Star Con (US convention 4)
| Star Trek Convention | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Starcon |
| Dates: | |
| Frequency: | |
| Location: | Dallas, Texas |
| Type: | |
| Focus: | Star Trek |
| Organization: | |
| Founder: | |
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| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Starcon was a series Star Trek conventions held in Dallas, Texas.
They were chaired by Larry Herndon.
The same people who ran these cons also ran American Star Trek Convention and Star Trekkin' Austin.
1976
Starcon 1976 was held March 11-14 in Dallas, Texas.
Guests of honor were George Takei and Nichelle Nichols.
Concom: Larry Herndon (registration), Joe Bob Williams (dealer room), Mark Lamberti (film program), and Gordon Bailey (publicity).
Aides: Laura Virgil, Sharon Dickerson, Caryl Thompson, Janice Snipes, Donna Humbird, Sharon Smith, Linda Addington, Pat Patterson, Peggy Williams, and Charlene Herndon.
The con program book contains 18 pages.
cover of the program book, Hal Crawford
I have to say that the Star Trek Convention in Dallas, Texas on March 11-15 was an experience I will never forget. It was my first Starcon. I didn't even know for sure that I was going 'til that Saturday morning at 6:45. Boy, was I ever ready to see George Takei and Nichelle Nichells.
My Dad and I went to get tickets for a John Denver concert (Yeah? supposedly the main reason for going to Dallas) and then shopped for awhile. By 2;00 I was fidgetting, but first we ate lunch. Finally, at 3:00 we arrived at North Park Inn. When we got in, we found out that they had sold out of memberships and wouldn't register anyone 'til 6:30! Since we had travelled almost 200 miles and had already called ahead, we got temporary memberships (my Dad's was a press pass, if you're ever near Crockett, Tx., tune your radio to 1290 AM or 92.7 FM). It was really crowded and I was squashed going through the art exhibit (it was great anyway) and the dealers' room. Because it was a combination of Star Trek and Nostalgia, the dealers' room was wild! My Dad left, and I started spending money. There was a long line for autographs, but neither George nor Nichelle was there. When Nichelle got there, I got in line. I waited an hour and five minutes to get her autograph and when I looked for George, he was no longer there!
Well, I spent some more money (all on S.T. stuff) and waited for my Dad. He got there and said I could watch the Blooper Reel, so he left and I watched some crazy stuff. It was twenty minutes 'til George was to speak and I wanted to stay, but I resigned myself to go. Guess what! I sweet-talked by Dad into staying!1! WOW!!!! If you can remember the first time you ever saw George Takei, you know how I felt. I can't really describe it, except to say that he's sooooo cute!
His personality just bubbles over, and that laugh! Anyway, he talked about S.T., Politics, and Sulu. Let me tell you, you don't know what heartbreaking is until you have to leave in the middle of a George Takei speech/Q. & A. session. We had to, 'cause we had two hundred miles to drive, and it was 8:30. Oh, woe was me!!!!! To sum it all up, I missed alot -- like 1 of George's talks, 2 of Nichelle's, Getting George autograph, etc. -- but from what I did see, it was a great success. [1]
Starcon 1977
Starcon 1977 was held April 14-17 in Dallas, Texas.
The guest of honor were David Gerrold, George Takei, and Ted Cassidy.
The con chairs were Joe Bob Williams and Larry Herndon.
The movie Star Wars had yet to be released. As per the program book, representatives from "the Star Wars Corporation" and "Twentieth-Century Fox" were present at this con.
from Horta #7, con report, photos
from Horta #7, con report, photos
the schedule for 1977, from the program book
from the 1977 program book, some acknowledgments
from the 1977 program book, the films shown
from the 1977 program book, a description of Star Wars before the movie was released
Con Report: 1977
There was a con report in Horta #7:
Horta takes a look at what may be the last con in Dallas for some time -- Starcon '77. The con brought us George Takei, Ted Cassidy and wife, and David Gerrold... with WAFSTS members [Debborah G] and [Marybeth H] flying up from New Orleans for the festivities. Ted Cassidy, better known for his roles as "Ruk" in "What Are Little Girls Made Of" and "Sasquatch" on The Six Million Dollar Man, turned out to have potentials far beyond these roles put together. One of the most mements was his rendition of: "Birds do it, bees do it, sasquatches lurking in the trees do it!... Let's do it, let's fall in love." All in all WAFSTS attendees found Mr. Cassidy and his beautiful wife one of the highlights of the con.
George Takei was his usual polished self, intellectually stimulating and politically motivated. He was of particular stimulation to members [Marybeth H] and [Debborah G]. During his question & answer session, George was entertained by a young lady dancing her way onto the stage as a birthday present, being the fact that his birthday was at hand. George contemplated unwrapping his present jokingly, but settled for a general survey of her biology - contemplating her navel and the jewel in it.
David Gerrold covered interesting ground, such as the problems of writers coping with narrow-minded TV execs. Gerrold should try to fall back on his own talent more than trying to be the bad boy of TV alla sans [2] Harlan Ellison, however, he works too hard at being an iconoclastic intellectual and he looses his personality in the process. Under all his act there is a nice, sincere guy-somewhere - and it's a shame we don't see it.
The costume contest was handled very poorly. In the lights-out ballroom awe fell over the fans as "the companion" floated out on to the stage, an intermittent blinking gaseous cloud. Fans cheered and gave a standing ovation while I peered from underneath my life-sized "Horta" in disbelief because it looked so real. Later, after a second appearance and another ovation, a square furr pillow case with tennis shoes wandered out onto the stage. Despite the booing, the judges gave the pillow case second place and "the companion" nothing. It helps to have your father on the judging staff. Other costumes are pictured above, [Lynn S] "Plato stepchild," [Debborah G] "the Princess of shara," [Rhonda S] - an alien, [Marybeth H]- a "she-cat" belonging to the Princess, and [Robert S]- a Klingonese bad-guy who stole Mother Horta's egg. (see cover) Also pictured are Ted Cassidy (top left), and [Rhonda S] with her friend, the charismatic Cassidy again.
Starcon 1982
Starcon 82 was held in Dallas, Texas on February 26-28, 1982.
front cover of the 1982 program book
References
- ^ from At the Helm #3
- ^ "alla sans" is what was printed. Perhaps the fan meant "a la sans," though that doesn't make much more sense.