Difference between revisions of "Robert Bloch"

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(April 5, 1917 – September 23, 1994)
 
(April 5, 1917 – September 23, 1994)
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[[File:BlochBob1958.jpeg|thumb|left|'''Bob Bloch, 1958.''' ]]
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'''Robert Bloch''' was a major early [[fan]] and one of the people responsible for creating modern [[fandom]]. He also — ''very'' successfully — turned [[pro]].  He is best known for his 1959 novel ''Psycho'', which became the Alfred Hitchcock film of the same name.
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'''Robert Bloch''' was a major early [[fan]] and one of the people responsible for creating modern [[fandom]]. (He also — ''very'' successfully — turned [[pro]].  He is best known for his 1959 novel ''Psycho'', which became the Alfred Hitchcock film of the same name.)
  
 
He was born in [[Milwaukee]] and in 1935 joined the [[Milwaukee Fictioneers]].  He was an early and active member of [[Wisconsin Fandom]] and [[Midwest fandom]] before moving to [[LA]] around 1960. He was a member of [[FAPA]] and [[Vanguard]].  
 
He was born in [[Milwaukee]] and in 1935 joined the [[Milwaukee Fictioneers]].  He was an early and active member of [[Wisconsin Fandom]] and [[Midwest fandom]] before moving to [[LA]] around 1960. He was a member of [[FAPA]] and [[Vanguard]].  
  
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Bloch was one of the earliest pros to go on the [[Auction Bloch]].  He railed against the [[Beanie Brigade]].  He wrote for a large number of [[fanzines]] and some of his best [[fan writing]] was collected in ''[[The Eighth Stage of Fandom]]'', published in 1962 by [[Advent Publishers|Advent:Publishers]].  He was a perennial member of a poker game, at one installment of which he won [[Marty Greenberg]]'s shirt.
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Bloch railed against the [[Beanie Brigade]].  He wrote for a large number of [[fanzines]] and some of his best [[fan writing]] was collected in ''[[The Eighth Stage of Fandom]]'', published in 1962 by [[Advent Publishers|Advent:Publishers]].  He was a perennial member of a poker game, at one installment of which he won [[Marty Greenberg]]'s shirt.  
  
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Unfortunately for [[fandom]], after about 1960 he became so immersed in his professional career (see [[Vile Pro]]) that he had little time for [[fanac]], though he never forgot his [[fannish]] roots. He was a frequent [[Worldcon]] [[toastmaster]], [[Hugo]] presenter, or foil for his friends [[Isaac Asimov]] and [[Bob Tucker]].  He was heavily influenced by [[H. P. Lovecraft]] and was a member of the [[Lovecraft Circle]].
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Unfortunately for [[fandom]], after about 1960 he became so immersed in his professional career (see [[Vile Pro]]) that he had little time for [[fanac]], though he never forgot his [[fannish]] roots. Bloch was one of the earliest pros to go on the [[Auction Bloch]]. He was a frequent [[Worldcon]] [[toastmaster]], [[Hugo]] presenter, or foil for his friends [[Isaac Asimov]] and [[Bob Tucker]].  He was heavily influenced by [[H. P. Lovecraft]] and was a member of the [[Lovecraft Circle]].
  
 
His [[autobiography]], ''Once Around the Bloch: An Unauthorized Autobiography'' (1993), a glimpse of his writing career, from his [[correspondence]] with [[H. P. Lovecraft]] to his screen-writing career. Anecdotes recounted include ones about [[Ray Bradbury]] and Boris Karloff. It received a  [[1994 Best Non-Fiction Book Hugo]] nomination.  
 
His [[autobiography]], ''Once Around the Bloch: An Unauthorized Autobiography'' (1993), a glimpse of his writing career, from his [[correspondence]] with [[H. P. Lovecraft]] to his screen-writing career. Anecdotes recounted include ones about [[Ray Bradbury]] and Boris Karloff. It received a  [[1994 Best Non-Fiction Book Hugo]] nomination.  
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* [https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Image/IM64468 Portrait of Robert Bloch: Toilet and Rose,] one of many at the [https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records?terms=Robert+Bloch Wisconsin Historical Society.]
 
