(Nov. 26, 1919 – Sept 2, 2013)

Frederik Pohl was one of the most active earlyfans, a creator offandom-as-we-know-it, who remained a fan until his death. In aprofessional career spanning over 75 years, he was one of the major professional writers and editors in the field, as well as an influentialliterary agent.

Fan[edit]

He foundsf in 1928 and formed an sf discussion group in grammar school in 1932. In the 1930s, while in his teens inNew York, he helped to found theFuturians and, afterDon Wollheim andJohn Michel, may been the most influential fan in that faction offandom. He promoted aFuturian Federation of the World. He was one of theQuadrumvirs.

The majority of the attendees of the world'sfirst science fiction convention in 1936, from left:Oswald Train,Donald A. Wollheim,Milton A. Rothman, Frederik Pohl,John B. Michel,William S. Sykora (holding theNYB-ISA flag),David A. Kyle, andRobert Madle. They're standing in front of Independence Hall inPhiladelphia.Photo byHerbert E. Goudket.

He attended theFirst Convention, hijacked an elevator at theThird Eastern Convention and named itShaggoth 6, and participated in an unfortunate foray into gastronomy in creating theScience Fiction Special. He wasnicknamedEo-Pohl, Øred Pohl andPhi.

He wasOfficial Editor of theNYBISA, and launched theScience Fiction Poets' Guild in 1938. He edited thefanzines,Mind of Man,Arcturus, andInternational Observer. He was a member of theISA, theICFC, theSFL, theBSFL, theENYSFL, theGNYSFL, theNYBISA, theILSF,FAPA, theQSFL, theSTF Poet's Guild, theFuturians Publisher's Association, and thescience Fictioneers -- all before 1940.

He was one of the sixFuturians prevented from attending theFirst Worldcon by theExclusion Act.

HismemoirThe Way the Future Was is an essential work offan history. He wrote for suchzines asAlgol,Xero andTrap Door. In his early years, he published thefanzinesThe International Observer of Science and Science Fiction andMind of Man. Along withJack Gillespie, he was formally censured by the Futurians in late 1941 for describing their fanzine,Futurian Review, as the club'sOfficial Organ.

At the urging of his editorJim Frenkel, Pohl, then nearly 90, startedThe Way the Future Blogs, a weblog recounting his reminiscences as afan andpro, with the support of a blog team consisting of his wife,Betty Hull, stepdaughter Cathy Pizarro, tech guyDick Smith and blogmasterLeah Zeldes. On the strength of it, he won the 2010Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer.

Pro[edit]

Pohl’spro career began in 1937 and his notable stories andnovels are too numerous to list. He was theMost Senior SF Writer for seven years.

He was editor ofGalaxy andIF from 1961 to 1969, edited theStar Science Fiction series forBallantine, and worked atAce. He ran an important sf literary agency. He was President ofSFWA in 1974–76.

Hispseudonyms included:Edson McCann, Jordan Park, Elton V. Andrews, Paul Fleur, Warren F. Howard, Scott Mariner, Ernst Mason, James McCreigh, Dirk Wilson andDonald Stacy.

Personal Life[edit]

He was married five times. His first wife,Leslie Perri, was anotherFuturian; they were married in 1940 and divorced in 1944.Jack Speer described them inUp to Now as “possibly fandom's first matrimonial match.” Pohl then marriedDorothy Les Tina in Paris in 1945 while both were serving in the military in Europe; the marriage ended in 1947.

In 1948, he marriedJudith Merril; they had a daughter, Ann. They divorced in 1952. In 1953, he marriedCarol M. Ulf Stanton, with whom he had three children and collaborated on several books; they separated in 1977 and were divorced in 1983. In 1984, he marriedsfacademicElizabeth Anne Hull and moved to theChicago area after a lifetime inNew York andNew Jersey.

He was the grandfather of writerEmily Pohl-Weary, Ann's daughter.

