The Saturday Evening Post, February 28, 1959 Part 2

We're finishing up our look at some of the cartoons from the Post! The first part, The Saturday Evening Post, February 28, 1959 Part 1, is here.

Great gag cartoonist, and children's book illustrator, Syd Hoff has an inside front cover, full-color ad. Mmm boy! Them Hoffs were able to serve meat on the table that week!


Below: Gardner Rea, whose work appeared everywhere back in the day, gives us a wordless bit of misogynistic humor.



Here is another wordless cartoon by Francis W. Dahl. More of Dahl's cartoons here.


Below: Stan Hunt and his breezy line and wash style -- with a cartoon that looks like it was taken from The New Yorker (which was probably Stan's first rejection for his one).

A Chon Day cartoon. Someday there will be a big collection of Mr. Day's work and he will be rediscovered by a new generation.
Below: not a gag per se, but I love Syverson's little people that would appear on the Post Scripts page. Will Flinn has more Henry Syverson at his blog here and here.
Arthur Murray's wife has a story in this issue about (What else?) being married to ArthurMurray. It's titled "Stop that Dancing and Mow the Damned Lawn." No it isn't. I'm kidding. Anyway, in there interest of cleansing the cartoon palate, here is Arthur Murray's Dancing Lesson: THE CHA CHA.


If Tom Henderson was cartooning today, then he would be the epitome of a good cartoonist: you can easily read his signature to Google the guy. But, like so many old gag cartoons, the humor is old now. Old and tired. And, since this is a pre-Internets cartoonist, he don't got much of a Web presence.

Anyway, I can admire Henderson's composition, line work, his wash placement -- it's all exemplary craftsmanship -- but so far as the real reason you read a gag cartoon -- for the funny of it -- well, that part fell off this cartoon way back in 1959.

Harry Mace gives us a goofy hubby gag. Purple crayon marks made by previous owner of this mag. Again, not a great gag. But, look at the background -- a bureau, a framed picture, a corner, an arch, another picture, a stairway -- all drawn incomplete; just a hint of their structure in as few lines as needed. Wonderful economy, deftly drawn.

Back when "magic markers" were new! Think "magic markers" and think "resurrection of Christ," huh? I guess if you inhale enough "magic markers" fumes, you'll think anything, huh?


The one and only Jerry Marcus made me laugh out loud with this lecherous hospital patient. I like how his black spotting (the patient's hair, her hair) draws us to the focal point.


Thus ends our visit with the SEP!