Jim was the legendary publisher of "Famous Monsters of Filmland," among other classics. He started off with a girlie magazine intended to rival young Hugh Hefner. It lasted four issues before he got busted.
He made a fortune when the "horror film" craze ("Monster Mash," Zacherley, Aurora toy models) hit. His magazine, with jocular pun-filled copy from editor Forrest J. Ackerman, was a hit. I'd buy it the moment it came out.
He later added to his legend with "Vampirella," "Creepy" and "Eerie" among others.
Fast forward to college. My roommate was a lifeguard in the summer, and actually saved a kid's life. I didn't know about this till the Fall, when we returned to the dorm and he told me that his tuition for the year was being paid for.
"Some publisher," he said, "read about me in the paper. He wanted to do something nice for a lifeguard. Pretty good!"
I agreed, this was good luck. Good luck for the kid who was saved, too. A publisher did this? A publisher of what? Books? Magazines?
"I don't know, I never heard of him," my friend said. "A guy named Warren."
"WARREN??? JAMES WARREN????"
"Yeah. You've heard of him?"
Jeeeeeeez.
I explained who James Warren was. As this was the Fall, and Halloween was coming up, my friend got a great idea. "If this guy publishes horror magazines, maybe he can loan me a really good costume. He likes me. That wouldn't be much of a favor, would it?"
A few weeks later, and he showed me his prize: the loan of one of the original CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON masks. It might have been used for long shots in the film or one of the sequels. A complete "over the head" rubber CREATURE mask.
"What are you going to do for the rest of the costume?"
"I'll use my scuba outfit. Hey...I know...why don't you get into the outfit, and we'll go mess with the professors."
College kids. Yes, I went around the hallways, and on campus, in the scuba outfit, with a speargun and the headpiece, and the stunt made it into the school newspaper. The angle was that young "Glub Lagoon" had heard that Southampton College had a great Marine Science program, and was thinking about enrolling.
The last name may have been spelled LaGoon. I was a Spike Milligan fan, even then!
Years later, when I was an acquisitions editor, I'd sometimes get submissions from Forrest J. Ackerman, who was a literary agent all through his years of writing books and editing magazines. I met him once at a Chiller Theatre convention, and we talked about our mutual friend Brother Theodore.
As for Jim Warren, at one point I thought about doing a piece on the guys from KISS for one of his fantasy magazines. I'd interviewed Gene, Paul, Ace and Peter, and I figured I could get an update on their new project, which was a made-for-TV Halloween movie or something.
A rival writer, who freelanced at some of the same mags that I did, enthused, "Great idea. I know Jim Warren is approachable. You can pitch an idea directly to him. Don't mention my name, though."
I called the office, and his secretary explained he was very busy. What was this about? I told her, it was about doing a piece on KISS. Her tone changed. "Really? KISS..." she said. Her enthusiasm was almost too good to be true. "I'm sure Mr. Warren would love to hear from you. Hold on, would you please?"
Soon I was on the phone with a surprisingly chilly and grim-sounding James Warren. I thought of mentioning that I had been "Glub Lagoon" thanks to his generosity with my college pal years ago, but I stuck to my pitch. Thirty seconds later, Warren said, "I'll tell you what I'd like to do with KISS..."
Oh boy. The cover?
"I'd like...to TAKE THEM TO DACHAU!"
Warren continued, in a measured, malicious and chilling voice: "I'd like them to see what went on in the concentration camps..."
Things got worse and worse, till he ended with a contemptuous grunt: "Those guy with their SS symbols! NAZIS..."
"Uh, Mr. Warren, I interviewed those guys. They said that when the KISS logo came out, they just wanted lightning bolts. They didn't know that some..."
"They didn't KNOW..."
"Two members of the band are Jewish. Gene and Paul are both Jewish."
"They are both a DISGRACE. I'll take them to DACHAU. I'll fly them personally. You tell them that!"
"Well, thanks for your time, Mr. Warren..."
"Yeah. You tell them I'll take them to DACHAU. Goodbye."
I later learned that KISS had a merchandising deal of some kind that involved Warren's arch rival in the magazine and comic book world, Stan Lee. Yes, Mr. Marvel Comics himself, the former Stanley Lieber. Just what Warren's original Jewish-sounding family name was, I have no idea, as I haven't yet read the bio on him.
I'd been set up. Kind of a mean practical joke. Right, call up Jim Warren and mention KISS, a group he LOATHES, who have a deal with Marvel and STAN LEE, a guy he HATES.
Despite this unpleasant lone encounter, when I think of "James Warren" I think of "Famous Monsters" first, and not the phone call. And I also think of the time that, thanks to his mask generosity, I had a chance to be, if not "The Creature," then his distant relative, "Glub Lagoon."
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