William Rotsler

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William "Bill" Rotsler (July 3, 1926 - October 8, 1997) was an American author of several science fiction novels and short stories; television and film novelizations; and a number of non-fiction works on a variety of topics, ranging from Star Trek to pornography. He was also an artist and sculptor, primarily in metal, and contributed to the art at the entrance to Los Angeles Police Department headquarters.

Rotsler's novels include Patron of the Arts (1974), To the Land of the Electric Angel (1976), Zandra (1978), and The Far Frontier (1980). He was also a sculptor (he located the fossils, crystals and stones for the Nebula Award trophies), and a filmmaker, and contributed to the 1994 computer game Inherit the Earth: Quest for the Orb. He also directed several soft-core porn movies, including "Mantis in Lace."

He was known in science fiction fandom for his decades as a cartoonist and fan artist, winning five Hugo Award in that category. He was famously willing to provide artwork for free to even the most obscure or struggling fanzines.

Rotsler was Fan Guest of Honor at TorCon II (the 1973 Worldcon); winner of the 1977 Down Under Fan Fund; and in 1996 was voted Past President of the Fan Writers of America.

For ten years, he was the cameraman for Bill Warren as they traveled about Los Angeles shooting segments for the French TV series, Destination séries. Rotsler, like Warren, also appeared on camera in this series. He died in his sleep of complications from the radiation therapy treatment he had been undergoing for cancer.

The annual Rotsler Award "for long-time wonder-working with graphic art in amateur publications of the science fiction community" was established in 1998. The Award is ordinarily announced at Loscon, the Los Angeles science fiction convention held over the U.S. Thanksgiving Day weekend in November.