Street Scene: Storm Drain Cover

• H A W A I  I •

Maui

Related Posts

Manhole Covers, Beijing, China

Utah Water Meter

Vancouver Manhole Covers

(Next post on Monday: George Tilton and Jeanne 

Alippe, Husband and Wife Writers and Editors)

Comics: Louis L. Goldklang, Letterer

Louis Larry Goldklang was born on May 23, 1907 in New York, New York. The birth information is from the Social Security Death Index. Goldklang’s full name was on his World War II draft card which had April as the birth month. 

In the 1910 United States Census, Goldklang was the youngest of six sons born to Aaron, a tailor, and Yetta, both Austrian emigrants. The family resided in Manhattan at  87 ? 114th Street. 

The 1915 New York state census said the Goldklangs were Bronx residents at 858 East 16? Street. 

According to the 1920 census, the Goldklangs’ address 1101 Prospect Avenue in the Bronx. 

The 1925 New York state census recorded Goldklang’s occupation as “Letter” which should have been letterer. He lived with his parents and three brothers at 905 Beck Street in the Bronx. 

In the 1930 census, Goldklang’s occupation was mixed up with his brother, Meyer (known later as Myron). Goldklang was the sign painter and Meyer the jewelry setter. They lived their parents in the Bronx at 1102 Simpson Street. 

The 1940 census counted Goldklang and his parents in Brooklyn at 2504 85th Street. Goldklang’s highest level of education was the second year of high school. In 1939 he earned $1044 as a letterer for a screen service. 

The National Screen Service Corporation (see sidebar) was Goldklang’s employer on his World War II draft card which he signed on October 16, 1940. Goldklang’s address was unchanged. He was described as five feet seven inches, 160 pounds, with blue eyes and black hair. The 1950 census said he did not serve during the war.

The 1950 census said Goldklang was a “Cartoonist Letterer” for a “Comic Book Concern”. He continued to live with his parents at the same place in Brooklyn. Coincidentally, Goldklang was on the same career path as Ira Schnapp. 

Who’s Who of American Comic Books 1928–1999 said Goldklang worked at the Iger Studio. Some of his credits are at the Grand Comics Database. Goldklang lettered Classic Comics and Classics Illustrated numbers 23, Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens; 24, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain; 25, Two Years Before the Mast by Richard Henry Dana, Jr.; 26. Frankenstein by Mary W. Shelley; 27, The Adventures of Marco Polo; and 31, The Black Arrow by Robert Louis Stevenson. 

Apparently Goldklang did not marry and remained a Brooklyn resident. Goldklang passed away on January 30, 1986. The Social Security Death Index said his last residence was Brooklyn. He was laid to rest at Mount Hebron Cemetery. 

SIDEBAR: National Screen Service

The Literary Digest, August 1, 1936, described the operation of the National Screen Service.

Film Trailers: How the Screen Gives Advance Publicity to Coming Attractions

In a recent court action the film title, “Revolt of the Zombies,” the rarely publicized motion-picture trailer was introduced as evidence because of its advertising value. Not to be confused with the increasingly popular automobile trailer, the cinema type is that short film cropping up to proclaim the thrills, chills, fast action, love interest and stars of coming attractions.

During the infant days of the “flickers” announcements were flashed on the screen during the “One Minute to Change Reels.” In this period highly colored slides were shown among advertisements for Granny’s Corn Fritters, Uncle Joe’s Liver Pills, bicycles at half price and sundry merchandise with emphatic remarks such as: “Just a minute while the operator has a fit,” or “Please remove your hat, the lady in back might want to see, too.” These slides were the direct forerunners of the modern film trailer.

As the cinema matured, advertisements of coming attractions were introduced. These were on slides at first but eventually were made on film. At this point they became known as trailers; “trailer” because they were attached to a reel on a feature or longer piece of film and trailed. In 1920, actual scenes were introduced and from that time the “trailer” business has increased in importance until it is now one of the important branches of the motion picture industry. 

Stars and Stars—The average trailer announcing the  GLAMOUROUS star of stars, Mary Jones in that THRILLING—NERVE TINGLING—HEART-TEARING—SOUL±REVEALING—THUNDERBOLT-LIKE—SAGA OF TRUE LOVE—“Cousin Elizabeth”—runs about a minute and a half and is 200 feet long. More than 10,000 theaters are supplied from one to three times a week with these short reels by the National Screen Service. The only production companies not using this service are Warner Brothers and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, both of which prefer to make their own. 

