I took a science fiction and culture class in college to complete my degree and had the pleasure of interviewing Forest J. Ackerman at his museum/residence a few years before he passed away. I promised to publish my interview with him (Well Forest, it’s been a few years but finally, here is the interview I promised to have published.). I hope that you are happy somewhere out there amongst the stars where you belong.
First Impressions upon meeting Forest J. Ackerman.
He was a kind, grandad type, who was amiable and delighted that I was interviewing him. He gave me a personal tour of his museum and most prized possessions. I felt lucky to have taken the time to visit his museum/home. It was only open the first Sunday of the month to the public when I visited. And filled with props from Star Wars, Metropolis, The Gremlins, Dracula, Creature From The Black Lagoon, George Melies,”Trip To The Moon,” and a treasure trove of other memorabilia.
Following is a brief summary of the interview with Forest J. Ackerman
Corinna: “Hello I’m an art school student from Otis Parsons School Of Design and was wondering how you came to accumulate all of this incredible science fiction and horror memorabilia?”
Forest: “I was a literary agent and started a magazine called Famous Monsters of Film. Have you heard of it?”
Corinna: “I think I may have seen a vintage copy of it. It’s about science fiction and horror right?”
Forest: “Yes and fantasy, as a literary agent and through the magazine I was in contact with some people you’ve probably heard of who started out reading the magazine as children and wrote to me asking if I thought their stories were ok for publicaton.”
Corinna: “Who were they?”
Forest: “Well I had an 11 year old Stephen King who wrote into the magazine and sent me some of his first stories as a child. I showed up later (when he was an adult) to one of his book signings to have him sign it. He was pleasantly surprised. A young Isaac Asimov also sent in some of his first sci fi stories.”
Corinna: “Omg! That’s incredible! I love Stephen King’s books and I’m a huge Asimov fan!”
Forest: “They were children who just needed encouragement. As for all the memorabilia, I got to know quite a few film makers as children who grew up to make some very well known films. One morning I woke up to my doorbell ringing and there was a gremlin left on my front doorstep. I think it was probably meant to be a joke but I love the thought and throughout the years many people who I’ve encouraged as children (who are now adults). work in the entertainment industry. They began to leave props at my door or in the mail, sometimes with a small thank you note, sometimes just the prop.”
Corinna: “What effect do you think science fiction has had on our culture?”
Forest: “Well in Star Trek you know how they use plastic ipads and things that look like modern day cell phones?”
Corinna: “Yes, would the technology have advanced without the idea on film?”
Forest: “I think that the ideaabout it came first before the technology. The technology actually caught up later with the real thing. Without imagining what is possible we would not know what direction to take or believe that something can actually come true before it becomes a real thing. What is amazing is that even though it took awhile for some of these things to become real, someone first had to think of them.”
Corinna: “True that’s incredible, so writers and movie makers have helped to shape our world, just by thinking of what was possible beyone their wildest imaginings, so there is definitely power in imagination more so than actually building it, that’s just more technical.”
Forest: “Yes, the imagination is very powerful. It gave way to new advances in our reality and culture, without it, we would be nowhere.”
Corinna: “Do you live here by yourself surrounded by some of these scary looking props?”
Forest: (chuckling) “Yes, I do now. My wife passed away a few years ago and we didn’t have any children. I consider all the young people who read my magazine and submitted stories to me over the years as my children.”
Corinna: “I’m sorry to hear that your wife passed away. Does it scare you to be here alone?’
Forest: (laughing) “No, not really, I’m sort of used to it and have alot of friends and visitors. It makes me happy thinking of the people I once communicated with when I ran my magazine. I’m always grateful when one of them remembers me. And so proud of what they’ve accomplished.”
Corinna: “Thank you for taking the time to chat with me for my final paper. I really appreciate it. I’d love to bring my Dad, brother and sister back here sometime. We’ve seen all of the movies these props were in and are huge movie fans! And I love reading sci fi! Oh you have more guests to talk to so I’ll let you go.”
Forest: “You know where I live. I’ll be here the first Sunday of the month. Please have this interview published somewhere ok?”
Corinna: “For sure, I’ll do my best. Have a great day Forest!”
After the interview
I left the museum with my notes. Ready to write up my paper and interview. I asked my Dad, sister and brother if they wanted to visit Forest J. Ackerman’s museum when they came to Los Angeles to visit me. Their responses were:
“Are you nuts? Who has a museum in their own home?”
“You’re so weird!”
“Why would we want to do that?”
“I don’t want to go to an old man’s house to see a bunch of junk!”
“Let’s go to Universal Studios!”
Obviously my family had no idea what they were missing out on.
Forest J. Ackerman’s Background in Science Fiction and his influence on society.
Forest was born in Los Angeles on November 24th, 1916. He was a science fiction author, actor for B movies, writer, editor, literary agent and friend to Isaac Asimov, Ed Wood, Ray Harryhausen and Charles Beaumont. They are known for War Of The Worlds, Fantastic Worlds, I Robot, Plan 9 From Outer Space, The Clash Of The Titans, Jason and The Argonauts and The Twilight Zone Series. In addition, he was the editor and principle writer of Famous Monsters of Film published from 1958-1983. It introduced and inspired a new generation of young readers to the history of science fiction, horror and fantasy genres. Some young readers that we now know as Stephen King, Marian Zimmerman Bradley, Stephen Spielberg, Tim Burton, George Lucas, Ray Bradbury and Guillermo Del Toro, just to name a few. How different our childhoods and culture would be without their creative film and story contributions to society such as:
Carrie
Christine
Star Wars
E.T.
Jurassic Park
Edward Scissor Hands
A Nightmare Before Christmas
Beetlejuice
Fahrenheit 451
Something Wicked This Way Comes
The Martian Chronicles
The Mists Of Avalon
Pan’s Labyrinth
Hellboy
Forest’s Science Fiction Legacy
Also as a leader and organizer of the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society and National Fantasy Fan Federation, creator of Imagination! Magazine and board member of the Seattle Science Fiction Museum Hall of Fame he was considered central to the formation, organization and spread of science fiction fandom and a key figure in the wider cultural perception of science fiction as a literary art and film genre. On top of all this he is the first person credited as coining the phrase “sci fi”. which is in use in everyday pop culture.
Would we even have the ipad or the smart phones we know of now from Star Trek without science fiction? Did that influenece Steve Jobs to create the first smart phone, ipad and Apple computer? Would we even have dreamed of going to the moon or outer space without science fiction? I don’t think so.
At present with the pandemic still raging I would be delighted if scientists devised a version of the transporter so travel can be accomplished without the need to fly in an airplane and sit for hours. Even Buzz Aldrin stopped by to visit the museum. Would he have decided to become a astronaut without having read science fiction as a child? Or even thought that space travel was possible? Not to mention all the scientists, mathematicians and physicists who have developed space technology. Again, I doubt it. All I know is that life would have been less interesting growing up without these contributions. Science and the world as we know it would be less evolved than it is now.
Where is Forest’s collection now?
Some of his collection has been auctioned off with proceeds shared amongst his beneficiaries and friends. What’s left of it has survived in the Seattle Science Fiction Museum and Hall Of Fame.
I suppose it takes a little bit of crazy to believe that the impossible could be made possible. And that some day children could become great authors, storytellers, filmmakers, scientists or astronauts that will continue to spark our imagination and propel technology forward. We miss you Forest and will never forget the kindness and encouragement you gave to every creative with crazy, outlandish ideas. You gave so many people the confidence to believe in themselves and to pursue dreams that were sometimes out of this world.
