David A. Kyle | |
|---|---|
 Kyle in 2015 | |
| Born | (1919-02-14)14 February 1919 |
| Died | 18 September 2016(2016-09-18) (aged 97) |
| Occupation | Writer, publisher |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Columbia University |
| Period | 1936–2016 |
| Genre | Science fiction |
| Spouse | |
David A. Kyle (February 14, 1919 – September 18, 2016) was an Americanscience fiction writer and member ofscience fiction fandom.
Kyle served as a reporter in theAir Force Reserves with the rank oflieutenant colonel, writingcivil defense material, while working at radio stationWPDM inPotsdam, New York.[1]
WithMartin Greenberg, Kyle foundedGnome Press in 1948. He wrote two pictorial histories of science fiction (A Pictorial History of Science Fiction andThe Illustrated Book of Science Fiction Ideas and Dreams) and three licensed novels set in theLensman universe (The Dragon Lensman,Lensman from Rigel andZ-Lensman).
He appeared withPaul Levinson,Greg Bear and many others on theHistory Channel's 2002documentary,Fantastic Voyage: Evolution of Science Fiction. He died at the age of 97 on September 18, 2016.[2][3]
Kyle, an active fan since the earliest days of organizedscience fiction fandom, was an original member of New York'sFuturians. In 1936, he publishedThe Fantasy World, possibly the firstcomics fanzine.[4]
He attended thefirstWorldcon, and both wrote and printed the "Yellow Pamphlet" condemning the organizers. Themanifesto led chairmanSam Moskowitz to ban several prominent members of the Futurians from that convention.[5][6]
Kyle chaired the 195614th World Science Fiction Convention (NyCon II), an incident at which inspired the fancatchphrase, "Dave Kyle says you can't sit here." He was created a Knight of The Order of Saint Fantony in 1961, and was awarded theBig Heart Award in 1973. Kyle was also Fan Guest of Honor at ConStellation, the41st World Science Fiction Convention, in 1983.
In addition, he wrote hundreds of articles for variousfanzines, including regular articles for Richard and Nicki Lynch'sMimosa.
Kyle married another fan, Ruth Evelyn Landis (whom he had met through fandom), on August 31, 1957; for theirhoneymoon they flew to England for the1957 Worldcon there, together with 53 friends and in-laws, on a speciallychartered flight.[7] They remained married until her death on January 5, 2011. They had a son Arthur and a daughter Kerry.[8]
