Who's Who

This is not the next chapter of the Ray Bradbury/Julius Schwartz/Al Feldstein story. That'll be along later tonight…or maybe some time tomorrow, the rate I'm going. But a lot of people have written in either to ask who all those folks are in the photo I posted with the second installment or to tell me. So let's go over them, shall we?

We'll start with the back row. The woman on the left is apparently (there's some question) Myrtle R. Douglas, described by Forrest J Ackerman as his "significant other" of the time. She was a science-fiction fan Forry had met while studying Esperanto and she made the futuristic costume he wore to portions of the event where this photo was taken — the first World Science-Fiction Convention.

Next over is Julius Schwartz, who was one of the organizers of the convention and at the time, a partner in the Solar Sales Service Literary Agency — the only agency to specialize in science-fiction stories. He would later become an editor for DC Comics for around four decades and a lot of great comics.

To the right of Julie is Otto Binder, then an up-and-coming writer for the s-f pulps who had just begun writing for comic books. He would soon become the main writer for the original Captain Marvel and (later) one of the main Superman writers.

Next over is Mort Weisinger, who had been Julie Schwartz's partner in founding the Solar Sales Service agency…and before that, in publishing the first s-f fanzine. By the time of this photo, I believe Weisinger had turned the agency over to Schwartz and become an editor for Standard Magazines, publishers of several of the top pulp magazines. Like his partner, Weisinger would later become a longtime editor for DC Comics, primarily on the Superman titles.

On the far right is Jack Darrow, an active contributor to s-f fanzines.

Second row, first position we have Forrest J Ackerman, who's probably best known today as the founder-editor of Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine. Forry was a rabid collector of s-f and horror movie material, an expert on those topics and to many, an avuncular figure at conventions and throughout fandom.

Next over is Ross Rocklynne, a popular science-fiction author of the day and a Guest of Honor at the convention.

Then we have Charles D. Hornig, who was the publisher of Fantasy Fan, one of the earliest s-f fanzines.

…and then we have Ray Bradbury. No further identification needed.

Thanks to Buddy Lortie, Anthony LeBlanc, Steve Thompson and I think someone else who sent in info on these folks. There's a lot of history there for one photo.