Hugo Award Winners from the 1950s

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1953 Hugo Winners

The 1953 Hugos were given out at 11th Worldcon in Philadelphia, PA.

1953 Hugo Award
Astounding's Hugo

Novel: The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester Dead People Server

Novelette or Short Story: No Award

Fan Personality: Forrest J Ackerman

Professional Magazine: Galaxy and Astounding (tie)

Cover Painting: Ed Emshwiller and Hannes Bok (tie)

Interior Illustration(s): Virgil Finlay

Fan Magazine: (unclear what won)

Fact Article or Article Series: Willy Ley

New Discovery (Author or Artist): Philip Jose Farmer

This Hugo statue is much smaller than the later awards. The rocket was only about half the size of the current rocket. The categories listed here are as they appeared on the 1953 ballot.


No Hugo Awards Were Given in 1954

Members of the 2004 Worldcon (Noreascon 4) did award RetroHugos for 1954


1955 Hugo Winners

The 1955 Hugos were given out at Clevention in Cleveland, OH.

Novel: They'd Rather Be Right by Mark Clifton and Frank Riley (Currently sold as The Forever Machine)

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 Committee Award: Sam Moskowitz as "Mystery Guest" and for his work on past conventions


1956 Hugo Winners

The 1956 Hugos were given out at NewYorkCon in New York, NY.

1956 Hugo Statue

Novel: Double Star by Robert A. Heinlein Dead People Server

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

1956 Hugo Plaque Willy Ley's Hugo was for his 1949 book Conquest of Space, but was awarded in 1956. People who later went to work for NASA said it had been very influential in their decision to work on space flight. This Hugo is on display at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center (near Dulles Internation Airport), in the same wing as the the space shuttle Discovery.

1957 Hugo Winners

The 1957 Hugos were given out at Loncon I in London, UK.

1957 Hugo Award
Astounding's Hugo

American Professional Magazine: Astounding

British Professional Magazine: New Worlds

Fan Magazine: Science Fiction Times (James V. Taurasi, Ray Van Houten, and Frank Prieto, eds.)

This award looks extremely similar to the International Fantasy Award, an award given out during the 1950s.

1958 Hugo Winners

The 1958 Hugos were given out at Solacon in South Gate, CA.

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: F&SF

Outstanding Artist: Frank Kelly Freas

Outstanding Actifan: Walter A. Willis


1959 Hugo Winners

The 1959 Hugos were given out at Detention in Detroit, MI.

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: F&SF

Professional Artist: Frank Kelly Freas

Amateur Magazine: Fanac (Ron Ellik & Terry Carr, eds.)

New Author: No Award (but Brian W. Aldiss received a plaque as runner-up)

Hugo winners from the 60s.