Wednesday, August 23, 2017
Ink-Slinger Profiles by Alex Jay: Ken Reynolds
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| 1928 |
Kenneth James “Ken” Reynolds was born in Wabash, Indiana, on February 4, 1909, according to his birth certificate which had his full name and parents’s names, James Reynolds and Ercie Pricket.
The 1910 U.S. Federal Census recorded Reynolds and his parents in Wabash at 693 Columbus Street. His father was a blacksmith.
In the 1920 census, the Reynolds family remained in Wabash but at a different address, 556 Sivey Street.
At some point the family moved. Reynolds graduated from Arthur Hill High School in Saginaw, Michigan. The school yearbook, Legenda, June 1928, published Reynolds’ senior photograph with this quote, “I never dare to write, or draw, as funny as I can.” Information about Reynolds art training has not been found.
Reynolds married Mildred King on November 10, 1929 in Marcellus, Michigan. The 1930 census said Reynolds’ parents lived in Marcellus.
According to the 1930 census, Reynolds resided in South Bend, Indiana, at 919 Logan Street. Reynolds was staff artist on a newspaper, probably the South Bend Tribune.
American Newspaper Comics (2012) said Reynolds produced Smokie, from December 5, 1932 to April 24, 1933, for the Bonnet-Brown Syndicate.
The 1940 census said Reynolds, his wife and daughter, Jo Ann, lived in Ionia, Michigan at 323 North Dexter. He the “telegraph editor” on a daily newspaper (the Sentinel Standard). The census said Reynolds completed four years of high school, and in 1935, he was a resident of Ottawa, Ohio.
The Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office, October 5, 1954, published Reynolds trademark application for his panel Quickies.
Reynolds’ trademark application for his cartoon Tips was published in the Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office, February 8, 1955.
The 1910 U.S. Federal Census recorded Reynolds and his parents in Wabash at 693 Columbus Street. His father was a blacksmith.
In the 1920 census, the Reynolds family remained in Wabash but at a different address, 556 Sivey Street.
At some point the family moved. Reynolds graduated from Arthur Hill High School in Saginaw, Michigan. The school yearbook, Legenda, June 1928, published Reynolds’ senior photograph with this quote, “I never dare to write, or draw, as funny as I can.” Information about Reynolds art training has not been found.
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| 1928 |
According to the 1930 census, Reynolds resided in South Bend, Indiana, at 919 Logan Street. Reynolds was staff artist on a newspaper, probably the South Bend Tribune.
American Newspaper Comics (2012) said Reynolds produced Smokie, from December 5, 1932 to April 24, 1933, for the Bonnet-Brown Syndicate.
The 1940 census said Reynolds, his wife and daughter, Jo Ann, lived in Ionia, Michigan at 323 North Dexter. He the “telegraph editor” on a daily newspaper (the Sentinel Standard). The census said Reynolds completed four years of high school, and in 1935, he was a resident of Ottawa, Ohio.
The Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office, October 5, 1954, published Reynolds trademark application for his panel Quickies.
According to the application, Quickies began May 13, 1939. American Newspaper Comics said Reynolds established the Ken Reynolds Newspaper Services to sell Quickies.SN 664,983. Ken Reynolds, Ionia, Mich. Filed Apr. 21, 1954.
QUICKIESFor Cartoons of Varying Subject-Matter, Published Daily in Newspapers and Other Publications. Use since May 13, 1939.
Reynolds’ trademark application for his cartoon Tips was published in the Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office, February 8, 1955.
SN 670,977. Ken Reynolds, Ionia, Mich. Filed Aug. 2, 1954.
TIPSFor Cartoons of Varying Subject-Matter, Published Weekly in Newspapers and Other Publications. Use since May 14, 1953.
Reynolds’ letter was printed in Hoosierland, Volume 1 (1962).
Being a Wabash native, I am particularly interested in getting a copy of your Hoosierland Magazine, the copy featuring Francis Slocum and Mississinewa Dam at Red Bridge.Reynolds passed away January 19, 1986, in Ionia according to the Michigan death index at Ancestry.com. His death was noted in the Grand Rapids Press, January 21, 1986, “Kenneth Reynolds, aged 76, of 9477 Button Rd., Belding, died Sunday (January 19]. He was a retired Syndicated Newspaper Artist and Cartoonist….” Reynolds was laid to rest at Smyrna Cemetery.
Ken Reynolds
Creator of the Newspaper Comic, Quickies
—Alex Jay
Labels: Ink-Slinger Profiles
