Stripper's Guide

Howard Beckerman was co-creator, with writer Carl Memling, of the Miss Chipps feature in Family Comics. He contacted me after finding my blog post about the strip. Here's our conversation:

Holtz: You initially contacted me to tell me that my post about Miss Chipps was wrong, that you weren't responsible for the Schoolhouse Rock series. Sorry about the mix-up! I got that piece of misinformation from a website discussing your work.

Beckerman: Although I know the guys who did School House Rock, I wasn't one of them. It may have gotten mixed up with the Sesame Street, the Electric Company and other children's educational spots that I did in the 1970s.

Holtz: Let's see what light you can shed on the mysteries of Sponsored Comics. Was it run by Zeke Zekley or Norman Maurer or someone else?

Beckerman: I dealt with Zeke Zekley and assume that there were others involved but don't recall any names.

Holtz: How many issues of Family Comics were produced?

Beckerman: There weren't many issues of Sponsored Comics. I probably did about a dozen strips. I always felt that the paper was in distribution less than a year.

Holtz: Was it really only available at a few California grocery stores? Was that the intended marketing plan?

Beckerman: As far as I know it was always available in California supermarkets. I assume they would have liked to broaden the distribution in the future.

Holtz: Did the more traditional syndication of some of the features attempted in 1960 (as advertised in E&P) ever get off the ground?

Beckerman: The strips that were used had mostly been those that had been previously turned down by major syndicates. But though they were all done by experienced working cartoonists, I don't think any of them reached the big time. [ed - only Kippy did that we know of]

Holtz: Was Miss Chipps created specifically for Family Comics, and did it have any further life after Family Comics folded?

Beckerman: We had sent it around and got good responses from major syndicates and were in the midst of making changes in it when we got the acceptance from Sponsored Comics. It never appeared anywhere else. Both Carl and I were busy with other pursuits, the usual problem in trying to sell strips. We never returned to Miss Chipps. As a working animator with a family to feed, the steady pay check took precedence over trying to judge the whims of syndicate editors and the uncertainty of that line of work. More power to those that can do it, and also to those who are happy with what they are doing and never think about the possible glories of a syndicated strip.

Holtz: You say you got accepted by Sponsored -- how did you know they existed in order to submit to them? My assumption was that Zekley just sort of got a group of his buddies together to fill the section, but this sounds like they advertised for submissions. Do you recall how you found out about them?

Beckerman: We found out from other cartoonists. Either Zekley contacted people he knew and they passed it on, or the word went out through the National Cartoonists Society. Carl Memling knew local cartoonists such as Gill Fox and David Gantz and several others. I'm sure we heard about it from one of them.

Holtz: Did Sponsored have you do all the 10-12 strips up front in a batch, or did you submit the strips on a scheduled basis?

Beckerman: Sponsored bought most of our sample strips and then I did new ones to meet the deadline, so maybe I did more than a dozen, maybe 20. It's a vey long time ago. What bothered me was that I was just hitting my stride and really enjoying drawing the strip, when the paper was discontinued.

Holtz: Do you recall if they just paid you a flat fee per strip or was there some sort of arrangement based on circulation? For that matter, did you end up getting stiffed on the job?

Beckerman: We signed a contract and were paid a fee per strip. I believe we were paid for everything we did.

Holtz: Do you recall anything in particular about how the enterprise ended -- was it simply a case of not enough clients or was there more to its demise?

Beckerman: I have no idea why it ended. There were many possibilities, including that the stores may have decided not to continue the paper, otherwise I have no idea. Zekely died a short time ago, so I can't tell who would know what transpired.

Holtz: Many of the other Family Comics cartoonists produced two features, one with their name on it, one with a pen name. Do you recall if they approached you to do the same?

Beckerman: No. The guys with two features may have been asked to do that to look like there were more cartoonists contributing, or there was some other obscure reason.

Holtz: Sponsored reappeared with what was apparently a similar section in the mid-1980s (this is second hand - I haven't seen this version). Were you approached for this version? I ask because some of the original creators apparently did new material for this version.

Beckerman: I didn't know about this, but Memling had died by then and there were enough strips around without contacting me. In fact, there are always strips around in drawers and which have never seen the light of day. As I say, it's a tough business.

