Jim Harmon
Encyclopedia
James Judson Harmon better known as Jim Harmon, was an American
short story author and popular culture historian who wrote extensively about the Golden Age of Radio
. He sometimes used the pseudonym Judson Grey, and occasionally he was labeled Mr. Nostalgia.
, Future Science Fiction
, Galaxy Science Fiction
, If
, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
, Venture Science Fiction Magazine
and other magazines. These were collected in such science fiction anthologies as Fourth Galaxy Reader, Galaxy: Thirty Years of Speculative Fiction and Rare Science Fiction.
The best of Harmon's science fiction stories were reprinted in Harmon's Galaxy (Cosmos Books, 2004) with an introduction by Richard A. Lupoff
. The collection includes one from the December 1962 issue of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
("The Depths") and five from Galaxy—"Charity Case" (December 1959), "Name Your Symptom" (May 1956), "No Substitutions" (November 1958), "The Place Where Chicago Was" (February 1962) and "The Spicy Sound of Success" (August 1959).
His only science fiction novel, The Contested Earth (Ramble House
,1959), was given its first publication in 2007 along with seven short stories in The Contested Earth and Other SF Stories. In the introduction, Harmon reflected on the novel's history:
Harmon also wrote Western tales for such magazines as Double-Action Western, plus detective and crime stories (Smashing Detective, Pursuit). Eight of his mystery novels have been slightly revised by Harmon and reprinted by Ramble House
in trade editions,
Harmon's other books include The Great Radio Comedians (Doubleday, 1970; revised edition by BearManor Media, 2007), Jim Harmon's Nostalgia Catalogue (J.P. Tarcher, 1973), The Great Movie Serials (Routledge, 1973), The Godzilla Book (Borgo, 1986), Radio & TV Premiums: A Guide to the History and Value of Radio and TV Premiums (Krause, 1997), Radio Mystery and Adventure and Its Appearances in Film, Television and Other Media (McFarland, 2003).
. His story in the first volume is "Tom Mix and the Mystery of the Bodiless Horseman." For the second book in the series, he contributed "Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Duplicate Daughter" and "The Avenger and the Maker of Werewolves." The third volume in the series introduced character crossovers, and Harmon combined Nick Carter, Jack Armstrong and Tom Mix into a single novelette, Jack Armstrong and the Horde of Montezuma.
One of the earliest dealers to issue a catalog of tapes of old time radio shows, Harmon also wrote, produced and appeared in a radio revival of the Tom Mix radio series during the early 1980s.
' Monsters of the Movies, Marvel Comics
' short-lived attempt to emulate Warren Publishing
's Famous Monsters of Filmland
. Monsters of the Movies covered classic and contemporary horror movies, and included interviews, articles and photo features.
in June 1970, and a 1977 recipient of the Inkpot Award
, given annually at the San Diego Comic-Con.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
short story author and popular culture historian who wrote extensively about the Golden Age of Radio
Old-time radio
Old-Time Radio and the Golden Age of Radio refer to a period of radio programming in the United States lasting from the proliferation of radio broadcasting in the early 1920s until television's replacement of radio as the primary home entertainment medium in the 1950s...
. He sometimes used the pseudonym Judson Grey, and occasionally he was labeled Mr. Nostalgia.
Fiction
During the 1950s and 1960s, Harmon wrote more than 50 short stories and novelettes for Amazing StoriesAmazing Stories
Amazing Stories was an American science fiction magazine launched in April 1926 by Hugo Gernsback's Experimenter Publishing. It was the first magazine devoted solely to science fiction...
, Future Science Fiction
Future Science Fiction
Future Science Fiction was an American science fiction pulp magazine that was published under a number of different names between 1939 and 1943 and again from 1950 to 1960.- Publication history :...
, Galaxy Science Fiction
Galaxy Science Fiction
Galaxy Science Fiction was an American digest-size science fiction magazine, published from 1950 to 1980. It was founded by an Italian company, World Editions, which was looking to break in to the American market. World Editions hired as editor H. L...
, If
If (magazine)
If was an American science fiction magazine launched in March 1952 by Quinn Publications, owned by James L. Quinn. Quinn hired Paul W. Fairman to be the first editor, but early circulation figures were disappointing, and Quinn fired Fairman after only three issues. Quinn then took over the...
, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction is a digest-size American fantasy and science fiction magazine first published in 1949 by Mystery House and then by Fantasy House. Both were subsidiaries of Lawrence Spivak's Mercury Publications, which took over as publisher in 1958. Spilogale, Inc...
, Venture Science Fiction Magazine
Venture Science Fiction Magazine
Venture Science Fiction was an American digest-size science fiction magazine, first published from 1957 to 1958, and revived for a brief run in 1969 and 1970. Ten issues were published of the 1950s version, with another six in the second run. It was founded in both instances as a companion to The...
and other magazines. These were collected in such science fiction anthologies as Fourth Galaxy Reader, Galaxy: Thirty Years of Speculative Fiction and Rare Science Fiction.
