Li'l Jim Wiseman & Hank Ketcham!

Well, I have to say, Al Wiseman's son Jim is married to unquestionably the swellest gal in the whole Al-Wiseman-Blogisphere! Imagine my surprise when I opened up an email from Teresa Tersol-Wiseman the other day and found this among the images attached:


Yes, it's a photo of little Jim Wiseman dressed up like "Dennis the Menace" and walking around with Hank Ketcham! Let's let Teresa explain:

"Regarding the picture of Jim and Hank - I think Jim was around six at the time. The picture was taken by a local professional photographer and was part of a series taken when Jim was under consideration to play the part of Dennis in the TV series. The pictures were all taken on the 18th green at Pebble Beach."

So if Jim was around six years old, that would mean the photo was taken sometime in 1955. The Dennis the Menace television show took a while to finalize and ultimately premiered in October 1959, starring Jay North as Dennis.

Another cool thing about the above print is that it was signed by Ketcham twice: once in the 1950's, then re-signed by him in 1987. According to Teresa:

 "In 1987 Hank had a signing at a local bookstore (The Thunderbird) for a book he published that year- so Jim and I stopped by and brought the original photo."

I'm bettin' Hank was quite delighted to see the image again!

Here's another snapshot from the same photo shoot showing Jim in-character as Dennis (though wouldn't it be more in-character if he was smashing something?):


Thanks Teresa (and Jim)! You've earned our never-ending gratitude!

Charley Jones' Laugh Book Magazine- April 1951 (Part 2)

God, I love these drawings! And I love the pen & ink style Al had developed during this time period. Pure uncluttered goodness! It's a shame that he didn't continue with much of this type of illustration work after he joined the Dennis staff...

Wiseman contributed to the digest sized Charley Jones' Laugh Book Magazine on and off for a few years. You can bet I'll be posting many more examples as the Charley Jones' Laugh Book Magazine mood strikes me!


Wiseman digest mags:

Charley Jones' Laugh Book Magazine:
August 1950: Part 1
March 1951: Part 1/Part 2
April 1951: Part 1/Part 2/Part 3/Part 4
June 1952: Part 1/Part 2
March 1953: Part 1/Part 2

Smiles:
#45 (January, 1951): Part 1/Part 2

Charley Jones' Laugh Book Magazine- April 1951 (Part 1)

Friends and countrymen, join me in awe and wonderment as we gaze upon the cover to the April 1951 issue of Charley Jones' Laugh Book Magazine. In fact, I believe we must count ourselves as unusually lucky to live in a universe where an image this swell actually exists.

But is this really just a simple gag about a lady in a see-through dress bending over for money? Or is it something more?

I prefer to view it as a philosophical statement concerning the corrupt use of funds by the aristocratic "Masters of Industry" to undermine the common man's (or woman's) free-will in determining his (or her) own course in the personal, political and environmental arenas.

Or... it could just be a simple gag about a lady in a see-through dress bending over for money.


Coming tomorrow: Charley Jones' Laugh Book Magazine- April 1951 (Part 2)


Wiseman digest mags:

Charley Jones' Laugh Book Magazine:
August 1950: Part 1
March 1951: Part 1/Part 2
April 1951: Part 1/Part 2/Part 3/Part 4
June 1952: Part 1/Part 2
March 1953: Part 1/Part 2
"Pin-Up Stationery" ad: Part 1/Part 2
"The Latrine Gazette" column: Part 1

Smiles:
#45 (January, 1951): Part 1/Part 2

The Imported Ticky-Two (Part 2)

Below: Page 19

Below: Page 21


Well the laffs just keep on rolling! (Little boxy imported laffs, that is.)

If you remember back to part one of this Ticky-Two series, I begged the question: "What in the hell is 'Ticky-Two' supposed to mean anyway?". Well, not in those words exactly, but you get the gist.

Happily, Wiseman Blog reader Jonathan Miller may have supplied the answer. He suggested:

"Hi Bill. I suspect it's a reference to this song from the '60s about boxy, tiny, boring houses in the suburbs "all made up of ticky-tacky." The car is basically a tiny cardboard box with wheels, which is pretty much how imports were seen at the time! :-)

"Hope this helps!"

Yes, Jonathan, actually it helps a lot! Sounds like a pretty probable explanation to me. Thanks!

That song, Little Boxes, was written by social activist Malvina Reynolds in 1963 and covered by a number of folk singers (including Pete Seeger).

