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, [...]
Theatrical Cartoons: Cartoons Magazine Centennial 1913
As shown in these cartoons, 1913 was a year in which puritanical America looked at all forms of theater — Vaudeville and silent cinema — as sources of sin, moral decay, and danger. Above, from when America had a patchwork of local censor boards, controlling movies, books, publications, and shows could be shown or sold [...]
Them As Is Because, 1911 NYC Vaudeville 2: Local Vanity Cartoon Books, Part 7
It’s been awhile since we last focused a post on the Vanity Cartoon Books of the early 20th Century, in which local business people & others of import, paid to have themselves caricatured by local newspaper cartoonists. Being in such a book with other local leaders, was both a status symbol, as well as good [...]
Melville B. Raymond’s “Buster Brown” 1905 promotional comic, Part 3
We continue with our April Fools’ Month extracts from the 1905 promotional giveaway magazine, “Mr. Melville B. Raymond’s Buster Brown”, used to advertise upcoming performances of the touring musical stage play. Above & below, two more Buster Brown Sunday comic strips by Richard Felton Outcault, reprinted in the pamphlet. Click on the above & below [...]
Cartoonists’ Theatre Ads: F. Opper
A number of cartoonists have been involved in theater. One of them was Frederick Burr Opper. Above, a cartoon by Opper, from the October 4th, 1884 issue of Puck magazine. Beneath, Opper illustrated ads for the mid-1880′s play, Mugg’s Landing. These came from a folding card handout. Click on Theatrical Cartoons to find prior postings [...]
Buster Brown Crashes His Own Stage Play, 1905
For today’s April Fools’ Month entry, we have some more extracts scanned from the 1905 promotional giveaway magazine, “Mr. Melville B. Raymond’s Buster Brown”, used to advertise upcoming performances of the touring musical stage play. Above, a self-referential Buster Brown comic strip by his creator, Richard Felton Outcault, poking fun at the Buster Brown stage [...]
Ernie McGee’s Vaudeville Comic Strip Blotters: Harry A. Meyers Agency, 1929
Above, from 1929, a comic strip blotter by artist Ernie McGee, advertising the Harry A. Meyers Entertainment Bureau, booking vaudeville acts. Ernie did “chalk talks” on stage for vaudeville, and apparently did a number of such blotters for different vaudeville agencies. Click here to see two more, plus learn a bunch more about Ernie, posted [...]
Melville B. Raymond’s 1905 “Buster Brown” Musical, Part 1
What would April Fools’ Month be, without its chief prankster, Buster Brown? Buster’s creator, Richard Felton Outcault, turned Buster into one of the earliest mega-merchandised comics characters. Today’s posting is extracted from one of the rarer Buster Brown giveaway comics (and one still not found in the Overstreet listings — I discovered its existence years [...]
European Cartoons: Cartoons Magazine Centennial, June 1912, Part 13
We conclude our review of the June 1912 edition of Cartoons Magazine, with samples of the European cartoons found within. Above, French humor publication Le Rire, depicts the roughly three month 1912 trip of Prince Edward, Prince of Wales, in France. Below, commentary involving Americans, from Italy, France, and Hungary. Click on the above & [...]
Cartoons Magazine Centennial, January 1912, Part 2
We continue our celebration of the centennial of Cartoons Magazine, with more extracts from its January 1912 first issue. Today’s extracts involve sin (or, the 1912 idea of it), crime, and punishment. First, two anti-smoking cartoons. The top-most comic is a reprinted episode from The Outbursts of Everett True strip, by A.D. Condo. Below, the [...]