Holtz: Howard, thank you very much for shedding some light on the Sponsored Comics mystery!

Beckerman: Regarding the Miss Chipps strip, it was wonderful seeing these 1950s drawings again. Carl Memling died prematurely many years ago, but I'm still around. I'm teaching animation at the School of Visual Arts in New York. I have a website at howardbeckerman.com.

Here's Miss Chipps, a single-tier strip from Family Comics. This one was signed Memling and Beckerman. I'm assuming this is writer Carl Memling and cartoonist Howard Beckerman, but I'm certainly open to being told otherwise.

Carl Memling was a prolific children's book author. He did a lot of tie-in storybooks to TV series and comic strips. My knowledge of Memling's work is slight, but the adult-oriented nature of this strip would be a significant departure from his typical output.

Howard Beckerman is best known for his work in animation. He is best known for the celebrated Schoolhouse Rock series of education shorts for Saturday morning TV. The style here doesn't match what he was doing in the 70s, but artists can certainly grow and change in the span of over a decade.

EDIT: No, no, no, no. Howard Beckerman himself sends me an email saying that he had nothing to do with Schoolhouse Rock. This is yet another case of one person making a mistake and it spreading all over the net like a cancer. My apologies for the misattribution. And if you'd like to know what Howard is really up to, as opposed to any fantasies I might concoct for him, visit his website.

Chauncey McKee “Chad” Grothkopf was born on June 14, 1914, in Ironton, Ohio, according to his World War II draft card. He was adopted by Oscar Frank Grothkopf, a traveling salesman, and Fay McKee Zurlage, who married on August 22, 1920 in Chicago, Illinois. At some point the couple moved to Ohio and adopted him. The Ohio Birth Index at Ancestry.com has a “Chance[y] Burlage” who was born on the same date. Some sources have Charles as Grothkopf’s first name but there are no official documents with that name.

In 1926 the Columbus Dispatch mentioned Grothkopf twice in its Junior Legion children’s page, for those between the ages ten and fifteen. In the November 4, 1926 edition Grothkopf was among many winners in the contest to draw the face of Bringing Up Father Jiggs. Grothkopf had a strip and an illustration published in 1927. 


On July 24, 1927, the Dispatch said Grothkopf was one of fifteen boys and girls who qualified for art classes at the Columbus Gallery of Fine Arts. They

received instruction in the art of cartooning and pen and ink drawing suitable for newspaper reproduction. The first experiment continued for 16 weeks.

H.E. Cochenour, member of the teaching staff of the art school and himself an artist, took these young Dispatch children’s page artists under his wing and outlined a course so planned as to be of practical help to these of varying experience.

He gave them the fundamental rules of drawing perspective design, figure drawing, lettering and arrangement. …

Grothkopf was a student at North High School in Columbus. Below is the Marrigale Art Club picture from the Polaris Annual 1929; an arrow points at Grothkopf.

The 1930 U.S. Federal Census listed Grothkopf as an adopted son. He and his parents were Columbus residents at 1758 North High Street. His father was a traveling salesman in the oil and advertising industry.

The Dispatch, May 5, 1930, reported the contest winners.

Three Columbus high school students were awarded prizes ion an art contest held by Sun Dial, Ohio State university campus publication, it was announced, Monday. First prize in cartooning and second prize in illustration were awarded to Chauncey Grothkopf, 1758 North High street, North High school …

Grothkopf talked about his childhood, art training and early career in an interview published in the Fawcett Companion: The Best of FCA (2001).

I was born in a small Ohio farm town. I had a very Huckleberry Finn-like upbringing. We’d all go swimming on hot summer days in the Ohio river. … I started drawing at a very early age. … I loved fait tales and cartooning and would draw everything as if it were alive … If you were an artist in my hometown you were considered a sign painter; I was surrounded by farmers and art just wasn’t something that was thought of as a legitimate career. …

I won a scholarship [in the early 1930s] at the Chicago Art Institute where I took a fine arts course … After graduating, Paramount Pictures selected me to be one of their junior art directors. At Paramount, I did no cartooning, just straight illustration like the type I did when was at DC. Lousy stuff … My heart belonged to cartooning. … I started out at Detective Comics (DC Comics) in 1938 …

American Newspaper Comics (2012) said Grothkopf’s earliest comic strip effort may have been Toytown Christmas which was for the Ledger Syndicate in 1938.

