Best New Horror #26, page 62
American animator Larry Latham died on November 2. He worked on numerous TV shows, including The World’s Greatest SuperFriends, Godzilla, Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo, The Smurfs and Challenge of the Go-Bots, and directed the direct-to-video movies An American Tail: The Treasure of Manhattan Island and An American Tail: The Mystery of the Night Monster. Latham also created the web comic Lovecraft is Missing (2008-14).
Canadian visual effects supervisor and documentary film-maker Michael Lennick died of a brain tumour on November 7, aged 61. He worked on the effects for such films as The Last Chase, David Cronenberg’s Videodrome, The Dead Zone and The Fly, Millennium and Earthquake in New York, along with episodes of Friday the 13th: The Series, My Secret Identity, War of the Worlds and The Adventures of Sinbad.
Hugely influential and successful American writer and producer Glen A. (Albert) Larson died of aesophageal cancer on November 14, aged 77. Amongst the many shows he created were Battlestar Galactica, The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Galactica 1980, Manimal, Automan, Knight Rider, The Highwayman and NightMan. Larson also scripted The Six Million Dollar Man: Wine Women and War, Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack, Conquest of Earth and Millennium Man, and he produced Team Knight Rider and episodes of McCloud (‘McCloud Meets Dracula’), B.J. and the Bear (‘A Coffin with a View’) and The Fall Guy (‘October the 31st’), all featuring John Carradine. Author Harlan Ellison infamously called him “Glen Larceny”, accusing him of stealing movie concepts for his TV shows, while James Garner reportedly got into a physical altercation with Larson after he copied scripts and the theme tune from The Rockford Files.
German-born Oscar-winning director Mike Nichols (Michael Igor Peschkowsky) died of a heart attack in New York on November 19, aged 83. His movie credits include Catch-22, The Day of the Dolphin, Wolf and What Planet Are You From?. Nichols was married to Diane Sawyer.
American film producer and former President of Paramount Pictures (1971-75) Frank Yablans died on November 27, aged 79. His credits include The Fury and Congo.
Oscar-winning special effects designer Danny Lee (Daniel West Lee) died on November 28, aged 95. Starting in 1960, he worked on numerous Walt Disney movies, eventually becoming head of the studio’s special effects department from 1969-81. Lee’s other films included Murderers’ Row and The Ambushers, and he was noted for his revolutionary use of synthetic blood squibs in the climax of Bonnie and Clyde (1967).
British cinematographer Gerry (Gerald) Hill died on December 2, aged 88. He began his career as a camera assistant and then operator on such films as Daughter of Darkness (1948), Tarzan’s Greatest Adventure, Suddenly Last Summer, The Road to Hong Kong, Night Must Fall (1964), Bunny Lake is Missing, Modesty Blaise (1966) and Casino Royale (1967). Hill went on to shoot Hamlet (1969), Malpertuis, Blind Terror (aka See No Evil), the short The Man and the Snake (based on the story by Ambrose Bierce), The Amazing Mr. Blunden, The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother, The Island of Dr. Moreau (1977), The Ninth Configuration, Wolfen, Highlander, Black Rainbow and The Exorcist III. He retired in 1998.
Italian screenwriter and director Giulio Questi died on December 3, aged 90. His films include Arcana, Death Laid an Egg and Vampirismus, and he also co-wrote the 1965 movie The Possessed. Questi’s TV episode L’umo della Sabbia (1981) was based on E.T.A. Hoffman’s story ‘The Sandman’.
Japanese cinematographer Takao Saitô died of chronic lymphocytic leukemia on December 6, aged 85. His credits include The Lost World of Sinbad and The Killing Bottle.
Hollywood art director Robert Kinoshita died of congestive heart failure on December 9, aged 100. Credited with designing the iconic “Robby the Robot” for Forbidden Planet (1956), “Tobor” for the TV pilot Here Comes Tobor and the “Robot” from TV’s Lost in Space (1965-68), Kinoshita began his career as a set designer on such movies as The Black Sleep and Pharaoh’s Curse, and the TV series Science Fiction Theatre. As an art director he worked on Roger Corman’s The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent, William Castle’s Macabre, The Six Million Dollar Man: Wine Women and War, Planet Earth and The Dead Don’t Die! (based on the story by Robert Bloch), along with the TV series Men Into Space, Lost in Space and Project U.F.O. Kinoshita was credited as an associate producer on The Phantom Planet (he was also production designer) and Al Adamson’s biker film Hell’s Bloody Devils. He and his wife were sent to a Japanese internment camp in Arizona during World War II, but were freed early thanks to a sponsor.
