Dan McPhail

(January 22, 1916 – September 25, 1984)

Daniel Larance “Mac” McPhail was a prominent Oklahoma fan in the early days of SF fandom, having discovered eofandom in 1929. (See Most Senior Fan.) In grade school, he co-edited a proto-fanzine, The Original Idea, with Jim Speer (Jack Speer's older brother). He sometimes used the penname Lawrence Paschall.

He was a member of Fantasy Fans Fraternity, OCSFL (its founder), the Phantasy Legion, the JVPC, the TFG and the Boy's STF Club, among other clubs. In 1936, he was the founder and first president of the Oklahoma Scientifiction Association. He attended the OSA Pow-Wow.

He was an early member of FAPA (and the first VP), where he was part of the Progressive bloc and where he introduced the Mailing Comment. His FAPAzine was Rocket which was quickly re-titled Phantasy Press. He published the fanzines Science Fiction News (which may have been the first newszine) and Fan Facts, and wrote for several others. His publishing house was Choctaw Publications (his heritage was Choctaw).

In his Who's Who in Science Fiction Fandom entry, he reported: "My special interest is early fandom history." He was a member of First Fandom and wrote "Small Town Fan" for First Fandom Magazine #5 (February 1962). He invented Sodacon.

In 1940, he married Pauline Georgia Bradley (August 20, 1920–January 17, 1971). While in the army during World War II, he pubbed Mac's GI Journal. After the war, he gafiated, returning in 1953 when he discovered the existence of an Oklahoma club that was planning a con in Oklahoma City. He spoke at that event, and became revenant. He was married to M. Louise McPhail in the 1980s.

• The University of Iowa has made available a digitized collection of his letters.

• Early short biography in Who's Who in Fandom 1940, page 10.
• Obituaries:
  • November 1984 issue of Locus (No. 286).
  • File 770 49, p. 19.
• FamilySearch entry.

Fanzines and Apazines:

• Amateur Science Fiction Correspondent
• Fan Facts
• Mac's GI Journal [1944–45]
• The Original Idea (with Jim Speer)
• Rocket/Phantasy Press (for FAPA, some issues with M. Louise McPhail)
• Science Fiction News [1931–36]
• Stf and Nonsense [1938] (with Jack Speer)

From Fancyclopedia 1, ca. 1944

Lawrence Paschall – Pename of Dan McPhail, derived from his middle and mother's maidename.

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Person

1916—1984

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