding the larger screen, all denoting different aspects of that particular actor's life. I take it you were not able to see those other, smaller screens. That is why the camera panned away, to view all the other screens on display.

Forry certainly wasn't the only figure from classic Hollywood who was left out of the Academy tribute.

Silent star (and Lon Chaney co-star!) Anita Page was left out, for goodness' sakes ... and Mel Ferrer ... and Beverly Garland ... and many, many others. And where the heck was the remarkable Patrick McGoohan!?!?! (Fortunately, Pat WAS properly honored at the BAFTA's, which recently ran on BBC America.)

Frankly, even though I would have loved to have seen him up there, I never expected 4E to be included in the Academy tribute. His influence in Hollywood was immense, at least in terms of the sci-fi/horror/fantasy genres, but his active participation in filmmaking was limited to cameos in films directed by either his friends (George Pal, Ib Melchior, Curtis Harrington) or his proteges (Joe Dante, John Landis, Peter Jackson). His participation was so informal that he never had to join SAG. Also, I don't believe the Academy has ever recognized critics or historians in those memorials.

Even though I was glad to see Maila in the tribute, I was a little surprised that they included her. After all, her actual film appearances were few and far between ... I guess PLAN 9 alone sufficiently secured her legacy as far as the Academy was concerned. As much as I loved Maila (even though the last encounter Forry and Anita and I had with her was rather ... bizarre), I'm not sure what recognizing an Ed Wood actress and slighting actors/actresses who made GOOD films says about the Academy's artistic standards for these memorials . . .

By the way, in case some of you don't know this already, Forry actually worked for the Academy for a while and frequently brought both Rays and other friends in for screenings of some of their favorite films. Forry's major claim to fame in terms of his work for the Academy involved his role guarding the statuettes backstage at the 1939 Oscar ceremonies -- the year of GONE WITH THE WIND, THE WIZARD OF OZ, STAGECOACH, THE ROARING TWENTIES, THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES, THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME and some of Hollywood's other all-time classics. (I recently taught a two-semester class that just focused on films released in 1939. The title of the class was "1939 -- Hollywood's Peak of Perfection.")

For a much better tribute, if you've haven't seen it already, check out the TCM memorial, which is restricted to those who passed away in the calendar year 2008. So there's no Jim Whitmore, no Pat McGoohan, no Ricardo Montalban. But you do see so many, many more who apparently didn't warrant Academy attention.

As far as I'm concerned, this tribute is far more classy and much more moving ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vniTE8gUj3w

Watching this back in December, Anita and I were particularly struck by the fact that we lost so many genre figures who had become close friends of ours -- Ben Chapman, Maila, Hazel Court, John Phillip Law, Isaac Hayes -- and Forry, of course. The enormity of that accumulated loss really didn't hit us until we saw the TCM tribute.

Terry Pace
pillaroffire@bellsouth.net

"God, here and there, makes madness a calling." -- Ray Bradbury

Terry! I agree. Many were left out. What politics drive the selection is likely pretty complicated. If all the contributors to the motion picture academy were included, it could possibly take up a goodly portion of the hour, for many do die during the year. Nina Foch just died in December. I was glad at least they remembered to put her on the list, tho there were very few clapping. She taught at a California University for years concerning the motion picture arts, and I remember her best for her role in American in Paris opposite Gene Kelly.

quote:

Originally posted by William Lantry:
...even though the last encounter Forry and Anita and I had with her was rather ... bizarre...

Go on...

Is there a Forrest J. Ackerman Award for something? I'm sure there's a fan award, but the thought comes up because I'm following a similar thread over at StopMotionAnimation.com, regardin the passing of Uncle Ray's long-time producer, Charles H. Schneer:

http://www.stopmotionanimation...3&mesg_id=3363&page=

On the one hand, the last thing this world need is another pointless awards ceremony, but perhaps there's a way to let one grow ourt of these fora.

I would propose a 4SJ award for Amateur of the Year in Pulp Culture, "amateur" in this case in the original sense of the word, as in "one who does it for love." Some others:

A Ray Bradbury Award for Literature in Pulp Culture

A Ray Harryhausen Award, to alternate yearly with the Willis O'Brien Award, for Cinema Craft

A Charles H. Schneer Award for Producing Pulp Culture

Such a gathering could happen Oscar Weekend, or better yet, as part of San Diego ComicCon.

Any thoughts?

quote:

Originally posted by groovista:
Is there a Forrest J Ackerman Award for something?

Yes. It's a hand. Here's three photos from 4E's 89th birthday bash. First, the three Hands to be given out. Second, 4E prepares to present one. Third, Paul Davids receives one. Paul made that fine documentary The Sci-Fi Boys.

Please forgive me for not being enlightened, but I have wondered many times when I see a post with Willaim Lantry's name on the side and yet a signature of Terry Pace. Are these two different people or is William Lantry a pseudonym or Terry Pace or vice versa?

I appreciate the elucidation.

Elucidation: Terry is playing the part of William Lantry on this board, I shouldn't wonder. You'll remember that character from the great story Pillar of Fire, no doubt.

William Lantry, a corpse, wakes from the grave in the year 2349 to find that the dead are no longer buried, but burned, and there is no longer any fear in the world.