Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

internetworkers - Re: funny hats

internetworkers AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: ranaylor AT roundtheloop.com
  • To: internetworkers AT franklin.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: Re: funny hats
  • Date: 8 Nov 2000 13:33:09 -0800


I've just signed up and missed the latest meeting but I came across this
article regarding "Propheads" and couldn't resist continuing this thread.
After looking around the website and pix from you get togethers I look
forward to meeting you.


<bye the way>Hello All
Andy...

Here is an aside from an explanation regarding propheads.


Where Propheads Come From
We are obliged to Loren MacGregor, who mailed us with the following:
May 17, 2000

Just like to put in an aside to your exegesis on the origin of "prop head."
The use of propeller beanies as specific to science fiction fans was taken up
by Ray Nelson, a writer, cartoonist and fan, who used the imagery in his
cartoons for many years, adding a sardonic flavor to the idea. Since the idea
was that only young kids read science fiction, and swallowed the
pseudo-science whole, his cartoons featured gosh-wow, boy-o-boy enthusiasm
that was more than a little self-mocking.


Many of the people printing Ray Nelson cartoons in their fanzines grew up to
be the writers, editors and publishers of science fiction; still more became
the quintessential geeks of the burgeoning computer industry, and adopted the
mocking self-description. (It is probably no accident that the Mac splat is
also known as a propellor or beanie.)


Ray's cartoons were often used by veteran editor Terry Carr in his fanzines,
and Terry carefully hand-stencilled the art on mimeo masters, adding texture
and depth with carefully selected tools. Years later, when Terry was a senior
editor for Ace Books and the idea of a collection of Ray Nelson cartoons was
raised, Ray dutifully put together some of his original illustrations and
sent them off to Ace. Both he and Terry agreed that there was something
missing, and the project was cancelled. Years later, in telling the story,
Ray said, "I finally realized the missing piece -- the art wasn't
hand-stencilled by Terry Carr."


There, that's more than you wanted to know about prop heads, propeller
beanies, and the early years of science fiction fandom.

Best,

Loren MacGregor





On Tue, 07 November 2000, Steve Burnett wrote:

>
> On Tue, 7 Nov 2000 AlMaur777 AT aol.com wrote:
>
> > Speaking of funny hats, old time sci-fi fans (who sometimes pronounce
> > that
> > "skiffy") wore propeller beenies...
>
> As a footnote, the earliest referral I can find to this practice is Apollo
> Smith joining a rocketry research group at Caltech in 1936 under the
> direction of von Karman (members of this group went on to found JPL, as
> well as the Aerojet Corp that currently makes the space shuttle boosters)
> - "Smith was a Caltech student like [Frank] Malina, and regarded an
> eccentric since he constantly wore a pith helmet he modified by placing a
> cooling fan on top."
> Members of this team went on to, among other things, be active in the Los
> Angeles Science Fantasy Society about 1940, which included such SF
> attendees as Forrest J. Ackerman, Jack Williamson, A.E. Van Vogt, Ray
> Bradbury, Heinlein, (oh, and that scientology guy a bit later).
>
> regards,
> Steve Burnett, not-a-member-of-the-SMOF
> --
> ----------------------------------------------------------------
> Steve Burnett Admin, webslingerZ sburnett AT webslingerz.com
> http://www.webslingerz.com/sburnett
>
>
>
> ---
> Come and play at the InterNetWorkers Web site!
> http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/
> You are currently subscribed to internetworkers as:
> ranaylor AT roundtheloop.com
> To unsubscribe send a blank email to $subst('Email.Unsub')




Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page