* [https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Image/IM64468 Portrait of Robert Bloch: Toilet and Rose,] one of many at the [https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records?terms=Robert+Bloch Wisconsin Historical Society.]
 
* Short description of Bloch in 1954 by [[Peter Vorzimer]] in ''[[Abstract]] #8'' p. 62.
 
* Short description of Bloch in 1954 by [[Peter Vorzimer]] in ''[[Abstract]] #8'' p. 62.
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* {{SFE|name=bloch_robert}}.
  
 
{{fanzines}}
 
{{fanzines}}
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* 1959 -- '''[[1959 Best Short Story Hugo]]''' for "That Hell-Bound Train"
 
* 1959 -- '''[[1959 Best Short Story Hugo]]''' for "That Hell-Bound Train"
 
* 1960 -- [[Big Heart Award]]
 
* 1960 -- [[Big Heart Award]]
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* 1971 -- [[DCON 1971]]
 
* 1973 -- '''[[Torcon 2]]'''
 
* 1973 -- '''[[Torcon 2]]'''
 
* 1974 -- [[Forry Award]]
 
* 1974 -- [[Forry Award]]
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* 1983 --  [[World Fantasy Convention 1983]]
 
* 1983 --  [[World Fantasy Convention 1983]]
 
* 1984 -- [[Special Committee Award]] at [[LAcon II]] for 50 years as an SF professional
 
* 1984 -- [[Special Committee Award]] at [[LAcon II]] for 50 years as an SF professional
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* 1985 -- [[Tropicon 4]], [[VCON 13]], [[Necronomicon '85]]
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* 1985 -- [[Tropicon 4]], [[VCON 13]], [[Necronomicon '85]], [[X-Con 9]]
 
* 1986 -- [[Boskone 23]], [[TusCon 13]]
 
* 1986 -- [[Boskone 23]], [[TusCon 13]]
 
* 1987 -- [[DeepSouthCon 25]]
 
* 1987 -- [[DeepSouthCon 25]]
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{{fancy2|text=
 
{{fancy2|text=
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The name of a [[vile pro]]. "Bloch is the Only True [[Ghod]]" was the gospel initiated by [[Vernon McCain]], who received the Revelation in 1955 but, Bloch reports, was singularly lax in sacrificing any virgins. "Bloch is Superb" is the motto of Blochists; its popularity reached horrid heights when [[Dick Ellington]] had a rubber-stamp made with this phrase and [[Jack Harness]] had a set of pencils blazoned with the slogan. (To date no authenticated instances of tattooing have been uncovered.) This traces back to a letter in which [[Walt Willis]] was supposed to have suggested making up a rubber stamp with that legend, an obvious timesaver when commenting on any fanzine with Bloch material in it. But [[Dean Grennell]], checking his back files, finds that in the original instance [[Walt Willis|Willis]]' words were "Bloch was brilliant. (Will you makes me a rubber stamp for this?)" [[all fandom was plunged into war|All fandom could be plunged into war]] [divided into two camps, the Superbists and the Brilliantinees] over a thing like this. In the mythology of congoing, Bloch, [[Erle Korshak|Korshak]], [[Esbach]] and [[Evans]] were an inseparable [[fannish]] poker group; this idea was invented and popularized by [[Bob Tucker]] in 1952.  
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The name of a [[vile pro]]. "'''Bloch is the Only True [[Ghod]]'''" was the gospel initiated by [[Vernon McCain]], who received the Revelation in 1955 but, Bloch reports, was singularly lax in sacrificing any virgins. "Bloch is Superb" is the motto of Blochists; its popularity reached horrid heights when [[Dick Ellington]] had a rubber-stamp made with this phrase and [[Jack Harness]] had a set of pencils blazoned with the slogan. (To date no authenticated instances of tattooing have been uncovered.) This traces back to a letter in which [[Walt Willis]] was supposed to have suggested making up a rubber stamp with that legend, an obvious timesaver when commenting on any [[fanzine]] with Bloch material in it. But [[Dean Grennell]], checking his back files, finds that in the original instance [[Walt Willis|Willis]]' words were "'''Bloch was brilliant'''. (Will you makes me a rubber stamp for this?)" [[all fandom was plunged into war|All fandom could be plunged into war]] [divided into two camps, the Superbists and the Brilliantinees] over a thing like this. In the mythology of [[con]]going, Bloch, [[Erle Korshak|Korshak]], [[Lloyd Eshbach|Esbach]] and [[E. E. Evans|Evans]] were an inseparable [[fannish]] poker group; this idea was invented and popularized by [[Bob Tucker]] in 1952.  
 
