Ed Fancher, the publisher of the Village Voice, died at 100 years of age last September. This column is an expanded version of my remarks delivered by Zoom on Saturday for his memorial, held at the National Arts Club on Gramercy Park, near where Ed lived.
Damn, can you write, Lucien. I was headed in to help get dinner ready when your post popped up and I thought I'd give it a quick scan and read it later. HA! Three words in, and I'm still in my office, late again. We all need more of you, just writing. As I've said before, the shit won't smell any worse if we ignore it for a day or two, once in while. Thank you for sharing another great one with us.
We need to keep these stories alive - now more than ever. To remind people - Americans - that the Nazis, fascism, dictatorship: that these were the things we hated and fought against because they were so foreign to the ideals of what America/Americans were all about. That their hateful ideology be driven back, so as not to spread.
And yet , here we are, with some Americans actually admiring those awful ideologies and embracing them, all because some megalomaniacal narcissist with daddy issues is their god and admires “big, strong men.”
So thanks for this wonderful reminder, Lucian. Thank you and thank you, Ed Fancher.
In high school in 1968, I hitchhiked to NYC from Buffalo with some pals. We rode the subways all night and met Ed Fancher on one of them. There were two other men with Fancherr. They were so radical. I learned a lot about the USA that night, not to mention the East Village and the Village Voice. I'm 74. I was 18 on that trip.
That's wonderful! I don't think you'd meet men like that on the subway riding all night these days. How far we have fallen from the 'greatest generation'.
The funny thing about that is that in the downtown world at that time Ed was known for his conservative ways, hopelessly frustrating to some—not least Mailer, who wanted a devil-take-the-hindmost Voice. Ed and Dan otoh wanted a successful newspaper.
I started reading it then - the Village Voice and, I think, also, there was the East Village Voice... this was right after the summer of Panic in Needle Park - a crazy time in NYC, we stayed at the Howard Hotel in Times Square, 2 dollars a night but right around the corner for White Castle Hamburgers (those amazing tiny square ones?)
East Village Other, aka EVO. Before that East. Always, the Villager. Later, (my beloved) Soho Weekly News, then the NYPress. Improbably, the Villager outlived them all. The Village's White Castle was near Jackson Square. The infamous Times Square fleabag I remember was the Hotel Dixie.
Subway crime isn't new. A few years before your visit, within weeks of my arrival, I was in a car where a guy suddenly was lurching around, waving a knife, ranting, and terrifying passengers. When the doors opened at West 14th they fled. A guy noticed me lingering: "Get out of here!!! Do you want to have to testify?!"
Yes, that was it, East Village Other—in response to the Village Voice long ago. I was enthralled by the characters I met on that trip and ended up a writer myself, with lots of TV, a couple of novels, and a few movies. Nothing great, but I longed to be part of that crew. I live in Mexico now - a small village full of fishermen and surfers, as far away from NYC as possible; sadly. I still miss it and just took my kids there for Xmas. We ate at Sparks.
I didn't start my weekend NYC adventures till college, but similarly was irresistably attracted by magnetic New Yorkers. Couldn't get here fast enough. Great that you were able to make the writer's life yours too. I envy you the idyllic climate and surroundings you've chosen now. Northeastern winters take way too much outta me.
HA - this is funny - we're all 80% vegan - we live in Mexico so we eat a lot of fish but I told my wife and kids that when you are in The City all bets are off... I never stay on any diet in New York (upstate or the City) except for the nostalgia diet!
Great tribute, Lucian. I have a feeling that the Fates, and Karma, made certain that you and Ed would wind up together because, well, that’s how things are supposed to be.
I agree Daniel, I think there is more to life than pure happenstance. It's as though certain things are supposed to be. A wonderful story indeed of brotherly love and friendship, and bravery of our troops against the evil that still unfortunately exists in the world today in its many forms - some,, sad to say, right here in our own land. So many of our young men and women have died defending that right to freedom. But dark forces are at work to take it away.
Ed lived in the building next door to me on Gramercy Park and every weekend his son would visit and take him out to the park to get fresh air, so I would see him all the time in the past few years…. A little past his prime but still an elegant and vibrant gentleman.
So moving, Luc. … I had never heard the Riva Ridge story.
