Stripper's Guide

Medill Loebner was born on June 10, 1910, in Chicago, Illinois, according to the Jaquith Family in America (1982). Loebner’s parents were James Loebner and Anna Wallitzer.

In the 1920 U.S. Federal Census, Loebner was the second of three sons whose parents were Romanian emigrants. Their father was an editor of a Jewish newspaper. The family was Chicago residents at 1923 South Kedzie Avenue.

In 1926 Loebmer graduated from Harrison Technical High School.



According to the 1930 census, the family of five resided at 1119 Independence Boulevard in Chicago. Loebner was a self-employed commercial artist. Information about his art training has not been found.

The Journal of the Proceedings of the City Council of the City of Chicago, May 24, 1935, said a claim for salary was made for Loebner. The Journal, November 26, 1935, said the claim was disallowed.

The Newspaper Feature Service produced a long-running series of romantic cartoons, by several artists, beginning in 1913. Loebner contributed to the series in 1935.

The 1940 census recorded Loebner and his parents in Chicago at 1627 East 67th Street. Loebner worked at a retail art shop. His highest level of education was the second year of college.

The Evening Star (Washington, DC), February 11, 1944, reported the work of the Public Library’s Division of Work with Schools and its outreach program. Loebner designed the posters that “were produced by the students of the commercial art division of the Cardozo High School under the direction of Dr. John Washington.” The posters were used on three Library trucks.

The Jaquith Family in America said Loebner married Katharine Crane Cox in Washington, D.C. on May 17, 1944.

At some point they moved to New York City. Loebner was listed in the 1946 directory at 56 West 70th Street.

Jonas W. Watson, Ancestry and Descendants (1950) said Loebner lived in Astoria, Queens County, New York.

Loebner was one of two artists who illustrated Arithmetic 6: The World of Numbers by Dale Carpenter and Dorothy Leavitt Pepper. The book was published in 1950 and copyright renewed in 1977.

Loebner passed away February 27, 1951, in New York City. The Jaquith Family in America said he died in a subway accident. He was survived by his wife and three children.


—Alex Jay

Labels: Ink-Slinger Profiles

Robert Paul McGeehan was born on February 28, 1902, in Parkville, Missouri, according to a family tree at Ancestry.com.

In the 1910 U.S. Federal Census, McGeehan was the second of three children born to Paul, a railroad civil engineer, and Alice. The family resided in Kansas City, Missouri at 4323 Charlotte Street.

According to the 1920 census the McGeehan household had three males and three females at the same address. McGeehan”s father was an oil civil engineer.

McGeehan attended Westport High School where he graduated in 1920. Information about his art training has not been found.


McGeehan was an artist and Brooklyn resident in the 1925 New York state census. He was staying with his uncle’s family, the Pitbladdos, at 660 75th Street. The Kansas City Star, July 28, 1926, said McGeehan’s mother passed away that day. The paper said McGeehan was “formerly a member of The Star’s art staff”.

The 1930 census recorded McGeehan and his wife, Amelia, in Leonia, New Jersey at 176 Central Avenue. The newspaper artist married when he was 25 years old.

The Newspaper Feature Service produced a long-running series of romantic cartoons, by several artists, beginning in 1913. McGeehan contributed to the series in 1935.

MeGeehan and his wife had a son and daughter in the 1940 census. Sometime after 1935 they moved to Manhattan, New York City at 16 West 84th Street. MeGeehan was a photo retoucher at a newspaper and his highest level of education was a year of college.

McGeehan illustrated Genevieve Cross”s book, West with the Mounties, which was published in 1951. The Canadian Patent Office Record and Register of Copyrights and Trade Marks, Volume 79, 1951, said McGeehan lived in Englewood, New Jersey.

The family tree said McGeehan’s father passed away August 14, 1954.

The Rockland County Journal News (Nyack, New York), September 6, 1963, published a photograph of McGeehan posing with his award-winning painting at the Prentice-Hall exhibition of the American Artists Professional League. The caption said McGeehan “is president of the Bergen County Artists Guild and treasurer of the New Jersey Chapter of the American Artists Professional League. He has a studio at 550 Durie Ave., Closter.”

McGeehan was one of three judges at the first sidewalk art show in Eatontown. The Coast Advertiser (Belmer, New Jersey), October 5, 173, described McGeehan as a ‘political cartoonist and former treasurer of the New Jersey State Artist Guild”.

