Shore Leave (US convention)/1983
| Convention | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Shore Leave (US convention) |
| Dates: | July 8-10, 1983 |
| Frequency: | |
| Location: | Baltimore, Maryland |
| Type: | |
| Focus: | multi-fandom |
| Organization: | |
| Founder: | |
| Founding Date: | |
| URL: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Shore Leave is an annual fan-run convention that takes place in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
It was founded by the Star Trek Association of Towson which continues to run it. The first convention took place in 1979; the con was still running as of 2025.
The con's focus was initially on Star Trek, but it has since broadened to include other science fiction media.
1983: Shore Leave 5
It took place July 8-10, 1983 at the Marriot-Hunt Valley Inn.
The guests were George Takei, Howard Weinstein, Ann Crispin, Bob Greenberger,
The con chair was Geraldine Sylvester.
At-door Rates: $25 for all three days.
The 26-page program book has a cover and seven full-page interior illos by TACS. It also includes bios of the guests, panel descriptions, art show and costuming rules, the film schedule, some ads for other cons and local businesses, as well as a long poem by P.E. Kinlock called "The Shore Leave Salute."
1983: Programming
- Dungeon Party on $2.98 a Week (or Does Your Paladin Lose Its Flavor in the Dungeon Overnight?) ("The do's and don'ts of D&D. How to fulfill a quest without really trying. If you're into D&D, don't miss this one.")
- Did They Every Return: The Jedi ("Your basic bull panel. Come and listen to/debate/discuss Episode 6 with three or four other fen crazy enough to do this talk.")
- What If? "(What if Dorothy Fontana married Frank Oz? She'd be Dorothy of Oz! No, seriously, Roberta Rogow, John Olson, and Tim Lewis expand on improbable situations by throwing together improbable characters/events. What if the Emperor was Vader's father? What if Spock when to Dagobah? Etc, etc... Come and suggest your own.")
- Anatomy of Creativity ("Everything you always wanted to know about layout, letter, drawing for 'zines. Our sequel to last year's 'Anatomy of a Centerfold.'")
- The 'Zine Scene: 'Zine Collecting and Preserving ("There are eight million stories in fandom and you just bought ten of them. The panel that answers the question, 'What do I do with 200 fanzines in a 10'x20' bedroom?'")
- Fashion in the 21st Century ("The follow-up to last year's popular panel. What will fashion be like in the future? How will society affect it?")
- Clippercon Panel ("Welcome the new con on the block! A preview of the February 1984 convention guesting Nichelle Nichols. Suggestions welcome.")
- Daring and Danger: Role Playing ("Always a fun panel, this edition features Dr. Who (John Olson) and Saavik (Geraldine Sylvester) pitted against Khan (Weston Scrimger) and Darth Vader (Tim Lewis). (Is he still considered a villain?) Miss Tessmacher (Suzanne Elmore) will try to moderate the silliness. Feel free to question the 'guests.'")
- We'll Get Back to You: Pro Writing ("How does one get to publish their work professionally? It may not be as hard as you think. Howie, Ann, and Mark Van Name discuss what sells and what doesn't, how they got started, and how you can get started.")
- Starlog Panel ("What's it like to write for Starlog? To interview Harve Bennett, Carrie Fisher, etc.? Associate editor Bob Greenberger and writer/photographer team Martha and Rodney Bonds describe the world of the popular magazine.")
- Readings ("Howie and Ann will be reading from their upcoming novels, of course, and their short stories based on the one-liners chosen Friday.")
- Omicron Ceti III ("An hour or so of music by the well-known group.")
- Filksinging ("Scheduled are: Howie Weinstein, Cindy Lewis, Roberta Rogow, Carolyn Venino, B-104 Boogie Knights, Ceti and the Eels, and the Denebian Slime Devils.")
- Costume Call
- Art Auction
- Showcase Con Skit: "Pon Farr Palace," a ST parody of "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas," by the con committee (see for more information on the con's skits in general)
The program book also contains the titles and descriptions of film shorts, including:
- Starlog's Birthday Fantasy ("What happens when the staff of STARLOG celebrate a special birthday? A film for the young at heart.")
- The Electronic Labyrinth ("A science fiction film about one man's attempt to escape a computerized society.")
- Hardware Wars ("You'll laugh! You'll cry! You'll kiss 3 bucks goodbye! The infamous spoof of Star Wars. If you've never seen it, what are you waiting for?")
- K-9000: A Space Oddity ("Another spoof, this one of sf space flight films. A dog is kidnapped and sent to outer space where the secrets of the universe are locked inside a huge - but see for yourself.")
- Superman ("The very first Superman cartoon (1941), made before live action Superman films were produced. Shows the origin of the Man of Steel and his battle with the deadly Electric Ray.")
- Recorded Live ("A very unusual job interview for a young man at a TV station. Good animation sequences, and a great chase. You may never trust a piece of film again after seeing this one.")
- Re-Entry ("The theme of reincarnation as related to a spaceship's re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere.")