More Information[edit]

• Early short biography inWho's Who in Fandom 1940, page 11.
• Entry inThe Encyclopedia of Science Fiction.
• “Fred’s Pen Names” by Frederik Pohl,The Way the Future Blogs, May 14, 2010.
• Pohl reading hispoem “!” (Text.)
• 1978 radio interview conducted by Richard Wolinsky,Richard A. Lupoff and Lawrence Davidson.
• “Science Fiction as Social Criticism,” 1963 interview withFred Lerner.
• Obituary.
• Pohl’s reminiscences ofWorldcons from theNoreascon ThreePB:
  • Loncon II
  • Tricon
  • NYcon 3
  • Baycon
  • LACon I
  • Torcon 2
  • MidAmeriCon

Fanzines andApazines:

• Arcturus [1935-37]
• Flatbush Artery [1938]
• International Observer [1936-37] (some issues)
• Mind of Man [1930s]
• Science Fiction Advertiser [1937-38]
• Voice of the Gostak [1930s]

Awards, Honors and GoHships:

• Hugos:
  • Fred won the1973 Best Short Story Hugo, the1978 Best Novel Hugo, the1986 Best Short Story Hugo, and the2010 Best Fan Writer Hugo.
  • IF, under his editorship, won theBest Professional Magazine Hugo three times (1966-1968) and receivednominations in 1965 and 1969.
  • He was nominated for the1965 Best Professional Magazine Hugo, the1973 Best Novella Hugo, the1977 Best Novel Hugo, the1980 Best Novel Hugo, the1981 Best Novel Hugo, the1984 Best Short Story Hugo, and the1993 Best Novella Hugo and, in 2004, the1954 Best Professional Editor Retro Hugo and the1954 Best Short Story Retro Hugo.
• 1962 --Lunacon 6
• 1964 --Invisible Little Man Award
• 1966 --Boskone 2,Skylark Award
• 1968 --Marcon III
• 1972 --L.A.Con
• 1973 --Kubla Khan Clave
• 1974 --Balticon 8
• 1975 --ConFusion 13,Unicon 1,Columbicon
• 1976 --Fourth Dimension Con
• 1977 --AggieCon VIII,Brookcon III,Penulticon '77,Jack Williamson Lectureship
• 1978 --Apricon,Couleecon,John W. Campbell Memorial Award
• 1979 --NorthAmericon '79
• 1980 --URCON II,Norwescon III,Ambercon 2,MidSouthCon 1,Rovacon 5
• 1981 --OryCon '81,Hillcon 1
• 1982 --Windycon IX,Kubla Khan Tenuum,Omacon 2,OKon 5
• 1983 --Humanicon I
• 1984 --Onocon '84
• 1985 --Capricon 5,MidSouthCon 4,Life, the Universe, & Everything 3
• 1986 --VCON 14,Archon 10,Philcon 1986
• 1987 --InConJunction VII,Necronomicon '87,Triangulum 1987
• 1988 --Minicon 23,Contradiction 8
• 1989 --ICON 14,Eurocon 1989,I-Con VIII,First Fandom Hall of Fame
• 1990 --StellarCon XV,Random Realities -- The Convention
• 1992 --Kubla Khanterfeit
• 1993 --Ad Astra 13,Context VI,SFWA Grand Master Award
• 1994 --Con-Version XI,Jack Williamson Lectureship
• 1996 --MileHiCon 28,Thomas D. Clareson Award for Distinguished Service
• 1998 --WindyCon XXV,Raymond Z. Gallun Award
• 2000 --Foolscap IV,Prix Utopia
• 2004 --Jack Williamson Lectureship
• 2005 --LibertyCon 18,Boskone 42 (NESFA Press Guest)
• 2006 --Jack Williamson Lectureship
• 2008 --Necronomicon 2008
• 2010 --Capricon 30
• Locus Award
• Nebula Awards (three)