And Phillip gave additional possible inspirations for the name Ticky-Two:

"Maybe also inspired by the Citroen "Deux Chevaux" or 2CV, which had been around for quite a while in 1971 but was certainly notorious for being pretty crappy. Also, "Ticky-Two" sorta makes me think of Toyota. Same number of syllables, same first letter, and it makes more sense chronologically."

Thank you also, Phillip!

Wait, why am I reposting all this when you could just read it in the comments section of "Ticky-Two (part 1)"? Oh well...

The Imported Ticky-Two:
Part 1/Part 2/Part 3/Part 4/Part 5/Part 6/Part 7

Al Meets Dennis the Menace! (Part 2)

From Dennis the Menace #30 (September, 1958). See here for part one.

Welcome to the middle chapter of our three-part "Al Meets Dennis" extravaganza! Joining in the festivities is Dennis scribe Fred Toole, looking mighty dapper with his Howard Hughes mustache. Not sure why Al drew all those concentric circles in his eyeglasses. Maybe they were supposed to make him seem extremely nearsighted? Or oddly medicated?

What a great story! If only we could all live in Wiseman/Dennis comic book land. Of course, that little blonde-haired kid would make us regret it. But still...





"Al Meets Dennis the Menace!" posts:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

Please order Dennis the Menace books from Fantagraphics (and ask them to reprint the Wiseman Dennis comic books and Sunday strips).

"Dennis the Menace" & related characters (but not Al Wiseman or Fred Toole) are ©Hank Ketcham Enterprises, Inc.

Yay! It's Shoe Liquid! (Part 2)

Hoorah! The happy "Griffin Scuff Cover Self-Shining Shoe Liquid" kids are back! And their shoes are shinier than ever. In fact, if you compare this design to the last box I posted, you'll see that the shoes here aren't just shiny- they're actually glowing! Perhaps it's that secret radioactive element Griffin added to their shoe products in the 1950's that eventually led to all those pesky lawsuits and the big hush-hush government cover-up. (What, you never heard about this? I told you- big government cover-up! Shhh...)

The drawings on this box are so wonderful that I'm not even going to ask certain pertinent questions. Like why the boy is painting the girl's shoes while she's still wearing them. Or why "Oxblood" was ever a shoe color to begin with...




Yay! It's Shoe Liquid!:
Part 1/Part 2/Part 3

Artichoke Joe's Casino (Part 1)

In 1979, a series of nostalgia-tinged advertisements for a California casino started appearing in local publications. And I'll give you one guess as to who was responsable for the swell artwork in these Artichoke Joe's ads. No, not Norman Rockwell. Why it was good ol' Al Wiseman, of course!

In fact, hard-working Al produced at least nine of these ads (and yes, I'll be posting them all in time)...


Wiseman, a gifted calligrapher, may have also had a hand in designing the Artichoke Joe's logo. And it's still being used today:


About Artichoke Joe's:
"Artichoke Joe's Casino is located in San Bruno, California and is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Our 20,000 square foot casino features thirty-eight table games, as well as a full sports bar, arcade, and San Bruno's only 24 hour Asian restaurant."

A little Artichoke Joe's history:
"Joe's Pool Parlor became Artichoke Joe's, a fixture in San Bruno sporting life since 1921. Joseph Sammut opened his pool parlor and phone exchange in Al LoReaux's former plumbing shop. Most calls concerned horse races; Joe accepted any wager, no matter how large. Asked how he would pay off if he lost a big bet, he replied, 'In artichoke leaves,' hence the name. It is still owned by the Sammut family, making it one of the city's oldest businesses."

So next time you're in San Bruno with the kids and a pocket full of change, stop by Artichoke Joe's. Tell 'em Dennis' Uncle Al sent you!

Artichoke Joe's Casino Ads:
Part 1/Part 2/Part 3

Mystery Wiseman Art: Three Watercolors (Part 2)

Welcome to the Al Wiseman Blog, week three!

When we last met, I was somewhat flummoxed by the three Wiseman mystery paintings I had posted. Their very existence confused and confounded me. "Why were they created? Why were they taped together? What was the hidden agenda behind it all? Somebody help me!"

To bail me out of this existential crisis, multitalented cartoonist /fine artist Bill Wray suggested:

"No way of knowing for sure, but these must be advertising samples. Maybe the agency put together a promo brochure of it's artists and their style ranges. That would explain the wildly different styles."

You know, I think Bill's right. I now feel somewhat unflummoxed. Thanks Bill!

