Visions (convention)

Visions (convention)

Visions was an annual science fiction convention held from 1990 to 1998 in Rosemont, Illinois on Thanksgiving weekend. The convention was held at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare except for the 1992 event which was held at the Ramada O'Hare. The convention was originally called Visions but was renamed HME Visions in 1998. It was also known as "A British TV Celebration" before its first event.

The convention was founded by retired fireman, electrical contractor, and long-time Doctor Who fan Robert H. McLaughlin III of Hoffman Estates, Illinois. He organized the 1990 Doctor Who convention to raise money for Lambs Farm. The convention was run by McLaughlin with a committee of about twenty plus fan volunteers (gophers) recruited at each event.

Over time the convention expanded from a Doctor Who convention into a celebration of British TV shows. While the main focus of each convention was Doctor Who, Visions often invited actors from Blake's 7, Red Dwarf and Robin of Sherwood. Visions '93 celebrated the 30th anniversary of Doctor Who and the 15th anniversary of Blake's 7.

invited guests estimated attendance ticket price
Visions '90 (November 23–25, 1990) Jon Pertwee, Sylvester McCoy, Sophie Aldred, Frazer Hines, Michael Keating, Sally Knyvette, Michael Praed, Jason Connery, Mark Ryan, Terry Walsh, Dave Rogers, Robert Allen, John Peel, John Freeman, Linda Thorson, Eric Hoffman, Jean-Marc Lofficier $50
Visions '91 (November 29-December 1, 1991) Tom Baker, David Banks, Jeremy Bentham, Richard Carpenter, Robin Curtis, Paul Darrow, John Freeman, Mike Grell, David Jackson, Sally Knyvette, John Levene, Steven Pacey, John Peel, Frederik Pohl, Mark Ryan, Mark Strickson, Mary Tamm, Deborah Watling, Timothy Zahn 2200 $50
Visions '92 (November 27–29, 1992) Colin Baker, Bill Baggs, Jeremy Bentham, Nicola Bryant, Jan Chappell, Craig Charles, Frank Conniff, Chris Jury, Robert Llewellyn, John Peel, Michael Praed, Gareth Thomas $50
Visions '93 (November 26–28, 1993) Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Carole Ann Ford, William Russell, John Levene, Elisabeth Sladen, John Leeson, Anthony Ainley, Nicola Bryant, Sophie Aldred, Jan Chappell, Wendy Padbury, Jacqueline Pearce, Mark Ryan, John Abineri, Jeremy Bulloch, Danny John-Jules, Bill Baggs, Christopher Barry, Jeremy Bentham, Jean-Marc Lofficier, Randy Lofficier, John Nathan-Turner, John Peel, Gary Downie 1600, 1800 or 2000 $100
Visions '94 (November 25–27, 1994) Danny John-Jules, Robert Llewellyn, Jon Pertwee, Nicholas Courtney, John Levene, Chris Potter, Nickolas Grace, Mark Ryan, Paul Darrow, Sheelagh Wells, Joe Nazzarro, Doug Naylor 1100
Visions '95 (November 24–26, 1995) Sophie Aldred, Brian Blessed, Michael Craze, Paul Darrow, Mira Furlan, Hattie Hayridge, Norman Lovett, Sylvester McCoy, Michael O'Hare, Michael Praed, Gareth Thomas, Terry Walsh, Anneke Wills, Kate Orman, Gary Schofield, Paul Cornell, Kim "Howard" Johnson $75
Visions '96 (November 29-December 1, 1996) Colin Baker, Ben Bass, Richard Biggs, Claudia Christian, Stephen Greif, Michael Keating, Mark Ryan, Yee Jee Tso, Philip Segal, Sarah Sutton, Lalla Ward, Deborah Watling, Paul Cornell, Jessica Kindzierski, Chelsea Potter, Gary Russell $75
Visions '97 (November 28–30, 1997) Julie Caitlin Brown, Jeff Conaway, Peter Davison, Frazer Hines, Louise Jameson, Sally Knyvette, Gary Lockwood, Jeri Ryan, Patricia Tallman, Jeremy Bentham, Adam "MOJO" Lebowitz, David Maloney, Dave McDonnell, Joe Nazzaro, Sheelagh Wells, H. Ed Cox, Beth Falcone, Paul Simpson, Mark Short 1500 $75
HME Visions '98 (November 27–29, 1998) Geoffrey Beevers, Nigel Bennett, Nicholas Brendon, Robin Atkin Downes, Erin Gray, Anthony Stewart Head, Louise Jameson, Caroline John, Sylvester McCoy, Tracy Scoggins, Kent McCord, Mark Strickson, John Platt, Beth Falcone, Dennison Love, Paul Simpson $75

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Famous quotes containing the word visions:

    It was a very lonely spirit that looked out from under those shaggy brows and comprehended men without fully communicating with them, as if, in spite of all its genial efforts at comradeship, it dwelt apart, saw its visions of duty where no man looked on.... This strange child of the cabin kept company with invisible things, was born into no intimacy but that its own silently assembling and deploying thoughts.
    Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924)