Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame


Hall of Fame Award telescopeThe Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame was founded in 1996 by the Kansas City Science Fiction and Fantasy Society and the J. Wayne and Elsie M. Gunn Center for the Study of Science Fiction at the University of Kansas. Each year from 1996-2004, the Hall of Fame honored four individuals on the basis of their continued excellence and long-time contribution to the science fiction and fantasy field. 

The final year of indications was 2004, when Brian Aldiss and Harry Harrison were inducted into the Hall of Fame with Mary Shelley, and E. E. "Doc" Smith being inducted posthumously. Following that year, inductions were made into the renamed Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame in Seattle, Washington. The new Hall of Fame emphasized only science fiction and expanded the Hall of Fame to recognize artists and motion picture professionals while reducing the emphasis on authors. Following the closing of that museum in 2011, the once again named Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame is part of the Museum of Pop Culture.

Each year's inductions in the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame took place in Lawrence, Kansas during the Campbell Conference at the University of Kansas in early July. The annual Campbell Conference and its presentations of the the John Campbell Award for best SF novel of the year, and the Theodore Sturgeon Award for best short science fiction of the year continues. Details of the current Campbell weekend are available at http://www.sfcenter.ku.edu/campbell-conference.htm

2004 Inductees
photos from the 2004 induction

Brian Aldiss' (1925-2017) first publication was short story "Criminal Record" in Science Fantasy in 1954. He went on to write over forty novels and over 300 short stories. He also wrote poetry and highly acclaimed critical works. A resident of the United Kingdom, Mr. Aldiss won the Hugo Award, Nebula Award, British Science Fiction Award, and John W. Campbell Memorial Award. He was honored as SFWA Grand Master in 1999 and was three times Guest of Honor or Toastmaster of the World Science Fiction Convention. 

Harry Harrison's (1925-1912) professional writing career spanned fifty years. His career began as an artist & writer of comics in the 1940s. His first novel Deathworld and its sequels were and still are very popular. His most popular series featured The Stainless Steel Rat. In the 1990s the West of Eden trilogy marked a new phase in Harrison's career. Along the way, he edited dozens of science fiction anthologies. With Brian Aldiss he founded the John W. Campbell Award. 

Mary Shelley's (1797-1851) Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus is considered by some to be the first science fiction novel. Her other early science fiction includes several short stories and the novel The Last Man. Merry Shelly and her work have appeared in countless books, graphic novels, movies and television shows.

E. E. "Doc" Smith (1890-1965) was one of the most popular authors of "space opera." His two most successful series were the Skylark series which began with Skylark of Space and the Lensman series which began with Triplanetary. He wrote  nearly 30 novels, mostly in the 1930s and 1940s, though his writing continued until his death in 1965. 
 

2003 Inductees
photos from the 2003 induction

Wilson Tucker (1914-2006) contributed to many aspects of genre Science Fiction. He was the author of 60 short stories and novels, including the Campbell Award winning The Year of the Quiet Sun. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writer's Marcia selected him as the second person to honor as Author Emeritus. He was a convention runner, and as "Bob" Tucker was well loved as a convention guest and fanzine writer.

Kate Wilhelm (1928-2018) began publishing science fiction in 1956. Her Hugo Award winning Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang brought attention to her and the genre from outside the science fiction field and helped to raise a generation's consciousness. A writing educator, she founded the Milford Science Fiction Writers’ Conference and the Clarion Science Fiction Writers’ Workshop, with her husband Damon Knight. 

Damon Knight (1922-2002) was an fan, writer, editor, critic and writing teacher. His writing career spanned over 60 years, with his most famous work being the short story "To Serve Man." In addition to co-founding Milford and Clarion, he founded the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) and was its first president. 

Edgar Rice Burroughs (1875-1950) was a prolific author of fantasy, science fiction and crime novels. He is best known as the creator of Tarzan of the Apes, who appeared in 26 novels, and John Carter of Mars, who appeared in 11 novels. 
 

2002 Inductees
photos from the 2002 induction

Samuel R Delany (1942) has influenced many of the current generation of science fiction and fantasy writers, both directly thorough his teaching and indirectly though his writing. He has received 6 Hugo and Nebula Awards. He is presently a professor of English and Creative Writing  at Temple University in Philadelphia. His most recent science fiction novel is Through the Valley of the Nest of Spiders. Science Fiction Writers of America named him SFWA Grand Master in 2013.

