The Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame.


While writing my last post, a review of the excellent movie Edge of Tomorrow, I had cause to reflect on science-fiction movies starring Tom Cruise.  He has some impressive credits: Vanilla Sky, Minority Report, War of the Worlds, Oblivion and Edge of Tomorrow. I have enjoyed them all. 

I then contemplated whether any other actors have appeared in so many great science-fiction movies. Charlton Heston immediately came to mind with Soylent Green, Planet of the Apes and The Omega Man. As I am a fan of John Carpenter movies, I then thought of Kirk Russell who stared in The Thing, Escape From New York and Escape From LA. He also appeared in the big screen version of Stargate and had a small role in Vanilla Sky.

But had any of those actors made it into a science-fiction hall of fame? There is a Science Fictionand Fantasy Hall of Fame located at the EMP museum in Seattle, a museum dedicated to contemporary popular culture.

Hall of Fame Members

  • Brian W. Aldiss
  • Poul Anderson
  • Isaac Asimov
  • Betty Ballantine
  • Ian Ballantine
  • Alfred Bester
  • James Blish
  • Chesley Bonestell
  • David Bowie
  • Leigh Brackett
  • Ray Bradbury
  • Edgar Rice Burroughs
  • Octavia E. Butler
  • James Cameron
  • John W. Campbell, Jr.
  • Sir Arthur C. Clarke
  • Hal Clement
  • Samuel R. Delany
  • Vincent Di Fate
  • Philip K. Dick
  • Gordon R. Dickson
  • Gardner Dozois
  • Harlan Ellison
  • Ed Emshwiller
  • Edward L. Ferman
  • Virgil Finlay
  • Frank Frazetta
  • Frank Kelly Freas
  • Hugo Gernsback
  • William Gibson
  • Jean 'Moebius' Giraud
  • Joe Haldeman
  • Harry Harrison
  • Ray Harryhausen
  • Robert A. Heinlein
  • Frank Herbert
  • Damon Knight
  • Stanley Kubrick
  • H.R. Giger
  • Ursula K. Le Guin
  • Fritz Leiber

  • George Lucas
  • Richard Matheson
  • Anne McCaffrey
  • Judith Merril
  • Abraham Merritt
  • Hayao Miyzaki
  • Michael Moorcock
  • C.L. Moore
  • Andre Norton
  • Frank R. Paul
  • Frederik Pohl
  • Richard M. Powers
  • Gene Roddenberry
  • Joanna Russ
  • Eric Frank Russell
  • Ridley Scott
  • Rod Serling
  • Mary W. Shelley
  • Robert Silverberg
  • E.E. Smith

  • Steven Spielberg
  • Olaf Stapleton
  • Theodore Sturgeon
  • James Tiptree, Jr.
  • J.R.R. Tolkien
  • Douglas Trumbull
  • Wilson Tucker
  • A. E. van Vogt
  • Jack Vance
  • Jules Verne
  • H.G. Wells
  • Michael Whelan
  • Kate Wilhelm
  • Jack Williamson
  • Connie Willis
  • Gene Wolfe
  • Donald Allen Wollheim
  • Roger Zelazny

Tom Cruise, Charlton Heston, Kirk Russell and John Carpenter haven’t been admitted yet. Unless I am mistaken, no Australians have entered either. 

Nobody in this hall of fame has me questioning its validity. The vast majority of hall of famers are authors and male.  

Who Else is Missing?
 
After a bit of thought, I could not come up with any other science-fiction authors who should absolutely be in the hall of fame. I think Margaret Atwood is close, perhaps when I finish reading Madd Addam she might have me pushing for her admittance. I think the only Australian science-fiction author who comes close to getting in is George Turner. Greg Egan has the talent and critical acclaim to get there one day.

I could think of a few television/film makers who should be in the hall of fame. JJ Abrams should be there for Lost, Fringe, Revolution, the movies Super 8 and Cloverfield, and the reboot of Star Trek. We do have to forgive him for writing Armageddon and being executive producer for the television series Alcatraz.

Joss Whedon should definitely be in the hall of fame for Firefly, Dollhouse and Agents of Shield on the small screen, and the movies Serenity, Avengers and Cabin in the Woods.

Russell T. Davies should be in just for rebooting Doctor Who. If that is not enough, he also created the spinoffs Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures.

Who do you think is missing from the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame?


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