The Ig Nobel Prize was awarded to L. Ron Hubbard in 1994, years after he finished a career that spanned roles as a pulp fiction novelist, screenwriter, and the founder of Scientology. Born in Tilden, Nebraska, in 1911, he emerged as a prolific writer of science fiction and fantasy before establishing a new religious movement that gained international reach.
Early Education and Career
Hubbard attended Helena High School in 1927 and Queen Anne High School between 1926 and 1927. In 1930, he enrolled at George Washington University, where he studied before leaving the institution. His early professional life was defined by the production of pulp fiction, where he cultivated skills as an author and screenwriter that would later inform his literary output, including the notable work Mission Earth.
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During World War II, Hubbard served as a military officer for the United States. His naval service included the command of two ships, though his tenure in these roles was brief. Following his active duty, he spent time in a hospital receiving care. He later sought support from a veteran’s charity facility in Georgia, a period that preceded the development of his theories on mental health.
Development of Scientology
In 1950, Hubbard authored the book Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health. Following a bankruptcy that cost him the rights to his initial literature, he created Scientology in 1952. By 1954, he established a church in Los Angeles. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, he operated as the commodore of a private fleet known as the Sea Organization, eventually moving into seclusion in the California desert by 1975.
Legal Challenges and Final Years
Hubbard’s later life was marked by significant legal scrutiny. In 1978, he was convicted of fraud in absentia by authorities in France. During the same year, his wife, Mary Sue Hubbard, was among high-ranking members of his organization indicted on charges related to government espionage. Hubbard remained in seclusion until his death in 1986 in Creston, California.
Fast facts
- Born: 1911, Tilden
- Died: 1986, Creston
- Citizenship: United States
- Notable work: Mission Earth
- Awards: Ig Nobel Prize (1994), Cosmos 2000 Award (1989)
- Religion: Scientology
- Education: George Washington University (1930)
- Occupations: Writer, screenwriter, military officer
Questions readers ask
What was Hubbard's primary occupation before founding Scientology?
He was a prolific author of pulp science fiction and fantasy novels.
Where did Hubbard spend his final years?
He lived in seclusion in the California desert and died in Creston in 1986.
Achievements
- Ig Nobel Prize — 1994
- Notable work: Mission Earth