Oh, and the masking tape mostly wouldn't come off the art. I guess after some fifty-odd years of being attached to a few swell Wiseman paintings, the tape just didn't want to leave. And why would it?

The other day I heard from Al Wiseman's son Jim, who was kind enough to email me while vacationing in the Netherlands with his wife Teresa. Jim wrote:

 "The blog looks great!

"The watercolor drawing of the pioneer and his horse, appears to be a scene of The Lone Cypress Tree in Pebble Beach. The background mountains are Carmel.

"As usual, something more I have not seen before. Cool.
Thank you so much for all your effort and work.
Jim"

Thank you, Jim! And I agree with Jim about the edge-of-the-cliff tree in this painting probably being inspired by The Lone Cypress Tree.

First, the painting:



Then, The Lone Cypress Tree:



According to a friendly travel site:
"The Lone Cypress tree 'is revered as the eternal symbol of the Pebble Beach Company'. Be that as it may, this around 250-year-old cypress tree, perched on its own on a rock, with the Pacific Ocean as backdrop, is an inspiring sight and the true highlight of the drive. It is followed by some ghost-like cypresses – trees with trunks bleached white from sea spray."

Well, that's all fine and dandy. But a thousand years from now, the only thing people will care about is that the tree may have inspired an Al Wiseman painting. You don't believe me? Just wait a thousand years and see.




I can't think of much else to add about the two pieces of art above. Other than I like how the hair is painted on the smoking man. The cigar, though, almost seems like it was put in as an afterthought. The way it follows the lip-line and all...

One last thing- does anyone know how to remove ancient tape residue?


Mystery Wiseman Art:
Three Watercolors (Part 1) (Part 2)
Eagle Drawing

Mystery Wiseman Art: Three Watercolors (Part 1)

These three pieces are somewhat of a mystery to me. I'm not sure why they were done or if they were ever published. They seem to be from the late 40's/early 50's. But why were they taped together to a bigger board?

At first I figured the tape might have been placed over the artwork before they were watercolored to act as a "mask". That way the color wouldn't bleed over and you'd be left with a nice clean border. But upon closer inspection, it turns out that the tape was added after the art was finished. Hmmm...


Looking on the back of each piece, I could see that they were stripped from thicker pieces of illustration board. This was usually done by the printer so the art would be flexible enough to curve around a drum scanner. I'm guessing that after they were individually scanned, the art was sent back from the printer to the publisher (or advertising agency) who taped them to a bigger board so they wouldn't get misplaced. Then Al's name was written on the board for easy identification:


But who was the publisher and/or advertising agency? On the back of the big board there is a stamp reading:



Then there's a previous stamp that's been marked out in black that reads:

Kennedy Associates
141 East 44th Street
New York 17, N.Y.

Do any of you big-brained historian-types out there know anything about these businesses? Any information would be much appreciated!

Guess I'll try to tear the tape off the artwork now. Wish me luck!

Coming Monday: Close-up scans of the artwork.

Mystery Wiseman Art:
Three Watercolors (Part 1) (Part 2)
Eagle Drawing

The Saturday Evening Post: 1/27/45

Here's a fairly early example of Al's published work as it appeared in an issue of The Saturday Evening Post (along with a couple of pages of Norman Rockwell drawings). Pretty impressive achievement for a relative newcomer, no?

Al's art is still a bit loose and squiggly here. This being before he tightened up his pencils somewhat and perfected his razor-precision linework. A charming, low-key gag about the horrors of war. Well, if the horrors of war include Nazis interrupting your story about kitty births.

Wiseman magazine gags:
Saturday Evening Post gags:
1/27/45
10/30/48
1/22/55
Liberty Magazine gags:
November 1947
Pic Magazine gags:
August 1948
September 1948

Al Meets Dennis the Menace! (Part 1)

From "Dennis the Menace" #30 (September, 1958).

What can I say about this story? It speaks for itself: Al meets Dennis and Dennis proceeds to make Al's life a living hell. Isn't that what Dennis is for anyway? Oh, and "Dennis the Menace" comic book writer Fred Toole also shows up. So where's Hank? He probably knew enough to stay far away. Had Hank been there, Dennis would've likely been sent to military school by the end of the story...




"Al Meets Dennis the Menace!" posts:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

Please order "Dennis the Menace" books from Fantagraphics (and ask them to reprint the Wiseman "Dennis" comic books and Sunday strips).

