(NOTE: -- We hope that the readers will be appreciative of the fact that we have spared no expense in importing this article -- what with all of the booming in China these days. And, if response to this article is enthusiastic, we hold hopes that perhaps Mr. Pong may be persuaded to favor us again in the near future. HW)
Picture a scene of woe and misery, of bewildered confusion, of innocent non-understanding, of tiny undeveloped minds standing before a mighty fact of contradicting mumble-jumble designed to fill numberless columns with words and inky type. I am that assaulted mind, O reader, and the awesome Thing I stand debased before is that most detestable and yet most often seen question: WHO IS ANTHONY GILMORE?
Aye, sweet reader, our popular and unpopular columnists are still filling their pillars and pages with that obnoxious interrogation; then guessing with wild abandon at the answer, but futility. It has been going on for years. To wit:
SCIENCE FICTION DIGEST for Sept. 1932: ( By Chr.): ".... who the creator of Hawk Carse really is. We have heard various claims. Here they are: .... two old partners .... Nat Schachner and Arthur L. Zagat. Another voice whispers in my ear that Cap. S. M. Meek is writing these tales with the help of Harl Vincent Schoepflin. A columnist suggested that the honorable Harry Bates was collaborating with Arthur J. Burks. Eric Temple Bell is not the type of writer for these epics, but there is a probability. Could R. F. Starzl be responsible ....? The combination of S. P. Wright and his famous character John Hanson suggest 'John Sewell', the historian mentioned in the Carse episodes. (See the Point? - says Chr. No, Chr, I don't)."
Friend Chr. then finishes his column by guessing that Drs. Breuer and Keller are too dainty for that sort of blood and thunder. The title of this column is "WHO IS ANTHONY GILMORE" of course, but Chr. doesn't tell us because he Doesn't know. Perhaps it was all the material he could think of to fill a column before a deadline. Meanwhile, gentle readers, I stand perplexed. Let us search further:
DEC. 1932 issue of the above S. F. D. (Mort. Weisinger): "Harry Bates says (quote) that only six people in the world know the real identity of Anthony Gilmore. (unquote). Thanks M. W., that's enlightening and encouraging as all Hell. But, by cracky, it filled four lines in a monthly column, and four lines help. But let's skip a whole year. Almost a year later, we find the Digest boys still at it:
AUGUST 1933, S. F. D. (M. W. again): "In my first gossip column in the April 1932 TIME TRAVELLER, I hazarded the opinion that Anthony Gilmore was A. J. Burks and Harry Bates. Mr. Bates denied this ..... Chr .... discussed the various clues .... but made no attempt to offer a solution. 'Rep', in his Spilling the Atoms then announced that he was convinced Anthony Pelcher was the real Anthony Gilmore." M. W. then says that Harry Bates told him only five persons knew Gilmore's true identity, that Gilmore was also known as H. G. Winters. After almost a half column of talking, during which Jack Darrow wrote ten authors accusing them of being Gilmore, he winds up with : the tenth reply said: 'Many thanks for your kind and encouraging letter with reference to my work ........' and signed Victor Rousseau. Draw your own conclusions!!" We did Mort. It was very polite so we won't repeat it.
Well, morbid readers (if you are still reading), let us leave the Digest and look at some other prophets:
THE FANTASY FAN, November 1933; (Weisinger again): "Harry Bates ..... evasively answers all questions pertaining to .... Anthony Gilmore by saying: 'I'll speak only upon advice of my counsel'." Mortimer old chap, we thought we left you in the Digest. We shall leave the FANTASY FAN at once to get away from you and your stupendous mystery.
So, two years later and it's still going on. Look at the BROOKLYN REPORTER for OCTOBER 1935 (Vic Shea). "Anthony Gilmore, creator of the famous "Hawke Carse" stories for the old Clayton Astounding ..... The mystery of 'his' identity is still unsolved, regardless of what other people say." Well, Vic, you are original in one point. You hint, or do you, that Anthony might be a 'she'. That was 1935. I have now read fan magazines for four years in an earnest endeavor to find the answer. Several times I thought I had it. A dozen times our reliable and interesting columnists announced they had laid the chap in his lair, causing me to dash forth and purchase a copy. I suspect now it was a gigantic circulation fraud.
Well, this is 1938. The question is still being questioned, the boys are still making their haymaker guesses to fill up space, and Anthony Gilmore and Harry Bates aren't heard of much. But at least once a year in each fan magazine in existence, up comes a beautiful column or article entitled: WHO IS ANTHONY GILMORE? But at last I have found the answer. At last my turbulent mind is at rest! For, bored reader, Anthony Gilmore is: Harry Bates, Nat Schachner, A. L. Zagat, Capt. S. P. Meek, Harl Vincent, Arthur J. Burks, Eric Temple Bell, R. F. Starzl, S. P. Wright, Drs. Brewer and Keller, Anthony Pelcher, H. G. Winters, Victor Rosseau, and a half dozen, unknown and unnamed female writers. Me? I'm Hoy Ping Pong, first cousin of the Chinese villain who made life miserable for Hawk Carse. But I don't know Anthony Gilmore, do you?
Data entry by Judy Bemis
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