In Animation: The Whole Story (2012), Howard Beckerman wrote

The earliest mention of made-for-television animation in America is Willie the Worm, an eight-minute cartoon that aired on NBC in 1938. Animated by Chad Grothkopf using cels and cutouts, it was seen in the New York area by a handful of people who owned sets with seven-by-ten-inch screens.

The Catalog of Copyright Entries, Part 1, Group 2, Pamphlets, Etc., 1939, New Series, Volume 36, Number 3, included Grothkopf’s copyright for Willie the Worm: “Grothkopf, Chancey Mckee,* New York. Willie the worm. © Feb. 8, 1939; A.A. 29.2749. 9814”

The 1940 census recorded Grothkopf and his parents in Forest Hills, Queens, New York at 109-14 Ascan Avenue. Grothkopf was a freelance artist who earned two-hundred dollars in 1939. Six months later Grothkopf married Doris Anna Vaughn on October 12 in Manhattan. Four days later, Grothkopf signed his World War II draft card which had three addresses at various times: Forest Hills Inn, Station Square, Forest Hills, New York; Miramar Hotel, Santa Monica, California; and 155 West 20th Street, New York, New York. His description was six feet, 170 pounds with green eyes and brown hair.

Grothkopf produced material for Stan Lee at Timely Comics. He found success at Fawcett Publications with Funny Animals which featured Hoppy the Marvel Bunny, Willie the Worm, Sherlock Monk and Chuck, Benny Beaver and many more.

The 1942 Manhattan city directory listed Grothkopf at 155 West 20th Street.

Famous Fiction began on January 11, 1942 with Cut-Out as its topper. Grothkopf drew it from March 29, 1942 to December 20, 1942. Other artists worked on the strip while Grothkopf continued writing it. The Bell Syndicate series ended on May 19, 1946. Also in 1942 Grothkopf drew True Comics which began with Sam Glankoff.

Grothkopf enlisted in the army on February 12, 1943. After the war he continued work in animation for television.

The Evening Star (Washington, DC), October 24, 1943, said Grothkopf was one of five soldiers who exhibited at the Alexandria Library show, sponsored by the Artists’ Professional League, during American Art Week in November. The soldiers were doing technical work at Fort Belvoir. The Star said Gorthkopf was a Chicago Art Institute student who draws the syndicated strip Moments of History.

Grothkopf was profiled in Editor & Publisher, July 8, 1950. He talked about the PM beer advertising campaign. Grothkopf hired Al Stahl to do an animated film of the product.

The radio and television success of Howdy Doody spawned a comic strip drawn by Grothkopf and written by him, Milt Neil, Stan Lee and Edward Kean. The United Features Syndicate strip ran from October 15, 1950 to June 21, 1953.

The Wilton Bulletin (Connecticut), September 23, 1953, reported the formation of Chad Inc.

A certificate of incorporation for “Chad Incorporated” was filed recently in the town clerk’s office. The new firm will engage in the television business, including writing, directing, producing, recording and filming of TV shows. Its incorporators are Mr. and Mrs. Chad McKee Grothkopf of Wilton and Agnes Vaughan of New York City.

American Cinematographer, October 1955, examined the animation process at Chad Associates, Inc., 40 East 49th Street, New York City. Grothkopf produced work for Disney, Mighty Mouse, Underdog, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Bugs Bunny, Tiny Toons and others.

In 1960 Grothkopf appeared in the Famous Artists Schools advertisements which said “Chad Grothkopf, TV art pioneer, spelled out everything anyone needs to know for successful television drawing.”

Grothkopf passed away on January 25, 2002, in Norwalk, Connecticut. A partial obituary appeared at Westport-News.com, February 4.

 
Further Reading and Viewing
Fabulous Fifties
Heritage Auctions
Lambiek Comiclopedia
Potrzebie
Grand Comics Database
Who’s Who of American Comic Books 1928–1999


—Alex Jay

Labels: Ink-Slinger Profiles