John Guidry

John Guidry is the great New Orleans fan. Among the founders of the New Orleans Science Fiction Association and the Southern Fandom Confederation, winner of the Rebel Award, founder of ERB-APA, chairman of Nolacon II, John is also among the city's preeminent movie fans and SF collectors -- friend to all, and devout chronicler of the fannish experience in the Crescent City. When Katrina came and the levee broke, he escaped -- but his books, his apas, his tapes, his photos did not.

But the waters and mold that wreaked havoc on John’s house did not destroy all that lay within. When John returned to his once-beautiful home, he found mold shoulder high on the walls and much that was gone. He also found much that survived - his Burroughs collection, his Sabatinis ... and three precious albums of photographs from his career in science fiction fandom.

Some of the pictures made it. Some did not. John has asked us to save his photos to disc - and given us permission to publish some of the best. From his current, temporary home north of Lake Pontchartrain, John says, Welcome to my world.

1968 -1969

In 1968, John attended the first of many New Orleans DeepSouth- Cons -- flanked by NOSFA members Norman Elfer and Pete Bezbak. The con’s 68 members included Guest of Honor Dan Galouye and NASA pro Joseph Green and his 13-year-old daughter, Rose-Marie. I tried to attend ... a week late.

A year later, Joe Green returned the favor - inviting John and other

New Orleans fans to a legendary party at his home on Merritt Island, Florida. The occasion was the launch of Apollo 11 - and other party guests included Arthur C. Clarke, shown with John and Dany Frolich, left.



That was some soiree! Dave Kyle was there, and Louisiana fan Rick Norwood, as well as Rose-Marie’s pal Frankie McDonald. Also there, Robert A. Heinlein, who knew a thing or two about Destination: Moon. Below, the future Sir Arthur with New Orleans’ Don Walsh.


At least two classic photos from the Greens’ party are missing from John’s albums. One shows the good Mr. Heinlein with our hero Guidry, whose expression is priceless - but you can find that shot in the Nolacon II souvenir book. The other shows the 14-year-old princess of the household, and to my recollection, was the first picture I ever saw of la belle Rose-Marie.


Above, the patient (and photogenic) Arthur Clarke.

1970

In1970, Don Walsh hosted a Nebula banquet in the Crescent City. Here he is with Atlanta fan Glen Brock and the turtlenecked Joe Green. It was quite a splendid affair, even if all the “Nubble-Bubbles” were presented on the west coast ...



















Above: from that very event, a photo that came frighteningly close to falling victim to Katrina’s toxic gumbo ... NOLa fan Jan Lewis (holding Nolazine, the club genzine), Rick Norwood, and the girl of my dreams ... Rose-Marie Green, aged 15.




















New Orleans fandom could not have been luckier in its mentor - Dan Galouye, author of Dark Universe and Simulacron-3 - who attended with his beautiful wife Carmel. What wonderful, patient hosts and friends they were to NOSFAns - class acts all the way. We lost Dan in 1975, but Carmel shines on ...

















Over the years John formed friendships with some of the field’s true greats. Here he is with Edmond Hamilton and Leigh Brackett.



Right, Guidry with his (and our, and your) great friend Mike Resnick. Note the framed Frazetta - and the discoloration from the flood.

A tremendous Edgar Rice Burroughs fan - he founded ERB-apa - John got a royal boost out of meeting the most famous movie Tarzan, Johnny Weissmuller.




Weissmuller may have been the most famous
Tarzan, but John always preferred Bruce Bennett’s Lord Greystoke. On the right is Bob Clampett with Cecil the Seasick Sea Serpent.


To demonstrate the potency of the toxic brew that attacked John’s photo albums, check out Hal Foster - post-inundation.

Mere days before Katrina, John posed at the final CrescentCityCon with his contemporaries in NOLa fandom - Norman Elfer, Anne Winston, Dennis Dolbear, JoAnn Montalbano, and yhos.

It’s a different world now, but we’re all still here, we’re all still friends, and if John Guidry has anything to say about it, that will never change.