[Ads-l] propeller beanie

[Jeff Prucher]

 That Fancyclopedia article is quite a read -- I was not aware of the direct relationship between fandom and "Beany and Cecil". The world is a very strange place (thank goodness).
The earliest references I can find in the fanzines are for "helicopter beanie", starting in 1950:
Summer 1950Rapp, ArthurTimewarp #6unp. (7th page, counting the cover)Incidentally, I hear George Young is preparing a clockwork mechanism so that his helicopter beanie will revolve even indoors at future cons.https://www.fanac.org/fanzines/Time_Warp/timewarp_6_rapp_1950-su_saps_12.pdf
The earliest "propeller beanie" I can find is from 1953, which is well after Jon's ad.
March 1953Science Fantasy Bulletin (v. 2, no. 1, #13)Calkins, Gregg (letter)p. 41 With which I’ll quit, leaving you with only the philosophical -- “Old faneds never die, theyjust propellor-beanie away.”
The two phrases seem to exist in somewhat free variation.
Jesse, these might be worth considering for HD/SF at some point.
Jeff

    On Saturday, February 7, 2026 at 05:43:33 AM PST, Jesse Sheidlower <jester at panix.com> wrote:  
 
 This is said to have been invented in 1947 among science-fiction fans:

https://fancyclopedia.org/wiki/Propeller_Beanie

Jesse Sheidlower

On Sat, Feb 07, 2026 at 08:28:20AM -0500, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
> Not in OED.
> 
> I always wanted one of these, but never got one. (Instead I had a beanie
> that blew bubbles. It was OK.) They came with one, two, or an excessive
> three propellers.  Beany on the TV show "Time for Beany" wore one.
> 
> >From Newspapers.com:
> 
> 1948 _Fremont [Neb.] Guide & Tribune_ (Apr. 27) 11: Join The Atomic
> Club...wear the atomic whirling propeller beanie hat for boys and girls.
> Just walk along and the propellers whirl...ready to take off at a moments
> [sic] notice! 49c.
> 
> Etc., etc.
> 
> 2025 _ Kearney (Neb.) Hub_ (Sept. 13) A8: Marvin was known for riding
> bicycles backward on the handlebars, wearing a propeller beanie to
> embarrass his kids, and attempting to teach every grandchild to do a
> handstand.
> 
> Hey, kids !! Still Available Online !!!  But Not For 49c. !!!!
> 
> JL
> 
> -- 
> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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