McGeehan passed away on May 9, 1986, in Manatee County, Florida, according to the Florida Death Index at Ancestry.com. The family tree said the city was Bradenton.


—Alex Jay

Labels: Ink-Slinger Profiles

Donald “Don” Komisarow was born on April 14, 1914, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, according to his birth certificate at Ancestry.com. His parents were Harry Komisarow and Mary Schefman.

In the 1920 U.S. Federal Census Komisarow was in the household of his Russian-born maternal grandparents, Louis and Anna Schefman. His father, a Russian emigrant, and grandfather were salesmen for a commission house. His mother and grandmother were housewives. They resided in Fort Wayne at 911 Francis Street.

According to the 1930 census, Komisarow’s father, treasurer of a wholesale fruit company, was the head of the household which included a second son, Ralph, his in-laws and a servant. Their home was at 1614 Alabama Avenue in Fort Wayne.

Komisarow’s interest in cartooning was seen in his 1931 high school yearbook, The Legend.


In 1932 Komisarow’s idea was used in Nick Nichols’ Just Supposin’.


Komisarow graduated from North Side High School in 1932. He provided some of the illustrations for the yearbook, The Legend. The art was signed with his initials or last name. 



The 1933 and 1934 Fort Wayne city directories list Komisarow as a student. Who’s Who of American Comic Books 1928–1999 said Komisarow attended the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts. The New York World-Telegram and Sun, March 17, 1965, said Komisarow produced work for the Chicago Tribune.

Komisarow had no listing in the 1935 Fort Wayne directory. He had moved to New York City and found work at King Features Syndicate. American Newspaper Comics (2012) said Komisarow drew the Story of Noah and Story of Jacob segments, in 1935, of the Bible Stories series which began in 1933 with Dan Smith.

Komisarow was a regular contributor to the King Features Women’s Magazine Page from 1935 to 1937.



 
The Newspaper Feature Service produced a long-running series of romantic cartoons, by several artists, beginning in 1913. Komisarow contributed to the series from 1935 to 1937.

Alberto Becattini said Komisarow, around 1937, ghosted Raeburn Van Buren’s Abbie an’ Slats.

Komisarow was listed in the 1939 Fort Wayne directory at his parents’ address, 4502 South Wayne.

Komisarow was not in the 1940 Fort Wayne directory and has not yet been found in the 1940 census.

American Newspaper Comics said Komisarow was an inker on the daily Superman comic strip from May 13 to October 5, 1940, and the Sunday strip from July 7, 1940 to February 23, 1941.

The Lyons Den column of the New York Post, March 18, 1941, said “Don Komisarow, the cartoonist, and Artie Shaw, the bandleader, have created a cartoon strip about an orchestra leader. The syndicates now are bidding for it.”

In 1943 Komisarow produced the Book-of-the-Month’s Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo adaptation for King Features. The strips were collected in a comic book, American Library #1. Around this time he was an inker at the Will Eisner Studio.

Manhattan, New York City directories for 1942 and 1943 said Komisarow’s address was 336 West End Avenue.

The New York, New York, Marriage License Index, at Ancestry.com, said Komisarow and Julia Schefman obtained a marriage license on April 23, 1943 in Manhattan.

Komisarow was a contract bridge player.

According to the 1945 Manhattan, New York City directory, Komisarow had a studio at 11 West 42nd Street and resided at 300 West 72nd Street. Also living with him was his brother, Ralph, a commercial artist with lettering experience in comic books. A post at Today’s Inspiration said Komisarow and Lou Fine had a partnership producing advertising comics. In 1946 Komisarow and Fine used the pen name, Donlou, on the Thropp Family comics for Liberty Magazine.

A 1956 issue of Art Direction published an article about self-employed artists having to pay business taxes in New York state and said in part:

The New York State Tax Commission has handed down a decision holding that Don and Ralph Komisarow, commercial artists operating as a partnership, were not liable for the Unincorporated Business Tax. The Commissioners found that they were engaged in the practice of a profession and not conducting a business. Efforts on the part of artists in New York state to win professional status recognition have previously been unsuccessful.

Komisarow contributed to Boys’ Life, June 1959 and March 1960.