Three to eight scenes are cut into the trailer from the picture it announces. The companies supply this scene material and as compensation in addition to the advertising values, they are paid royalties based on the amount of film footage actually used and the number of prints. National Screen Service has scouts who watch the shooting of pictures to select most expressive scenes of the entire story. 

Occasionally stars are changed, stories altered, theme songs dropped, or whole scenes deleted. This causes confusion for the trailer makers, especially when title changing runs rampant on the Hollywood lots. Mae West’s last picture started as “Klondike Lou,” was changed to “Hallelujah, I’m a Saint,” and finally released as “Klondike Annie.”

National Screen Service has produced up to 2,700 different sorts of these short reels in one year with more than 30,000 prints being issued. The usual feature picture may open in fifty cities simultaneously, but the company has to be prepared for emergencies such as in the case of Shirley Temple's “Curly Top,” which opened in four hundred theaters the same week. 

Depending on length, wordage and production, the cost of trailers range from from $300 to $1,500 apiece. Some theaters, such as the Radio City Music Hall in New York, allot an annual budget of $5,000 for exclusive trailers. Most theaters, however, are supplied on yearly contracts at from ten to twenty dollars a week.

Careful Distribution—Peculiarly enough in the problem of trailer distribution, there is a question of censorship. National Screen Service has its own censor, but occasionally eliminations are necessary in some prints and these are marked “For Mass. only,” or “O.K. for Pennsylvania,” depending on local requirements. 

Western films, with action stressed, have to be watched carefully. Censors allow a chair or some weapon to be raised in a fight scene, but the actual striking may not be shown. A man may jump over a cliff but he may not ride a horse in so doing. That constitutes cruelty to animals and is tabu.

Only an instant of machine-guns may be seen. There can be sounds of firing, but the machine-gun must not be shown in action. Two people may clinch and kiss, but they must always be vertical, never horizontal. And kisses are measured actually by footage; thus, three feet of a kiss would represent about two and a half seconds of time, as film is projected ninety feet a second, or approximately twelve minutes for a full reel.

There are three common types of trailers: “talkers” with film scenes, “text” with titles, stills of actors and animation effects and short fifty-foot reels, all titles and with or without music. 

Upon the suggestion of the production company, these films are assembled by an editorial and cutting staff. Letterers and artists produce background cards, build small sets for trick photography, do animation and letter advertising matter which is then photographed by the camera crew with an eye toward all kinds of trick work.

The editors work with every available dictionary and word collection in their quest for adjectival fireworks. In the sound library are some 5,000 pieces of music. Sound effects are likewise held available, such as a lion’s roar being accomplished by drawing a rosin-covered string through the covered end of an open-end drum; a whale’s blowing by forcing air through a short section of hose; a bit more hose achieving an alligator effect. Nails dropping into a keg gave the impression that a rock slide has hit the roof of a house and for a big cave-in, match-boxes held in the hand and crushed before the “mike” produced the desired result. 

Recently, with the use of a powerful baby microphone, sound engineers are being sent all over the world. One crew recorded the sounds in the fiords of Norway.

Related Posts

A. Machine and Royal Cartoon, Mario Acquaviva, Gerald Altman, Gene Barnett, Vivian Berg, Daniel Bhang, Ray Burley, 

Helen Chu aka Duffy Mohler, Milton Cohen, Ellen Cole, Herb Cooper, Danny Crespi, 

Jon D’Agostino, James Daleo, Martin DeMuth, Shel Dorf, Marty Epp, Howard Ferguson, Herb Field, 

Gerda Gattel, Louis L. Goldklang, Angelo Grasso, Anita Greene, Al Grenet, Ed Hamilton, Ray Holloway, IBM Directory, Alex Jay, Albert and Charlotte Jetter, 

Abe Kanegson, George Kapitan, Anna Kaufman, Gary Keller, Nadine French King, Ralph Komisarow, Grace Kremer, Morrie Kuramoto, Al Kurzrok, 

Bob Lander, Bob Laughlin, Bob Leatherbarrow, Shelly Leferman, Joe Letterese, Veda Lufkin, 

Robert N. MacLeod/Leroy Lettering, Lee Maroshek, Jack Meltzer, Jim Novak, Bill Oakley, Ben Oda, 

Otto Pirkola, Fred Proctor, Jerry Robinson, Joe and Sam Rosen, George Roussos,

Georgette Sauterel, Ira Schnapp, Irving Settel, Rome Siemon, Artie Simek, Lora Sprang aka Pat Gordon, Herman Stackel, Stan Starkman, Daisy Swayze, Zoltan and Terry Szenics, 