"Dennis the Menace" & related characters (but not Al Wiseman) are ©Hank Ketcham Enterprises, Inc.

The Imported Ticky-Two (Part 1)

Al's oddly titled book, The Imported Ticky-Two, was self-published in 1971 through his Bottoms Up Publishing Company ("It's called Bottoms Up, because we've got no place to go but up"). The publication is chock-full of Al's nicely-drawn gag cartoons ridiculing tiny import cars of the era. But why exactly it's called The Imported Ticky-Two, I can't quite figure out. Is it a play on words? Was there an import car at the time with a name similar to "Ticky-Two"? Is it really incredibly obvious and I'm just brain dead? Perhaps...

Another odd thing is that only one side of each inside page has printing on it (leaving every even-numbered page blank). I guess it was somehow cheaper to print that way?

So many questions...


Below: Page 15


Below: Page 17


The Imported Ticky-Two:
Part 1/Part 2/Part 3/Part 4/Part 5/Part 6/Part 7

Al & Fred Visit Hawaii! (Part 1)

This 1956 article, from an unknown Hawaiian newspaper (The "Something or Other" Star-Bulletin), reports on "Dennis the Menace" artist Al Wiseman and writer Fred Toole arriving in Hawaii to gather ideas and for an upcoming "Dennis" comic. This giant special, titled "Dennis in Hawaii", proves not only to be one of the greatest comics ever published, but through it's umpteen reprintings, perhaps the best-selling comic of all time!

Some points of interest in the article:

• "Dennis the Menace" was "...the nation's largest selling comic book..."

• "...the 100 page comic book which sells about 1 and 1/4 million copies each issue."

Well, besides the fact that the regular "Dennis" issues weren't 100 pages (the reporter must have been looking at one of the giant "Dennis" comics), this is a pretty impressive sales figure. Why is no-one reprinting these comics? Hey Fantagraphics, you're doing a great job reprinting the "Dennis" dailies, so how about the comic books too? (And the early Wiseman Sundays while you're at it?) Please?

• "Toole and Wiseman have been with Ketcham for four and one-half years..."

The article seems to be from late August 1956, so Toole and Wiseman would have joined Ketcham's studio in early 1952. Wiseman said he worked on "Dennis" for thirteen years (see Al's flyer from my first post), and in fact, quit Dennis in late 1965. But since one of Wiseman's last "Dennis" comics was dated the Summer of 1967, Fawcett seems to have put out their comics really slowly...

Off topic, but no less important, the paper also reports that "Racing Cars Force Policeman Off Street Into Lamp Post". Damn those kids and their newly-popularized Rock 'n' Roll!

Update: Comic strip historian Allan Holtz informs me that the "mystery" newspaper is The Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Thanks Allan!

Please order "Dennis the Menace" books from Fantagraphics (and ask them to reprint the Wiseman "Dennis" comic books and Sunday strips).

Smiles #45 (Part 2)

Yesterday, we looked at Wiseman's contributions to the front and back covers of "Smiles" #45. Today, we actually open up the magazine!

And here's what we find:



The above unsigned Wiseman drawing is a beautiful example of his late 40's/early 50's, pre-"Dennis the Menace" pen & ink style. There's a joyfulness to the piece, helped along by the simplicity of the linework. And the joke works nicely, too. Well done Al!

Then we have this cartoon:


"What?" you say, "This isn't drawn by Wiseman! Are you just trying to take up valuable blog space here?"

No, this gag isn't by Wiseman. But it is by George Crenshaw, who played a supporting role throughout much of Al's career. Before "Dennis", George brought Al in to help him draw a few issues of a comic book series. Then, George worked on "Dennis" with Al in Hank Ketcham's studio. Post-"Dennis", Al drew gag cartoons for Crenshaw's "Master Agency" (and also ghosted Crenshaw's "Belvedere" comic panel from time to time).

So that's it for "Smiles" #45. And for the first week of this blog.
On Monday- Al goes to Hawaii!


Wiseman digest mags:

Charley Jones' Laugh Book Magazine:
August 1950: Part 1
March 1951: Part 1/Part 2
April 1951: Part 1/Part 2/Part 3/Part 4
June 1952: Part 1/Part 2
March 1953: Part 1/Part 2
"Pin-Up Stationery" ad: Part 1/Part 2
"The Latrine Gazette" column: Part 1

Smiles:
#45 (January, 1951): Part 1/Part 2

Smiles #45 (Part 1)

"Give dad a tie!" says the sign on the wall. Looks like dad is going to get a lot more than just a tie from "Santa" this Christmas. Hmm... I could expound further on the implications of this situation, but I think I'll just move on now...

