Forry's Hit List: Part 1

In his golden years, Forrest J Ackerman became absorbed in the writing of lists. Lists of songs he knew. Lists of TV shows he'd appeared on. Lists of people who'd visited the Ackermansion, etc. I just came across one of these lists while I was seeking out existing material to share with all of you on my blog. Some people will view such a list as an obsessive exercise. But I see it for more than that. I've always believed that Forry was not at all an egotistical person but rather, like many, constantly trying to prove his worth. I view these lists as testimonies to Forry's need to prove to himself that he made a difference on this planet. He certainly didn't have to convince us! It's also possible that these tests of memory kept him sharp and bright right until the day he left us. If your name's not in this list it doesn't mean you weren't an important part of Forry's life. As BatPacker John Goss used to say, "Forry favors whoever brought the last donut!" - actually, whoever filled out their sweater the best! HA! I hope you enjoy this free-writing example of our favorite Uncle's favorite pastime (circa 2001):

I knew it! I told you so! A million more memories have surfaced. Read on at your own risk.

There came to mind all the female fanta-names, most of whom you may possibly recognize, who have pleasured this old geezer with one kiss or more: Catherine Moore, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Ree Dragonette, Candy Clark (THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH), Terri Pinckard, Terri’s daughters Vicki, Vinnie & especially Cheri, Mrs. Elly Bloch, Angelique Pettyjohn (STAR TREK), Brinke Stevens, Djinn Faine, Alaskan Cyndi, Lily Tomlin (THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING WOMAN), Kristina Hallind, silent film star Billie Dove (acted with Karloff!), dear Celia Lovsky (Queen of Spock’s planet), Mrs. Pearl Farberow, Carla Laemmle, Florence Marly (QUEEN OF BLOOD), Bradbury’s 4 daughters, Linda Blair, Arban Qurelas, (Vampirella model), Mrs. Dragica Grabnar, Samanda Jeude (Big Heart), Janet Klein,Johanna Mattox, Calugula Cordero, Cecelia & Yolanda, Cleo “Nardat” Baldon, Marie Lecrevain, my collaborators Morojo, Tigrina, Pamela Keesey and Anne Hardin, Phyllis Farkas, Heidi Saha, Barbara Wrede, Nikki Fritz, Debbie Dutch, Deanna Lund, Coral Browne (Mrs. Vincent Price), Mrs. Ruth Byhower, Leslie F. Stone (“Women with Wings”), Jan Rader, Celeste DePinto, Leslie Colton, Pogo, “Winky” Cervon, “Carrot Top”, Mrs. Nicky Gold,Mrs Ruth Gordon, Mrs. Betty Farmer, Tilly Lund, Nancy Featherstone, Frau Inge Glass, Mrs. Dee Bowman, Marianne Ruuth, Mrs. Cynthia Goldstone, Mrs. Diana Harryhausen, Vanessa Harryhausen, Mrs. Anna Louise Germeshausen, Mary Trelawney, Mrs. Theresa Carducci, Mrs.