14th World Science Fiction Convention


The 14th World Science Fiction Convention, also known as NyCon II or NEWYORCON, was held August 31–September 3, 1956, at the Biltmore Hotel in New York, New York, United States.
The chairman was David A. Kyle. The Guest of Honor was Arthur C. Clarke. The toastmaster was Robert Bloch. Total attendance was approximately 850.

Awards

Hugo Awards

It was at this Worldcon that a group of fans who had not paid the $7 fee for the convention banquet chose to sit in the balcony and listen to the Guest of Honor speeches. Convention chair Kyle had a messenger tell the "Balcony Insurgents" that Kyle had said they could not sit there. Since almost every fan who wrote about the convention reported the incident, "Dave Kyle Says You Can't Sit Here" became a fannish catchphrase.
The primary bid for the 15th World Science Fiction Convention was for London. This would be the first Worldcon outside North America, and there was a small but vocal jingoistic faction of Americans who argued for retaining the Worldcon in North America, claiming "If we let them have it they'll never give it back". Their campaign against the London proposal was opposed by other Americans, most audibly Anthony Boucher, and the London bid won by an ample margin, to loud cheers. There were reportedly petty efforts even after the vote was over to sabotage the London bid, but they failed to hinder it.