August Maria Froehlich was born in Bohemia, Austria, on February 4, 1880, according to his World War I draft card. It’s not known where Froehlich had his art training.
A family tree at Ancestry.com said Froehlich married Charlotte Gertrude Schultz in 1904. Their son, Heinz/Henry, was born later that year.
On October 21, 1909, Froehlich and his wife were aboard the steamship Amerika when it departed Hamburg, Germany. They arrived in the port of New York on October 31.
Froehlich has not yet been found in the 1910 United Staes Census.
Froehlich tried vaudeville as reported in Variety, September 2, 1911.
August M. Froehlich, cartoonist of the Staats Zeitung, is going into vaudeville, offering comedy cartoons and finishing with an artistic painting On a glass transparency. He is under the direction of Paul Durand.
On May 12, 1912, Froehlich’s son arrived from Germany.
Tägliche Omaha Tribüne (Nebraska), March 8, 1913, printed an illustration by Froehlich.
The 1915 New York state census recorded the Froehlichs in Staten Island on Centre Street. Froehlich’s occupation was artist.
On September 12, 1918, Froehlich signed his World War I draft card. His address was 79 Locust Avenue in New Dorp, (Staten Island), New York. He was described as medium build and height, with brown eyes and hair. Froehlich was an artist at the Einson Lithograph Corporation in New York City.
In the 1920 census, Froehlich’s Staten Island address was 2671 Amboy Road. The 1920 New York, New York city directory listed Froehlich’s studio at 116 West 39th Street, room 422. He resided in Staten Island.
The 1925 New York state census counted the Froehlichs in Manhattan at 44 East 88th Street. The artist’s son was an auto mechanic.
Film Daily, February 28, 1926, listed Froehlich as an Universal Pictures employee. The magazine celebrated Carl Laemmle’s 20th anniversary as president of Universal Pictures.
According to the 1930 census, the Froehlichs resided in St. Albans, Queens, New York at 188-05 Mangin Avenue. Froehlich was a commercial artist in the moving picture industry.
Motion Picture Herald, January 15, 1938, reported a slight change in Froehlich’s employment.
With the closing of Morgan Lithograph Corporation office attached to Universal, August M. Froehlich, art director, and Ben Wells, poster artist, will join the regular Universal art staff. Mr. Froehlich has been with Morgan for 20 years, while Mr. Wells has served the company for 50 years and has been attached to Universal since its inception. …
Froehlich’s Fifth Avenue Girl, 1939, RKO
The 1940 census said Froehlich had moved from St. Albans to Sunnyside at 45-08 40th Street. The self-employed artist earned $2,500 in 1939.
On April 26, 1942, Froehlich signed his World War II draft card. His home was in Northport, Suffolk County, New York at 176 Laurel Avenue. His description was five feet five inches, 140 pounds, with brown eyes and gray hair.
Who’s Who of American Comic Books 1928–1999 said Froehlich’s comic book career began around 1939 with the Eisner & Iger Studio.
Editor and Publisher, March 1, 1947, announced the launch of the New York Post Syndicate’s Illustrated Classics series which was produced by the Gilberton Company. Froehlich was one of several artists whose work was syndicated. American Newspaper Comics (2012) said Froehlich drew Man in the Iron Mask, which ran from January 25 to February 15, 1948. The script was by John O’Rourke. The comic book version appeared in 1948. Harry Glickman wrote and Froehlich drew Toilers of the Sea, which ran from February 22 to March 14, 1948. The comic book version appeared in 1949. Heritage Auctions has some of Froehlich’s Classics Illustrated original art. A checklist of Froehlich’s work is at the Grand Comics Database.
The date of Froehlich’s passing is unclear. In Classics Illustrated: A Cultural History, William B. Jones said “… August M. Froehlich, an older artist who died in 1949 shortly after completing his last Classics Illustrated assignment.” The year is incorrect because Froehlich and his wife were counted in the 1950 census. The Social Security Applications and Claims Index, at Ancestry.com, said a claim was made on August 31, 1950. Froehlich’s surname was inexplicably misspelled and there was no death date. Apparently the claim was made to either register for Social Security or begin receiving benefits. Froehlich and his wife have not been found in the Social Security Death Index.
In the New York, New York Death Index, at Ancestry.com, is an “August Froehlich” who passed away on September 10, 1951 in Manhattan and is a good match for the artist.
Further Reading
For what it's worth, a Charlotte Gertrude Froehlich was naturalized in September of 1941, listing an address in Flushing (different from the 1940 and 1942 address); born in 1884, which means 20 at marriage if she's the same one as listed in the draft cards. Interesting, if it's her, that she waited as long as she did.
ReplyDeleteFor additional information on August M. Froehlich and his fascinating comics I would recommend to take a look at this lengthy article (open access): https://pure.knaw.nl/portal/en/publications/the-invisible-jews-in-august-froehlichs-nazi-death-parade-1944-an
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