“Lebosi” (Isobel backwards) Burbee, Mrs. Lonie Ward, Trudy Sweet, Sophie Von Buelow, Flo Steinberg, Diana Stanton, Ann Robinson, Barbara Leigh (“Original Vampirella”),Mrs. Janalies Smit (Holland), Mrs. Mary Ellen Rabioglatti Daugherty, Tammy Hajewski, Carol Lyn Kroger, Mrs. Liz Schindler, Mrs. Sam Russell,Grace Tabot, Elmer Perdue’s “sisto”, Shirley Wrede, Mrs. Lisa Deutsch Harrigan, Tanya Vinogradenko (Ukraine), Jill Taggart, Mrs. Mary Hershey, Mrs. Brigitte Nuetzel, “Tuffy Toenails” Nuetzell, Lucy Chase Williams, Susan Cabot (THE WASP WOMAN), Ray Cummings’ widow/author, Mrs. Linda Strawn (Strawn Bovee), Mrs. Sam Sherman, Mrs. Zeena Schreck, Mrs. Fariba Reemes, Mrs. Chris Etchison, Debbie Painter, Lisa Mitchell, Maria Camacho, “Xtine” Lyons, Olga Alings (my gradeschool heartthrob), Mrs. June Koblick, Mrs. Gloria McMillan, Jessie Lilley, dear dead deaf lesbian Christina, dear dead British lesbian, Jasmine Brzezinski, Cornelia Ilie, ‘Beamgirl’, Ingrid Zierhut, Chery Moormann, Pesia Wahrmann, Susan Barrows, Sheila Gavin, Nataljo Gebarski, Karen Barta,Rosemarie Baumgart, Gigi Porter, Torill (reincarnation of Marlene), Vanessa Koman, Mrs. Darcy Fernald, Mona Tizabi, Sandi, Diana Minsky, Gisele Strauss, ”Sleeveheart” Hess, Karen Shaub, Mrs. Madeleine Willis (Ireland), Mrs. Yvonne Gallet (France), Mrs. Ted Carnell (England), “Podkin” Sevrin, Val Anjoorian, Mrs. Mary Dziechowski, Mrs. Alex Kill (Luxembourg), Mrs. Len Moffatt, Mrs. Anthony Boucher, Mrs. Frank Quattrocchi, Stephanie Locke, Jennifer Brooks, “The Other Woman”, Lily Latte (Mrs. Fritz Lang), Sylvie Dizier (France), Heidi Gibson, Janet Malley, Raven O, Mrs. Jonie Knappenberger (Big Heart) & daughter, Mrs. Helen Urban, Mrs. Cynthia Goldstone, Heidi Gibson, Janet Malley, Mrs. Aliki Drebin, Kristen Deem, Mrs. Joanne Siegel, Mrs. Cylvia Margulies, Mrs. Ingrid Herzer, Mrs. John Tomerlin, Mrs. Mokie Phipps (Thailand), Frau Uschi Ernsting (Germany), Mrs. Sig (Perry Rhodan translator) Wahrman, Mrs. Mimi Wahrmann (Israel), Mrs. Antonella Ferarri (Italy), Mrs. Ruth Kyle and daughter Kerry, Coco Olson, Siddie Spurlock, Mrs. Hillary Kline, Mrs. Jessika White, “Winky” & “Louju” Cervon, “Glisten Lips”, Pierre Barbet’s wife and daighter, Katrinka Roberson, Katrina (last name escapes me—Slovakia), Zita Dittelova and sister (Slovakian Esperantists), French sf girl with 5 first names starting with Annette, rest forgotten (but not her charisma), “Jimmie” Laney, the O‘Brien sisters, Dianto & Lilio Chomette (native-born Esperanto sisters), Willis O’Brien’s widow Darlyne, Mrs. Leslyn Heinlein, Mrs. E. Everett Evans (Thelma Hamm), Elma Wentz, Mrs. Joan Temple, Svetlana Makaravich (Yugoslavia), Caroline Munro, Gloria Leroy, Sybil Jason, Quelou Parente (France), Gernsback’s widow, Jonne Evans, Ingrid Pitt,Mrs. “Liz” Fritch, Mrs. Margaret Borst, Mrs. Henrietta Siodmak, Mrs. Geo. Pal, Janrae Frank, Mrs. Paul Turner, Mrs. Helen Dewey, Sharane Yvala Dewey, Judai Dewey, Mrs. Peggy Crawford, Rebekah LeFevre, Elena Verdugo, Angeleque Pettyjohn, Miriam Dyches, Mrs. Melody Bond, Juan Camacho’s sister (Mexico), Yvette Vickers (ATTACK OF THE FIFTY FOOT WOMAN) and of course wife WENDAYNE. Thanks for the memories.

