The Fandom Menace

In 1947, Ellen Roufs Came up with an idea that thrilled film fans throughout the nation. As president of the International Fan Club League, an umbrella organization that coordinated the activities of over 500 different movie star fan clubs, she decided to revive the idea of the national fan club convention, a meeting that had been held annually in the 1930s. In June, she proposed that over 250,000 fan club members meet in Hollywood, learn about each other’s activities, go on studio tours, and meet their favorite stars. According to Movieland magazine, it promised “to be the biggest thing that ever happened to fan clubs.”1