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Monday, February 09, 2009

Behind the Scenes with Cole Johnson

Cole Johnson sends in a group of neat items; first we have a 1914 parody version of the New York Evening Globe. This item was produced for a party thrown at Claridge's Hotel for the staff of the Globe. Several of the Globe's cartoonists contributed cartoons poking fun at various members of the staff. We have, in order of appearance, Pop Momand, creator of Keeping Up With The Joneses; Percy Crosby of future Skippy fame, a fabulous Robert Ripley caricature of the sports editor, perhaps even the editor who recognized the genius of Ripley's one-shot Believe It or Not cartoon in 1918 and encouraged him to turn it into a series. Finally we have two whimsical cartoons by a fellow I didn't even know was at the Globe, H.T. Webster. Apparently he spent a short interlude there in between stints at his long-time home at the New York Tribune.







In addition Cole sent this photo of a bunch of sots on their way to getting rip-roaring drunk. But these aren't just any old juicers.

Standing, from left: Jack Callahan (Freddie the Sheik), unknown, Peck (possibly George Peck, creator of Kayo Kid Klinch)

Sitting: unknown, Bud Counihan (Little Napoleon, Betty Boop), Bonnell (?), unknown (but looks to me like it might be Robert Ripley, though perhaps only because he's on my mind because of the Globule), Jack Farr (Bringing Up Bill).

4 comments:

  1. Hi Alan - I'm an author, currently working on a book about Robert Ripley. I love your blog, and would like to speak with you further about my research. How can I contact you? My email is neal@nealthompson.com. Please drop me a line, and thanks... Neal

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  2. My email is right over there (<-) in the sidebar Neal.

    --Allan

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  3. Hello, Allan-----The guy standing in the middle is "Bugs" Baer, the famous columnist, and the fellow sitting, fourth from left, isn't Ripley, but Broadway performer Eddie Dowling, in whose honor this 1922 backstage party was held.----Cole Johnson.

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  4. Hello, Allan. Thanks for posting the picture of the "sots." I am a descendant of Jack Farr's mother's side of the family. His mother's name was Julia (Munro) Farr. I did not have a picture of "Jack" (aka William Gordon Farr in real life). I would love to know if there are more pictures or information about him.

    Fred

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