Phillip Klass, who wrote speculative fiction as William Tenn, died 7 February 2010, according to his blog. Born 9 May 1920 in London, England, his family immigrated to the US and settled in New York.
He served in the US Army during World War II, and then began writing after his 1945 discharge. His first story, “Alexander the Bait”, was published in Astounding in May 1946. It told the story of a radar beam bounced of the Moon, and was surpassed by real-world science a few months later. His second story, 1947’s “Child’s Play”, is far more widely reprinted. He developed a reputation as a humorist and satirist, and the bulk of his sf career was in short stories and essays. Tenn did, however, write two novels (both published in 1968): Of Men and Monsters (an expansion of his story “The Men in the Walls,” which was published in Galaxy in 1963), and A Lamp for Medusa (an expansion of his story “Medusa Was a Lady!”, which was published in Fantastic Adventures in 1951). NESFA Press collected his works into three large books: Immodest Proposals: The Complete Science Fiction of William Tenn, Volume I (2000), Here Comes Civilization: The Complete Science Fiction of William Tenn, Volume II (2001), and Dancing Naked, the Unexpurgated William Tenn (2004). The third volume was a collection of his non-fiction, and was a Hugo Nominee for Best Related Book.
In 1999, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America honored him as their Author Emeritus at the Nebula Awards Weekend. He was a Guest of Honor at the 2004 World Science Fiction Convention.
As Klass, he taught English and Comparative Literature at The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) for many years.
In 1957, Klass married Fruma, who survives him, as does their daughter, Adina.
I first met him in 1999 at the Nebula Awards Weekend. He was the Author Emeritus (the fourth person to be so honored), and I was a member of SFWA’s Board of Directors. He was an interesting man, who reminded me a little of Isaac Asimov. Perhaps it was that New York upbringing from the same era; they both went on to be college professors and science fiction authors. Most recently, I saw Phil and Fruma him last summer, again in Pittsburgh, at American Mensa’s Annual Gathering. He didn’t seem to have aged a bit in those ten years. It was nice to be able to spend a little time with them, listening to their stories. I’m sorry to hear he’s gone.
For an in-depth obituary, see the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.