Harry Warner Jr. (December 19, 1922 – February 17, 2003) was an American journalist. He spent 40 years working for the Hagerstown, Maryland, Herald-Mail.
He was also an important science fiction fan and historian of fandom and Washington County, Maryland, as well as a classical musician.
Biography
Warner was born in 1922 in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. Due to poor health, he dropped out of Hagerstown High School by the 10th grade. He rigidly kept his professional life in Hagerstown and his science fiction world separate, and few people in his hometown knew of his science fiction activities until after his death. He hated to travel, ultimately, he discouraged the visits from other fans.
In 1938, he published the first issue of Spaceways, one of the most important science fiction fanzines of its period, Horizons had its first
issue in October 1939 and its 252nd and final issue in February 2003. He also wrote prolifically for other zines. He won Hugo Awards for Best Fan Writer in 1969 and 1972.
Fanzine fans revered him for his letter writing. Using a manual typewriter,
Warner was announced as associate editor of the professional science fiction magazine Odd Tales in the 1940s.; however this was revealed to be a hoax by Warner and Julius Unger. In the 1950s, he tried his hand at science fiction itself, publishing a few short stories in various magazines,
In 1995, Warner received the First Fandom Hall of Fame award. He remained active in fanzine fandom until the end of his life.
Histories
Warner wrote two book-length histories of fandom, essential references in the field: