American · 1931–2022
Ray Faraday Nelson (1931-2022) was an American science fiction writer, cartoonist and fanzine artist. Born in Schenectady, New York, he grew up in Michigan and spent much of his life in the San Francisco Bay Area. He published dozens of short stories and several novels, many in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. His best-known story, Eight O'Clock in the Morning (1963), about a man who sees aliens hidden behind billboards and broadcasts, became the basis for John Carpenter's 1988 film They Live. Nelson also co-wrote the novel The Ganymede Takeover (1967) with Philip K. Dick, a friend of his. As a cartoonist he is credited with inventing the propeller beanie as a fan symbol in the early 1940s fan community, and he drew for underground publications. He kept writing into his later years and remained active in science fiction fandom. His work is short, brisk and often satirical, with a steady interest in conformity and control.