It's recently come to my attention that Ray's best friend, Forrest J. Ackerman, suffered a broken hip and will have a long nursing home convalescence. Forry is three years older than Ray and their friendship has lasted over 70 years. Forry was there for Ray when his wife of many years passed away, and is one of the kindest, most generous and gracious people ever.

You can send well wishes to Forry at:
Fountain View Subacute and Nursing Center
5310 Fountain Avenue, Room 240
Los Angeles, California 90029

or, if you have a MySpace profile, leave a message on his page http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.vi...le&friendID=67699686 which it seems he checked as recently as St. Patrick's Day.

Consider it Done! Card of "Get Well" this weekend. Thanks Dandy!!
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You're welcome and thanks to Nard for the heads up.

Just returned home from visiting Forry Ackerman in his sickbed. Found him in good spirits, and optimistic that he would be up and around in short order. I emphasized the importance of getting back into an active lifestyle as soon as possible to keep sedentary from setting in - that's the real killer!

Briefly discussed the progress of the documentary I'm shooting on him, and he seemed pleased.

Even in his pain, the gentleman is so sweet and friendly. I'll tell you what - that's one atheist who's going straight to heaven when he dies!

(No comments please. That was not intended as a gateway to a religious discussion!)

Please, send him a card, or better yet, go round to see him if you're local. He told me that we were the first "humans" to come by today.

Be well, old friend!

That's great, Doug! I visited a lady who was even older than Forry when she broke her hip. It was one of the cases of not falling and breaking a hip, but the hip breaking first, then falling. She was just standing reading a bulletin board and collapsed. She told me she could not wait to walk again, and she is! The most anyone does is carry her walker up the church steps, which she climbs herself!

Okay, so she's not an atheist, but I wonder if Forry is a hardcore one. I have him on tape (write me--I'll supply it for use in your documentary if you like--just don't tell Biplane, he's agitating for the copy I still haven't sent him--and those of you to whom I promised and did not send one will just have to remind me who you are, as I've lost track--) when I asked him if he thought he would be reunited with his wife in any form, saying he believes when his physical processes cease, his consciousness will cease and not exist in any form. Yet at Ray Bradbury's wife's funeral, Forry said Maggie had always looked after Ray in life and now watched over him from another place. So go figure. Good luck on your doc!

Thanks for the kind words.

When I asked him how it happened, 4E said (in an almost comically incredulous voice), that he was just walking to his automobile, and his legs went out from under him!

They say there are no atheists in foxholes - I wonder if there are any on their deathbeds? You can re-think an awful lot about potential Divinity in the twilight.

Thanks - I would love the tape. Let me know how to get it: augustdandelionatgmaildotcom.

A friend in need...indeed. Mr. Ackerman, like Mr. Bradbury had a great influence on the minds of kids from my generation (baby boomers). We came face to face with our nightmares, dreams and fears in the pages of Famous Monsters Magazine. Mr. Ackerman taught us how to laugh, cry and accept the true nightmares that faced us in the sixties and seventies. We learned the way of "Heroes and Villains" through the monthly recap of Fanstastic Cinema in the pulp pages of FM. Boris Karloff was my father. Bela my Uncle. Lon Chaney Jr. with all his pathos was my long lost brother. I knew how to become a werewolf at one point in my life...my teeth would involuntarily jut out exposing those lower canines and my eyes would narrow and my nostrils would flare with rage...all this before my mother would call me for dinner.

Dear Forry,
I wish all our children could see that world in our context...Claude Rains as the phantom, Boris as the Monster, Lon Chaney Jr. as the Wolfman, Lon Chaney Sr. as the Hunchback (and my favorite Hunchback played by Laughton)...not to mention the Invisible Man, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, and the many other fantatic beings that came to me on New York's Chiller Theater, Creature Feature and other monster of the week shows...
Forry taught us how to look at the world with love and wonder...If you can love a monster...then...I guess...we could find love in this world...
Thanks Mr. Ackerman,

Love
A generation of children...
who are still children thanks to you.

Just a thank you to Dandelion for passing on his knowledge and keeping those of us with limited resources in the light...

Thanks, booklover - kind words for Uncle Forry.

All, anyone who would like to post a get well note here, please do so. I will print them and take them to 4E when I next go over.

Hi,
How is Forry doing? Has anyone talked to him this week?
Thanks, Patricia

I will probably see him this weekend, and will report his progress here.

booklover2727, I have printed your letter and will deliver it to Forry.

quote:

Originally posted by Doug Spaulding:
I will probably see him this weekend, and will report his progress here.

booklover2727, I have printed your letter and will deliver it to Forry.

Wow, I was not aware that 4E had fallen and was convalesing. I visited Forry in his Mini-Ackermansion several years ago and I attended his 90th birthday celebration in LA. I will send him a card. He autographed a copy of Metropolis for me. I remember reading all the Famous Monsters of Filmland rags when I was a kid. Could not get enough.

Emailed dandelion earlier about Forry's progress. Thought I would share it with the board, as we went round to see him today:

He's been home for several weeks now. Getting better every day, up and about on a walker. He's anxious to go to Japan for a convention or to appear in a movie or something! He's excited to play a cameo in our uncoming zombie short Undeath as a wheelchair-bound zombie!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Doug Spaulding,

Had a short visit tonight with Forry, and reported to him all the well-wishes from the folks on the board.

Arrived just as he was getting up from his afternoon nap, and he was crossing back and forth around the room on his walker, getting some exercise.

Visited briefly, brought him some donuts, and reported the progress on the documentary. Also arriving at the same time was writer David Marchant, whom I recognized, as I had met him at ComicCon last July. Visited with him a bit, and he gave me a copy of his latest Forry-inspired book.

Productive day.

Great to hear it, keep the good reports coming!