American producer Arthur Gardner (Arthur Harold Goldberg) died on December 19, aged 104. A former bit-player in such movies as Mr. Moto’s Gamble and The Brute Man, with Jules V. Levy and Arnold Laven he co-produced The Vampire, The Monster That Challenged the World, The Return of Dracula (aka The Fantastic Disappearing Man) and The Flame Barrier in the 1950s before moving into TV Westerns. Gardner was the last surviving cast member of All Quiet on the Western Front (1930).
87-year-old Roberta Leigh (Rita Shulman), best-selling British romance and children’s writer (under a variety of psuedonyms), died the same day. She sold more than 25 million books in twenty-three languages, but is best known for being the first British female producer with her own production company, creating such children’s TV puppet series as Torchy the Battery Boy and The Adventures of Twizzle (both with Gerry Anderson) and Space Patrol (aka Planet Patrol), along with the SF pilots Paul Starr and The Solarnauts. Leigh also founded the comic Fun’n’Games and the teen magazine Boyfriend.
Dependable American director Joseph Sargent (Giuseppe Daniele Sorgente) died of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on December 22, aged 89. A former actor, he directed One Spy Too Many, The Spy in the Green Hat, Colossus: The Forbin Project (based on the novel by D.F. Jones), The Man, The Night That Panicked America, Tomorrow’s Child, Nightmares, Jaws: The Revenge and Salem Witch Trials, along with episodes of TV’s The Man from U.N.C.L.E., The Girl from U.N.C.L.E., Star Trek, The Invaders and The Immortal.
Spanish cinematographer Raúl Artigot [Fernández] died on Christmas Day, aged 78. His many credits include Jesús Franco’s The Erotic Rites of Frankenstein and Les démons, along with The Cannibal Man, Horror of the Zombies, Perversión and El misterio de Cynthia Baird. Artigot also scripted and directed the 1972 film The Witches Mountain.
The death was announced in 2014 of veteran Spanish film editor Antonio Ramírez [de Loaysa]. His many credits include Face of Terror, Devil of the Desert Against the Son of Hercules, Vengeance of the Zombies, The Dracula Saga, The Vampires’ Night Orgy, The Night of the Sorcerers, Devil’s Possessed, Exorcismo and Island of the Damned (aka Would You Kill a Child?).
USEFUL ADDRESSES
THE FOLLOWING LISTING of organisations, publications, dealers and individuals is designed to present readers and authors with further avenues to explore. Although I can personally recommend many of those listed on the following pages, neither the publisher nor myself can take any responsibility for the services they offer. Please also note that the information below is only a guide and is subject to change without notice.
—The Editor
ORGANISATIONS
The Australian Horror Writers Association (www.australianhorror.com) is a non-profit organisation that was formed in 2005 as a way of providing a unified voice and a sense of community for Australian writers of dark fiction, while helping the development and evolution of this genre within Australia. They also publish an excellent magazine, Midnight Echo, and offer a mentor programme, critique group and short story competitions. Email: ahwa@ australianhorror.com
The British Fantasy Society (www.britishfantasysociety.org/www.fantasycon .co.uk) was founded in 1971 and publishes the BFS Journal, featuring articles, interviews and fiction, along with occasional special books only available to members of the Society. Run by volunteers, the BFS also enjoys a lively online community—there is an Email news-feed, a Facebook community, a forum with numerous links, and a CyberStore selling various publications. FantasyCon is one of the UK’s friendliest conventions and there are social gatherings and meet-the-author events organised around Britain. For yearly membership details, Email: secretary@britishfantasysociety.org
The Friends of Arthur Machen (www.arthurmachen.org.uk) is a literary society whose objectives include encouraging a wider recognition of Machen’s work and providing a focus for critical debate. Members get a hardcover journal, Faunus, twice a year, and also the informative newsletter Machenalia. For membership details, contact Jon Preece, 9 Ridgeway Drive, Newport, South Wales NP20 5AR, UK (machenfoam@yahoo.co.uk).
The Friends of the Merril Collection (www.friendsofmerril.org/) is a volunteer organisation that provides support and assistance to the largest public collection of science fiction, fantasy and horror books in North America. Details about annual membership and donations are available from the website or by contacting The Friends of the Merril Collection, c/o Lillian H. Smith Branch, Toronto Public Library, 239 College Street, 3rd Floor, Toronto, Ontario M5T 1R5, Canada. Email: ltoolis@tpl.toronto.on.ca
The Horror Writers Association (www.horror.org) is a world-wide organisation of writers and publishing professionals dedicated to promoting the interests of writers of Horror and Dark Fantasy. It was formed in the early 1980s. Interested individuals may apply for Active, Affiliate or Associate membership. Active membership is limited to professional writers, although a recent change in the bylaws allows self-published work to qualify authors for membership under certain conditions. HWA publishes a monthly online Newsletter, and sponsors the annual Bram Stoker Awards and StokerCon.
