Lloyd B. Dilbeck
Lloyd B. Dilbeck was mentioned in the first issue of The Fortean Society Magazine. Tiffany Thayer said that in his frenzy to get Amelia Earhart’s rescuers to search in the right place—a place he sussed out by means he would not admit—he contacted all sorts of journalists and politicians. Among them was “L. B. Dilbeck, a good Fortean in Los Angeles employed by the Associated Press there” whom he telegraphed. Whether Dilbeck responded is not known.
Indeed, not a lot is known about Dilbeck. He was born in Texas in August 1903, making him roughly Thayer’s age. In 1920, his family had relocated to Oklahoma, and by 1930 he was in Chicago (roughly replicating the path taken by another Fortean, Burton Rascoe). According to the census, Dilbeck was the editor of a newspaper, although what kind of editor and what newspaper is not known. It is possible that he crossed paths with Thayer sometime during the 1920s, when Thayer was also in Chicago at times (as an actor, bookseller, and ad man.)
Thayer moved to New York in 1930, then lit out for Hollywood in 1932. Dilbeck also ended up in Los Angeles, and the two may have met there, as well. The Los Angeles City Directory lists Lloyd B as living in the city and working for the Associated Press in 1932. (He was living with his wife, Bettie, at h152 S. Almont.) Thayer moved back to New York in 1937; Dilbeck remained in Los Angeles.
Early on, at least according to Thayer, Dilbeck was somewhat active in the Society—anyway, in the third issue of The Fortean Society Magazine Thayer said Dilbeck had sent in clippings of Fortean interest. That was January 1940. In 1941, with the publication of the omnibus edition of Fort’s books, Thayer mentioned to Booth Tarkington that Dilbeck would help publicize the volume. By 1944—if not earlier—Dilbeck had been elevated. The advertising pamphlet The Fortean Society is the Red Cross of the Human Mind put out by Thayer listed Dilbeck as a life member. In other cases, Thayer said that life memberships were given out for great service to the Society. But it’s not clear what derive Dilbeck did, or even how closely connected he remained to the Fortean Society.
In Doubt 20 (March 1948), Thayer gave a list of ‘lost sheep’ and asked if any of the readership knew what had become of formerly active members. Among the names was Dilbeck. But if Thayer had been regularly in contact with Dilbeck or his family, he would have known exactly what happened to the journalist: he died in September 1942. Dilbeck’s death makes his elevation to life member even more problematic. Either he did something fabulous but unmentioned for the Fortean Society between January 1940 and his death in September 1942—advertise the books, maybe? But I have found no evidence that Dilbeck got anything in print about Fort, the Society, or the books. Or—Thayer, ignorant of Dilbeck’s death and not in contact with him elevated him to life status for no particular reason.
I’m not sure which hypothesis makes more sense.
Lloyd B. Dilbeck was mentioned in the first issue of The Fortean Society Magazine. Tiffany Thayer said that in his frenzy to get Amelia Earhart’s rescuers to search in the right place—a place he sussed out by means he would not admit—he contacted all sorts of journalists and politicians. Among them was “L. B. Dilbeck, a good Fortean in Los Angeles employed by the Associated Press there” whom he telegraphed. Whether Dilbeck responded is not known.
Indeed, not a lot is known about Dilbeck. He was born in Texas in August 1903, making him roughly Thayer’s age. In 1920, his family had relocated to Oklahoma, and by 1930 he was in Chicago (roughly replicating the path taken by another Fortean, Burton Rascoe). According to the census, Dilbeck was the editor of a newspaper, although what kind of editor and what newspaper is not known. It is possible that he crossed paths with Thayer sometime during the 1920s, when Thayer was also in Chicago at times (as an actor, bookseller, and ad man.)
Thayer moved to New York in 1930, then lit out for Hollywood in 1932. Dilbeck also ended up in Los Angeles, and the two may have met there, as well. The Los Angeles City Directory lists Lloyd B as living in the city and working for the Associated Press in 1932. (He was living with his wife, Bettie, at h152 S. Almont.) Thayer moved back to New York in 1937; Dilbeck remained in Los Angeles.
Early on, at least according to Thayer, Dilbeck was somewhat active in the Society—anyway, in the third issue of The Fortean Society Magazine Thayer said Dilbeck had sent in clippings of Fortean interest. That was January 1940. In 1941, with the publication of the omnibus edition of Fort’s books, Thayer mentioned to Booth Tarkington that Dilbeck would help publicize the volume. By 1944—if not earlier—Dilbeck had been elevated. The advertising pamphlet The Fortean Society is the Red Cross of the Human Mind put out by Thayer listed Dilbeck as a life member. In other cases, Thayer said that life memberships were given out for great service to the Society. But it’s not clear what derive Dilbeck did, or even how closely connected he remained to the Fortean Society.
In Doubt 20 (March 1948), Thayer gave a list of ‘lost sheep’ and asked if any of the readership knew what had become of formerly active members. Among the names was Dilbeck. But if Thayer had been regularly in contact with Dilbeck or his family, he would have known exactly what happened to the journalist: he died in September 1942. Dilbeck’s death makes his elevation to life member even more problematic. Either he did something fabulous but unmentioned for the Fortean Society between January 1940 and his death in September 1942—advertise the books, maybe? But I have found no evidence that Dilbeck got anything in print about Fort, the Society, or the books. Or—Thayer, ignorant of Dilbeck’s death and not in contact with him elevated him to life status for no particular reason.
I’m not sure which hypothesis makes more sense.
