I found this in my files. It's a photo that accompanied a "Keeping Posted" article from the Saturday Evening Post, showing an (obviously posed) bunch of big-name gag cartoonists waiting to see Cartoon Editor Marione Nickles on a typical Wednesday "Look Day". The tearsheet isn't dated, but I place it somewhere in the mid-to-late 1950's.
The caption reads: "Jovial, chattering cartoonists": from the left — Harry Mace, Bill Yates, Gus Lundberg, Martha Blanchard, Herb Green, Jeff Monahan, Jerry Marcus, Post humor editor Marione Nickles, Jack Tyrell, John Norment, Dave Hirsch, Mrs. Fritz Wilkinson (wife of cartoonist Wilkinson), Peter Porges, Bob Schroeter, Mort Temes.
As crowded as it seems to be there at the Post, it still looks roomier than the storage closet/waiting room that The New Yorker provides right now for cartoonists on Tuesday's "Look Day". Most of the New Yorker cartoonists opt to stand and lounge around in the outside hallway rather than fight the stacks of corrugated boxes and other flotsam and jetsam piled up in the tiny waiting room.
One thing has certainly improved, though (in my opinion) — the dress code. These days a cartoonist would stand out like a sore thumb if he showed up in a suit or jacket and tie. The preferred outfit (for men, anyway) is more like levis and a golf shirt, or similar casual attire.
12 Comments
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Great photo, Eli. Any chance you could blow it up some?
It’s too bad that these look days are over. I wish I was old enough to have been there, but I missed out. Scanning over the lists of named cartoonists in the photo, I can only think that there are two (Porges and Temes) who are still with us.
If Mrs. Wilkinson was the wife of a cartoonist, am I right in thinking that the reason Mrs. Wilkinson was there was because her cartoonist husband was sick and she was doing the rounds for him?
And, yeah, the NYer does have a crummy little closet lounge thing. But they are the only mag to have a real sorta look day. I say “sorta” because it’s not just anyone who can wangle their way up to Mankoff’s floor; you gotta be invited.
Thanks for this!
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Yes, Mike, you’re probably correct about Mrs. Wilkinson. As far as blowing up the photo, I can’t show it much bigger on this site, because of space restrictions. However, I’m emailing a blown up version to you. Eli
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I knew Porges was still with us and I’m happy to know that Mort Temes is too. You’ll be glad to know that Herb Green is also alive and well and lives here in Ridgefield, CT.
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Eli: Thank you for sharing the photograph. I really enjoy those photos of the ol, ‘look’ days. I’ll bet most of that crew headed back to their studios later that Wednesday with a stack of “ok’d” roughs to render pen or brush finishes on 2 ply bristol board.
Thanks, again. Dave Carpenter
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Thanks for that, Orlando! Good to hear!
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Ed, it looks different than the room I remember during my short time in NYC. Can’t say I knew any of these people, though I was introducesd to many of them them by Norment. Mace was one of my idols but I never met him. He died way too young.
On Mrs. Wilkinson, it’s been a lot of years, and I think I remember being inroduced to Fritz, but on my few rounds I only remember seeing her. If it was health related I wonder if he had some ongoing problem?
Martha Blanchard is another one I wish I’d met. Loved her work, but haven’t had much luck researching her.
I remember Marione did a number of short pieces on cartoonists in the Postscripsts page, but haven’t been able to track any of them down.
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Hey, Dave, nice to hear from you. Yes, I’ve done my share of finishes on Bristol board, but not as many as you would think. Most of the time my “roughs” were used “as is” — they were drawn in line and usually without any tone or wash.
And Orlando and Arnold, I’ll add my thanks for your comments bringing us up to date on these guys and gals. Eli
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I’m the niece of John Norment and found your site. I’d enjoy seeing a larger version of the photo of the Wednesday Look Day although I think that John is hard to spot.
Many Thanks, Mandy Teare
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Nice photo, Eli . . . We had lunch with Paul Peter Porges, Sam Gross and Sid Harris on Tue., Oct. 5 at the Pergolas des Artistes on 46th St..
Isn’t it funny , how time slips away . . . Hey, that would make a nice song. Peter Plum and Roy Delgado
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I’m Fritz Wilkinson’s
I’m Fritz Wilkinson’s daughter, the photo includes my step-mother, who occasionally brought my father’s works into the meetings, acting as his agent.There were no health issues at the timeI don’t know what the date on this is, would be curious to know. I remember going with him to the meetings several times when I was a child. The cartoonists were a great group.
I remained friends with Gus Lundberg; I know he lived to be over 100 years old.
Fritz passed away in September 1966, soon after he moved to St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.
Nice to hear from you, Cathy,
Nice to hear from you, Cathy, and thanks for bringing us up to date on your parents and those other cartoonists from the past.
I’m sorry that I can’t date the clipping more accurately. As I said, I figure it’s between 1955 and 1960. I just checked the clipping again, both front and back, but there’s no clue as to the exact date or year it was printed.
It’s interesting that you remember going with your dad to some of the Look Day meetings. That was always kind of an accepted practice, and to this day cartoonists occasionally bring their offspring and even friends to The New Yorker meetings.– at least into the waiting room. I guess if you’re an important enough cartoonist, they’re allowed to go into the inner sanctum of Bob Mankoff’s office, too.
Please keep in touch.
Eli