Lee Hoffman, born Shirley Bell Hoffman, (August 14, 1932, Chicago, Illinois - February 6, 2007, Port Charlotte, Florida) was an American science fiction fan, an editor of early folk music fanzines, and an author of science fiction, Western and romance novels.
From 1950 to 1953, she edited and published the highly-regarded science fiction fanzine, Quandry. In November 1951, she began publication of Science-Fiction Five-Yearly, which has appeared regularly for 55 years. The last issue in 2006 ran 58 pages and won the Hugo Award for Best Fanzine at the Nippon 2007 Worldcon). She was briefly married to editor Larry Shaw from 1956 to 1958, and she was the assistant editor on the science fiction magazines he edited, Infinity Science Fiction and Science Fiction Adventures. During that same time, she began editing and publishing her folk music publications, Caravan and Gardyloo, which found a readership through Izzy Young's Folklore Center as the folk music scene expanded during the late 1950s. She received nominations for the 1951 Best Fan Writer Retro Hugo and the 1951 Best Fan Artist Retro Hugo as well as the 1954 Best Fan Writer Retro Hugo. She won the 1987 Rebel Award.
Hoffman won the Western Writers of America Spur Award for her novel The Valdez Horses (Doubleday, 1967). In Spain, John Sturges directed the 1973 film adaptation, The Valdez Horses/Valdez, il Mezzosangue (aka Chino), starring Charles Bronson and Jill Ireland. Under the pseudonym Georgia York, she wrote historical romances for Fawcett Books during the years 1979 to 1983.
Some material taken from Wikipedia
Lee was Fan Guest of Honor at Chicon 4, and was the first Guest of Honor at Tropicon (1982).
BASIC FACTS:
Name: Lee Hoffman
Born: August, 14, 1932, Chicago, IL
Died: February 6, 2007, Port Charlotte, FL
Fanzine Published: Quandry
Issues: 30
Dates: August, 1950 - November, 1953
Notes: Quandry was the focal point fanzine of its period. It was the main venue where Walt Willis wrote and gained his massive influence and popularity. Quandry was so influential that when Hoffman announced that it would no longer be published, Harlan Ellison declared that it was the end of the era of Sixth Fandom and that Seventh Fandom had begun.
Fanzine Published: FanHistory
Issues: 3
Dates: 1956
Note: focused on the history of fandom
Fanzine Published: Science-Fiction Five-Yearly
Issues: 12
Dates: 1951-2006
Notes: Usually published with co-editors
Won the 2007 Best Fanzine Hugo at Nippon 2007 (Worldcon), Yokahama, Japan. Co-edited with Geri Sullivan and Randy Byers
Fanzine Published: Self-Preservation
Issues: 13 (at least)
Dates: Fall, 1961 - September, 1971
Note: Published for the Fantasy Amateur Press Association (FAPA). One of many different fanzines Lee published for FAPA.
Convention Guest of Honor: Chicon IV (Worldcon 1982), Chicago, IL
Tropicon I, 1982, Boca Raton, FL
Conventions chaired: None (Honorary Co-Chairman Tropicon 1-10)
Conventions worked on: Tropicon 1-7
Noteworthy activities: Lee was prominent in many of the mythical (and often funny) stories that develop in fandom. See Savannah/Belfast Axis, Fort Mudge Steam Calliope Railroad among others.
