Cartoonists at the Theatre: Turn to the Right, 1916
We have one more cartoonist-illustrated theater giveaway for April Fools’ Month, advertising the travelling comedic play Turn to the Right, showing at Garrick Theatre in Philadelphia during the Christmas Season. (An internet search shows this play was at that theater during Christmas 1916, so unless it played there in other years on Christmas as well, [...]
Rube Goldberg’s “Foolish Questions” Card Game, 1919: Set 1, Part 4
We reach the end of our April Fools’ Month presentation of Box Set 1 of the Rube Goldberg‘s “Foolish Questions” card game, published in 1919 by the Wallie Dorr Company. Beneath, the final twelve cards of the 52-card set. Click on the above & below pictures, to view them in greater detail, and be able [...]
Rube Goldberg’s “Foolish Questions” Card Game, 1919: Set 1, Part 3
Above, a loose flyer advertising the 1919 card game of Rube Goldberg‘s “Foolish Questions”, that came inside the game box. (Why advertise an item, to people who had already bought it? The other side of the flyer is advertising something unrelated – this piece of paper was likely placed inside both games, and perhaps inside [...]
Rube Goldberg’s “Foolish Questions” Card Game, 1919: Set 1, Part 2
For the second Friday of April Fools’ Month, we bring you part two of our presentation of the 1919 card game (set 1) of Rube Goldberg‘s “Foolish Questions”. Above is the image that appears on the back of all of the cards; below, we have cards numbers 13 thru 24 (of 52 total). Click on [...]
Rube Goldberg’s “Foolish Questions” Card Game, 1919: Set 1, Part 1
For April Fools’ Month, every Friday we’ll be presenting all the parts to the 1919 card game of Rube Goldberg‘s “Foolish Questions” series of single panel cartoons. These came in two boxed sets from the Wallie Dorr Company, of 52 cards each, numbered 1 thru 52 for the first set, and 53 thru 104 in [...]
NYPD Becker Scandal, 1912: Cartoons Magazine Centennial, August 1912, Part 10 + September 1912 thru January 1913
Above, from the August 1912 edition of Cartoons Magazine, are cartoons by Charles Bowers and others — concerning corruption in the New York City Police Department in general, inspired by the case of police officer/criminal/convicted murderer Charles Becker (click on his name, to read about his case). Click on the above & below pictures, to [...]
Tigwissel Tuesdays #10: Professor Tigwissel’s Burglar Alarm, September 11th, 1875
We come now, to the moment of some gnashing of teeth. Professor Tigwissel’s Burglar Alarm. Published on the front page of the September 11th, 1875 edition of the (New York) Daily Graphic. The fifth published appearance of artist Livingston Hopkins’ recurring comic strip character, Professor Tigwissel. Let me repeat for emphasis — the fifth appearance. [...]
Going for the Goldberg
Is there anything more inventive that Rube Goldberg’s inventions? Here’s the original real deal: Rube’s inventions have been appropriated from advertising to college contests. I was a toy inventor at Marvin Glass and Associates, where the game Mousetrap was invented. When I found a Rube Goldberg book in their library, the owners admitted to me [...]
How To Read Wolverton’s The Culture Corner
Is your brain drained? Is your soul cold? Does your ticker need a snicker? Then arrange your face with a grin in place and raise your gaze to The Culture Corner by Basil Wolverton. Fantagraphics has just published this comprehensive collection of a rare and genuinely silly strip by a great cartoonist. Wolverton reveled in [...]
Daffynition!
Rube Goldberg’s wacky inventions have made his name an adjective in the dictionary!
