The date: Memorial Day weekend in 1993. The place: Crystal City, Virginia. The event: the 1993 Famous Monsters of Filmland Convention. Guests included Forrest J Ackerman, Ray Bradbury, Ray Harryhausen, Richard Matheson, Robert Bloch, John Landis, Joe Dante, John Agar, Gloria Stuart, Ann Robinson, Zacherle, Angus Scrimm, and Sara Karloff. I wanted to attend (I still have the brochure I requested and was mailed, setting out the Con's details), but work got in the way. Fortunately, I made it to the 1995 Famous Monsters Convention in Los Angeles, where I met Ray Bradbury for the very first time!

For those of you, like me, who didn't make it to the Convention in 1993, the link below will take you to a very entertaining film about the Con. And, yes, Ray Bradbury is one of the guests you will see and hear. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39vudXS6f3E&t=1298s

At 1:30:40 into this fine historic video, Mr. Bradbury details his exchange with John Huston about the offer presented to write the screen play for Melville's Moby Dick. I have read the details of this at various times in different sources but do not recall seeing the entire narration as presented in this clip you have uncover, Richard.

I have read Green Shadows, White Whale twice in its entirety. So many sections of his travels in Ireland were short story related. It is quite humorous to listen to Mr. B's retelling of the adventures that followed once he accepted the intimidating Huston's offer:
"I've never been able to read the *&#@ booK! I told my wife, I gotta read a book tonight and do a book report in the morning!'

“The Anthem Sprinters” “Banshee” “A Wild Night in Galway” “The Beggar on the O’Connell Bridge” all come to mind as readings shared and enjoyed with students of various ages. Thank you, Mr. Bradbury!

fjp451, I first heard, in person, Ray Bradbury's re-telling of his initial "Moby Dick encounter" with the famed film director during a talk Ray gave at the Fullerton, California Public Library back in 1995. And I still remember thinking at the time, boy, Ray Bradbury does a great John Houston impersonation! It was nice to hear it again in the Famous Monsters Convention film!

I have been thinking more of the 1995 Famous Monster convention held in Los Angeles (the Sheraton Universal City Hotel, to be exact). To get a glimpse of what you could see at the Con, click on the link below for a series of 38 photos taken there. Yes, after the convention, it was revealed that Michael Jackson (picture 6) came to the Convention disguised as Nosferatu and entered the masquerade contest. (By the way, he didn't win!) And I still remember commenting to actor William Schallert (perhaps best remembered as the father on "The Patty Duke Show") on how great he looked and how he never seemed to age. Mr. Schallert just laughed and said, "You have no idea how hard that is!" When I met actor John Agar, I called him Mr. Agar, to which he replied, "Mr. Agar was my father. Just call me John." One morning, I wandered into the dining room, and had breakfast with Forrest J Ackerman. I got to meet SOUND OF MUSIC and WEST SIDE STORY director Robert Wise, and was able to tell him that THE BODY SNATCHER starring Boris Karloff (which he directed) was one of my favorite films. Mr. Wise smiled and replied, "Thanks. It's one of my favorites, too." Ray Bradbury appears in several of the photos, all of which brought back wonderful memories of a great weekend!

http://culttvman.net/main/famous-monsters-1995/

The link below will take you to the segment on a 1995 broadcast of the TV show A CURRENT AFFAIR, which discusses Michael Jackson's "visit" to the 1995 Famous Monsters Convention.

It was obviously a slow week for news!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DppNKHZP814