John D. Clark

(August 15, 1907 – July 6, 1988)

John Drury Clark was a fan and pro who was born in Fairbanks, Alaska and lived in Schenectady in the ’30s before moving to New York and then Philadelphia.

Professionally, he was a chemist who worked at the Naval Rocket Test Station developing rocket fuels. (A good feeling for his style can be gotten from his book Ignition! on the heroic age of rocket fuels — of which he was a full participant.) After his first marriage ended in divorce, he married Inga Stephens, the widow of Fletcher Pratt.

He attended the Second Eastern States Science Fiction Convention and the 1938 Philadelphia Conference. He was active in the Hyborian Legion under the title of "Count of Poitain" and was one of the people responsible for the revival of interest in Heroic Fantasy and Robert E. Howard, in particular. He was also a member of the Trap Door Spiders.

He was instrumental in inspiring L. Sprague de Camp to begin a career as a pro writer. He also provided the scenario for (and edited) the Twayne Triplet Petrified Planet.

Awards, Honors and GoHships:

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Person

1907—1988

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