Ed gave me my break at the Voice. I can't imagine where life would have taken me if he hadn't. Dan introduced us, you—yes, dashing in uniform—and me, in the same back room at that same Voice Christmas party in Ed's 10th Street office. Ed touched a lot more lives than most small town boys who move to the big city.
What a wonderful story - stories rather. What a gift of a life your good friend had. Truly heroic and filled with much challenging and fortunate history. I won’t forget Mr. Fancher having read your tribute. Your remarkable interconnection is truly near a fated meeting. I’ve lived long enough to conclude there are no coincidences. You two were meant to meet and here is the eloquent evidence.
I knew of the assault up the ridge by the 10th Mountain, it was the stuff of legend when I was in Special Forces, they were all dead men if they had been discovered while climbing those cliffs. Since I was a child I have had a fear of heights, reading your account of your friend’s heroic efforts touched me deeply, I know what it’s like to climb and overcome fear, all men if they are sane know fear, what separated the men from the boys is how they deal with it. Your friend was exemplary in his courage, he wasn’t alone we know that, but he did set an example that many have followed. I would have been proud to have shaken his hand. RIP Ed and thank you for what you did 🙏
Thanks for another great story, Lucian. I was at the Fancher event this past weekend at the Arts Club.
Had hoped to run into you there, although I arrived late. Anyway your writing is the kind of ammo we desperately need in the present campaign. Keep it coming.... CARMAN
So sorry I couldn't make it up to Gramercy Park, Carman—I was hoping to see you after I noticed your name among the RSVPs. Clark wrote that you asked about me, and I hope he explained. No bottom to how much we all owed Ed. —diane f nyc
This is a beautiful story…. Thanks for sharing such an outstanding memory with us.
Damn, can you write, Lucien. I was headed in to help get dinner ready when your post popped up and I thought I'd give it a quick scan and read it later. HA! Three words in, and I'm still in my office, late again. We all need more of you, just writing. As I've said before, the shit won't smell any worse if we ignore it for a day or two, once in while. Thank you for sharing another great one with us.
We need to keep these stories alive - now more than ever. To remind people - Americans - that the Nazis, fascism, dictatorship: that these were the things we hated and fought against because they were so foreign to the ideals of what America/Americans were all about. That their hateful ideology be driven back, so as not to spread.
And yet , here we are, with some Americans actually admiring those awful ideologies and embracing them, all because some megalomaniacal narcissist with daddy issues is their god and admires “big, strong men.”
So thanks for this wonderful reminder, Lucian. Thank you and thank you, Ed Fancher.
Brilliant!
In high school in 1968, I hitchhiked to NYC from Buffalo with some pals. We rode the subways all night and met Ed Fancher on one of them. There were two other men with Fancherr. They were so radical. I learned a lot about the USA that night, not to mention the East Village and the Village Voice. I'm 74. I was 18 on that trip.
That's wonderful! I don't think you'd meet men like that on the subway riding all night these days. How far we have fallen from the 'greatest generation'.
We even snuck into Hair on that trip, when it was still off Broadway. What a trip - I grew up a lot.... my kingdom for a Time Machine. :-(
The funny thing about that is that in the downtown world at that time Ed was known for his conservative ways, hopelessly frustrating to some—not least Mailer, who wanted a devil-take-the-hindmost Voice. Ed and Dan otoh wanted a successful newspaper.
I started reading it then - the Village Voice and, I think, also, there was the East Village Voice... this was right after the summer of Panic in Needle Park - a crazy time in NYC, we stayed at the Howard Hotel in Times Square, 2 dollars a night but right around the corner for White Castle Hamburgers (those amazing tiny square ones?)
East Village Other, aka EVO. Before that East. Always, the Villager. Later, (my beloved) Soho Weekly News, then the NYPress. Improbably, the Villager outlived them all. The Village's White Castle was near Jackson Square. The infamous Times Square fleabag I remember was the Hotel Dixie.
Subway crime isn't new. A few years before your visit, within weeks of my arrival, I was in a car where a guy suddenly was lurching around, waving a knife, ranting, and terrifying passengers. When the doors opened at West 14th they fled. A guy noticed me lingering: "Get out of here!!! Do you want to have to testify?!"
