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Witchcraft & Sorcery Convention Los Angeles 1973 (Comic Related)
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Started by NoMan,

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NoMan

NoMan

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I work on movie sets. Often times between long takes there is not much to do so one entertains oneself by looking through Set Decoration stuff. For example, an office set would have lots of files stuffed with papers, you know, like a real office. The papers are incredibly random stuff from where the Set Dec. Department gets them I have no clue: Court Papers, private letters, old bills, etc. The other day stuffed in a file I found a flyer for the Witchcraft & Sorcery Convention 1973 (along with a bunch of papers from the Count Dracula Society dated 1974).

 

 

According to the flyer for the Witchcraft & Sorcery Convention it was held October 19 - 22 1973 at the Biltmore Hotel 515 South Olive Street, Los Angles. Cost to attend was $2.50. Display Tables were $20.00. Attending were: Ray Bradbury (autograph session Sat. 2-4pm) Also attending were "Noted TV Personality" Seymour. (no last name) A banquet for Ray Bradbury was Sunday at a cost of $8.50. Also attending were Bob Clampett who presented "new color slides from a trailer made in the 30s by Clampett and Edgar Rice Burroughs of the exploits of John Carter of Mars."

 

On Saturday at 10pm was a panel of horror and science fiction films with Dr. Donald Reed, Barry Atwater (of Nightstalker fame); William Marshall (Blacula); John Agar (many famous fantasy films); Frank Salestri (producer); Rich Correll (actor-producer); John Landis (Producer); Ben Burtt, Jr. (producer).

 

There were movies shown including "Brazilian Film Expert Norbert F. Novotny, discussing the art of translating and dubbing monster movies.

 

There was a comic panel including Jack Kirby, Russ Manning, Carmine Infantino, Mike Royer, Terry Stroud, and Bob Clampett.

 

There was a fantasy art show.

 

Other speakers: A. E. van Vogt, famous s.f. writer; George Clayton Jonson, Star Trek Scripter; Don Glut, authority on Frankenstein; Ken Kruger, publisher; occult team, Jan & Mallory; Victoria Vandertuin, psychometry, Leo Quintanar, parapsychology; Jack Horner, reincarnation.

 

Exhibit room contained: Books, Magazine, paintings, comics, sculptures, jewelry, occult supplies, psychic divinations, etc. "This is the place to purchase those collector items."

 

There was a coronation pageant to "crown a Queen Witch and King Sorcerer" on Friday night.

 

There were ESP Experiments with audience participation in extrasensory perception with a Psychometry Demonstration.

 

Other Guests: Kirk (Superman) Alyn, Wendayne Ackerman, Robert Bloch, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Stu Byrne, Criswell (Predicts), D.C. Fontana, June Foray, Henry Hasse, E. Mayne Hull, Walter Koenig, C.L. Moore, Emil Peta Ja, Terri & Tom Pinckard, Frank Robinson, Ross Rocklynne, Bill Stout, Fred Whitledge.

 

The Biltmore Hotel offered rooms for $18.00 (single) $23.00 (Doubles) only if you mention Witchcraft and Sorcery Convention.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by NoMan
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NoMan

NoMan

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An internet search revealed that Witchcraft and Sorcery was a magazine in LA that came from the ashes of a magazine called Coven 13. I think the convention was the brainchild of Witchcraft and Sorcery editor

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NoMan

NoMan

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It's interesting to note that the only thing John Landis was known for at that time was his film Schlock.

 

Am I the only one here that visited Forest Ackerman (in the early 90s) and was taken down to his "Acker Museum" in his Hollywood Hill's home? His wife wouldn't let him have the horror stuff upstairs. It was an amazing space: props from 1925 film Metropolis,a letter with a story from 11 year old Stephen King.

 

Wonder what happened to all that stuff.

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Robot Man

Robot Man

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I work on movie sets. Often times between long takes there is not much to do so one entertains oneself by looking through Set Decoration stuff. For example, an office set would have lots of files stuffed with papers, you know, like a real office. The papers are incredibly random stuff from where the Set Dec. Department gets them I have no clue: Court Papers, private letters, old bills, etc. The other day stuffed in a file I found a flyer for the Witchcraft & Sorcery Convention 1973 (along with a bunch of papers from the Count Dracula Society dated 1974).