}}
 
}}
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{{Fancy2S|text= [[Dick Ellington]]'s rubber stamp says "Bloch was superb", not "is".  
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{{Fancy2S|text= [[Dick Ellington]]'s rubber stamp says "'''Bloch was superb'''", not "is".  
 
}}  
 
}}  
  

Latest revision as of 00:33, 21 October 2022

(April 5, 1917 – September 23, 1994)

Bob Bloch, 1958.

Robert Bloch was a major early fan and one of the people responsible for creating modern fandom. (He also — very successfully — turned pro. He is best known for his 1959 novel Psycho, which became the Alfred Hitchcock film of the same name.)

He was born in Milwaukee and in 1935 joined the Milwaukee Fictioneers. He was an early and active member of Wisconsin Fandom and Midwest fandom before moving to LA around 1960. He was a member of FAPA and Vanguard.

Bloch railed against the Beanie Brigade. He wrote for a large number of fanzines and some of his best fan writing was collected in The Eighth Stage of Fandom, published in 1962 by Advent:Publishers. He was a perennial member of a poker game, at one installment of which he won Marty Greenberg's shirt.

Unfortunately for fandom, after about 1960 he became so immersed in his professional career (see Vile Pro) that he had little time for fanac, though he never forgot his fannish roots. Bloch was one of the earliest pros to go on the Auction Bloch. He was a frequent Worldcon toastmaster, Hugo presenter, or foil for his friends Isaac Asimov and Bob Tucker. He was heavily influenced by H. P. Lovecraft and was a member of the Lovecraft Circle.

His autobiography, Once Around the Bloch: An Unauthorized Autobiography (1993), a glimpse of his writing career, from his correspondence with H. P. Lovecraft to his screen-writing career. Anecdotes recounted include ones about Ray Bradbury and Boris Karloff. It received a 1994 Best Non-Fiction Book Hugo nomination.

Bloch was married twice, to Marion Holcombe (1940–63), with whom he had a daughter, Sally Ann (who was briefly married to E. J. Gold), and later to Eleanor Alexander, whom he married in 1964.

Fanzines and Apazines:

Awards, Honors and GoHships:

From Fancyclopedia 2, ca. 1959
The name of a vile pro. "Bloch is the Only True Ghod" was the gospel initiated by Vernon McCain, who received the Revelation in 1955 but, Bloch reports, was singularly lax in sacrificing any virgins. "Bloch is Superb" is the motto of Blochists; its popularity reached horrid heights when Dick Ellington had a rubber-stamp made with this phrase and Jack Harness had a set of pencils blazoned with the slogan. (To date no authenticated instances of tattooing have been uncovered.) This traces back to a letter in which Walt Willis was supposed to have suggested making up a rubber stamp with that legend, an obvious timesaver when commenting on any fanzine with Bloch material in it. But Dean Grennell, checking his back files, finds that in the original instance Willis' words were "Bloch was brilliant. (Will you makes me a rubber stamp for this?)" All fandom could be plunged into war [divided into two camps, the Superbists and the Brilliantinees] over a thing like this. In the mythology of congoing, Bloch, Korshak, Esbach and Evans were an inseparable fannish poker group; this idea was invented and popularized by Bob Tucker in 1952.
From Fancyclopedia 2 Supplement, ca. 1960
Dick Ellington's rubber stamp says "Bloch was superb", not "is".
Person 1917—1994
This is a biography page. Please extend it by adding more information about the person, such as fanzines and apazines published, awards, clubs, conventions worked on, GoHships, impact on fandom, external links, anecdotes, etc. See Standards for People and The Naming of Names.

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