Fritz Leiber

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(December 24, 1910 – September 5, 1992)

Jonquil and Fritz Leiber in 1953, probably at the Worldcon, Philcon II.

Fritz Leiber, Jr., a writer of fantasy, horror and sf, was also a poet, an actor, a chess player and a champion fencer. He was one of the rare pros to have been a Worldcon goh twice, at Nolacon in 1951 and Seacon '79.


Fan[edit]

He had a long and close relationship with fandom. He was a member of the Hyborian Legion and of LASFS, an attendee at Centracon, and a contributor to Vorpal Glass and Amra. He was also one of the leaders of the Chicago: 1959 Worldcon bid.

He acted in the title role of a fannish fantasy film by Unicorn Productions, The Genie, in 1959, and helped compose at least one fannish musical.

Pro[edit]

His first fiction appeared in "The Churchman" for December 1, 1934, and he began selling to Unknown in 1939. He contributed to the Lovecraft mythos and wrote a Tarzan book endorsed by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc.

His most famous creations were the characters Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser. Leiber was a founding member of the Swordsmen and Sorcerers' Guild of America and coined the term Sword and Sorcery. His work was a big influence on the D&D game.

In 1962, Chicon III presented a special committee award to him and Hoffman Electronic Corporation for the use of SF in advertisements.

Personal Life[edit]

Leiber was born in Chicago, the son of two actors, the noted Shakespeareans, Fritz Leiber, Sr., and Virginia Bronson. He spent part of his youth acting in his parents’ troupe as well as in a few films, including with his father in RKO's The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939).

On January 16, 1936, he married Jonquil Stephens, a Welsh poet whom he’d met in 1933 while attending the University of Chicago. At her instigation, that fall they entered into a correspondence with H. P. Lovecraft that would be a great influence on Leiber. She was the inspiration for Conjure Wife and he put together a chapbook of poems of hers and others he had written to her, Sonnets to Jonquil and All (Roy A. Squires, publisher), in 1978.

They had one child, Justin Leiber, who also wrote sf. After Jonquil’s death in 1969, Leiber moved to San Francisco, where he struggled with alcoholism and barbiturate abuse; the situation inspired Our Lady of Darkness.

In 1992, the last year of his life, Leiber married his companion of 20 years, Margo Skinner (April 13, 1921–January 13, 1993), a journalist and poet.

He left some papers to the University of Houston, part of which form the Fritz Leiber Science Fiction & Fantasy Convention Flyers & Programs Collection. Other papers are at Lilly Library of Indiana University.

More[edit]

Fanzines and Apazines:

Awards, Honors and GoHships:


Person 1910—1992
This is a biography page. Please extend it by adding more information about the person, such as fanzines and apazines published, awards, clubs, conventions worked on, GoHships, impact on fandom, external links, anecdotes, etc. See Standards for People and The Naming of Names.

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