World Fantasy Convention (www.worldfantasy.org) is an annual convention held in a different (usually American) city each year, oriented particularly towards serious readers and genre professionals.
World Horror Convention (www.worldhorrorsociety.org) is a smaller, more relaxed, event. It is aimed specifically at horror fans and professionals, and held in a different city (usually American) each year.
SELECTED SMALL PRESS PUBLISHERS
The Alchemy Press (www.alchemypress.co.uk)
American Fantasy Press (www.americanfantasypress.com), 919 Tappan Street, Woodstock, Illinois 60098, USA.
Bad Moon Books/Eclipse (www.badmoonbooks.com), 1854 W. Chateau Avenue, Anaheim, CA 92804-4527, USA.
BearManor Media (www.bearmanormedia.com), PO Box 1129, Duncan, OK 73534-1129, USA.
Bibliofear, 13 Macclesfield Road, London SE25 4RY, UK.
BigTime Books (www.bigtimebooks.com).
Black Dog Books (www.blackdogbooks.net), 1115 Pine Meadows Ct., Normal, IL 61761-5432, USA. Email: info@blackdogbooks.net
Borderlands Press (www.borderlandspress.com), POB 61, Benson, MD 21018, USA.
The Borgo Press (www.wildsidebooks.com).
Cemetery Dance Publications (www.cemeterydance.com), 132-B Industry Lane, Unit #7, Forest Hill, MD 21050, USA. Email: info@cemeterydance.com
Chaosium, Inc (www.chaosium.com).
ChiZine Publications (www.chizinepub.com). Email: info@chizinepub.com
Chômu Press (info@chomupress.com), 70 Hill Street, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1TW, UK. Email: info@chomupress.com
Crowded Quarantine Publications (www.crowdedquarantinepublications .co.uk), 34 Cheviot Road, Wolverhampton, West Midlands WV2 2HD, UK.
Cycatrix Press (www.jasunni.com), JaSunni Productions LLC, 16420 S.E. McGillivray Blvd., Ste 103-1010, Vancouver, WA 98683, USA. Email: jasunni@jasunni.com
Dark Horse Books (www.darkhorse.com), 10956 SE Main Street, Milwaukie, OR 97222, USA.
Dark Moon Books (www.darkmoonbooks.com), 13039 Glen Ct., Chino Hills, CA 91709-1135, USA. Email: eric.guignard@gmail.com
Dark Regions Press LCC (www.darkregions.com), 6635 N. Baltimore Ave. STE 241, Portland, OR 97203, USA.
Dark Renaissance Books (www.darkrenaissance.com), 315 Paige Court, Colusa, CA 95932, USA. Email: darkrenbook@gmail.com
Donald M. Grant, Publisher, Inc. (www.grantbooks.com), 19 Surrey Lane, PO Box 187, Hampton Falls, NH 03844, USA.
DreamHaven Books (www.dreamhavenbooks.com), 2301 East 38th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55406, USA.
Earthling Publications (www.earthlingpub.com), PO Box 413, Northborough, MA 01532, USA. Email: earthlingpub@yahoo.com
Edge Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing/Hades Publications, Inc. (www.edgewebsite.com), PO Box 1714, Calgary, Alberta T2P 2L7, Canada. Email: publisher@hadespublications.com
Edgeworks Abbey (www.harlanellisonbooks.com).
Egaeus Press (www.egaeuspress.com). Email: egaeuspress@gmail.com
Ex Hubris Imprints (www.pstdarkness.wordpress.com). Email: postscripts2 darkness@gmail.com
Exile Editions Ltd. (www.exileeditions.com), 144483 Southgate Road 14—GD, Holstein, Ontario, N0G 2A0, Canada.
Fedogan & Bremer Publishing LLC (fedoganandbremer.com), 3918 Chicago Street, Nampa, Idaho 83686, USA.
Gray Friar Press (www.grayfriarpress.com), 9 Abbey Terrace, Whitby, North Yorkshire Y021 3HQ, UK. Email: gary.fry@virgin.net
Hippocampus Press (www.hippocampuspress.com), PO Box 641, New York, NY 10156, USA. Email: info@hippocampuspress.com
IDW Publishing (www.idwpublishing.com), 5080 Santa Fe Street, San Diego, CA 92109, USA.
Immanion Press (www.immanion-press.com), 8 Rowley Grove, Stafford ST17 9BJ, UK. Email: info@aimmanion-press.com
Innsmouth Free Press (www.innsmouthfreepress.com).
JournalStone (www.journalstone.com)
Kymera Press, Inc. (www.gatesofmidnight.com).
The Limbury Press (www.limburypress.co.uk), 43 Neville Road, Limbury, Luton, Beds LU3 2JG, UK. Email: info@limburypress.co.uk
McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers (www.mcfarlandpub.com), Box 611, Jefferson, NC 28640, USA.