Michael Moorcock (1939) was a magazine editor at the age of 15. He has been a pioneer in both writing and editing. His novels have won the Guardian Fiction Prize, the Nebula Award, the World Fantasy Award, and the British Fantasy Award. He wrote lyrics for multiple songs by the rock bands Hawkwind and Blue Oyster Cult. Moorcock's most successful work has been the Elric of Melniboné stories.

James Blish (1921-1975) was one of the founders of genre science fiction, first as a member of the Futurians and following many years of writing, as one of the founders of Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA). He received 2 Nebula Awards and 2 Hugos, as well as other awards. The James Blish award for criticism was created after his death. 

Donald A. Wollheim (1914-1990) was an active early science fiction fan who began writing, but quickly moved into editing. He created the Ace double books and edited the first US science fiction anthology. After working as an editor for other publishing houses, he was cofounder of DAW books in 1971 
 

2001 Inductees
photos from the 2001 induction

Jack Vance (1916-2013) published nearly 90 novels and collections. His work was first published in 1945 and he is still active in the field.  He has received every major genre award, including the Edgar Award, Hugo Award, Nebula Award World Fantasy Award, and SFWA Grand Master Award 

Ursula K. Le Guin (1929-2018) published over eighty short stories, two collections of essays, ten books for children, several volumes of poetry, and nineteen novels Her many awards included the Boston Globe-Hornbook Award for juvenile fiction and the National Book Award for The Farthest Shore. She was named a SFWA Grand Master in 2002

Alfred Bester (1913-1987) received the first Hugo Award best novel for The Demolished Man. It and The Stars my Destination are his best known works. In 1987 Science Fiction Writers of America honored him with their Grand Master Award. 

Fritz Leiber (1910-1992) was a fine writer of supernatural horror fiction. He published 11 novels and nearly 200 short stories. He is best known for the adventures of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, a series which has been continued after his death, by Robin Wayne Bailey. Leiber was the second recipient of the World Fantasy Convention's Life Achievement Award. 
 

2000 Inductees 
photos from the 2000 induction

Poul Anderson (1926-2001) published well over 100 novels over the last 50 years. He received seven Hugo Awards, three Nebula Awards and was the 1997 SFWA Grand Master recipient. His novella The Queen of Air and Darkness received the Hugo, Nebula and Locus Awards.

Gordon R. Dickson (1923-2001) published over 80 novels and many short stories. His best known work is the Childe Cycle series of novels about the Dorsai. He was the recipient three Hugo Awards and the 1967 Nebula Award for the novelette "Call Him Lord."

Theodore Sturgeon (1918-1985) was one of America's best loved short story writers. He wrote over 200 stories, several novels, and film and TV plays. His many literary awards include the Hugo, the Nebula, and the International Fantasy Award. The juried award for best short science fiction of the year is named in his honor. 

Eric Frank Russell's (1905-1978) impact on the science fiction genre goes far beyond the relatively small volume of work (14 novels and 17 short works). Called "The Forgotten Master his humor and insight touched readers in a way that few have matched. His short story "Allamagoosa" won the Hugo Award in 1955. 

1999 Inductees

Ray Douglas Bradbury (1920-2012) author, fan, poet, screenwriter and playwright, was one of the best known figures in the science fiction genre. Bradbury’s work is as diverse as the novel Fahrenheit 451, the novel & play Dandelion Wine, and the screenplay to the movie Moby Dick. Bradbury has the rare ability to appeal equally to critics and fans. 

Robert Silverberg (1935) has authored over 100 novels and edited over 70 anthologies. He published his first novel, Revolt on Alpha C, at age 19 and received the Hugo award for "most promising new author" two year later. This highly prolific author has contributed much the science fiction genre. 

Jules Gabriel Verne (1825-1905) helped shape and found modern science fiction. This French author wrote 64 novels including such classics as Voyage au centre de la tere (Journey to the Center of the Earth), Vingt mille lieues sous les mers (Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea) and L'Île mystérieuse (The Mysterious Island). 

Abraham Merritt (1884-1943), author and editor, influenced many writers with his romantic adventure fantasies. His novels included The Moon Pool and People of the Pit. His most popular story, The Ship of Ishtar, was serialized in Argosy in 1924. 
 

