Connecticut: Cullen Murphy at Greenwich Library, December 12th 7pm

Vanity Fair editor-at-large Cullen Murphy’s book Cartoon County: My Father and His Friends in the Golden Age of Make-Believe is a celebration of a time when Fairfield County was the cartoon capital of the world. Cos Cob native Murphy has written a book that is part memoir, part cultural history, and a treasure trove of drawings and photographs.

His father was John Cullen Murphy, of Prince Valiant and Big Ben Bolt fame. 

See You Soon

Above: a small part of a large project I'm working on.


Busy here. Busy is good, but I may not get to the blog for a shortish time. Hate to do this and I will be back back soon.

And I will have more to say about that project in the coming weeks.

From the Dick Buchanan Files: Holiday and Winter Cartoons 1948 - 1960

Here's a selection of vintage gag cartoons from Dick Buchanan's collection of 20th century magazine cartoons. What with Thanksgiving over for the year, it's time to think about the holidays and the cold and the funny gags, of course.

Thanks, Dick!

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HOLIDAY/WINTER CARTOONS

1948 -1960

What with this global warming situation the planet got itself in, it’s hard telling how many winters we have left. That means gag cartoons about winter are still another vanishing species doomed for the Gag Hall of Fame. That’s why special care was taken to include in this selection some vintage cartoons about winter . . . and snow . . . and the only holiday celebrated in the American weeklies of the 1940’s and 1950’s.


1. ERIC ERICKSON. Erickson reminds us the holidays are for everyone. True Magazine January, 1948.

2. TOM HENDERSON. American Legion Magazine December, 1959.

3. JERRY MARCUS. Collier’s March 4, 1955.

4. HANK KETCHAM. American Legion Magazine December, 1951.

5. TED KEY. Key created the long running panel Hazel in 1943. He was also a screenwriter with 3 Disney films to his credit. More importantly, he created Mr. Peabody and Sherman. Collier’s December 30, 1950.

6. BRAD ANDERSON. The Saturday Evening Post January 24, 1953.

7. ROBERT WILSON. Collier’s December 16, 1950.

8. JAN & STANLEY BERENSTAIN. Collier’s December, 1948.

9. JEFF KEATE. American Magazine December, 1953.

10. DAVE GERARD. Collier’s December 24, 1949.

11. DICK CAVALLI. Collier’s December 30, 1950.

12. BOB SCHROETER. American Magazine December 1953.

13. JOHN GALLAGHER. Cartoons & Gags August, 1960.

14. JEFF KEATE. Christmas in California, drive-in style. Collier’s December 30, 1950.

15. PERRY BARLOW. Life December,1933.

More from the great gag cartoon collection of Dick Buchanan:

Dick Buchanan's Cartoon Files: More Cops and Robbers Gag Cartoons 1947 - 1968

Dick Buchanan's Favorite Gag Cartoons 1946 - 1964

From the Dick Buchanan Files: More 1960s Cartoons from PUNCH

From the Dick Buchanan Files: Virgil Parch Part One; VIP in the 1940s

From the Dick Buchanan Files: Virgil Parch Part Two; VIP in the 1950s

From the Dick Buchanan Files: Even More Color Cartoons 1940 - 1956

From the Dick Buchanan Files: "Captions? Who Needs 'Em?" Wordless Gag Cartoons 1947 – 1970

From the Dick Buchanan Files: Orlando Busino Gag Cartoons 1956 - 1966

From the Dick Buchanan Files: CARTOONYFELLERS’ DIGEST, "a 1955 rag for cartoonists by cartoonists"

From the Dick Buchanan Files: Magazine Cartoons from Life and Judge 1931 - 38

From the Dick Buchanan Files: June 1953 Cartoonist's Market Newsletter

Dick Buchanan's Cartoon File: More Mid-Century Gag Cartoons 1946 - 1964

Dick Buchanan's Cartoon File: Color Gag Cartoons 1946 - 1956

Dick Buchanan's Cartoon Files: Cops and Robbers Gag Cartoons 1945 - 1968

Dick Buchanan's Cartoon Files: Gahan Wilson: Early Gag Cartoons 1954 - 1964

Dick Buchanan's Cartoon File: Inkyfellers' Gagzette

Dick Buchanan's Cartoon File: The Years of Al Ross - 1947 – 1968

Dick Buchanan's Cartoon Files: New Yorker Cartoonists Abroad 1966-1968

Dick Buchanan's Cartoon File: 1945 - 1962

From the Dick Buchanan Files: "How I Create Humor" from 1950s - 60s Gag Cartoon Insider Journal "The Information Guide"

