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(1994) 8.5" x 11.5" Markers on ruled notebook paper. Tom Linehan replied to my furmeet invite of May 1994 http://www.furaffinity.net/view/4491414/ with this illustrated latter.
I'd met Tom on only two or so occasions, most notably at NorEasCon III, the WorldCon in Boston, 1989. At an event where Mark Merlino screened his home video recording of the original Animalympics television broadcast, Tom was unprepared for Keen Hacksaw's comment on his 100 meter dash result, "Forty-six seconds. Not bad for a fatso!" and promptly lost it, cracking up for a good minute afterward. That's how I best remember him.
Tom was also a film soundtrack fan and generously shared recordings and info on new releases of motion picture scores. I still have recordings from the vault of The Soundtrack King.
I'd met Tom on only two or so occasions, most notably at NorEasCon III, the WorldCon in Boston, 1989. At an event where Mark Merlino screened his home video recording of the original Animalympics television broadcast, Tom was unprepared for Keen Hacksaw's comment on his 100 meter dash result, "Forty-six seconds. Not bad for a fatso!" and promptly lost it, cracking up for a good minute afterward. That's how I best remember him.
Tom was also a film soundtrack fan and generously shared recordings and info on new releases of motion picture scores. I still have recordings from the vault of The Soundtrack King.
Category Artwork (Traditional) / Doodle
Species Bear (Other)
Size 946 x 1280px
File Size 431.5 kB
I think Tom was the 5th Rowrbrazzle member to die. Deal Whitley, Mark Wallace, McMurray, Destrier and Tom Linehan. I don't think i ever got to meet him-- he didn't come to west coast cons, and by the time I began going to east coast cons he was pretty much out of the fandom. I didn't hear of his passing until some time afterwards.
Tom came out to SDCC with me in 1987. I flew him in as a guest and picked him up at the Tucson airport, While getting gas I joked with Tom "How hot do you think it is?" (Temps were 102 at the time) Tom cheerfully said in that high pitched voice of his "Oh...82-85?" When I pointed to the bank sign across the street, Tom instantly broke out into a sweat. I told him it was all mental cause he was fine til I pointed out the temps.
Plus at the same station he saw like 3 people with guns on their hips (It was Tucson afterall) and he asked a older woman with a Hogleg massive .44 on her hip "Why do you carry a gun?" The woman smiled at him and said "In over 50 years of carrying a gun, I haven't been bothered once by anybody who wished to bother me." Tom just laughed at that.
I took Tom to some of my favorite haunts, places to eat, book stores and 'Musicbox' record store. Musicbox specialized in Soundtracks and Tom was in literal heaven. He spent at least a good 3 hours going over the selections and had a huge pile form at the counter. And finally he asked for a total..in was in excess of $350!! The owner smiled at Tom and said "And with Good customer with good taste discount, $195!"
Tom was in total bliss with his loot!
I also took Tom shooting, especially after he drew story in JL Coon of JL shooting a revolver and the casings being ejected. I had him shoot a revolver and asked him to pick up the brass...he looked for several minutes and then I showed him the spent brass still in the pistol. Tom tried all sorts of stuff and wanted "Action photos" for future reference.
I took Tom to Momma Louisa's in Tucson, knowing the owners personally. Tom was thrilled to have a decent italian meal and meet the owners. Being cheerful and polite, he thanked them for the wonderful meal (Unlike Mark Wallace who nitpicked the meal a few years later, much to the annoyance of Joe Elefante.) And talked mafia with Joe, since the former Don, Joe Bonnano would eat at Momma Louisa's.
Then I took Tom for a real treat...I took him to Lee Marvin's house and introduced him to Lee. Tom was in complete heaven at this encounter.
The one thing I remember about Tom going to SDCC, was that he was so fat, he couldn't buckle his seat belt in my car. But at the con , Tom was all starry eyed and fanboy'd at all the famous names in comics. And since I published Morphs and Tom was featured in the book, he was signing at my table. Plus was at the parties we had at the Hotel San Diego.
After the con I took Tom to Phoenix, where he and I met up with McMoo and we went to the China Doll restaurant and gorged ourselves. Plus a tour of the Phoenix zoo. After that we went back to the Musicbox record store in Tucson. Tom piled up another massive pile and the owner gave him a hearty discount again. I recall he spent almost $500 on used records alone between the two visits. We had to ship home his massive stack of records he bought.
