Bruce Pelz
| Bruce Pelz | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Bruce Edward Pelz August 11, 1936 Kearny, New Jersey |
| Died | May 9, 2002 (aged 65) Los Angeles, California |
| Cause of death | Pulmonary embolism |
Bruce Edward Pelz (August 11, 1936 - May 9, 2002) was a US science fiction fan. He was highly active in the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society (LASFS) and a major SMOF, co-chairing the 30th World Science Fiction Convention. He also wrote filksongs and was a master costumer.
Pelz spent most of his childhood in New York State. He earned the rank of Eagle Scout. He went to college in Florida, where he developed an interest in spelunking (initially as an attempt to conquer claustrophobia) and encountered science fiction fandom for the first time.
In 1959 he moved to Los Angeles to study library science at the University of Southern California, and joined LASFS.
Pelz served at least two terms as LASFS President ("Director", or later "Procedural Director") and was Treasurer for nearly a decade, shepherding the club to ownership of its own building, an idea originally proposed by Paul Turner. Even after he retired from that position, he remained active on the corporate Board of Directors, serving as Chairman and later as corporate treasurer ("Comptroller"). He was a respected elder statesman of the club until his death in 2002.
Pelz came into fandom before the hobby had speciated, when fans commonly participated in many areas of the hobby. Pelz published general interest fanzines ("genzines") and newszines, assisting Ron Ellik with Starspinkle (1962–1964), then starting his own Ratatosk (1964–1968).
Pelz also became an omniapan, joining all fannish amateur press associations ("APAs"; hence "apians"; hence "omniapians") then in existence — FAPA, SAPS, OMPA, and The Cult, and later two local APAs: APA-F (published weekly at the alternating meetings of the Fanoclasts and FIStFA in New York City and APA-L (published weekly at LASFS and still ongoing). Even when a special "fractional" issue of APA-L was produced at a LASFS social event (a "Fanquet") without telling him, Pelz arrived with a fanzine to contribute, keeping his unbroken string. The only person with a longer unbroken string of contributions is Fred Patten, who has never missed an issue since APA-L was founded in 1964, even when in the hospital with pneumonia and later with a stroke.
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