The best of Harmon's science fiction stories were reprinted in Harmon's Galaxy (Cosmos Books, 2004) with an introduction by Richard A. Lupoff
Richard A. Lupoff
Richard Allen Lupoff is an American science fiction and mystery author, who has also written humor, satire, non-fiction and reviews. In addition to his two dozen novels and more than 40 short stories, he has also edited science-fantasy anthologies. He is an expert on the writing of Edgar Rice...
. The collection includes one from the December 1962 issue of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction is a digest-size American fantasy and science fiction magazine first published in 1949 by Mystery House and then by Fantasy House. Both were subsidiaries of Lawrence Spivak's Mercury Publications, which took over as publisher in 1958. Spilogale, Inc...
("The Depths") and five from Galaxy—"Charity Case" (December 1959), "Name Your Symptom" (May 1956), "No Substitutions" (November 1958), "The Place Where Chicago Was" (February 1962) and "The Spicy Sound of Success" (August 1959).
His only science fiction novel, The Contested Earth (Ramble House
Ramble House
Ramble House is a small American publisher founded by Fender Tucker and Jim Weiler in 1999. The press specializes in reprints of long-neglected and rare crime fiction novels, modern crime fiction and scholarly works by noted authors on the crime fiction genre, and a host of other diverse books of a...
,1959), was given its first publication in 2007 along with seven short stories in The Contested Earth and Other SF Stories. In the introduction, Harmon reflected on the novel's history:
Harmon also wrote Western tales for such magazines as Double-Action Western, plus detective and crime stories (Smashing Detective, Pursuit). Eight of his mystery novels have been slightly revised by Harmon and reprinted by Ramble House
Ramble House
Ramble House is a small American publisher founded by Fender Tucker and Jim Weiler in 1999. The press specializes in reprints of long-neglected and rare crime fiction novels, modern crime fiction and scholarly works by noted authors on the crime fiction genre, and a host of other diverse books of a...
in trade editions,
Radio
When Harmon began writing about the classic radio shows, almost no books on the subject had been published, so he had the field to himself. He got underway with The Great Radio Heroes (Doubleday, 1967; revised edition by McFarland & Company, 2002). Library Journal reviewed:Harmon's other books include The Great Radio Comedians (Doubleday, 1970; revised edition by BearManor Media, 2007), Jim Harmon's Nostalgia Catalogue (J.P. Tarcher, 1973), The Great Movie Serials (Routledge, 1973), The Godzilla Book (Borgo, 1986), Radio & TV Premiums: A Guide to the History and Value of Radio and TV Premiums (Krause, 1997), Radio Mystery and Adventure and Its Appearances in Film, Television and Other Media (McFarland, 2003).
Radio into fiction
He edited volumes two and three of It's That Time Again (Bearmanor Media, 2004 and 2006), an anthology series of new fiction featuring the characters of old-time radioOld-time radio
Old-Time Radio and the Golden Age of Radio refer to a period of radio programming in the United States lasting from the proliferation of radio broadcasting in the early 1920s until television's replacement of radio as the primary home entertainment medium in the 1950s...
. His story in the first volume is "Tom Mix and the Mystery of the Bodiless Horseman." For the second book in the series, he contributed "Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Duplicate Daughter" and "The Avenger and the Maker of Werewolves." The third volume in the series introduced character crossovers, and Harmon combined Nick Carter, Jack Armstrong and Tom Mix into a single novelette, Jack Armstrong and the Horde of Montezuma.
One of the earliest dealers to issue a catalog of tapes of old time radio shows, Harmon also wrote, produced and appeared in a radio revival of the Tom Mix radio series during the early 1980s.
Monsters of the Movies
From 1974–1975, Harmon was the West Coast editor of Curtis MagazinesCurtis Magazines
Curtis Magazines was an imprint of Marvel Comics that existed from 1971 to 1980. The imprint published black-and-white magazines that did not carry the Comics Code Authority seal. Initially, page counts varied between 68,76, and 84 pages....
' Monsters of the Movies, Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
' short-lived attempt to emulate Warren Publishing
Warren Publishing
Warren Publishing was an American magazine company founded by James Warren, who published his first magazines in 1957 and continued in the business for decades...
's Famous Monsters of Filmland
Famous Monsters of Filmland
Famous Monsters of Filmland is a genre-specific film magazine started in 1958 by publisher James Warren and editor Forrest J Ackerman.-Magazine history :...
. Monsters of the Movies covered classic and contemporary horror movies, and included interviews, articles and photo features.
Awards
Harmon was the Guest of Honor at the Multicon 70 science-fiction convention, held in Oklahoma CityOklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
in June 1970, and a 1977 recipient of the Inkpot Award
Inkpot Award
The Inkpot Award, bestowed annually since 1974 by Comic-Con International, is given to some of the professionals in comic book, comic strip, animation, science fiction, and related pop-culture fields, who are guests of that organization's yearly multigenre fan convention, commonly known as...
, given annually at the San Diego Comic-Con.