The dark star passed, bringing with it eternal night and turning history into incredible myth in a single generation! A Pail of Air by Fritz Leiber, that’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

Like the author we’ll hear from next week, Isaac Asimov, today’s author, Fritz Leiber had a long and successful sci-fi career. But he also had a fascinating life.

Fritz Leiber was born on December 24, 1910, in Chicago, Illinois, to the actors Fritz Leiber and Virginia Bronson Leiber. For a time, he seemed inclined to follow in his parents' footsteps. At just 17 years old he was touring with his parents' Shakespeare company, Fritz Leiber & Co., before entering the University of Chicago.

He appeared alongside his father in uncredited parts in several movies in the 1930s including 1939’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

His first short fiction story, Riches and Power, was published in 1934. He would go on to write around 200 short stories and 10 novels. There’s much more to the Fritz Leiber story which we’ll save for another podcast.

His first novel, Conjure Wife, published in 1943 has been made into feature films four times under other titles.

Two Leiber short stories were filmed for TV for Rod Serling's Night Gallery. The Girl with the Hungry Eyes and The Dead Man.

Today’s story was published in the December 1951 issue of Galaxy Science Fiction Magazine. You’ll find our story on page 56. A Pail of Air by Fritz Leiber...