American writer, editor, and science fiction superfan (1916-2008). Nicknames included Forry, 4e, Uncle Forry, the Ackermonster, Dr. Acula, and more. 

He briefly attended the University of California, Berkeley in the mid-1930s, then worked as a film projectionist and a few odd jobs. He enlisted in the Army during World War II and rose to the rank of staff sergeant. 

But Ackerman was best known as a science fiction fan, a pastime he took up long before college or the Army. He saw his first fantasy film, "One Glorious Day," in 1922 and credited it with his love of fantasy, science fiction, and horror. He contributed to fanzines, corresponded with fans around the world, and was an early member of the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society. He attended the first World Science Fiction Convention in 1939; he and his girlfriend, Myrtle R. Douglas, wore the first "futuristicostumes" while attending, making them cosplay pioneers. 

He invited many writers to attend meetings of the LA Science Fantasy Society and befriended many of them, including Ray Bradbury, Robert A. Heinlein, Charles Beaumont, Frederic Brown, Henry Kuttner, L. Ron Hubbard, Leigh Brackett, Jack Williamson, Marion Zimmer Bradley, and special effects wizard Ray Harryhausen. He also represented many older writers as a literary agent, helping them get works reprinted in more modern anthologies. 

He was an enthusiastic collector of film memorabilia, much of it collected in his home, which he called the Ackermansion. He regularly gave hands-on tours to almost anyone who stopped by. Items included books, film posters, costumes, makeup, masks, props, models, photographs, and much more, including the Martian spacecraft from the film version of "The War of the Worlds," dinosaurs from "King Kong," the cape that Bela Lugosi wore in "Dracula," props from the laboratory in "The Bride of Frankenstein," costumes and makeup from "London after Midnight," the Metalunan mutant from "This Island Earth," the golden idol from "Raiders of the Lost Ark," and thousands of other items. At 300,000 items, it was the largest collection of its kind in the world. 

He wrote some science fiction stories, generally collaborations with more skilled writers. He also conjured up the name of Vampirella and wrote her origin story in the first issue of the comic. Under the pen name "Laurajean Ermayne," he wrote a number of lesbian stories and was crowned an "honorary lesbian" after he offered publishing assistance for the Daughters of Bilitis

One of his most important publishing ventures was "Famous Monsters of Filmland," a horror film magazine that ran from 1958-1983. Much of the magazine's focus was on older movies, and the tone of the articles was generally welcoming to new viewers who hadn't seen the old classics, while still embracing older audiences who'd seen the old movies in first-run theaters. 

And unfortunately, Ackerman was also a grade-A creep. He aggressively sexually harassed Lucy Chase Williams, a biographer of Vincent Price, as well as other women over a number of decades. He was asked often to stop, sometimes even in writing, but he remained a groper and even mailed his targets pornography and sexual fantasies. He was a creep, and this is significantly worse than any of the good things he may have done. Fuck Forry. 

After failing health in the 2000s, Ackerman decided he didn't want to continue any further treatment, checked himself out of the hospital, accepted home hospice, and began accepting visits from friends, calling it a "living funeral." He died on December 4, 2008 at the age of 92. 

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