 

 

According to the flyer for the Witchcraft & Sorcery Convention it was held October 19 - 22 1973 at the Biltmore Hotel 515 South Olive Street, Los Angles. Cost to attend was $2.50. Display Tables were $20.00. Attending were: Ray Bradbury (autograph session Sat. 2-4pm) Also attending were "Noted TV Personality" Seymour. (no last name) A banquet for Ray Bradbury was Sunday at a cost of $8.50. Also attending were Bob Clampett who presented "new color slides from a trailer made in the 30s by Clampett and Edgar Rice Burroughs of the exploits of John Carter of Mars."

 

On Saturday at 10pm was a panel of horror and science fiction films with Dr. Donald Reed, Barry Atwater (of Nightstalker fame); William Marshall (Blacula); John Agar (many famous fantasy films); Frank Salestri (producer); Rich Correll (actor-producer); John Landis (Producer); Ben Burtt, Jr. (producer).

 

There were movies shown including "Brazilian Film Expert Norbert F. Novotny, discussing the art of translating and dubbing monster movies.

 

There was a comic panel including Jack Kirby, Russ Manning, Carmine Infantino, Mike Royer, Terry Stroud, and Bob Clampett.

 

There was a fantasy art show.

 

Other speakers: A. E. van Vogt, famous s.f. writer; George Clayton Jonson, Star Trek Scripter; Don Glut, authority on Frankenstein; Ken Kruger, publisher; occult team, Jan & Mallory; Victoria Vandertuin, psychometry, Leo Quintanar, parapsychology; Jack Horner, reincarnation.

 

Exhibit room contained: Books, Magazine, paintings, comics, sculptures, jewelry, occult supplies, psychic divinations, etc. "This is the place to purchase those collector items."

 

There was a coronation pageant to "crown a Queen Witch and King Sorcerer" on Friday night.

 

There were ESP Experiments with audience participation in extrasensory perception with a Psychometry Demonstration.

 

Other Guests: Kirk (Superman) Alyn, Wendayne Ackerman, Robert Bloch, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Stu Byrne, Criswell (Predicts), D.C. Fontana, June Foray, Henry Hasse, E. Mayne Hull, Walter Koenig, C.L. Moore, Emil Peta Ja, Terri & Tom Pinckard, Frank Robinson, Ross Rocklynne, Bill Stout, Fred Whitledge.

 

The Biltmore Hotel offered rooms for $18.00 (single) $23.00 (Doubles) only if you mention Witchcraft and Sorcery Convention.

 

 

 

 

 

Wow, the good old days. What a line up of guests. No charge for autographs either. Not many of those people still around. I still see Stroud and Stout all the time in my travels.

 

I was also one of the lucky ones who got a private tour of Forrey's house/museum. Two things I remember most was the Karloff mask and Dracula ring. Good times!

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NoMan

NoMan

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I've been to the Biltmore Hotel, it's a scary place. Alot of bad things( murders,crimes)have happened there.

 

The Biltmore is scary? I'm there about twice a month (My other hobby is Los Angeles street photography and the Biltmore is a good place to eat and

use the bathroom while in downtown) and I've never found it scary.

 

You sure you're not thinking of the Cecil Hotel on Main? Or the Roslyn on 5th?(Someone jumped out the window of the Roslyn about a week ago and a women died in the water tank of the Cecil about a year ago after being recorded on surveillance video acting as if she was chased by imaginary things.) Richard Ramerizez (Night Stalker serial killer) lived at the Cecil, also.

 

Although, I'm not sure why you would be in the Cecil or the Roslyn unless one were truly going native in one's ethnographic/sociological studies.

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SabuCat

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As it happens, I attended the Witchcraft & Sorcery Convention in 1972 at the Biltmore; the 1973 meet was the third one. I recall seeing Spielberg's "Duel" (which had a theatrical release outside of the U.S., but ran on television here) as well as John Landis's "Schlock". You mentioned the "Dracula Society" paperwork you had; that's likely because Don Reed was involved in both of these ventures. Here's a scan of the program:

https://www.scribd.com/document/423036757/Witchcraft-and-Sorcery-Convention-1972

 

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