Jim Harmon

Born in 1933 and active from a young age in science fiction fandom, he began publishing fiction in the 1950s and went on to become widely known as a pop-culture historian. He wrote with real affection and deep knowledge about old-time radio, horror films, comics, and pulp magazines, subjects that many readers came to understand better through his work.

He is especially remembered for books on radio heroes and for helping preserve the history of classic popular entertainment before it was widely studied in mainstream culture. Alongside his nonfiction, he also worked as an editor and magazine contributor, moving easily between fan communities and professional publishing.

He died in 2010. His legacy rests on the energy and curiosity he brought to overlooked corners of American entertainment, and on the way he made that history fun to explore.