MFS

The third meeting, on the front cover of Fantasite #2, February 1941. “Seated, left to right: Arden Benson and Squonch Foot, Charles Albertson, Oliver Saari, Ken Peterson, and Sam Russell. Standing: John Chapman, Clifford D. Simak, Carl Jacobi, Cyril Eggum, Douglas Blakely, and Ye Ed.”

The Minneapolis Fantasy Society was an influential Midwestern club most active in the 1940s. It formed when Clifford Simak arrived in Minneapolis and joined with remnants of the old Minneapolis SFL. The MFS was organized by Phil Bronson, Oliver Saari, Morrie Dollens, John Gergen, Samuel D. Russell, and Manson Brackney. The first meeting of the MFS was in 1937, but they did not meet again for three years. The second meeting was in November 29, 1940 at Simak's house and Simak was elected to be the first director with Oliver Saari as assistant. This time the group caught on and it met biweekly. It became part of the Mid-West Fantasy Fan Federation.

During World War II, Phil Bronson published Scienti-Comics, John Gergen produced the MFS Bulletin, and Morris Scott Dollens published The Fantasite. Other members included Redd Boggs, Gordon R. Dickson, Manse Brackney, Sam Russell. At its peak, there were 19 members.

As members went off to the War, the club slowly disorganized and became much less formal. (There was a temporary suspension of the group on May 8, 1942.) By 1944, even informal meetings were rare and the group disbanded in 1944.

In 1946, after World War II, the group was resurrected by Clifford Simak and John Chapman as Tomorrow, Inc., but by 1947, it was again the Minneapolis Fantasy Society. Poul Anderson and Rich Elsberry joined during this period.

On Labor Day, 1948, there was a conference at Oliver Saari's house attended by 16 local fans. Sometime in the early ’50s, it finally disbanded as a formal organization, but continued for decades as an informal group of friends.

With the demise of the MFS as an organization, a fannish void was created in Minneapolis lasting from the mid-1950s to the foundation of Minn-Stf in the late ’60s. Ruth Berman and some friends tried to start the Twin Cities Fantasy Society in the late 50s, but could not generate enough interest to keep it going for very long.

MFS members included: Poul Anderson, Redd Boggs, Manse Brackney, Phil Bronson, Theodore Cogswell, Gordon R. Dickson, Morris Scott Dollens, Rich Elsberry, John L. Gergen, Kenny Gray, John Grossman, Carl Jacobi, Noel Loomis, Bob Madsen, Dale Rostomily, Sam Russell, Oliver Saari and Clifford D. Simak.

Influence

They were the source of the Silly Story and such exciting fanspeak words as fout, nank, and Twonk's disease. They perpetrated InVention. Their “official” bheer was Grain Belt Premium.

MFS Publications included MFS Bulletin, Science-Fiction Goo and The Fantasite.

From Fancyclopedia 2, ca. 1959

The Minneapolis Fantasy Society. It seems to have been existent and producing Silly Stories back in 1938, but came into action in fandom only around 1942. They plugged for the convention after the Pacificon, and later for a centrally located con instead of the postponed Pacificon, but before the war had gone far for the USA began losing members to the armed forces and to Shangri-LA. Members often retained the MFS tag in addition to that of any new local they joined. MFS fans included Phil Bronson, Oliver Saari, Morrie Dollens, John Gergen, Samuel D. Russell, and Manson Brackney. They were altogether lovely, but slightly whacky. The club, which had died of absences in 1943, was revived in December 1946 by Cliff Simak and John Chapman, under the name of Tomorrow Incorporated; by 27 December 1947 another revival (under the old MFS name) was necessary. Dale Rostomily, Phil Bronson, Gergen, Simak, Carl Jacobi, Poul Anderson, Noel Loomis, Redd Boggs, Kenny Gray and Rich Elsberry were initiates. They specialized in heavy discussions and fangabbing; most had broadened interests beyond SF, which was the club's downfall. It ceased activities in the early 50s tho never officially dissolved.

From Fancyclopedia 1, ca. 1944

The Minneapolis Fantasy Society. It seems to have been existent and producing silly stories back in 1938, but came into action in fandom only around 1943. They plugged for the convention after the Pacificon, and later for a centrally located gathering instead of the postponed Pacificon, but before the war had gone far, began losing members to the armed forces and to Shangri-LA. As is usual, however, members retained the MFS tag in addition to any new local they joined. Members included Bronson, Saari, Dollens, Gergen, Russell, and Brackney. They are altogether lovely, but slitely wacky.

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Club

1937—????

This is a club page. Please extend it by adding information about when and where the club met, when and by whom it was founded, how long it was active, notable accomplishments, well-known members, clubzines, any conventions it ran, external links to the club's website, other club pages, etc. When there's a floreat (Fl.), this indicates the time or times for which we have found evidence that the club existed. This is probably not going to represent the club's full lifetime, so please update it if you can!