We exchanged letters, phone calls over the years, Last time I saw him was in 93, When I flew to Boston to help Psycho Newell's move. Tom met me at the airport and I had a whole day with him. He had lost some weight, and looked like a cross between Jerry Garcia and Santa.
I got a letter from him one month before he died, it was his usual cheerful self. I tried for years to get him GOH'd at CFE and AC, and even at Philcon, but to no avail.
I miss his breaking out into Ethal Merman's "Theres no people like Show People" and his high pitched voice and cheerful smile. I too have numerous tapes of his soundtracks still, and treasure them.
Plus at the same station he saw like 3 people with guns on their hips (It was Tucson afterall) and he asked a older woman with a Hogleg massive .44 on her hip "Why do you carry a gun?" The woman smiled at him and said "In over 50 years of carrying a gun, I haven't been bothered once by anybody who wished to bother me." Tom just laughed at that.
I took Tom to some of my favorite haunts, places to eat, book stores and 'Musicbox' record store. Musicbox specialized in Soundtracks and Tom was in literal heaven. He spent at least a good 3 hours going over the selections and had a huge pile form at the counter. And finally he asked for a total..in was in excess of $350!! The owner smiled at Tom and said "And with Good customer with good taste discount, $195!"
Tom was in total bliss with his loot!
I also took Tom shooting, especially after he drew story in JL Coon of JL shooting a revolver and the casings being ejected. I had him shoot a revolver and asked him to pick up the brass...he looked for several minutes and then I showed him the spent brass still in the pistol. Tom tried all sorts of stuff and wanted "Action photos" for future reference.
I took Tom to Momma Louisa's in Tucson, knowing the owners personally. Tom was thrilled to have a decent italian meal and meet the owners. Being cheerful and polite, he thanked them for the wonderful meal (Unlike Mark Wallace who nitpicked the meal a few years later, much to the annoyance of Joe Elefante.) And talked mafia with Joe, since the former Don, Joe Bonnano would eat at Momma Louisa's.
Then I took Tom for a real treat...I took him to Lee Marvin's house and introduced him to Lee. Tom was in complete heaven at this encounter.
The one thing I remember about Tom going to SDCC, was that he was so fat, he couldn't buckle his seat belt in my car. But at the con , Tom was all starry eyed and fanboy'd at all the famous names in comics. And since I published Morphs and Tom was featured in the book, he was signing at my table. Plus was at the parties we had at the Hotel San Diego.
After the con I took Tom to Phoenix, where he and I met up with McMoo and we went to the China Doll restaurant and gorged ourselves. Plus a tour of the Phoenix zoo. After that we went back to the Musicbox record store in Tucson. Tom piled up another massive pile and the owner gave him a hearty discount again. I recall he spent almost $500 on used records alone between the two visits. We had to ship home his massive stack of records he bought.
We exchanged letters, phone calls over the years, Last time I saw him was in 93, When I flew to Boston to help Psycho Newell's move. Tom met me at the airport and I had a whole day with him. He had lost some weight, and looked like a cross between Jerry Garcia and Santa.
I got a letter from him one month before he died, it was his usual cheerful self. I tried for years to get him GOH'd at CFE and AC, and even at Philcon, but to no avail.
I miss his breaking out into Ethal Merman's "Theres no people like Show People" and his high pitched voice and cheerful smile. I too have numerous tapes of his soundtracks still, and treasure them.
I tried for years to get him GOH'd at CFE and AC, and even at Philcon, but to no avail.
As far as I could tell he'd pretty much stopped doing and publishing art back in the early 90's; I don't recall seeing anything new from him after that period. Since cons like to get popular (and currently productive) artists as guests, I'm not surprized no one picked him up. Beyond Rowrbrazzle members from the late 80's and early 90's, I don't think anyone would know who he was. Just one of the early cadre of furry artists long forgotten by everyone but the very earliest furries.
As far as I could tell he'd pretty much stopped doing and publishing art back in the early 90's; I don't recall seeing anything new from him after that period. Since cons like to get popular (and currently productive) artists as guests, I'm not surprized no one picked him up. Beyond Rowrbrazzle members from the late 80's and early 90's, I don't think anyone would know who he was. Just one of the early cadre of furry artists long forgotten by everyone but the very earliest furries.
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