Richard Deane Taylor, Alberta Tews, Irv Watanabe, Leo Wurtzel, John Yakata, Bill Yoshida, Bernie Zuber

(Next post on Monday: Storm Drain Cover)

Street Scene: Ark Interiors Logo

Downtown Vancouver, Canada

Related Posts

Manhole Covers

Sidney Roofing and Paper Company Ltd

(Next post on Monday: 

Louis L. Goldklang, Letterer) 

Comics: Mel Blum, Art Director

Melvin Donald Blum was born on February 23, 1920 in Manhattan, New York City, according to the New York, New York Birth Index, at Ancestry.com, and the Social Security Death Index. However, his World War II draft card and marriage application had the birth date February 22, 1917. 

Blum was born six weeks after the 1920 United States Census enumeration. His parents, Sidney and Selma, and sisters, Dora and Sarah, were in the household of his paternal grandparents. They were Manhattan residents at 1646 Madison Avenue. Blum’s father was a dry goods salesman. 

The 1925 New York state census counted Blum, his parents and sister in the Bronx at 1635 University Avenue. His father was a printer. 

In the 1930 census, Blum, his parents, sister, Rita, and brother, Barry, lived in Brooklyn at 2207 East 4th Street. His father was a printing executive. 

Presumably Blum attended school in Brooklyn. It’s not clear if he had any formal art training. Apparently Blum’s father had some influence on his career direction. 

According to the 1940 census, Blum was an art director at a printing firm. He continued to live with his parents in Brooklyn at 1620 East 33rd Street. Blum was a high school graduate who earned $2,400 in 1939. 

Six months after the census enumeration, Blum signed his World War II draft card on October 10, 1940. His address was updated twice. Blum’s description was five feet nine inches, 175 pounds, with blue eyes and blonde hair. His employer was the A.J. Lipp Company, a printing firm in Manhattan. 

On March 21, 1941, Blum and Betty Shapiro obtained a Brooklyn marriage license. The application said he was a production manager. The couple married on April 6, 1941.

At the Timely-Atlas-Comics blog, Dr. Michael J. Vassallo interviewed Allen Bellman who explained that Blum sometimes used his brother’s name to be known as Mel Barry. Beginning in Fall 1942, Mel Barry was credited in Krazy Komics numbers 2 (associate editor) and 3 (technical advisor), and Terry-Toons issues 3, 5, 6, 8 and 9 (technical advisor). Mel Blum was technical advisor in Terry-Toons numbers 10, 11, 12, 49 and 51.  

 

Years later Blum became art director of Martin Goodman’s magazines and paperbacks. 

Lion Books, Inc.

The 1950 census recorded the Blum family of four in Flower Hill, Nassau County, New York at 11 Greenway Street. Blum was art director at Magazine Management. He earned $1,700 in 1949 and did not serve during World War II. 

Writer’s Digest, March 1957, said Blum was the editor of Ken for Men. Journalism Quarterly, Summer 1958, published “The Social Anatomy of the Romance-Confession Cover Girl”. The footnote said Blum was one of the respondents to the research. 

At some point Blum was divorced. In 1960 he married Lorraine Setchen in Manhattan. 

Common Sense, February 15, 1960, published a Jewish Pornography Index that included three magazines art directed by Blum. 

At some point Blum left Goodman’s publishing empire and found work at the National Enquirer. It’s not clear when he started there. In 1971 the newspaper moved from New York to Lantana, Florida. The Working Press of the Nation, Volume 2 (1980) had an entry for the National Enquirer whose staff included Blum. 

National Enquirer

600 S.E. Coast Ave., Lantana, FL. 33464

Last Date Listing Updated Verified 01/79

National Enquirer

Phone: 305-586-1111

PBD: Weekly

Circulation: 5,719,918 (ABC) 

PG: 58 x 78 1/2 picas; COL: 11.3 picas; PHOTO: Yes; MAT; No, CUT: Yes; SCREEN: 65; CHARGE: Yes; PAY: Yes; RATE: Depends on material.

Generoso Pope, Jr. ..... Publisher

Iain Calder ..... Editor 

Paul Levy ..... Managing Editor 

Ralph Gallagher ..... Advertising Manager 

Malcolm Balfour, Mel Blum ..... Associate Editors

Ron Caylor, Raymond Villwock ..... Associate Editors 

Blum passed away on July 10, 2010. The Social Security Death Index said his last residence was Brooklyn. A paid death notice appeared in The New York Times, July 12, 2010. 