1998 Inductees 
photos from the 1998 induction

Hal Clement (1922-2003) is the pen name of Harry Clement Stubbs. He held degrees in astronomy, chemistry and education, and was a high school science teacher for many years. His first publication was "Proof" in Astounding Science Fiction in 1942. His first novel, Needle was published in 1950, but his best known work is Mission of Gravity. Hal's works include particularly believable and carefully thought out alien races. He received a retro-Hugo award for his short story "Uncommon Sense" (ASF, 1945). 

Frederik Pohl (1919-2013) writer, editor and SF literary agent was a pivotal figure in the science fiction field, His many novels include GATEWAY (co-authored with C. M. Kornbluth, the John W. Campbell Memorial Award winning The Years of the City and Gateway, winner of the Hugo, Nebula and Campbell awards. Frederik was president of the Science Fiction Writers of America from 1974-1976 and received the SFWA Grand Master Award in 1992. He was one of the founders and the second President of World SF, the international association of science fiction professionals. 

Catherine Lucille Moore (1911-1987) established her place in the SF field with her first work, "Shambleau" (Weird Tales, 1933), which introduced one of her most popular heroes, Northwest Smith. She wrote under many pseudonyms including Lewis Padgett, Lawrence O'Donnell and many of the works that appeared under the name of her husband, Henry Kuttner. She was a superior writer and a pioneer in the field of fantasy and science fiction. Her work has not received the attention that is deserves. 

Robert Anson Heinlein (1907-1988) was arguably the most influential writer in the science fiction genre. He received 4 Hugo awards and the first SFWA Grand Master Award. His 31 novels are rarely out of print and include Starship Troopers, Stranger in a Strange Land and The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. Heinlein grew up in Kansas City, Missouri and was honored as the Guest of Honor at the Kansas City World Science Fiction Convention in 1976 (MidAmericon) and two other World Science Fiction Conventions. 
 

1997 Inductees
 photos from the 1997 induction

Andre Norton (1912-2005) entered the field through children's science fiction and fantasy. Although much of her work has been marketed to children and young adults, its themes and complexity appeal to a larger adult market. In 1984 she became the first woman to be honored with the Nebula Grand Master Award.

Arthur C. Clarke (1917-2008) has been honored with the Nebula Grand Master Award and several Hugo awards. The award for the best science fiction novel in the United Kingdom is named the Arthur C. Clarke Award in his honor. His most famous work, 2001, is based on his earlier short story, "The Sentinel." 

Herbert George Wells (1866-1946) was one of the founding fathers of science fiction. His best known work is The Time Machine. He published over 60 books and wrote the screen plays for many of the movies based on his work. 

Isaac Asimov (1920-1992) was one of the most influential writers of science fiction's "Golden Age." He published 400 books including science fiction and mysteries, and subjects from science to the bible. Asimov won every major award in the science fiction genre. 
 

1996 Inductees
photos from the 1996 induction

Jack Williamson (1908-2006) was continuously active in the genre from 1928 to 2006. Although best known for his fiction, his autobiographical Wonder's Child: My Life in Science Fiction won a Hugo award in 1985. He received the SFWA Grand Master award in 1976, the Pilgrim Award of Science Fiction Research Association in 1973, and served as SFWA President in 1978-80. John Clute says of Williamson, "In his work and in his life, he has encompassed the field."

A. E. van Vogt's (1912-2000) science fiction career began with the short story, "Black Destroyer" published in Astounding Science Fiction in 1939. He was one of the creators of John W. Campbell Jr.'s Golden Age of Science Fiction. Earlier in 1996, van Vogt received the Grand Master Award from the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. His best known novels are Slan and The World of Null-A

John W. Campbell Jr. (1910-1971) began his writing career in the early 1930s. His most popular work was "Who Goes There?" which was filmed as The Thing in 1951, 1982 and 2011. Campbell's greatest contribution to the field was as a magazine editor, where he discovered writers such as Isaac Asimov, Lester Del Rey, Robert A. Heinlein, Theodore Sturgeon and A. E. van Vogt.  During his tenure as editor, Astounding Science Fiction received seven Hugo awards. 

Hugo Gernsback (1884-1967) founded many magazines about science and/or science fiction and has been called "The Father of Magazine Science Fiction." His first magazine was Modern Electrics, where he published his novel 124C 41+ in 1911. Gernsback founded the magazine Amazing Stories in 1926 and Science Wonder Stories and Air Wonder Stories in 1929, which he combined into Wonder Stories


Copyright 1997-2018 by Keith Stokes