Thursday, April 21, 2016
Ink-Slinger profiles by Alex Jay: Alan Maver
Alan B. Maver was born in Manhattan, New York City, on July 5, 1909, according to the New York, New York, Birth Index at Ancestry.com.
In the 1910 U.S. Federal Census, Maver lived with this Scottish-emigrant parents and four, older New York-born siblings in Manhattan at 727 Columbus Avenue. His father was a carpenter.
The 1915 New York state census listed Maver and his family at 108 West 102nd Street in Manhattan. The address was the same in the 1920 and 1930 censuses.
Information about Maver’s education and art training has not been found.
In 1930, the census said Maver was a newspaper reporter and cartoonist. The Town Times (Watertown, Connecticut), February 2, 1978, said, “Maver…began his career as an assistant to Feg Murray, whose work was appearing at the time in the New York Sun. He took over the sports cartoon production six years later when Murray left the paper.” It appears Murray’s sports cartoons began in 1923 with Sports of 1923 from Associated Editors. Presumably, Maver assisted Murray beginning sometime in the mid- to late 1920s. Maver’s sports cartoons were distributed by United Features Syndicate followed by King Features Syndicate in 1948, according to The Day (New London, Connecticut), May 24, 1984. Some of his cartoons, from 1946 to 1967, are here.
American Newspaper Comics said Maver drew the World War II series, Stars in Service, for the United States Treasury Department. Maver also had a brief career in the comic book industry. Some of that work is here.
In the 1940 census, Maver lived with his parents and two siblings in the Bronx, New York, at 334 East 205 Street. Manhattan, New York city directories, from 1944 to 1948, listed Maver at 640 Fort Washington Avenue.
At some point Maver moved to 72 Flag Swamp Road, Southbury, Connecticut. Town Times reported Maver’s 1978 art exhibit at the library. Maver had taken up watercolor painting in his spare time. (see page 7, column 3)
Maver passed away May 22, 1984, in Southbury, according to the Connecticut death index. His death was reported two days later in The Day.
In 1930, the census said Maver was a newspaper reporter and cartoonist. The Town Times (Watertown, Connecticut), February 2, 1978, said, “Maver…began his career as an assistant to Feg Murray, whose work was appearing at the time in the New York Sun. He took over the sports cartoon production six years later when Murray left the paper.” It appears Murray’s sports cartoons began in 1923 with Sports of 1923 from Associated Editors. Presumably, Maver assisted Murray beginning sometime in the mid- to late 1920s. Maver’s sports cartoons were distributed by United Features Syndicate followed by King Features Syndicate in 1948, according to The Day (New London, Connecticut), May 24, 1984. Some of his cartoons, from 1946 to 1967, are here.
In the 1940 census, Maver lived with his parents and two siblings in the Bronx, New York, at 334 East 205 Street. Manhattan, New York city directories, from 1944 to 1948, listed Maver at 640 Fort Washington Avenue.
At some point Maver moved to 72 Flag Swamp Road, Southbury, Connecticut. Town Times reported Maver’s 1978 art exhibit at the library. Maver had taken up watercolor painting in his spare time. (see page 7, column 3)
Maver passed away May 22, 1984, in Southbury, according to the Connecticut death index. His death was reported two days later in The Day.
—Alex Jay
Labels: Ink-Slinger Profiles