Blum—Mel. Loving father of Marilyn, Terry, Gene, Vicki, and Avi. Sibling to Barry and Rita.

Further Reading

Mens Pulp Mags, Andrew Nette: pulp fiction historian, novelist, blogger—and real cool cat 

Horrorhound #30, July/August 2011, “World of Vintage Men’s Adventure Magazines” (Blum not mentioned)

(Next post on Monday: Ark Interiors Logo)

Lettering: Labels

Arts & Decoration, July 1921

The Printing Art, September 1915

 

 

(Next post on Monday: Mel Blum, Art Director)

Comics: Rome Siemon, Clerk, Jazz Pianist, Hotel Manager, Cartoonist and Letterer

Jerome Emil “Rome” Siemon was born on August 8, 1900, in Rock Island, Illinois. His first name, Jerome, was recorded in the 1910 United States Census and Social Security application. The middle name was on his World War I and II draft cards.

According to Illinois marriage records at Ancestry.com, his parents were Peter Siemon and Emma Johnson who married on September 25, 1899 in Rock Island County, Illinois. The 1900 census was enumerated in June. Siemon’s mother was living with her mother, Anna, siblings, niece and nephew in Rock Island at 613 Ninth Street. The whereabouts of Siemon’s father is not known.

The Rock Island Argus, December 17, 1906, said “Romie Siemons [sic]” was one of the guests at a birthday party. 

The 1910 census said Siemon (line 67) and his mother, who was divorced and a nurse, were living with his maternal grandmother and aunt in Rock Island at 613 9th Street.

The Rock Island Argus, January 20, 1914, published the names of the Hawthorne School eighth grade graduates. “Romie Siemon” was one of 35 graduates. The name Romie was used in city directories and in later censuses. 

The 1916 Rock Island city directory said Siemon was a clerk residing at 613 9th Street. The 1916 Davenport, Iowa city directory listed Siemon as Rock Island resident working as a clerk at R. G. Dun & Company. The 1917 Rock Island city directory said Siemon was working at a Rock Island manufacturing company. 

According to the Rock Island Argus, August 10, 1918, Siemon was a jazz musician. 

Surprised on Birthday.

Jerome Siemon was pleasantly surprised at his home, 613 Ninth street, Thursday evening, by the members of the Jazz orchestra, of which he is the leader, the occasion being his birthday anniversary. The evening was spent with Jazz music and later refreshments were served. They presented Mr. Siemon with a purse of money, wishing him many happy returns of the day.

Siemon signed his World War I draft card on September 12, 1918. His home address was 1125 3rd Street A in Moline, Illinois. He was a clerk at the Rock Island Plow Company. He was described as medium height and build with blue eyes and brown hair. 

The 1919 Moline directory said he was a clerk at the “Peo Power Company” in Rock Island. His address was 1125 3rd Street A, and in parentheses was the name of his wife, Olga.

Siemon’s address was the same in the 1920 census. He (line 74) and his mother were counted together but not his wife whose status is unknown. Siemon was employed at a power company. Siemon’s address in the 1920 directory was 1809 3rd Avenue.

Bix: Man & Legend (1975) said Siemon was a pianist in the Plantation Orchestra. When the band’s cornet player went home, he was replaced by Bix Beiderbecke. Bix: The Leon Bix Beiderbecke Story (1998) chronicled Beiderbecke’s gigs including with the “Plantation Jazz Orchestra” in 1921 and 1922 (see pages 59 to 61). Siemon is quoted several times in the recollections.

On July 24, 1923, Siemon married Beatrice Vogel in Clinton, Iowa as recorded in the Iowa marriage index at Ancestry.com. The Dispatch (Moline, Illinois), August 1, 1923, said 

Mr. and Mrs. Romie Siemons [sic] of Moline left for Chicago this morning where they will make their home. Mr. Siemons has accepted a position in that city. The young couple were married Tuesday, July 24, in Clinton the nuptials coming as a surprise to their many friends. Mr. Siemons is a son of Mrs. Emma Siemons and his bride, who was Miss Beatrice Vogel, a daughter of Thomas Vogel of Rapids City. 

According to the 1930 census, the couple resided in Moline at 1602 3rd Avenue. Siemon (line 2) was a hotel manager. In a few years Siemon moved to the West Coast.

