Forrest J Ackerman died Thursday. Ackerman was the B-movie High Hefner of Horror and King of sci-fi/pop culture. I first heard of him when an archivist friend showed me a copy of Famous Monsters of Filmland and told me that not only had Ackerman invented the term sci-fi but he preferred to speak in Esperanto. Then and there I was determined to visit his so called Ackermansion in the “Horrorwood Hills.” To be clear, I’m not into collectibles or paraphernalia in any sense be it movie posters or cut crystal but meeting with crazed collectors is bit of an obsession.

The mansion was located as you might have guessed in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles. So half in the bag one afternoon in late 80’s I drove out there. I grabbed some beers and my friend Jan and we made the tour. Mr. Ackerman could not have been more swell, a kook no doubt but a sharp and engaging nut case. He told me he had even been in Michael Jackson’s Thriller video while I asked pertinent questions like who’s responsible for dusting all this crap.

The old capes and masks and miniature monster sets felt like the trappings of a grandfather’s childhood. An enthusiasm a bit queer but nonetheless infectious. Back in the car Jan showed me something she had taken from the house, a yellowish centimeter thick arc of ancient nail, an old toenail clipping. Immediately, I thought holy shit she’s stolen a bit of Béla Lugosi or Vincent Price but Jan assured me she’d found it in the bathroom and that it had to be from the hoof of Ackerman himself. As we started in again on the warm beers of the car’s floorboard, Jan couldn’t have been more thrilled with her find. To be honest it made me sort of happy too and was proof positive that collectors know no bounds. Maybe today we could clone a new Ackerman cause you couldn’t just make this guy up. I gotta get that toenail back the world needs more fun guys.

RIP Forrest J Ackerman

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