ON THE OTHER HAND, I WISH OUR PATHS HAD NEVER CROSSED: [Nope! No way! I took the liberty of removing this chunk of funk. You don't really wanna know if your name is on this naughty list or not. You think you do, but you don't. At the time this list was generated, older friends weren't around so often. Lots of new friends were appearing and becoming close with the Ackermonster. I don't want to titillate or torture you further, but suffice it to say, there are quite a few surprising names on this "sh*t" list. No, of course I'm not on it. Neither are you...right?]

When I received an inscribed foto from my favorite movie actress of the time, Kay Francis, my name looked so great in her handwriting that I adopted it for my signature and slavishly emulated her chirography till it morphed into mine. And eventually I had the great pleasure of meeting her and handing her a note reading, “Thank you for the use of your handwriting, it has served me well.”

I’m thinking back on the personalities I was fortunate to see during my lifetime: James Cagney (THE MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES), Fred Astaire (GHOST STORY), Ginger (THE l3th GUEST), Bob Crosby, Al Jolson’s brother Harry, Sophie Tucker (“Last of the Red Hot Mamas”),Texas Guinan (“Hello, Sucker!”), Don Rickles (INNOCENT BLOOD), Satchmo, Ida Lupino, Joel Gray (CABARET live: fabulous), Liza Minnelli, Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand (last performance), pianist Tschaikowski (spelling? Mother & I bored by his recital and left!), Edmund Lowe (CHANDU THE MAGICIAN), Mickey Rooney, Mary Pickford (SPARROWS), Edw.G. Robinson (FLESH AND FANTASY), Virgina Christine (THE MUMMY’S TOMB, “Mrs. Olson” on TV commercials), Marilyn Monroe, Dorothy Lamour, Deanna Durbin, Fannie Brice, Johnny Mathis, Geo. Jessel, Ray Charles, Paul Robeson,Roman Polanski, Steve Martin, Debbie Reynolds, Will Rogers & son, Buster Keaton (the Mexican Moon movie), Joan Crawford (Lon Chaney’s THE UNKNOWN), Loretta Young (Lon Chaney’s LAUGH,CLOWN, LAUGH, and I got my picture in Life magazine sitting in the row behind her in her Oscar-winning role as THE FARMER’S DAUGHTER), Mae Murray, Gloria Swanson, Mireille Matheu, Evangeline Walton, El Brendel (JUST IMAGINE), Frankie Albertson (JUST IMAGINE), Frank Herbert, Laurel & Hardy, the Nicholas bros., Patrick Macnee, Lyle Talbot (PLAN 9),Gloria Steinem,John Emery (KRONOS), Michael Mark (FRANKENSTEIN), Evangeline Walton, Chester Morris (SHE CREATURE), Glenn Ford, Franchot Tone (GABRIEL OVER THE WHITE HOUSE), Geo. Sanders (VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED), Harold Lloyd, Olsen & Johnson (GIFT OF GAB), Liz Taylor, Julie Andrews, Burl Ives, James Melton, Dick Powell (same birthdays), Tommy Dorsay, Ethel Merman, Chico Marx, Richard Burton, Katherine Hepburn, Robert Loggia (INNOCENT BLOOD), movie comedian team Karl Dane & Geo. K. Arthur, Mae West, Cary Grant (TOPPER), Jessie Matthews, Josephine Baker, Pia Zadora (SANTA CLAUS CONQUERS THE MARTIANS), first transsexual (name regretfully forgotten but he/she was a charming impressive individual—oops, just surfaced: Christine Jorgesen), Udo Kier (SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE), Gary Cooper (PETER IBBETSON), Chas. Boyer (LILIOM), John Hoyt (WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE), Harpo Marx, Candy Barr (notorious stripper), Geo. Raft, Ruth Donnelley, Heather Angel (BERKELEY SQUARE), Butch Patrick (MUNSTERS), Mario Racic Jr., Drew Barrymore (as a child), Roman Polanski (THE FEARLESS VAMPIRE KILLERS), Lilyan Tashman, Helen Gahagan (SHE), Tony Martin, Ronald Reagan, Raquel Welch (ONE MILLION YEARS B.C.), Joan Bennett (DARK SHADOWS), Singer Donovan, June Preisser & sister (specialty dancers in the Ziegfeld Follies), Sally Rand (famous Fan Dancer), Robert Mitchum, Jan Miljan, Michael Redgrave (DEAD OF NIGHT),Claudette Colbert (CLEOPATRA), Elissa Landi (THE l3th CHAIR), Hedy Lamarr (I got 2 words in Esperanto put in her film LADY OF THE TROPICS), Lupita Tovar (Spanish DRACULA), Murray Leinster, Aznavour.

