Paul Murphy
| Fan | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Paul Murphy |
| Alias(es): | John Paul Murphy, Sven Olandorf |
| Type: | Fan, artist, fan films, cartoons, cosplayer |
| Fandoms: | Star Trek, multimedia, the space program |
| Communities: | Austrek, Trekcon 2 |
| Other: | |
| URL: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Paul Murphy was an early and very active member of Austrek, from the late 1970s to the early 1980s.
I just met so many different people across all kinds of kinds of “divides” – whether ethnicity, social class, sexuality, age or whatever. I even met my first trans friend in Austrek, and it just felt right for him. The thing we all had in common was one television show that showed promise for the future.[1]
He was involved in production of early issues of Spock fanzine and The Captain's Log newsletter, where he became particularly well known for his cartoons - which even drew the praise of Gene Roddenberry.[1] Murphy was also involved in costuming, fan films (including the comedic, 2001 - A Spacey Idiocy) and he was on the organising committee for the Trekcon 2 convention.
His Starrag fanzine, produced in 1979, featured cartoons of Star Trek, Star Wars, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and Doctor Who. It also featured parody of other popular cultural items such as Chariots of the Gods? (an early 'ancient astronauts' series of books and film), and the real-life Apollo space program - this latter drawing as much praise and admiration from Murphy as it did parody. He remains a keen enthusiast of space exploration to this day.
Paul Murphy probably became best known in local fandom circles for his involvement in City on the Edge of the Yarra, a fan film made by himself and Stephen Bates in 1979, also involving the participation of many other local fans. Filming happened (among other places) on the streets of Melbourne (near the banks of the Yarra River), including Murphy dressed as Spock.
Murphy gafiated from fandom sometime in the late 1980s, although he did attend an informal reunion of some early Austrek members in 2006. In a 2023 interview, he spoke about his recollections of making "City..." as well as his early life inspirations, such as the first science fiction book he ever read, his enthusiasm for NASA and the space program ("Who, alive in 1969, wasn’t caught up in the first manned moon landing??"), and his memories of Austrek's early days.[1]
Gallery
Paul Murphy and Joan McLachlan at the first AussieTrek convention, Sydney, 1979
Paul Murphy with David McDonnell, at an early Austrek social event
Starrag front cover
Title shot for the 1979 fan film, City On The Edge of the Yarra
Paul (left) with Russ Edwards at an informal Austrek reunion on 19 June 2004
References
- ^ a b c Paul Murphy, interviewed in Trekking on the Edge of the Yarra, Humanist blog, 10 April 2023.