55 Years Ago Today
The other day I mentioned that April 10th is the 55th anniversary of the publication of Mort Gerberg’s first New Yorker drawing (I Spilled the drawing published in that issue of April 10, 1965). It was, however, not the first drawing he sold to the magazine. His first sale appears above (quite a beginning!). It appeared in the issue of October 30, 1965. The Spill congratulates the artist on his 55th!
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A Timely 1960 Frank Modell Cartoon
This Frank Modell drawing appeared in The New Yorker February 27, 1960. I’d say that by now most of us have a pretty good idea the answer to the question.
My thanks to Daniel Borinsky for finding and sending the drawing along.
Frank Modell’s entry on the Spill‘s A-Z:
Frank Modell (photograph taken early 1990s) Born, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, September 6, 1917. Died, May 27, 2016, Guilford, Connecticut. New Yorker work: 1946 – 1997. Mr. Modell began his New Yorker career as assistant to the Art Editor, James Geraghty. He soon began contributing his cartoons (and cartoon ideas for others), with his first drawing appearing July 20, 1946. Besides his work for The New Yorker, he was a children’s book author and an actor (he appeared, most notably, in Woody Allen’s 1980 film, Stardust Memories). Key collection: Stop Trying To Cheer Me Up! (Dodd, Mead, 1978).
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Today’s Daily Cartoonist & Cartoon
Comforting bunny talk from P.C. Vey. Mr. Vey began contributing to The New Yorker in 1993.
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Today’s Daily Shouts Cartoonist
From Hilary Fitzgerald Campbell: “Movies Remade for Socially Isolated Viewing”
Ms. Campbell began contributing to The New Yorker in November of 2017. Visit her website here.
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From The Culture Desk
Paul Karasik on the death of John Prine.
Mr. Karasik began contributing to The New Yorker in 1999.
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The Spill Notes The Passing Of The Great Mad Artist, Mort Drucker
I have to believe that untold numbers of New Yorker cartoonists self-educated by looking through MAD magazine. A large part of that education would’ve included taking in Mort Drucker’s gazillions of drawings. Mr. Drucker, who passed away this week at age 91, was one of the Mt. Rushmore figures in Mad’s stable (the Usual Gang of Idiots).
The National Cartoonists Society Tweeted the below:
And here are just a few pieces published since the news broke:
From Mad Magazine: “RIP Mort Drucker 1929-2020” by The Editors.
From The New York Times: “Mort Drucker, Master Of The Mad Caricature, Is Dead At 91” by J. Hoberman.
From The Washington Post: “Mort Drucker who drew humor from life in Mad Magazine dies at 91” by Matt Schudel.
From The Washington Post: “Mort Drucker’s legendary Mad magazine caricatures spoofed Hollywood — and Hollywood loved them” by Michael Cavna.
From Rolling Stone: “Mad magazine cartoonist Mort Drucker dead at 91” by Jon Blistein
…and from the New Yorker cartoonist, Jason Chatfield, this tribute.