The Editor & Publisher, October 10, 1959, reported the new television newspaper magazine supplement.

TV Channels, a four-color, rotogravure weekly magazine to be carried by selected newspapers on an exclusive market area basis, will be issued for the first time next June 1.

… Donald Komisarow, the publisher, was for nearly 14 years with Hearst Newspapers and also served with INS, the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Daily News, Miami (Fla.) Herald and United Features Syndicate. Since 1944, he has had his own office, specializing in comic advertising for ad agencies.

… Headquarters is at 11 W. 42nd St., New York.

Komisarow had listings in the 1960 and 1964 Who’s Who in Commercial Art and Photography: A Guide to Artists, Photographers, Agents and Studios in the Graphics Field.

In 1968 Komisarow illustrated Albert Miller’s Captain Whopper. Books in Print Supplement, Volume 2 (1977) published a description of the book, “A salty old sea captain runs a taut ship on a parkbench where a young and ever-growing crew sail the rollicking seas of the imagination with him.” Later in 1968, More Captain Whopper Tales was published with art by Komisarow.

The New York Times, November 25, 1979, reported the engagement of Ellen Robin Kaufer to Komisarow’s son, Joel Harris. The Times said Joel, “an alumnus of Indiana University, is with HDC Publications, New York trade magazine publishers. His father, a partner in HDC, was formerly a cartoonist for King Features.” Komisarow was a Beechhurst, Queens, New York resident.

Komisarow passed away on March 14, 2000, in New York. The Social Security Death Index said his last residence was Long Beach, New York. He was laid to rest at Mount Ararat Cemetery.


—Alex Jay

Labels: Ink-Slinger Profiles

[Cartoons Magazine, debuting in 1912, was a monthly magazine devoted primarily to reprinting editorial cartoons from U.S. and foreign newspapers. Articles about cartooning and cartoonists often supplemented the discussion of current events.

In November 1913 the magazine began to offer a monthly round-up of news about cartoonists and cartooning, eventually titled "What The Cartoonist Are Doing." There are lots of interesting historical nuggets in these sections, and this Stripper's Guide feature will  reprint one issue's worth each week.]

CARTOONS OF THE MONTH
Gradually the German periodicals—Jugend, Fliegende Blätter, Simplicissimus, Meggendorfer, and others—have begun to filter through the battle lines, and it is possible to sense public opinion in the Fatherland as reflected by the many cartoonists.

One difference will be noticed between the spirit of the German cartoonists and that of their English fellow craftsmen. The Germans still preserve their humor. War subjects occupy only a small space in their magazines, while London Punch, for instance, is devoted to little except war. In the German papers the triple entente is represented as in a very crippled state, bound up in bandages, and evidently good for little but the ambulance. But the cartoons either bubble over with fun and good humor, or appeal to the patriotism of the Germans. What little bitterness there is seems to be directed against the Japanese, who are cartooned as monkeys, either disporting themselves in trees, or confined behind the bars of a cage.

The Turcos and East Indian troops who have come to the assistance of the allies, likewise are ridiculed, being shown as naked barbarians, evidently with but one generation between them and the palm tree. Russia is depicted with a suggestion of cruelty in every cartoon, while in one or two incidents the German attitude in Belgium is defended by representing the Belgians as "snipers,” ready to murder or mutilate the invaders.

The English, on the other hand, have been directing most of their cartoons against the kaiser. In the November issue of this magazine Punch's “New Rake's Progress” was offered. More recent cartoons show the German emperor as the lawbreaker of Europe, led on by his dream of imperialism.
Of French cartoons very few are obtainable, those reproduced in this issue being, for the most part, taken from the English newspapers which first copied them. Many of the French newspapers doubtless have suspended publication, but in those that remain no master hand such as that of Daumier, “Cham,” or Gill has yet appeared.

The American cartoonists have had a respite from the war, and have entered into the political battles in their various communities with their usual dash and spirit. In New York, Whitman and Glynn have been the favorite subjects; in Pennsylvania, Penrose.

HANSI'S REVENGE
The Alsatian cartoonist Hansi (Johann Waltz), whose children's book, “Mon Village,” caused him to be sentenced to a year's imprisonment in Germany, and who escaped to France, has joined a regiment on the frontier as an interpreter. The first German prisoner brought before him happened by the irony of fate to be the officer who had arrested him. The prisoner complained to Hansi of inhospitable treatment, whereon the cartoonist smiled: “It is certainly better,” he replied, “than I received while in a German prison,” and refused to do anything to ameliorate the prisoner's condition.

