1953 in science fiction

The year 1953 was marked, in science fiction, by the following events.

Births and deaths

Births

Deaths

Events

The first Hugo Awards were presented at the 11th Worldcon in Philadelphia in 1953, which awarded Hugos in seven categories.^[1] The awards presented that year were initially conceived as a one-off event, though the organizers hoped that subsequent conventions would also present them.^[2] At the time, Worldcons were completely run by their respective committees as independent events and had no oversight between years. Thus there was no mandate for any future conventions to repeat the awards, and no set rules for how to do so.^[3]

The 1954 Worldcon chose not to, but the awards were reinstated at the 1955 Worldcon, and thereafter became traditional. The award was called the Annual Science Fiction Achievement Award, with "Hugo Award" being an unofficial, but better known name.^[4] The nickname was accepted as an official alternative name in 1958, and since the 1992 awards the nickname has been adopted as the official name of the award.^[5]^[6]

Literary releases

Novels

Attack from Atlantis by Lester del Rey (juvenile), a scientific expedition encounters conflict with the inhabitants of an underwater city of Atlantis.
Bring the Jubilee by Ward Moore, an alternate history where the South won the Civil War.
Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke, a novel about a peaceful alien invasion of Earth.
The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester, set in a future where telepathy is common, focusing on a murder mystery.
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, a dystopian novel about a society where books are banned.
The Kraken Wakes by John Wyndham (published in the US as Out of the Deeps), a novel about Earth's response to underwater aliens.
More Than Human by Theodore Sturgeon, a novel about individuals with psychic powers forming a new society.
The Paradox Men by Charles L. Harness, a dystopian future where rebels use time travel to fight tyranny.
Ring Around the Sun by Clifford D. Simak, explores the discovery of parallel universes and the implications for identity and existence.
Second Foundation by Isaac Asimov, third book in the Foundation series, a Second Foundation guides the fate of humanity amidst a crumbling Galactic Empire.
The Space Merchants by Frederik Pohl and C. M. Kornbluth, a satirical novel about a future dominated by corporate interests and advertising.
Star Rangers by Andre Norton, a novel about interstellar exploration and the struggle for survival in a distant, hostile galaxy.
Starman Jones by Robert A. Heinlein (juvenile), a young man dreams of space travel and overcomes obstacles to become an astrogator.
The Universe Maker by A. E. van Vogt, a man is drawn into a complex future society and discovers his pivotal role in its destiny.
Vandals of the Void by Jack Vance (juvenile), a young cadet confronts space pirates threatening the interplanetary order.

Short stories

"The Defenders" by Philip K. Dick
"It's a Good Life" by Jerome Bixby
"The Nine Billion Names of God" by Arthur C. Clarke

Movies

Title	Director	Cast	Country	Subgenre/Notes
Abbott and Costello Go to Mars	Charles Lamont	Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Mari Blanchard	United States	Comedy Family Fantasy
Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde	Charles Lamont	Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Boris Karloff	United States	Comedy Horror Mystery
The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms	Eugène Lourié	Paul Christian, Paula Raymond, Cecil Kellaway	United States	Horror
Cat-Women of the Moon	Arthur D. Hilton	Sonny Tufts, Victor Jory, Marie Windsor, Carol Brewster	United States	Adventure ^{[nb 1]}
Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe	Harry Keller, Franklin Adreon, Fred C. Brannon	Judd Holdren, Aline Towne	United States	Action Adventure Serial film
Donovan's Brain	Felix E. Feist	Lew Ayres, Gene Evans, Nancy Davis	United States	Horror
Flight to the Moon (a.k.a Полёт на Луну)	Brumberg sisters	Vera Bendina (voice), Yevgeniya Mores (voice), Valentina Sperantova (voice)	Soviet Union	Animation Short Adventure Family^[7]^[8]^[9]^[10]^[11]
Four Sided Triangle	Terence Fisher	Barbara Payton, John Van Eyssen, Percy Marmont	United Kingdom	Romance
Invaders from Mars	William Cameron Menzies	Jimmy Hunt, Arthur Franz, Helena Carter	United States	Horror
It Came from Outer Space	Jack Arnold	Richard Carlson, Barbara Rush, Charles Drake	United States	Horror
The Lost Planet	Spencer Gordon Bennet	Judd Holdren, Vivian Mason, Michael Fox	United States	Family Serial film
The Magnetic Monster	Curt Siodmak	Richard Carlson, King Donovan, Harry Ellerbe	United States	Horror
Mesa of Lost Women	Herbert Tevos, Ron Ormond	Jackie Coogan, Richard Travis, Allan Nixon, Mary Hill	United States	Horror
The Neanderthal Man	Ewald Andre Dupont	Robert Shayne, Doris Merrick, Richard Crane	United States	Horror
Phantom from Space	W. Lee Wilder	Ted Cooper, Rudolph Anders, Noreen Nash	United States	Horror
Port Sinister a.k.a Beast of Paradise Isle (UK)	Harold Daniels	James Warren, Lynne Roberts, Paul Cavanagh	United States	Adventure Crime ^{[nb 2]}
Project Moonbase	Richard Talmadge	Donna Martell, Hayden Rorke, Ross Ford	United States
Robot Monster	Phil Tucker	George Nader, Claudia Barrett, Selena Royle	United States	Comedy Family Horror ^{[nb 3]}
Spaceways	Terence Fisher	Howard Duff, Eva Bartok, Alan Wheatley	United Kingdom United States	Thriller
The Twonky	Arch Oboler	Hans Conried, Billy Lynn, Gloria Blondell, Janet Warren	United States	Comedy ^[12]
The War of the Worlds	Byron Haskin	Gene Barry, Ann Robinson, Les Tremayne, Lewis Martin	United States	Action Thriller ^{[nb 4]}

