The Hugo Awards
Originally called the Science Fiction Achievement Awards (nicknamed the Hugos), they were supposedly an idea by a SF fan named Harold Lynch. They were first given out in 1953 at the World Science Fiction Convention in Philadelphia and the nomination process was introduced in 1959, starting the current tradition of nominating works from the previous calendar year
The Hugos have always been a fan award, voted on by fans, rather than a panel of experts or a panel of peers like most other awards of the time. Initialy, there were only a few categories, and their number, their description, and the rules governing them changed almost every year.
1954 was the only year since their inception that the Hugo Awards were not given. For some reason, the committee of SFCon in San Francisco chose not to award them.
| 1953 | |
|---|---|
| Novel: | "The Demolished Man" by Alfred Bester |
| Professional Magazine (tie): | Galaxy, Astounding |
| Excellence in Fact Articles: | Willy Ley |
| Cover Artist (tie): | Ed Emshwiller, Hannes Bok |
| Interior Illustrator: | Virgil Finlay |
| New SF Author or Artist: | Philip Jose Farmer |
| Number 1 Fan Personality: | Forrest J Ackerman |
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| 1954 | |
| No Awards Given | |
| |
| 1955 | |
| Novel: | "They'd Rather Be Right" by Mark Clifton&Frank Riley |
| Novelette: | "The Darfsteller" by Walter M. Miller, Jr. |
| Short Story: | "Allamagoosa" by Eric Frank Russell |
| Magazine: | Astounding |
| Artist: | Frank Kelly Freas |
| Fan Magazine: | Fantasy Times (James V. Taurasi, Sr.& Ray Van Houten, eds.) |
| Special Award: | Sam Moskowitz as "Mystery Guest" and for his work on past conventions. |
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| 1956 | |
| Novel: | "Double Star" by Robert A. Heinlein |
| Novelette: | "Exploration Team" by Murray Leinster |
| Short Story: | "The Star" by Arthur C. Clarke |
| Feature Writer: | Willy Ley |
| Magazine: | Astounding |
| Artist: | Frank Kelly Freas |
| Fanzine: | Inside & Science Fiction Advertiser (Ron Smith, ed.) |
| Most Promising New Author: | Robert Silverberg |
| Book Reviewer: | Damon Knight |
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| 1957 | |
| American Professional Magazine: | Astounding |
| British Professional Magazine: | New Worlds |
| Fan Magazine: | Science Fiction Times (James V. Taurasi, Ray Van Houten, and Frank Prieto, eds.) |
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| 1958 | |
| Novel or Novelette: | "The Big Time" by Fritz Leiber |
| Short Story: | "Or All the Seas With Oysters" by Avram Davidson |
| Outstanding Movie: | The Incredible Shrinking Man |
| Magazine: | Fantasy & Science Fiction |
| Outstanding Artist: | Frank Kelly Freas |
| Outstanding Actifan: | Walter A. Willis |
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| 1959 | |
| Novel: | "A Case of Conscience" by James Blish: |
| Novelette: | "The Big Front Yard" by Clifford D. Simak |
| Short Story: | "That Hell-Bound Train" by Robert Bloch |
| SF or Fantasy Movie: | No Award |
| Professional Magazine: | Fantasy & Science Fiction |
| Professional Artist: | Frank Kelly Freas |
| Amateur Magazine: | Fanac (Ron Ellik and Terry Carr, eds.) |
| New Author of 1958: | No Award but Brian W. Aldiss received a plaque as runner-up |
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