OSBORN MAKES CHANGE
Richmond, Va., having taken the regional bank away from Baltimore, has now lured Harry Osborn from the Baltimore News. "Of course,” writes the cartoonist, “the fact that Mr. Munsey was trying to save up the price of the automobile that the Austrians took away from him, might have had something to do with it—there are other recent arrivals from Baltimore here but we aren’t mentioning that, because we do not like to hurt his feelings.”  Osborn has joined the staff of the Richmond Times Dispatch.

TOM MAY ON CARTOONS
Tom May, the cartoonist of the Detroit Times, made an address before an Episcopal men's club of that city recently on cartoons.

He alluded to the transitory nature of the work done by the cartoonist, whose work was for a day, and whose reputation was nearly as fleeting. He said he was as much interested in cartoons, probably more, than anyone in the room, but at that there were only a few of these productions which he now could recall. He spoke of the results, nearly resulting in war, which followed the appearance in one of the London papers at the time the present Kaiser Wilhelm retired Bismarck from power, which showed the latter leaving the ship of state with the line, “The Pilot Leaves.” International complications came from this, and the diplomatists of the two countries were kept busy for a long time to straighten out the incident.

He spoke of the lasting creations of Nast: the Tammany tiger, the democratic donkey, and the republican elephant, the latter being made large probably the better to furnish a good target for the onslaught of the bull moose. With a proper modesty he related the reception accorded one of his own cartoons, that of the girl in an abandonment of grief, in an almost bare garret, her head on a table, her hand at the edge holding a stocking which hangs empty with the one word, “Forgotten,” below the cartoon, which had been accorded a world-wide reception.

BIG OFFER FOR CARTOON BEAR
J. M. Baer, an enterprising cartoonist of Beach, N. D., recently felt the need of a mascot as a trademark for his drawings. A bear had been suggested by his friends, but not wishing to be a plagiarist, and knowing that this quadruped had been preempted by Robert Satterfield of Cleveland, O., the westerner wrote to Satterfield, making him an offer of $1,000 for the use of the "critter,” inclosing a contract form, hoping to get exclusive rights to Satterfield's bruin.

Satterfield, however, replied that he could not part with his little bear for many times the sum named, but said that he appreciated the offer. “He has become an indispensable and highly honored member of our firm,” wrote Satterfield, “and I assure you that his place could not be successfully filled by anybody else.”

DEFENDS BOSTON
Grantland Rice, the New York writer, takes exception to the Metropolitan cartoonist's idea of the young Bostonian. He says the “abnormal bean, spectacles and a brace of thin legs attached to a bush league body,” do not apply in these days, “when Boston has a leader in one league and a runner-up in another; when she has set the one day's record for attendance at two ball games at 74,200; when she has one club that came from last place to the top in five weeks, and another that beat the Athletics eight straight games; when she has a Harvard crew that won the world's greatest rowing trophy; when she has held the football championship for two years; when she has the amateur golf champion in Francis Ouimet and has Sam Langford as a last exhibit.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“There are no German atrocities,” reports Cartoonist McCutcheon. What about pretzels?—Columbia State.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It is healthy for our cartoonists that their drawings are not made in Germany.— Brooklyn Eagle.


BRIGGS AND THE MILKMAN
Clare Briggs, the sport cartoonist of the New York Tribune, has taken a country place out on Long Island and has a servant girl who watches out for the best bargains possible in marketing. The other day the girl found a good deal of cream on a bottle of milk which had been standing over night, and when the servant said, “Look here, I have never seen anything like this before on your milk;” the driver looked at it for a minute, scratched his head and replied: “Well, I don't know just what it is myself, but you can throw it out and I'll give you a fresh bottle in its place.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alfred J. Frueh, formerly of the art staff of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and later with the New York World, returned recently from Paris, where he has been studying and painting for two years.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Boardman Robinson, whose work often has appeared in Cartoons Magazine, has left the staff of the New York Tribune, which he joined as cartoonist in December, 1910. Mr. Robinson devoted himself to painting for six years after being graduated from the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris.

