Roy Tackett (May 20, 1925 – May 23, 2003), also known as Horrible Old Roy Tackett, was a rifleman with the United States Marine Corps during World War II. He has been credited with introducing science fiction to Japan when he was stationed there as part of the American occupation.Smithway History: Chapter Four: "Fans Across the Water" .
Career During the early 1950s Tackett was a Drill instructor at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island. He retired in 1962 with 20 years of service and went on to co-found Bubonicon in 1969 with the writer Robert E. Vardeman.Richard Lynch History Book: Chapter Three - "Fractured Fandoms". That same year he was the Guest of Honor at Westercon. He produced more than 100 issues of his fanzine Dynatron during the 1960s, and was the TransAtlantic Fan Fund winner for 1976.Infinite Matrix: R.I.P. - Tackett by David Langford.
Roy was the Fan Guest of Honor at the 1997 Worldcon in San Antonio, Texas.Austin Literary Arts Maintenance Organization: Roy Tackett at LoneStarCon 2, 1997.DPinfo: Guest of Honor Interview: Roy Tackett at LoneStarCon 2, 1997. As part of the run up to the ceremony in San Antonio, Mojo Press released The Least Horrible of Roy Tackett which consisted of selected short stories he had written over the previous 50 years.SFsite: Roy Tackett at LoneStarCon 2.
Personal life Roy Tackett died in 2003 of heart failure brought on by years of heavy smoking, and was buried in the Santa Fe National Cemetery along with his wife, and fellow Marine, of over 40 years, Crystal Tackett (1923–1989). In 2008, the science fiction writer and long time friend Jack Speer was buried nearby.
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