Gahan Wilson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gahan Wilson
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Wilson at the World Horror Convention in 2007
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| Born |
Gahan Allen Wilson
February 18, 1930 Evanston, Illinois, U.S.
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| Died | November 21, 2019 (aged 89) Scottsdale, Arizona, U.S.
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| Known for | Cartoonist |
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Nancy Dee Midyette
(m. 1966; died 2019) |
Gahan Allen Wilson (born February 18, 1930 – died November 21, 2019) was a famous American cartoonist, writer, and illustrator. He was best known for his unique and often spooky cartoons that mixed horror with fantasy. His drawings often showed strange and funny situations that made people think and sometimes laugh.
About Gahan Wilson
Wilson was born in Evanston, Illinois. He was inspired by the funny drawings in magazines like Mad and Punch. He also loved the science fiction movies from the 1950s.
His Creative Journey
Gahan Wilson's cartoons and stories appeared regularly in popular magazines. These included Collier's and The New Yorker for almost 50 years. He also drew cartoons and wrote movie reviews for The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction. For many years, he designed the front covers for a book called Passport to World Band Radio. He also wrote movie reviews for The Twilight Zone Magazine and book reviews for Realms of Fantasy magazine.
Wilson wrote and drew a short story for a special collection of stories called Again, Dangerous Visions (1972). He also contributed other short stories to magazines. Two of his stories, "M1" and "The Zombie Butler," appeared in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction. They were later printed again in his book Gahan Wilson's Cracked Cosmos (1975).
In 1975, Wilson designed a small trophy for the World Fantasy Award. It was a statue of a writer named H. P. Lovecraft. This trophy was used until 2015, when a new design was chosen. The new trophy, created by Vincent Villafranca, shows a tree in front of a full moon.
Wilson also created a computer game called Gahan Wilson's The Ultimate Haunted House. He worked on this game with Byron Preiss. In 1992, he wrote an animated short film called Diner. A big collection of his work, titled Fifty Years of Gahan Wilson, was published in 2010.
Awards and Recognition
Gahan Wilson received many important awards for his work. In 2005, he got a special lifetime achievement award from the World Fantasy Awards. He also received the World Fantasy Convention Award in 1981. This award was the very bust of H. P. Lovecraft that he had designed himself! In 2005, he also received the Milton Caniff Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Cartoonists Society.
A documentary film about his life, called Gahan Wilson: Born Dead, Still Weird, was made by Steven-Charles Jaffe. Wilson's unique style influenced many other cartoonists. Some famous artists he inspired include Gary Larson, John Callahan, and Bill Plympton.
His Life Story
Gahan Wilson was married to author Nancy Winters (whose maiden name was Nancy Dee Midyette). They were married from 1966 until her passing in March 2019.
In 2019, Wilson's stepson announced that Wilson was dealing with advanced dementia. Gahan Wilson passed away from health issues related to dementia on November 21, 2019, in Scottsdale, Arizona.
See also
- Charles Addams
- Robert Crumb
- Edward Gorey
- Gary Larson
- Lorin Morgan-Richards
- Angus Oblong
- Shel Silverstein
