Monster times

When I was about 7 years old, I bought a magazine at the Totti’s Drug Store in Condado that made a huge impact on me. It was called “Famous Monsters of Filmland’. It was a magazine about horror movies, obviously aimed at kids. In it I learned about the new horror movies playing in theaters and about the old ones sometimes I could catch on tv.
I learned about old movies stars Lon Chaney, Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff and about people like Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing and Vincent Price who were still active in those days. In a way, my life long love affair with movies began with that magazine.
The magazine was published by a true film fanatic and collector called Forrest “Forry” Ackerman, a man who influenced the life of millions of kids, including people like George Lucas, Joe Dante and Steven Spielberg.

I just read that Uncle Forry is very ill these days. Here’s hoping for a recovery from a kid who discovered your magazine and was made happier by it.