A KNIGHT PIECE
The cartoons that used to run
 Almost daily on page one,
In the good old piping days of peace,
Now inside scrape strange relations
With the corn and wheat quotations,
Waiting vainly for the war of kings to cease.
—Clifford Knight.


“WEB” AND PROVIDENCE
H. T. Webster, cartoonist of the New York Globe, purchased a very rakish, daredevil automobile the other day, and after taking a few lessons on how to avoid telephone poles and make pedestrians leap for cover, started with a newspaper friend to drive home. Still somewhat skittish about operating the car, he grasped the wheel, shifted the gear, and remarked through clenched teeth: “Well, here's hoping that Providence will forget the Kaiser for a little while and look out for yours truly.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

London Punch announces a “display of exceptional interest”—an exhibition of 180 cartoons and original drawings—“showing in historical sequence the growth of the Prussian bully from 1857 to 1914.” The exhibition is being held at the studio of the Fine Art Society in New Bond Street.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Chicago Tribune's cartoonist pictures Uncle Sam surveying the American soldier after reading about the size of the European armies and saying: “He’s all right, what there is of him.” Cheer up, melancholy contemporary, for at the rate the Europeans are killing one another it will not be long before the American army is the largest.—Louisville Courier-Journal.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Vivian and Leton McGill, children of Harold McGill, a cartoonist for the Hearst newspapers in New York, shared the honors with a daughter of a Tammany Hall chief and the little son of an Italian vegetable woman in a baby show that was a feature of the recent Bayside (L. I.) carnival.


THE PROTEAN ROOSEVELT
In the fifty years since caricature has become a feature of American journalism,” writes Art Young in the Metropolitan, “it is safe to say that no man has been the subject of so many cartoons as Roosevelt. A cartoon composite of Roosevelt would include Don Quixote, Tamerlane, Napoleon, Ananias, Cromwell, Wallenstein, Peter the Great, the Wild Horse of Tartary, Dr. Dowie, Prize Fighter, Savonarola, Circus Performer, Hyena, Snapping Turtle, Angel of Peace, Ivan the Terrible, Mohammed, and Moses, and these would be only a beginning.”

The earlier Roosevelt cartoons, according to Mr. Young, were mild. The first appeared in Harper's Weekly, April 19, 1884. “T. R.” was then 26 years old, and a member of the New York legislature. He is shown unrolling a scroll of reform bills which Grover Cleveland is looking over and about to sign. The title is “Reform without Bloodshed.”

The second Roosevelt cartoon was published in Puck, November 10, 1886, when the ex-president was candidate for mayor of New York.

Abram S. Hewitt and Henry George were the other candidates. Hewitt was elected, although over 60,000 votes were counted for Henry George, and many old-timers still think that the single-taxer was elected.


The title of this cartoon was “Age Before Beauty—Hewitt Wins New York Away from the Ambitious Roosevelt,” whose teeth, by the way, had not yet become characteristic. They developed later while he was a police commissioner of New York City.

John T. McCutcheon

IN DEFENSE OF McCUTCHEON
A writer to the New York Sun, who evidently knows little about John T. McCutcheon and his work, delivers himself as follows:

“I note with satisfaction that Mr. Irvin Cobb, humorist, and Mr. John T. McCutcheon, cartoonist, are still lingering in Aix-la-Chapelle, enforced 'guests of the German Government,’ and hope that they may so continue to the end of the war. The sense of humor of an editor who can send two 'funny men' to depict the European conflict is certainly highly inflamed. Clowns and comic artists have no place at a funeral or an execution. American humor has had many lapses from good taste, but none more egregious than this attempt to treat the world's greatest tragedy as a subject for buffoonery.   C. L. W.”

Thus far no correspondent on the European battlefields has sent in such intensely human dispatches as Mr. McCutcheon. He is the keenest kind of satirist and analyst, and it is because he is a humorist that what he has to say is so interesting.

Labels: What The Cartoonists Are Doing

Here's another Opper card from the Mutual Book Company of Boston. You don't see this one much, for good reason. Send a pal a postcard telling him he's ugly ... hilarious!

Labels: Wish You Were Here

Carr's final cartoon

1935

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Feb

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Apr

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Jun

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Aug

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Sep

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Oct

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Dec

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29		30		31	ML

Cleanthe Kimball Carr was born on April 9, 1911, in Middletown, New Jersey, according to her Social Security application. Her parents were Eugene G. “Gene” Carr, the cartoonist, and Helen G, Stilwell. In the 1910 U.S. Federal Census, Carr’s parents were Middletown residents on Riverside Drive.

