extract from a letter from ROG PEYTON to LES FLOOD, June 2004Your name came up in a discussion on the internet regarding
Tolkien, Worldcon 57, the International Fantasy Award and Forry Ackerman, as
the ONLY person who can answer a very important question. Someone involved in the making of a film about Tolkien has
contacted the SF world for details of the Hugo Award that Tolkien won in 1957
and that was allegedly presented to Tolkien by Forry Ackerman at the
Convention. We have informed them that he NEVER won a Hugo and that what he won
was the International Fantasy Award. But they are adamant that he won a Hugo in
1957 and intend to go ahead with that ‘fact’ and intend to reconstruct the
scene in their movie. We have established that: 1) Tolkien won the International Fantasy Award in 1957 -
chosen by a committee of which you were a prominent member, perhaps even
chairman. 2) The award was presented at the Criterion Club in
Piccadilly either during the Worldcon weekend or shortly afterwards. It appears
the award was given by a body called The Science Fiction Luncheon Club
comprised initially of John Wyndham, Frank Cooper, Ken Chapman and yourself.
Clemence Dane gave a speech. Did she present the Award? Or was it John Wyndham,
as someone else has suggested? 3) Forry is positive that he did NOT present ANY award to
Tolkien. He remembers meeting Tolkien but not at the convention. Possibly at
the Criterion but he only remembers talking about filming THE LORD OF THE
RINGS. Can you add anything to the above? And answer the following? 1) Are the above facts true? 2) Was the IFA that year connected in any way to the
Worldcon? 3) Was his award the same rocket as the Hugos themselves? I know that this is a long time ago, Les, but anything you
can confirm or deny or even add to would be very welcome. |
reply from LES FLOOD to the letter above - July 2004On Feb. 3rd, 2002, prompted by the movie success I had
written to the editor of "Starburst” magazine about the International Fantasy
Award noting that Tolkien’s book LORD OF THE RINGS was the winner in the
fiction category in 1957 and that, at a dinner given in honour of JRR (who was
accompanied by his friend C.S. Lewis — both good ale-drinkers and fellow Oxford
dons) I had the privilege of presenting him with the trophy. As you know these were in the form of a traditional
pre—STrek style spaceship on a plinth with a cigarette-lighter (quite
inappropriate really for some of the previous winning titles). Anyway — he was
a pipe-smoker and although for instance Arthur C. Clarke had appreciated his
when I also presented it to him for the 1952 non-fiction winner, THE
EXPLORATION OF SPACE (I have a photograph of this) I mentioned noting the
rather bemused expression on Tolkien’s when I did so (no photographer on that
occasion). As a matter of interest, when I told this story to an sf.
convention in Warsaw where I was co-guest of honour with Jim White I made the
Polish audience smile. This event was chronicled, but the only Engñish press
cutting I ever found about the IFA ceremony was about a previous one in
John o'London’s Weekly for Sept. 11th, 1953. Incidentally Forrie Ackerman did receive the first 1951
fiction award on behalf of George A. Stewart’s EARTH ABIDES at the Royal hotel
in London. Also incidentally — I never did get a reply from “Starburst”
— a sobering thought — apart from FJA and ACC I am the only survivor of the IFA
crowd (83 next birthday!) So to answer your questions: - first three 1 -True 2-. Mostly true except that it was me that made the
presentation, and not Ackerman. And I was secretary and as well as doing most
of the work, also had a great influence on the choices. 3- True - second three 1- True 2. No. 3. True |