Giam's Cartoons & Caricatures

Sixty years ago

Remember these guys? Click on images to enlarge them.

Angelino: Strike Three

After about 18 months of weekly episodes, This Week decided to drop the feature. They said they hadn't planned to keep it running as long as the Saturday Evening Post, Look and Collier's did with their weekly cartoons such as Ted Key's "Hazel," Larry Reynold's "Butch," Chon Day's "Brother Sebastian," and Margé's "Little Lulu."

I had a great agent, Toni Mendez, who had successfully placed material by all the biggies in the cartoon biz at the time, so I thought it would be just a matter of time before I connected with a syndicate. To that end I worked up single panel cartoons to complement the multiple panel format that was already established.

Included in the presentation were some finishes, such as these two, and many sketches, such as the bottom image.

The general consensus was that the material was too sweet. At the time most of the published cartoons were based on wise cracks, the main characters drawn in a sleepy eyed condition with a gaping mouth to match. It was Bob Hope - Henny Youngman stuff: "Take my wife. Please."

So much for that. Unlike the time I was fired by the Boston Herald's managing editor in the middle of the City Room, this was a blessing in disguise. It allowed me to pursue full time my work with Polaroid Corporation that's documented in this blog, and I no longer had to send off hundreds of gag ideas in the hopes of pleasing This Week's managing editor, Ed McCarthy, and cartoon editor Ralph Stein, who let me know in no uncertain terms that they wanted me to submit ideas the way a frog lays eggs, hoping that out of a hundred ideas a few would hatch.

This is not to complain. It was a great gig and the pay was tops for the industry. I remember Ralph taking me aside during one of the Wednesday cartoon-look days when the lobby was full of gag cartoonists bringing around cartoon ideas and reminding me that those guys out there would kill for such an opportunity and that they were envious that a kid had struck it rich. Years later I met one of those guys for the first time. He reassured me that the case was just the opposite, they were happy that a young guy had connected so well and opened up the book for more cartoon panel features.

Giambarba: Angelino

Click on image to enlarge.

Angelino is copyright © by Paul Giambarba.

Giambarba: Angelino

Click on image to enlarge.

Angelino is copyright © by Paul Giambarba.

Next: More Angelino.

Giambarba: Angelino

Angelino is copyright © by Paul Giambarba.

Next: More Angelino.

Giambarba: Angelino

Angelino is copyright © by Paul Giambarba.

Next: More Angelino.

Giambarba: Angelino

Click on image to enlarge.

Angelino is copyright © by Paul Giambarba.

Next: More Angelino.

Giambarba: Angelino

Click on images to enlarge.

Angelino is copyright © by Paul Giambarba.

Next: More Angelino.

Giambarba: Angelino

Click on image to enlarge.

Angelino is copyright © by Paul Giambarba.

Next: More Angelino.

Giambarba: Angelino

This cartoon appeared on Mother's Day. Click on image to enlarge.

Angelino is copyright © by Paul Giambarba.

Next: More Angelino.