The 1915 New York state census recorded Carr, her parents, a nurse and cook at 66 Tennis Place in Forest Hills, Queens.

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, April 28, 1919, said Carr was one of over a hundred children who were guests at the annual Easter Week activities in the Forest Hills Inn.

In the 1920 census, the Carr family remained in Forest Hills at a different location, the Gardens Apartments on Dartmouth Street.

Carr’s verse was published in the Brooklyn Daily Star, March 28, 1921.

The Fly Peril.
Flies walk on the dirtiest things,
And then right on your plate.
If you eat some germs they carry around,
Death surely would be your fate.

Kill the vile old things with all your might
Before the summer heat.
They shall not walk upon my skin
Nor poison what I eat.

Carr’s artistic talent was noted in the Editor & Publisher, March 4, 1922.

Miss Cleanthe Carr, daughter of Gene Carr, creator of the “Metropolitan Movies” cartoon feature of the New York World, is following in her father's footsteps toward an art career. She is a pupil at Miss Devell’s School and her work is represented in an exhibition of landscape and animal work now being shown at that institution.

Carr and her mother returned from Europe, by way of Le Havre, France, on October 22, 1922.

Carr and her mother, a writer, were Manhattan, New York City residents at 8 East Ninth Street. Apparently Carr’s parents were separated.

Carr’s talent was recognized again by the Associated Press 1927 article, published in numerous papers including the Niagara Falls Gazette.

Convent Girl, 14, Draws Caricatures of Film Notables of Hollywood
Hollywood, (Cal.)., Sept. 27, (AP)—Every now and then some artist from South America or Mexico of France breezes into Hollywood and fascinates the natives with caricatures of screen celebrities.

Fourteen-year-old [sic] Cleanthe Carr came from a Pennsylvania convent, unheralded by the magazines or newspapers. Nor did she even know herself that she was going to cartoon the famous faces of filmdom.

But she had to amuse herself while spending the Summer vacation with her mother, who is a scenario reader, so she looked around and drew pictures of the stars.

Now critics hail Cleanthe as a genius. She is going back to New York soon to finish her preparatory school course, and plans to begin studying art under instructors then. Although her father, Gene Carr, is a successful cartoonist, Cleanthe has not taken any lessons from anyone.

“Except a few at the convent,” she explains, “but I dropped that course in a hurry because I was scolded for not putting enough clothes on my figures.”

Cleanthe was born in Red Bank, N.J., but lived there only a year. When not at school she is usually with her aunt in Brooklyn or in California with her mother.

Carr and her mother visited Europe again in the summer of 1929.

According to the 1930 census, Carr’s mother was a divorcee. She and her mother lived at 160 East 55 Street in Manhattan. Carr was a self-employed commercial artist.

Carr and her mother returned from France on October 16, 1929.

The New York Evening Post, November 2, 1931, reported the death of “Sigmund M. Lehman, brother of Lieutenant Governor Lehman and member of the banking firm of Lehman Brothers, who died in Paris in April, 1930”. Carr was a beneficiary of his estate: “… a temporary life estate in $20,000 to Cleanthe Carr, payable at the age of twenty-four, …”

The Newspaper Feature Service produced a long-running series of romantic cartoons, by several artists, beginning in 1913. Carr contributed to the series in 1934.

The Albany Times Union (New York), April 4, 1935, published an article about identifying the handsomest man in the world. Among the people consulted were artists.

… Neysa McMein, and Cleanthe Carr, artists, found themselves unable to name their selections. Miss McMein pleaded that several years ago she made up a list of handsome men, and that she never had been able to live it down. Miss Carr, daughter of Gene Carr, declared she had never seen an outstandingly handsome man.

But Russell Patterson, famous artist, after much consideration, came forth with this list:

No. 1. Hal Phyfe, New York photographer,
No. 2. Peter Arno, artist.
No. 3, James Montgomery Flagg, artist.

The Syracuse Journal, September 19, 1935, published a photograph of Carr with her drawing of Huey Long. 


