This is a copy of AMERICAN CARTOONIST, "The Magazine of the Comic Art Profession, Published in Cartoonland, U.S.A." This is Vol. 7, No 2, the August 1953 issue and it was "published by and is the official publication of the American Cartoonist Association, Inc. (a non-profit corporation), Box 16396, Hollywood 38, California." Editor: L.T. Benson. The cover is by T/Sgt. Jack O'Brien, the Associate Editor.
Rufus G. Pankow, Merchandising Director of Puck - The Comic Weekly says that the Sunday comics section is a powerful advertising tool, with Sunday comics drawing over 100 million readers. "Recalling Puck's many successful merchandising promotions, Pankow noted the sensational sales impact created by comic characters, immediately recognized in retail stores throughout the country."
This article about Harry Walsh and the pitch-boy he creates, "Freshie," reminded me that a lot of cartooning is plodding forward, sticking to it, before hitting it big. Even if "big" means drawing commercial cartoons, Harry Walsh seems happy.
Above: an old Holsum potato bread label with "Freshie," nicked from Dan Goodsell's Flickr stream. Thanks, Dan. Back to AMERICAN CARTOONIST ...
A short obit for the Boston Globe's sports cartoonist Gen Mack. Leo White's cartoon (see the last page), with its blank page on the drawing board, is well done.
Who knew that Al Capp was a quiz master, moderating the game show "Anyone Can Win" (alternate Tuesdays, KNXT, Channel 2, 9:00-9:30 P.M., PDT)? I also didn't know that Capp lived on a 65 acre North Hampton, New Hampshire farm, just about an hour away from me!
Above: Bill Cantrell riffs the life of a cartoonist.
Above: Gurney Williams, long-time Collier's magazine cartoon editor, looks so serious in all the photos I've sever seen of him. Maybe it's the fact he's always wearing that 2-sizes-too-big double breasted suit.
In other news: Billy Hon reduces his classes beginning the fall of 1953; Art-loving actor Van Johnson has won a free scholarship to the Famous Artists School in Westport, CT.
"The Marketplace" is my favorite section. I like Hugh Hefner's announcement of his new Stag Party mag: "Art requirements are extremely high." I like the fact that he states upfront what the pay will be, and promises to pay more when it gets off the ground. Contract Playboy cartoonists to this day are well paid. Hefner's a man of his word.
This may or may not be the same Clinton Harmon who draws a weekly strip titled "Next of Kin."
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