Dick Buchanan's Cartoon File: 1950s Color Magazine Gag Cartoons

Dick Buchanan's Cartoon File: Funny Vintage Magazine Gag Cartoons 1946 - 1963

Dick Buchanan's Cartoon File: Wordless Gag Cartoons 1944-1964

1953 George Booth Drawings for American Legion Magazine

Dick Buchanan: Winter/Christmas/Holiday Gag Cartoons 1940s-60s

Dick Buchanan: Some PUNCH Magazine Cartoons 1948-1963

Dick Buchanan: Gag Cartoon Clip File 1946-64

Dick Buchanan: Gag Cartoon Clip File 1947-62

Dick Buchanan: Some Favorite Magazine Gag Cartoons 1940-60s

Dick Buchanan: Gag Cartoon Clip File 1931-64

Dick Buchanan's Cartoon Files: More Cops and Robbers Gag Cartoons 1947 - 1968

One of the things I am thankful for is Dick Buchanan's willingness to delve into the scores of old magazines in his Greenwich Village apartment and dig up so many great old gag cartoons to share with us. Thank you, Dick.

And if you like these a lot, please take a look at Dick's previous collection of cops and robbers cartoons here.
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MORE COPS AND ROBBERS

1947 - 1968

There was a time criminals were not only amusing sometimes they were downright funny. That’s why the Cartoon Clip File folder titled “Crime Does Not Pay” is bulging with cartoons on the subject. 

These simple drawings from years gone by illustrate forcibly to young and old alike one amazing truth---there was a time when crime was all in fun. See for yourself . . .

1. PHIL INTERLANDI. 1000 Jokes Magazine August-October, 1955.

2. BOB WEBER. The Saturday Evening Post May 27, 1960.

3. BOB KRAUS.  True Magazine July, 1954.

4. VIRGIL PARTCH. Collier’s September 16, 1950. 

5.  JOHN GALLAGHER. True Magazine November, 1956.

6.  JERRY MARCUS. American Legion Magazine June, 1956.

7.  SAM COBEAN. Shoplifting was rarely a topic for gag cartoonists. Collier’s October 11, 1947.

8.  JOHN DEMPSEY.  Look Magazine April 25, 1961.

9. BOB WEBER.  Weber’s interpretation of this gag is far better than Caplan’s -- but his payday wasn’t. 1000 Jokes Magazine December-February,1955.

10. IRWIN CAPLAN. Caplan’s earlier version of this gag lacks the punch of Weber’s. American Legion Magazine January, 1956.

11.  ROY WILLIAMS. 1000 Jokes Magazine August-October, 1955.

12.  ANATOL KOVARKSY.  The Saturday Evening Post September 27, 1952.

13.  CLYDE LAMB.  Cartoon cliché #743 is guys in a jail cell, but Clyde Lamb had the inside track—he became a cartoonist while serving two consecutive 25-year terms in the Indiana State Penitentiary.  American Legion Magazine January 1956.

14.  JAN VAN WESSUM. Yes, by jove, there was a spot of humor in the British penal system, too. Punch July 17, 1968.

15.  CHARLES RODRIGUES. Rodrigues sums it all up. Cartoons & Gags August, 1960.

More from the great gag cartoon collection of Dick Buchanan:

Dick Buchanan's Favorite Gag Cartoons 1946 - 1964

From the Dick Buchanan Files: More 1960s Cartoons from PUNCH

 

From the Dick Buchanan Files: Virgil Parch Part One; VIP in the 1940s

From the Dick Buchanan Files: Virgil Parch Part Two; VIP in the 1950s

From the Dick Buchanan Files: Even More Color Cartoons 1940 - 1956

From the Dick Buchanan Files: "Captions? Who Needs 'Em?" Wordless Gag Cartoons 1947 – 1970

From the Dick Buchanan Files: Orlando Busino Gag Cartoons 1956 - 1966

From the Dick Buchanan Files: CARTOONYFELLERS’ DIGEST, "a 1955 rag for cartoonists by cartoonists"

From the Dick Buchanan Files: Magazine Cartoons from Life and Judge 1931 - 38

From the Dick Buchanan Files: June 1953 Cartoonist's Market Newsletter

Dick Buchanan's Cartoon File: More Mid-Century Gag Cartoons 1946 - 1964

Dick Buchanan's Cartoon File: Color Gag Cartoons 1946 - 1956

Dick Buchanan's Cartoon Files: Cops and Robbers Gag Cartoons 1945 - 1968

Dick Buchanan's Cartoon Files: Gahan Wilson: Early Gag Cartoons 1954 - 1964

Dick Buchanan's Cartoon File: Inkyfellers' Gagzette

Dick Buchanan's Cartoon File: The Years of Al Ross - 1947 – 1968

Dick Buchanan's Cartoon Files: New Yorker Cartoonists Abroad 1966-1968

Dick Buchanan's Cartoon File: 1945 - 1962

From the Dick Buchanan Files: "How I Create Humor" from 1950s - 60s Gag Cartoon Insider Journal "The Information Guide"