Medallion Press, Inc. (www.medallionmediagroup.com).
Mortbury Press (mortburypress.webs.com/), Shiloh, Nantglas, Llandrindod Wells, Powys LD1 6PD, UK. Email: mortburypress@yahoo.com
Mythos Books, LLC (www.mythosbooks.com), 351 Lake Ridge Road, Poplar Buff, MO 63901, USA.
NewCon Press (www.newconpress.co.uk).
Noose and Gibbet Publishing/Karoshi Books (www.nooseandgibbet publishing.com). Email: info@nooseandgibbetpublishing.com
Nightjar Press (nightjarpress.weebly.com), 63 Ballbrook Court, Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 3GT, UK.
Night Shade Books (www.nightshadebooks.com), 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018, USA.
Overlook Connection Press (www.overlookconnection.com), PO Box 1934, Hiram, Georgia 30141, USA. Email: overlookcn@aol.com
Pleasant Storm Entertainment, Inc. (www.pleasantstorm.com).
Plexus Publishing, The Studio, Hillgate Place, 18-20 Balham Hill, London SW12 9ER, UK.
Prime Books (www.prime-books.com), PO Box 83464, Gaithersburg, MD 20883, USA. Email: prime@prime-books.com
PS Publishing Ltd/Stanza Press/Drugstore Indian Press/PS ArtBooks Ltd (www.pspublishing.co.uk), Grosvenor House, 1 New Road, Hornsea HU18 1PG, UK. Email: editor@pspublishing.co.uk
Salt Publishing (www.saltpublishing.com), 12 Norwich Road, Cromer, Norfolk NR27 0AX, UK.
Sarob Press (sarobpress.blogspot.com), La Blinière, 53250, Neuilly-le-Vendin, France.
Shadow Publishing (www.shadowpublishing.webeasysite.co.uk/), 194 Station Road, Kings Heath, Birmingham B14 7TE, UK. Email: david.sutton986 @btinternet.com
Small Beer Press (www.weightlessbooks.com), 150 Pleasant Street #306, Easthampton, MA 01027, USA. Email: info@smallbeerpress
Spectral Press (spectralpress.wordpress.com), 5 Serjeants Green, Neath Hill, Milton Keynes, Bucks MK14 6HA, UK. Email: spectralpress@gmail.com
Spectre Press, 56 Mickle Hill, Sandhurst, Berkshire GU47 8QU, UK. Email: jon.harvey@talktalk.net
Subterranean Press (www.subterraneanpress.com), PO Box 190106, Burton, MI 48519, USA. Email: subpress@gmail.com
Tachyon Publications (www.tachyonpublications.com), 1459 18th Street #139, San Francisco, CA 94107, USA. Email: tachyon@tachyonpublications.com
Tartarus Press (www.tartaruspress.com), Coverley House, Carlton-in-Coverdale, Leyburn, North Yorkshire DL8 4AY, UK. Email: tartarus@ pavilion.co.uk
Ticonderoga Publications (www.ticonderogapublications.com), PO Box 29, Greenwood, Western Australia 6924.
Turtle Point Press (www.turtlepointpress.com).
Valencourt Books (www.valancourtbooks.com).
Wildside Press LLC (www.wildsidebooks.com).
Written Backwards (www.nettirw.com).
SELECTED MAGAZINES
Ansible is a highly entertaining monthly SF and fantasy newsletter/gossip column edited by David Langford. It is available free electronically by sending an Email to: ansible-request@dcs.gla.ac.uk with a subject line reading “subscribe”, or you can receive the print version by sending a stamped and addressed envelope to Ansible, 94 London Road, Reading, Berks RG1 5AU, UK. Back issues, links and book lists are also available online.
Black Static (www.ttapress.com) is the UK’s premier horror fiction magazine, produced bi-monthly by the publishers of Interzone. Six- and twelve-issue subscriptions are available, along with a new lifetime subscription, from TTA Press, 5 Martins Lane, Witcham, Ely, Cambs CB6 2LB, UK, or from the secure TTA website. Email: andy@ttapress.com
Dark Discoveries (www.darkdiscoveries.com) has a new Editor-in-Chief and publishes fiction, interviews and non-fiction quarterly. JournalStone Publications, 1261 Peachwood Court, San Bruno, CA 94066, USA. Email: christopherpayne@journelstone.com
The Ghosts & Scholars M.R. James Newsletter (www.pardoes.info/ roanddarroll/GS.html) is a scholarly journal published roughly twice a year. It is dedicated to the classic ghost story and, as the title implies, to M.R. James in particular. Two-issue subscriptions are available from Haunted Library Publications, c/o Flat One, 36 Hamilton Street, Hoole, Chester CH2 3JQ, UK. Email: pardos@globalnet.co.uk