Awards

The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester won the Hugo Award for Best Novel.

Notes

^ Alternative title: Rocket to the Moon.
^ 1957 reissue title: Beast of Paradise Isle.
^ U.S. 2-D version title: Monster from Mars.
^ Winner of an Academy Award for Visual Effects in 1953, and a Retroactive Hugo Award in 2004.

References

^ "1953 Hugo Awards". World Science Fiction Society. 26 July 2007. Archived from the original on 2011-05-07. Retrieved 2010-04-19.
^ Kyle, David, ed. (1953). Eleventh World Science Convention Program. Philadelphia Science Fiction Society. p. 5. Archived from the original on 2008-12-02.
^ Standlee, Kevin (2007-11-03). "The Hugo Awards: Ask a Question". World Science Fiction Society. Archived from the original on 2011-07-09. Retrieved 2011-06-13. The awards presented in 1953 were initially conceived as "one-off" awards, and the 1954 Worldcon decided not to present them again.
^ "The Locus index to SF Awards: About the Hugo Awards". Locus. Archived from the original on 2010-01-03. Retrieved 2010-04-21.
^ Nicholls; Clute, The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, p. 595
^ "Minutes of the Business Meeting 1991" (PDF). World Science Fiction Society. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-07-25. Retrieved 2021-09-26.
^ Horn, Maurice; Marschall, Richard (1980). The World Encyclopedia of Cartoons. Chelsea House Publishers. p. 144. ISBN 9780877540885. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
^ Bendazzi, Giannalberto (23 October 2015). Animation: A World History: Volume II: The Birth of a Style - The Three Markets. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. p. 78. ISBN 9781317519911. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
^ Strukov, Vlad; Goscilo, Helena (13 September 2016). Russian Aviation, Space Flight and Visual Culture. London and New York: Routledge. p. 244. ISBN 9781317359456. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
^ "Soviet dreams of the future, part 2. Now with sepulki". Geeks World. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
^ "Flight to the Moon". IMDB.
^ Erickson, Hal (2012). "The Twonky (1953)". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2012-10-21. Retrieved 2009-06-10.

[7] Alternative title: Rocket to the Moon.

[13] 1957 reissue title: Beast of Paradise Isle.

[14] U.S. 2-D version title: Monster from Mars.

[16] Winner of an Academy Award for Visual Effects in 1953, and a Retroactive Hugo Award in 2004.

[1] "1953 Hugo Awards". World Science Fiction Society. 26 July 2007. Archived from the original on 2011-05-07. Retrieved 2010-04-19.

[2] Kyle, David, ed. (1953). Eleventh World Science Convention Program. Philadelphia Science Fiction Society. p. 5. Archived from the original on 2008-12-02.

[3] Standlee, Kevin (2007-11-03). "The Hugo Awards: Ask a Question". World Science Fiction Society. Archived from the original on 2011-07-09. Retrieved 2011-06-13. The awards presented in 1953 were initially conceived as "one-off" awards, and the 1954 Worldcon decided not to present them again.

[4] "The Locus index to SF Awards: About the Hugo Awards". Locus. Archived from the original on 2010-01-03. Retrieved 2010-04-21.

[5] Nicholls; Clute, The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, p. 595

[6] "Minutes of the Business Meeting 1991" (PDF). World Science Fiction Society. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-07-25. Retrieved 2021-09-26.

[8] Horn, Maurice; Marschall, Richard (1980). The World Encyclopedia of Cartoons. Chelsea House Publishers. p. 144. ISBN 9780877540885. Retrieved 22 September 2021.

[9] Bendazzi, Giannalberto (23 October 2015). Animation: A World History: Volume II: The Birth of a Style - The Three Markets. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. p. 78. ISBN 9781317519911. Retrieved 22 September 2021.

[10] Strukov, Vlad; Goscilo, Helena (13 September 2016). Russian Aviation, Space Flight and Visual Culture. London and New York: Routledge. p. 244. ISBN 9781317359456. Retrieved 22 September 2021.

[11] "Soviet dreams of the future, part 2. Now with sepulki". Geeks World. Retrieved 2 November 2021.

[12] "Flight to the Moon". IMDB.

[15] Erickson, Hal (2012). "The Twonky (1953)". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2012-10-21. Retrieved 2009-06-10.

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