AND TO SHAKE HANDS WITH Paul Henreid (BETWEEN TWO WORLDS), Marlene Dietrich, Maurice Chevalier, Geo. Burns, Frank Capra, Gustav von Seyffertitz, Maria Riva (Marlene’s daughter), son of Erich von Stroheim (THE CRIME OF DR. CRESPI), Walt Disney, Will & Auriel Durant, Mariel Hemingway (THE SUICIDE CLUB),Otis Adelbert Kline, Willy Ley, Maureen O’Sullivan (Tarzan’s Jane, LN-l8 of JUST IMAGINE), Billy Wilder, Ralph Milne Farley, John Boles (FRANKENSTEIN), James Arness (THE THING), Robt. Armstrong (KONG), Bruce Cabot (KONG), Sam Hardy (KONG), Merian C. Cooper (KONG), and when I met Joel McCrea of THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME I said a la Leslie Banks, “You have beaten me, Rainsford” and he replied, “Not yet!”, Cesar Romero (LOST CONTINENT), Lana Turner, Wm. Shatner (INCUBUS in Esperanto), Raul Roulien (IT’S GREAT TO BE ALIVE, WHEN YOU’RE THE LAST MAN ON EARTH), Paul Naschy (Spain’s primary horror star), Jean Parker (GABRIEL OVER THE WHITE HOUSE), Rod Serling, Rock Hudson (SECONDS), Mickey Rooney’s son Timmy (VILLAGE OF THE GIANTS), Nils Asther (THE MAN IN HALF-MOON STREET), Michael York (LOGAN’S RUN), Jackie Coogan (THE SPACE CHILDREN), Jackie Cooper (SUPERMAN), Buddy Rogers, Lee Remick (THE MEDUSA TOUCH), Turhan Bey (THE MUMMY’S TOMB), Robt. Culp (DEMON WITH THE GLASS HAND), June Kenney (ATTACK OF THE PUPPET PEOPLE),Frank Gorshin (ATTACK OF THE SAUCERMEN).

AND GOT TO MEET Anne Francis (FORBIDDEN PLANET), Sir Cedric Hardwicke (THINGS TO COME), Tony Perkins (PSYCHO), Walter Wanger (INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS), Jack Parsons, Steve Allen, Dennis Hopper (QUEEN OF BLOOD), Rod Steiger (THE ILLUSTRATED MAN), Larraine Day, Cary Guffey (CE3K child), Jack Finney (“The Body Snatchers”), Paul Kohner, Agnes Moorhead, Raymond Rohauer,C. Maclean Savage (“The Cosmic Courtship” in early Argosy), Billy Bob Thornton (SLING BLADE), Francis Lederer (a film Dracula), Patricia & son Forrest Murphy, Philip K. Dick, Talisa Soto (VAMPIRELLA), Jacqueline Bisset (THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE), Sybil Danning (BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS), Landell Bartlett, Walter Kateley, Criswell, Manly Hall (“The Smoky God”), Richard Arlen (THE ISLAND OF LOST SOULS), Ray Milland (THE MAN WITH X-RAY EYES), Yvette Mimieux (THE TIME MACHINE), Jameson Thomas (HIGH TREASON), artist Lawrence, Lon Chaney Sr.’s brother, Preston Foster (DR. X), the dear “blind girl” in FRANKENSTEIN AND THE MONSTER FROM HELL, Betty Rowland (stripper, “The Redheaded Ball of Fire”),Annie Sprinkles, Milica Korjas, Leslie Perri, Guy Endore (“The Day of the Dragon”).

SAW LIVE “Me and My Shadow” vaudevillian, “The Music Goes Down and Around” singer, “The Little White Cloud” theme song deaf singer (Johnny Ray), “Marta, Rambling Rose of the Wild Wood” singer (Arthur Tracy), Bobby Short, Rosalind Russell (NIGHT MUST FALL), Thurston the Magician, Siegfried & Roy, David Copperfield, the Mills Bros., Horace Height and His Band, “Racing with the Moon” band leader, Rube Wolf and His Orchestra, the Meglin Kiddies, Shirley Temple, Spanky McFarland, Fanchon & Marco stage shows, Ann Miller, Nick Lucas, Frances Langford, Elvis Presley (! sat next to him when he, stf author Bob Olsen & I were on a radio show), Virginia Weidler, Virginia O’Brien, Robt. Vaughn (TRANSYLVANIA TWIST), Mary Brian (silent PETER PAN), Pia Zadora (SANTA CLAUS CONQUERS THE MARTIANS), Kitty Natividad, Tempest Storm, Herb Jeffreys, Fifi Dorsay (NABONGA), Nicholas Nayfack (producer LOGAN’S RUN), Neil Hamilton (silent star; I’m sure he was in some genre film), Bettye Ackerman (FACE OF FIRE), Geo. Macready (THE HUMAN DUPLICATORS), Red Buttons, Jack Oakie, Lloyd Bridges (ROCKETSHIP X-M), Donna Martell (PROJECT MOONBASE), Monique Van Vooren, Jane Seymour (SOMEWHERE IN TIME).

Part 2 to follow...

(click here for part 2)

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