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May 28, 2020

Science Fiction & Fantasy Costume Contestants Posing at the 24th World Science Fiction Convention in Cleveland, 1966

The 24th World Science Fiction Convention, also known as Tricon, was held 1-5 September 1966 at the Sheraton-Cleveland in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. Officially, the convention was hosted by three cities in the region: Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Detroit, - hence the name “Tricon”.


The three co-chairmen of that Worldcon each represented their city’s fandom; they were Ben Jason of Cleveland, Howard DeVore of Detroit, and Lou Tabakow of Cincinnati. The guest of honor was L. Sprague de Camp and the toastmaster was Isaac Asimov. Of special note: Gene Roddenberry premiered the pilot episode for his TV series Star Trek at Tricon.

This collection is primarily comprised of photographs taken by Jay Kay Klein has he documented Science Fiction & Fantasy fandom at the 24th World Science Fiction Convention in Cleveland, Ohio. The majority of images were taken by Klein while attending Science Fiction & Fantasy conventions and events.

Jay Kay Klein (1931–2012) began reading Science Fiction at a young age and joined the Philadelphia Science Fiction Society at the age of 14. During his lifetime he was an avid photographer and amassed an extensive photograph collection of Science Fiction & Fantasy conventions and events. He was a writer, editor, and photographer for international corporate magazines and wrote missile acquisition radar systems and ICBM launch facilities manuals for the United States Air Force. He was also a member and contributor to First Fandom, Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA), and Analog. Throughout his life Klein lectured on Science Fiction as literature, social commentary, and as a window into the future.









































(Photos by by Jay Kay Klein)

23 comments:

  1. and the christian fundamentalist like gabe the street preacher make out this is something new.

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    1. Yeah...mental illness has clearly been around a looong time.

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    2. The late Rusty Hevelin, who was a mainstay of the con circuit, went to his first Sci-Fi convention in 1947, and I don't think it was actually the first one in the world.

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  2. Actually, Rusty's first con was Denvention in Denver, 1941. I have the honor of curating his collections at the University of Iowa Library's Special Collections - Peter Balestrieri

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  3. Mine is the next to last photo here. Thank you Jay Kay for making me immortal on the internet, lol. Also nice to remember that I was once "gorgeous."

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    1. Wow, you really were a knockout!

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    2. Nice, what was the inspiration for the costume?

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    3. Please identify your inspiration so we can expand the fandom? :-)
      (I feel like I should know so many of these... but can't quite)

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    4. I am in awe of your crafting skills. Constructing that bodice so flawlessly definitely took more skill than I have and I've been cosplaying in the modern day for 20 years. And yes, you looked beautiful in it!

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    5. Okay I am not anonymous, I am Robin Postal White. This comment section will not allow me to post as who I am, the joys of technology.
      And I am just old now, lol.
      I modelled the costume because the person whose costume it was got sick and they needed someone to fill in at the last moment.
      The costume sort of fit me though perhaps a size or two too small.
      But the audience did not seem to mind that at all!
      First and last standing ovation I ever got in my life.
      The costume was well made and the organizers thought it was a waste to Not show it. So I was co-opted to model it, so to speak.
      Sorry, I can't remember whose costume it was or what was the inspiration for it. I was young back then, as we all were, and "did as I was told" lol.
      But it was indeed an interesting experience.
      And the costume was shining green, a great color.
      Full color versions exist online probably in the LASFS collection or somewhere.
      So damn strange to be "part of the history of Fandom" and to probably be online forever. We really were just ordinary, though often brilliant people, back then. Being a nerd was NOT yet fashionable. :)

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  4. Stand at attention, for our Cosplay Forefathers!

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    1. Foremothers, mostly, lol. And as it should be.

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  5. I Dream of Jeannie with your navel showing. You were hot.

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  6. Are these the Calisphere photos from the University of California, Riverside Library Eaton Collection? That's where the majority of Jay Kay Klein's photos ended up.

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    1. Yes, these are from the Eaton collection. Jay Kay also left them a 3 million dollar bequest.

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    2. Have a link to the Tricon photos.
      https://calisphere.org/collections/26943/?q=&relation_ss=Tricon


      In the comments section for each photo Jerry Kaufman has been adding details, like the name of the individual.

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    3. I was at that con and I knew Jerry Kaufman.

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  7. Sent the link out to all sorts of people, and to File770.com ! Great photos of Robin Postal, Carol Pohl, Karen Anderson, Betsy Wollheim, Barbara Silverberg, many others.

    I was there, too—20 years old then...

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    1. Yes, Andy, we were about the same age. Many great Women in those photos even though we were still mostly appreciated for our bodies etc. back then.
      The more things change the more they stay the same although there does seem to be a little advancement. And now in the time of the Covid 19 pandemic, maybe things will really change, because they have to. Amazingly, we are still alive though in the high risk group. Many, in the "straight world" meaning NOT Fandom think we are expendable. Somehow, I don't feel that way quite yet! RPW

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  8. Hmmm... I'm suspicious that something is amiss here. The date of the convention is listed as 1-5 September 1966, but What Are Little Girls Made Of? did not air until October 20 1966.
    Edit or delete this

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    1. The article mentions that Gene Roddenberry premiered the Star Trek pilot at the convention (I'm assuming that means "Where No Man Has Gone Before" and not "The Cage".
      Could Roddenberry have arranged for some guests to wear costumes from the show as part of that? (Most series have several episodes ready in advance)

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    2. He actually did show "The Cage" at the convention after overwhelming response to "Where No Man Has Gone Before" - it was one of his famous B&W work prints.

      Yes, Roddenberry did arrange to have some guests wear costumes from the series to help promote it. What Are Little Girls Made Of? was shot at the end of July-Early August 1966. The 10th episode shot of the series. (8th in the production after the pilots)

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