Dick Buchanan's Cartoon File: 1950s Color Magazine Gag Cartoons

Dick Buchanan's Cartoon File: Funny Vintage Magazine Gag Cartoons 1946 - 1963

Dick Buchanan's Cartoon File: Wordless Gag Cartoons 1944-1964

1953 George Booth Drawings for American Legion Magazine

Dick Buchanan: Winter/Christmas/Holiday Gag Cartoons 1940s-60s

Dick Buchanan: Some PUNCH Magazine Cartoons 1948-1963

Dick Buchanan: Gag Cartoon Clip File 1946-64

Dick Buchanan: Gag Cartoon Clip File 1947-62

Dick Buchanan: Some Favorite Magazine Gag Cartoons 1940-60s

Dick Buchanan: Gag Cartoon Clip File 1931-64

FACE TO FACE Portraits by Feliks Topolski

FACE TO FACE is a coffee table book of interviews with 35 people

"some likable, some not, each famous in America or England, each revealed in such a way as to make them better known to us in a few minutes than people we've known all our lives."

Hugh Burnett edits, with outstandingly loose and gripping portraits by Feliks Topolski. It's copyright 1964 by both men. Here are just three samples from the book.

Pretty much every famous person in the book gets a gatefold with a portrait and maybe another, smaller drawing. John Huston's crew and its boom mike overlap with the text. Each piece is only takes a few minutes to read.

These kind of books are not produced now. And if they were, (1.) it would be actors and pop stars -- people who have fans who would buy. And (2.) there would be no Topolski drawings, just photos like you can see everywhere else.

John Huston:

The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.:

Otto Klemperer:

-- Edited from an April 22, 2014 blog entry.

Some Recent Sketches of Mine

Here are some recent sketches that I did for myself. Some are just doodles, others are more thought out.

Overheard this:

At my grocery, they put a red sticker on the larger items that don't go in a bag (like a gallon of milk, big laundry soap container, etc.). When these little things are offered to kids, they ALL LOVE IT.

Not me, but very much looks like a corner of my studio:

True story:

Dex the cat photobombs this sketch:

1971 Herb Trimpe Documentary Short

Here is a 1971 documentary short about Marvel Comic book artist Herb Trimpe. It was produced by the New York University's Graduate Institute of Film and TV.

The 33 minute film was co-directed by Jon Michael Riley and Doro Bachrach. Sound by Don Cirillo and cinematography by Eric Reiner. Polly Hacker was production assistant.

"Herb Trimpe was a young star among comic book artists in the late 60s (He began at Marvel in April of 1968.) and early 1970s.

"... This film highlights Herb's attitudes about life and work as a comic book artist, and is shown with his Peekskill, NY friend, Bob Barthelmes, with whom he attended school since kindergarten. Also featured is Flo Steinberg and some footage of the Marvel "bullpen" with other notable comic book artists.

"This may be the only film footage shot at Marvel at that time. Herb's family has given me [Jon Michael Riley] permission to upload this film to make it easier for people interested in Herb and his beautiful comic book art.

"Note: This video was made from an aged and partially damaged 16 mm B/W print that was transferred to DVD. A key word ("anonymity") is missing from the opening voice over lines."

 

Video: Chris Ware talks MONOGRAPH on Charlie Rose

From November 13, 2017: Graphic novelist Chris Ware talks about his new book MONOGRAPH on the Charlie Rose show.

CARTOONS THE FRENCH WAY: Cartoons by J.M. Bosc

Here are some J.M. Bosc (1924-1973) single panel cartoons from CARTOONS THE FRENCH WAY ("Roguish - Raucous - Ribald") edited by Rene Goscinny, Lion Literary Edition, published September 1955. Copyright 1955 by Manvis Publications, Inc.



Cover art by John Sidrone. Some pretty women in the cartoons, yes, but it's not too ribald at all.



All of Bosc's cartoons are wordless in this collection. Wordless sells internationally, you see.



Bosc's drawings are both specific, when they need to be, and spare.




What I like about Bosc is the element of surprise. Above: a violin as defense against critics.




Again, struggling against the odds is the above motif. Jean Bosc struggled with what we call shell shock for many years.


His sister Renée had the above cartoon rendered into marble in memory of her brother.



The cartoons dealing with death have another level to them after knowing that the cartoonist committed suicide.



Above: a good metaphor for cartooning!


There's a site all about cartoonist J.M. Bosc that I wrote about here. It's designed by his nephew, Alain Damman. You may gorge yourself on Bosc's cartoons there.


-- Edited from a November 26, 2007 blog entry.