1983: Gallery of Ephemera and Samples from the Program Book
flyer for the 1983 con
flyer for the 1983 Shore Leave
a 1983 badge
from the 1983 program book
from the 1983 program book, TACS: "Bone's Fantasy - A little mint and a little 'sugar.' Always and ever the charming Southern Gentleman."
from the 1983 program book, TACS: "Captain Kirk's Fantasy - Still Captain but of another Enterprise. Kirk will always be Kirk. Thank Goodness!"
from the 1983 program book, TACS: "Mr. Sulu's Fantasy - Well, it seems our inscrutable helmsman is still reading Alexander Dumas. En garde!"
from the 1983 program book, TACS: "Nurse Christine Chapel's Fantasy - Did you even have to ask? Ah, humans are so predictable!"
from the 1983 program book, TACS: "Mr. Spock's Fantasy - It seems the cerebral Vulcan has more on his mind than computers - but an Orion Slave Trader? Really, Mr. Spock!"
from the 1983 program book, poem by P.E. Kinlock - "The Shore Leave Salute"
1983: Con Reports
Shore Leave V was my first Shore Leave, and my first Star Trek convention since 1977. It was also my first venture out of Philadelphia with my newly minted business, Fantasy Portraits. I was a vendor: back then they put the dealers in the salons on the lower level (instead of in the ballroom as they do now). The organizers didn't know what to do with me and my Fantasy Portraits, so they put me in with the fanzines. I didn't even know what a fanzine was (I was in college and had NO money and, well, there wasn't any internet for me to learn about these things!) The first day, all of these women with huge canvas totes came rushing in and spent huge amounts of money on zines and I thought, "none of them will have any money left!" I thought I was sunk. It was hilarious, though, because zine editors kept asking, "Do you draw K/S?" and after finding out what "K/S" was I said, "no" and they were confused--until I realized that I signed my art "KS" for Sophia Kelly!
I met so many great people that weekend! [1]
I must say I enjoyed myself tremendously. The con itself was run very smoothly and George Takei was a fabulous guest. We heard him speak on Saturday and Sunday and found him to be very witty and informed. The usual questions were asked about ST III and George was up front all the way as to his limitations for answering them. He did make mention that the time period involved would be the immediate continuation of ST II and that the uniforms would remain the same. There was also a vague hint leading us to believe that the Enterprise could be a bit redesigned, it was as George put it, "open for your own interpretation."
Aside from his con activities, Mr. Takei was into jogging and made an open invitation for us fans to join him in an early morning run which is his regular routine, either at home or away. I myself didn't go out for the run (my husband did), but I did take part in his warm-up exercises. George is in excellent running condition and can do up to eight miles a day. Luckily, for my husband and some others, he only did two. As all cons go, time passed by too quickly and, it was time to leave. But as I looked back over the fun-filled two days, I managed to suppress my sadness by thinking what a privilege it was to have met and actually socialized with Mr. Takei. He gives meaning to the word gentleman. [2]
Its reputation preceded it as a mellow, fannish con. And since I was in the throes of con fever, not to be abated by New York Creation semi-cons, I sent in my credits for a registration, July 8-10, in Cockeysville, MD. I'd never been to Baltimore, but that means nothing to a Trekker in search ofa con.
[...]
I thought the Hunt Valley Inn would be situated among green rolling hills, with passing views of horses, barking dogs and red foxes. It's the curse of a working imagination. The Inn was circled by highways packed with vans blaring "Let's Dance."
Friday was, indeed, a mellow day. We grabbed some sunshine at the pool. After all, who knew when we'd see the light of day again? We got more color in one hour than I'd acquired all summer, and for that reason alone, I want to move to Baltimore. Closer to the sunbelt, you see, most Trekkers live in movie theaters or with their noses buried in a SF book or huddled over a typewriter. Not me. I'm a sun worshipper.
The hotel help all wore 'Am I Smiling?' badges. If they weren't smiling, I would make a point to exploit this. My nagging did not ingratiate me with the hotel employees, and they all turned tail and ran when they saw me coming.
Saturday was a barrel of fun, but I'm having trouble remembering why. I walked around the dealers room at least a dozen times. There sure were lots of people buying and selling zines.
Someone gave me a tribble at Shore Leave, and whenever a Klingon walked by, I'd squeak it savagely at him.
During the costume call, a Klingon did a preposterous sword play demonstration. When it was over, I threw my tribble at him. The audience laughed, but the Klingon picked up my tribble and violently bit into it! My poor tribble was rescued, but it will never be the same.
Sunday--now, that was lots of fun! We traipsed through the dealers room again. I was a wee bit hungover--from champagne the night before--so I generally just sat in the hallways and recuperated.
Fandom Feud is the SF equivalent of Family Feud, Sue (my long-time Trek friend) and I had signed up the day before, encouraged by Tim Lewis who was to play the emcee (i.e., Richard Dawson). We grouped with three other contestants to become the Puety family. Sue was Kierkegaard, and I was Dwiesel. Our 'father' was an Australian lad who had a wonderful sense of humor and who was determined to win the 'big money.' Our 'mother' was your average tee-shirted Trek fan, and our 'brother' was a black quasi-comic. He went by the name of Dimsdel. Every time we won a round, we'd all cheer and hug and kiss each other. Whenever an answer was gonged, we'd offer sympathy and encouragement. When the other team was up for an answer, we'd extend our arms, wiggle our fingers and put a hex on them. We won every round. Dimsdel did a commercial for speeder bikes, and then he and 'Dad' tried for the $10,000. They got 190 points, 10 points short of the money (or whatever it was that Shore Leave would have presented us with). So we each won tickets to next year's Shore Leave. That was a helluva good time!
The Shore Leave Showcase was the crowning glory of the con. The Boogie Knights as Arthurian balladeers were enchanting. But the con committee's presentation of Pon Farr Palace, a ST parody of "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas," kept the crowd hooping and hollering.
Later, even George Takei, the guest, joined the pool crowd. When it got too cold to swim, 20 of us jammed with George into the whirlpool and sang filksongs. Now, that was a golden moment.
Oh, what a time we had in that galaxy far, far away! [3]
References
- ^ contributed by user:badgershoph (March 2018)
- ^ from the editor of Communications Console (Sept/Oct 1983)
- ^ from WKFS Journal (September 1983)