In Memoriam: Robert A. Madle

Prepared by: John L. Coker III, Scientifiction Editor, and
Jon D. Swartz, Scientifiction Special Features Editor

Robert Allen (Bob) Madle was born June 2, 1920, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and died on October 8, 2022 in Rockford, Maryland.

After service in World War II, where he met his future wife, Billie, he attended Drexel Institute and received a bachelor’s degree on the G. I. Bill; he later attended night school for an MBA degree.

He started reading at a very young age, collected boy's books, was a fan of Burroughs and Buck Rogers, and began reading magazine science fiction with Wonder Stories, the December, 1930 and April, 1931 issues. 

Around this time, he started writing LoCs to SF prozines.  In 1934, he formed the Boys’ Science Fiction Club with fellow fans.  The following year a letter of his appeared in the pulp magazine Pirate Stories, published by Hugo Gernsvack, and won him a year’s subscription to Wonder Stories.  In his letter he suggested that Pirate Stories publish a story about a space pirate of the future and that Edmond Hamilton should write it. 

In October, 1936, some of the New York Futurians (including Donald A. Wollheim, David A. Kyle, and Frederik Pohl) took a train to Philadelphia, where they were met by Madle, Milton A. Rothman, and Oswald V. Train.  Later they were joined by other Philadelphia fans.  This meeting became known as the first SF convention.

At the first Worldcon in New York in 1939, Madle was picked to represent Pennsylvania.  He was a TAFF delegate in 1957, and published his famous “A Fake Fan in London” as his trip report.  At the 1957 convention, he was made a member of St. Fantony.

He edited several important, early SF fanzines, including Fantascience Digest, in the 1930s – 1940s.

His awards, appearances, and other honors over the years included: 1974, Big Heart Award; 1977, FGoH, Suncon; 1982, GoH at Lunicon 82; 1990, elected to First Fandom Hall of Fame; 1990, Special Guest, Boskone 33; 2002, Sam Moskowitz Archive Award; 2012, GoH at Philcon 2012.  In addition, he is credited with naming the Hugo Award.

A highly respected book dealer for many years, he published his Amazing Madle Catalogue on a regular basis. His catalogs were full of important bibliographic information, and a joy to read.

Madle was a founder of The National Fantasy Fan Federation (N3F) in 1941, and of First Fandom in 1958.  He was First Fandom’s initial president, holding the office for twenty-five years.  He later served for years as its President Emeritus.

He was the last surviving founding member of both First Fandom and the N3F, and will be greatly missed by members of both organizations.

Moreover, he was the subject of the First Fandom 2020 Annual, which contained a complete bibliography of his genre writing, and which sold out almost immediately.