The Buffalo Courier Express, August 15, 1939, said “Newest Hollywood ‘must’ is to have a portrait painted by Cleanthe Carr, niece of Kim Moran.”

The gossip column in the Tacoma News Tribune, November 17, 1940, said “When Charlie Chaplin got around to introducing Paulette as ‘my wife’ in New York they were staying at separate hotels. And Chollie did the big town with Cleanthe Carr.”

In the late 1930s Carr moved to California. The portrait artist’s address in the 1940 census was 6470 Ivarene Avenue in Los Angeles. Lodging with Carr and her mother was Lionel Braham, 61, an actor and singer in motion pictures.

The California Marriage Index, at Ancestry.com, said Carr married Samuel Weill, on August 12, 1960 in Monterey, California. Who’s Who in Finance and Industry (1999) said Weill was an automobile company executive and Carr was his second wife. They divorced July 21, 1982 in Los Angeles.

Carr passed away October 1, 2001, in Los Angeles, according to the Social Security Death Index.

 
—Alex Jay

Labels: Ink-Slinger Profiles

Nellie “Nell” Reppy was born on October 7, 1903 or 1904 or 1905 or 1906, in Boulder, Colorado. A 1913 newspaper article said she was ten years old. Three passenger lists have the birth years 1904, 1905 and 1906, and her birthplace.

In the 1910 U.S. Federal Census, Reppy was the second of three children born to William, a mining engineer and surveyor, and Mary. The family resided in Carthage, Missouri at 1104 Main Street.

The Denver Rocky Mountain News (Colorado), November 9, 1913, reported Reppy’s beating by five schoolmates.

Boys Attack Small Girl
Gang Assaults Child Near Where All Parties Attend Boulder School
Boulder, Colo., Nov. 8.—Nellie Reppy, a ten-year-old Boulder girl, was attacked by a gang of five young Boulder boys yesterday afternoon and beaten. The attack occurred near the Highland school, where the young girl and the boys attend school. No cause for the attack is known.

Reppy was mentioned in the Elk Mountain Pilot (Crested Butte, Colorado), April 11, 1918, “Miss Nellie Reppy came in the last of the week from Doyleville for a few days visit with her aunt, Mrs. H.H. Fogg.”

According to the 1920 census, Reppy and her mother, a widow, lived with Reppy’s mother’s brother, E R McConnell, a widower, in Gunnison, Colorado on Rainbow Route.

Information about Reppy’s art training has not been found.

The 1924 Denver, Colorado city directory listed Reppy, no occupation given, and her mother, a Denver Art Museum matron, at 1300 Logan.

At some point both moved to New York City. The 1930 census said their Manhattan address was 240 East 79th Street. Reppy was a self-employed artist. and her mother a dressmaker.

Reppy’s drawings appeared in Harper’s Bazaar, April 1931.

The New York, New York, Extracted Marriage Index, at Ancestry.com, said Reppy married Edward C O’Donnell on January 22, 1932 in Manhattan.

A passenger list recorded Reppy departing Trinidad, British West Indies, on March 14, 1933 and arriving in New York on March 24. Her address was 70 West 85th Street, New York City.

According to the New York Evening Post, October 10, 1933, Reppy had a representative.

Tom Patterson, brother of Russell, the artist has opened a personalized store at 33 West Twenty-eighth Street to cater to commercial artists, particularly those in agency work. He will continue to represent his brother, Robert E. Lee, Ed Graham, Ed Walter, Nell Reppy and Julian Brazelton.

Reppy’s husband passed away August 2, 1934 in Manhattan.

The Newspaper Feature Service produced a long-running series of romantic cartoons, by several artists, beginning in 1913. Reppy contributed to the series in 1934.

Reppy’s address was the same on passengers lists from 1935, a trip to Mexico, and 1936, a visit to Europe.

The 1940 census recorded Reppy and her mother in Manhattan at 225 East 74th Street. Reppy, who had four years of high school, was attending school.

Reppy illustrated several books including The Little Builders’ ABC (1943), Australia (1945), A Penny for Candy (1946), Making Sure of Arithmetic, Grade 5 (1946), Making Sure of Arithmetic Grade 6 (1946), Making Sure of Arithmetic Grade 8 (1946), Come Play with Us (1947), Here Am I (1947) and Neighbors Around the World (1948).

Reppy’s address in the 1949 Manhattan directory was 210 East 68th Street.

