Looking for Two Stories pre 1970

[dbKilowatt]

read in my youth, circa 1968 ... looking for any of title, author, and if possible, the text.

Story 1- a study of an aging actor taking his last job, in a time when robots have taken over all the roles on the live/legitimate stage. He pretends to be a robot for love of the craft, and is stabbed/killed(?) during a performance.

Story 2- a wheelchair bound psychologist (advertising exec?) tours a city/slum/suburb to do political research in preparation for an upcoming election. Things do not go well.

- many thanks ...

dbKilowatt

 

[johnnyjet]

Possibly . . .

Story 1 - "The Darfsteller" by Walter M. Miller, Jr.

Any more details about story 2?

 

[dbKilowatt]

I read the Wikipedia summary on The Darfstellar. ABSOLUTELY the story I remember. Many thanks! The theme of the story has been bouncing around my brain for some time as I see the advances in CGI/AI moving into film and gaming.

As to more detail on Story 2 ... vague details only (some, sadly, may be conflated with memories of other stories)
- the setting was an urban/suburban slum, low socioeconomic class;
- the researcher was using psychometric (my phrase) techniques to assess voter tendencies;
- the community was on edge, and suspicious of outsiders; they turn on the researcher and attack him when they become suspicious of motives;
- the researcher makes a conclusion on voting trends/tendencies based on his observations of smoking habits in the community.

Thanks again for reply.

 

[johnnyjet]

Still not sure about Story 2. It has a Frederik Pohl feel to it. Any of the other Chrons have any ideas? @dannymcg?

 

[Danny McG]

Struggling with this one. Seems faintly familiar so it's kick start my memory again

 

[Danny McG]

Greenplace by Tom Purdom?

I have a (maybe incorrect) memory of reading an online review of this story by @Victoria Silverwolf

 

[fabrice4]

Hi dbkilowat

since you sound young too, from when tv had valves ... maybe you have a clue about this?

Sci-fi/fantasy about psychiatric patient who lives in alternative universe

Hi Sci-fi/fantasy about psychiatric patient who lives in alternative universe where he is some kind of warrior ... captured and big lies eating him like in Prometeus myth Read in mid 80's thanks

www.sffchronicles.com

thanks

 

[Ravensquawk]

Possibly . . .

Story 1 - "The Darfsteller" by Walter M. Miller, Jr.

Any more details about story 2?

Oh, man, thank you for this. Yet another vague flashback that I can now read again.

This story, to me, has such a Bradburyesque theme to it that I might never have found it again.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Greenplace by Tom Purdom?

I have a (maybe incorrect) memory of reading an online review of this story by @Victoria Silverwolf

Here it is:

"Greenplace" by Tom Purdom (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, November 1964) -- Creates a complex near future of life extension, drugs which enhance one's ability to absorb information and form hypotheses (while rendering the body nearly helpless) and highly sophisticated psychological manipulation techniques. The plot involves political dirty tricks. As if that wasn't enough of an accurate prediction of the decade to come, it also mentions in passing a strong anti-smoking campaign during the 1970's. A fascinating depiction of the darker side of what might seem at first like a pleasant future.

 

[Danny McG]

Here it is:

Having looked at the review from Victoria Silverwolf, I am now deffo suggesting Greenplace by Tom Purdom as the answer to story 2