Yes, that was it, East Village Other—in response to the Village Voice long ago. I was enthralled by the characters I met on that trip and ended up a writer myself, with lots of TV, a couple of novels, and a few movies. Nothing great, but I longed to be part of that crew. I live in Mexico now - a small village full of fishermen and surfers, as far away from NYC as possible; sadly. I still miss it and just took my kids there for Xmas. We ate at Sparks.
Sparks! Your kids haven't gone vegan on you?
I didn't start my weekend NYC adventures till college, but similarly was irresistably attracted by magnetic New Yorkers. Couldn't get here fast enough. Great that you were able to make the writer's life yours too. I envy you the idyllic climate and surroundings you've chosen now. Northeastern winters take way too much outta me.
HA - this is funny - we're all 80% vegan - we live in Mexico so we eat a lot of fish but I told my wife and kids that when you are in The City all bets are off... I never stay on any diet in New York (upstate or the City) except for the nostalgia diet!
Great tribute, Lucian. I have a feeling that the Fates, and Karma, made certain that you and Ed would wind up together because, well, that’s how things are supposed to be.
I agree Daniel, I think there is more to life than pure happenstance. It's as though certain things are supposed to be. A wonderful story indeed of brotherly love and friendship, and bravery of our troops against the evil that still unfortunately exists in the world today in its many forms - some,, sad to say, right here in our own land. So many of our young men and women have died defending that right to freedom. But dark forces are at work to take it away.
Ed lived in the building next door to me on Gramercy Park and every weekend his son would visit and take him out to the park to get fresh air, so I would see him all the time in the past few years…. A little past his prime but still an elegant and vibrant gentleman.
We are running out of a group of Americans that can never be equaled or sufficiently thanked! My Dad among them.
Absolutely!
So moving, Luc. … I had never heard the Riva Ridge story.
Ed gave me my break at the Voice. I can't imagine where life would have taken me if he hadn't. Dan introduced us, you—yes, dashing in uniform—and me, in the same back room at that same Voice Christmas party in Ed's 10th Street office. Ed touched a lot more lives than most small town boys who move to the big city.
What a wonderful story - stories rather. What a gift of a life your good friend had. Truly heroic and filled with much challenging and fortunate history. I won’t forget Mr. Fancher having read your tribute. Your remarkable interconnection is truly near a fated meeting. I’ve lived long enough to conclude there are no coincidences. You two were meant to meet and here is the eloquent evidence.
Thank you for this excellent column.
Even today the Truscott family finds itself in a fight against Facism and Tyranny
I knew of the assault up the ridge by the 10th Mountain, it was the stuff of legend when I was in Special Forces, they were all dead men if they had been discovered while climbing those cliffs. Since I was a child I have had a fear of heights, reading your account of your friend’s heroic efforts touched me deeply, I know what it’s like to climb and overcome fear, all men if they are sane know fear, what separated the men from the boys is how they deal with it. Your friend was exemplary in his courage, he wasn’t alone we know that, but he did set an example that many have followed. I would have been proud to have shaken his hand. RIP Ed and thank you for what you did 🙏
Great story and thanks for sharing. Always amazed at everyone of those individual stories.
Interestingly, my dad was in the 60th inf regiment and fought under your granddad during the invasion of North Africa in ‘42.
RIP. I would have loved to attend the party in December, 1967 but I was busy being born. :)
Thanks for another great story, Lucian. I was at the Fancher event this past weekend at the Arts Club.
Had hoped to run into you there, although I arrived late. Anyway your writing is the kind of ammo we desperately need in the present campaign. Keep it coming.... CARMAN
They stopped the trains between Port Jervis and NYC Saturday morning or I would have been there. Very sorry I was unable to make it.
So sorry I couldn't make it up to Gramercy Park, Carman—I was hoping to see you after I noticed your name among the RSVPs. Clark wrote that you asked about me, and I hope he explained. No bottom to how much we all owed Ed. —diane f nyc
After the events of the last week, I'm sure that both Fancher and Walter Barrett are having a hot toddy or two in the ether.
God bless him and all of those for their bravery.
Yes indeed. These days the bravery consists of battles on TikTok or Facebook, pathetic!