At some point Reppy married Theodore Edward Shepard.

An airline passenger card said her permanent address was “Acueduct R. Hondo 330, Mexico.” On April 11, 1963, she flew from Mexico to Miami, Florida.

Reppy was listed in the 1969 Anglo-American Directory of Mexico.

Shepard, Theodore (Am.); wife, Nell Reppy (Am.); ch.: Anthony. Bus. Pl. Santos Degollado 10-402, z. l. Tel. 5-12-12-31. Also see Sonora, Res. Acueducto Rio Hondo 330, Virreyea, z.10. Tel. 5-20-51-64. Also see Morelos. Clubs: Am, Ref.

Reppy passed away on August 20, 1969, in Mexico. The Department of State death report said Reppy’s American address was 112 Southwest Hamilton Street, Portland, Oregon, and Mexican address was Acueducto Rio Hondo 330, Mexico. The cause of death was pulmonary metastasis. Her remains were sent to Finley Tyson Funeral Home in Portland.

 
—Alex Jay

Labels: Ink-Slinger Profiles

1934

Jan     Su                  M                  Tu                 W                  Th                F                   Sa

		1	RB	2		3	RB	4		5		6	RB
7		8	RB	9		10	RB	11		12	DF	13
14		15	DF	16		17	RB	18		19		20	RB
21		22	DF	23		24	RB	25		26		27	FM
28		29	RB	30		31	RB

Feb

								1		2		3	FM
4		5	RB	6		7	RB	8		9		10	RB
11		12	VZ	13		14	RB	15		16		17	FM
18		19	VZ	20		21	RB	22		23		24	FM
25		26		27	RB	28

Mar

								1	VZ	2		3	DF
4		5	RB	6		7	NR	8		9		10	DF
11		12	NR	13		14	DF	15	RB	16		17
18		19		20	RB	21		22	RB	23		24	NR
25		26	RB	27		28	NR	29	RB	30		31

Apr

1		2	DF	3		4	RB	5		6		7	RB
8		9	DF	10		11	RB	12	DF	13		14
15		16	NR	17		18	RB	19	RB	20		21
22		23	NR	24		25	RB	26		27		28	DF
29		30	RB

May

				1		2	NR	3		4		5	DF
6		7		8		9	NR	10		11		12	DF
13		14	NR	15		16	RB	17		18		19	NR
20		21	RB	22		23	DF	24		25		26	NR
27		28	RB	29		30	NR	31

Jun

										1		2	DF
3		4	NR	5		6	RB	7		8		9	DF
10		11	RB	12		13	LV	14		15		16	NR
17		18	NR	19		20	RB	21		22		23	LV
24		25	NR	26		27	RB	28		29		30	NR

Jul

1		2	RB	3		4	?	5		6		7	LV
8		9		10	NR	11		12	LV	13		14	RB
15		16		17	RB	18		19	NR	20		21	LV
22		23	NR	24		25	LV	26		27		28	RB
29		30		31	LV

Aug

						1		2		3		4	NR
5		6	RB	7		8	LV	9		10		11	LV
12		13	NR	14		15	DF	16		17	LV	18
19		20	NR	21		22	RB	23		24	DF	25
26		27	RB	28		29	LV	30		31

Sep

												1	LV
2		3	NR	4		5	LV	6		7		8	RB
9		10		11	MS	12		13	NR	14		15	RB
16		17		18	RB	19		20	LV	21		22	NR
23		24	FE	25		26	RB	27		28		29	LV
30

Oct

		1		2	RB	3		4	LV	5		6	MS
7		8		9	NR	10		11	RB	12		13	MS
14		15		16	RB	17		18	LV	19		20	NR
21		22		23	NR	24		25	FE	26		27	LV
28		29	RB	30		31	MS

Nov

								1		2		3	NR
4		5	LV	6		7	NR	8		9		10	RB
11		12	NR	13		14	LV	15		16		17	RB
18		19	NR	20		21	RB	22		23		24	LV
25		26		27	LV	28		29	?	30

Dec

												1	NR
2		3	LV	4		5	NR	6		7		8	RB
9		10	RB	11		12	LV	13		14		15	NR
16		17		18	NR	19		20	NR	21		22	RB
23		24		25		26		27	LV	28		29	CC
30		31	LV