This issue of the "Smiles" digest is dated January, 1951 (appearing on the newsstands sometime in late 1950), so Wiseman was about a year (or so) away from quitting most of his freelance clients and working full-time for Hank Ketcham. The back cover of the issue features a black & white ad for another digest mag with a Wiseman cover:


If you click for the larger image, you can just about make out the Wiseman signature (in the water above the words "sale" & "at"). It's in there somewhere. Honest!
This same ad also appeared on the back covers of Smile #46 & 47.

Around the same time, Al was doing a lot of work for a different publisher on a similar digest-sized magazine, "Charley Jones' Laugh Book Magazine". But more on that some other week. In the meantime (tomorrow that is), we'll delve into the inner pages of "Smiles" #45 looking for more traces of that elusive Al Wiseman.


Wiseman digest mags:

Charley Jones' Laugh Book Magazine:
August 1950: Part 1
March 1951: Part 1/Part 2
April 1951: Part 1/Part 2/Part 3/Part 4
June 1952: Part 1/Part 2
March 1953: Part 1/Part 2
"Pin-Up Stationery" ad: Part 1/Part 2
"The Latrine Gazette" column: Part 1

Smiles:
#45 (January, 1951): Part 1/Part 2

Yay! It's Shoe Liquid! (Part 1)

Why are the children on this box so deliriously happy? Because, for God's sake, they've got "Griffin Scuff Cover Self-Shining Shoe Liquid"!

Wouldn't you be happy?

Just imagine you're a kid in the early 1960's and you've scuffed up your shoes beyond recognition. You're parents will KILL you! What to do? Why, simply pour a bottle of "Griffin Scuff Cover Self-Shining Shoe Liquid" on said shoes and they're as good as new. Spotless! Your parents will never know that you trudged through broken glass in the back alley to sneak a smoke while wearing your best Sunday clothes.

No more stern talks from your parents. No more beatings! Thank you, Griffin Scuff Cover!

That said, I really like this box. Nicely designed. Great prime-era Wiseman drawings. What more could you want?



Yay! It's Shoe Liquid!:
Part 1/Part 2/Part 3

Cranking Out Material for the Unfillable Maw!

Al Wiseman Speaks! And ladies and gentlemen, it ain't pretty. Al did an interview with the San Francisco Examiner in 1975 (reprinted in Cartoonews #3, June 1975) and boy was he bitter. I'm posting this article now because it offers insight on Al's childhood and where his career headed after he quit "Dennis". He seemed to have a real love/hate relationship with cartooning and was still feeling quite burned from his years working with Ketcham.

Of particular interest to me was that, as a youngster, Al was able to visit the studios of famed cartoonists. Imagine being instructed on cartooning by the creators of "Krazy Kat" and "Maggie & Jiggs"! I have to wonder if Wiseman counted George McManus as an influence since both cartoonists were excellent draftsmen.




Tomorrow I'll post something happier. I promise!

Welcome!

Hey, who was this Al Wiseman guy and why doesn’t anybody seem to know much about him? Well, that’s what I asked myself many years ago. So through a lot of obsessive research (and with the help of Al’s family) I’ve tried to piece a lot of it together. What I plan on doing is posting a good deal of art (mostly pre- and post- "Dennis") while I’m organizing biographical info on him for a more comprehensive website. So for the time being, it'll be mostly images as opposed to detailed written overviews of his career. I’ve got piles of stuff (books & magazines & matchbooks & milk bottles & shoe-polish boxes, etc.), so hopefully you'll find it entertaining. Let me know!

Thanks,
Bill

Oh, the above artwork was obviously used for promotional purposes after Wiseman left Hank Ketcham's employ. Al would change the lettering in the word balloon when the situation called for it. If you compare it to the image below, you'll notice a few differences in the art. For instance, in the top image Wiseman updated Dennis' hair and gave Ruff whiskers to better reflect the then current Ketcham style. (Wait! Did Ruff ever actually have whiskers?)



This example looks to be for an earlier handout. As for when it was originally drawn, looks like the mid-1960's...

Please order "Dennis the Menace" books from Fantagraphics (and ask them to reprint the Wiseman "Dennis" comic books and Sunday strips).

"Dennis the Menace" & related characters are ©Hank Ketcham Enterprises, Inc.