In 1940, Siemon, his wife, two sons and mother were at 6336 1/2 Homewood Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Siemon (line 36) was a hotel manager and his wife a hotel maid. The census said Siemon was  in Los Angeles in 1935 and his highest level of education was the eighth grade. 

On February 14, 1942, Siemon signed his World War II draft card. His address was 1248 Cherokee Street in Los Angeles. He was employed at the St. Paul Hotel. Siemon was described as five feet eleven inches, 180 pounds with blue eyes and brown hair.

Siemon’s address was unchanged in the 1950 census. He was a hotel manager (line 27). 

Information about Siemon’s art training has not been found.

American Newspaper Comics (2012) said Siemon drew the panel Collection Day Chuckles from 1948 into the 1950s for the Newspaper Boys of America. The panel appeared in the Owosso Argus-Press here, here and here. In 1949, Siemon produced Little Moonfolks for N.E.W.S. in Beverly Hills, California. The Catalog of Copyright Entries, Third Series, Volume 3, Parts 7–11 A, Number 1, Works of Art, etc., January–June  1949 had this entry: “Siemon, Rome © The little folks of Circleville. [Caricatures] Print. © 4Feb49; K19004.” In 1952 the Associated Press was syndicating Little Moonfolks. 

The Dispatch, December 4, 1952, explained Siemon’s involvement in their Christmas fund raising. 

Rome Siemon, the fairly widely known cartoonist who got his start in his working life pounding a piano in a nickel movie in Rock Island (he was just a kid and his family was poor) apparently has been doing some Christmas shopping and thinking of poor orphan youngsters. For several years Mr. Siemon, who lives in Hollywood, Calif., has been, taking time out from a busy working career to draw cartoons to help the Moline Good Fellow Christmas fund sponsored by the Dispatch. Rome knows what it is to be up against it at one stage in his career that was in Moline he found the piano playing picking so poor that he thought he was lucky to get a part-time job as a LeClaire hotel elevator operator. If Siemon’s cartoon plea appeals to you, send a contribution to this Christmas program to bring some cheer to needy children and widows to Good Fellow Fund, Moline Dispatch, or drop in with buck or two (or more) and some one at the Dispatch office will be glad to take it.

Who’s Who of American Comic Books 1928–1999 said Siemon did lettering for Western Publishing in the early 1950s into the 1960s. In the Jack Kirby Collector #71, Spring 2017, Mark Evanier said 

…Mike [Royer] learned to letter from Mike Arens. Mike Arens learned lettering largely from a man named Rome Siemon, who was the house letterer at Western Publishing, on the West Coast books for years….

The Grand Comics Database has many of Siemon’s credits here and here. Heritage Auctions sold two pages of Siemon’s unpublished comic book story for Harvey Comics. 

Siemon passed away October 6, 1969, in Los Angeles according to the California death index. He was laid to rest at Forest Lawn Memorial Park. 

 

Further Reading
Todd’s Blog

Related Posts

A. Machine and Royal Cartoon, Mario Acquaviva, Gerald Altman, Gene Barnett, Vivian Berg, Daniel Bhang, Ray Burley, 

Helen Chu aka Duffy Mohler, Milton Cohen, Ellen Cole, Herb Cooper, Danny Crespi, 

Jon D’Agostino, James Daleo, Martin DeMuth, Shel Dorf, Marty Epp, Howard Ferguson, Herb Field, 

Gerda Gattel, Louis L. Goldklang, Angelo Grasso, Anita Greene, Al Grenet, Ed Hamilton, Ray Holloway, IBM Directory, Alex Jay, Albert and Charlotte Jetter, 

Abe Kanegson, George Kapitan, Anna Kaufman, Gary Keller, Nadine French King, Ralph Komisarow, Grace Kremer, Morrie Kuramoto, Al Kurzrok, 

Bob Lander, Bob Laughlin, Bob Leatherbarrow, Shelly Leferman, Joe Letterese, Veda Lufkin, 

Robert N. MacLeod/Leroy Lettering, Lee Maroshek, Jack Meltzer, Jim Novak, Bill Oakley, Ben Oda, 

Otto Pirkola, Fred Proctor, Jerry Robinson, Joe and Sam Rosen, George Roussos,

Georgette Sauterel, Ira Schnapp, Irving Settel, Rome Siemon, Artie Simek, Lora Sprang aka Pat Gordon, Herman Stackel, Stan Starkman, Daisy Swayze, Zoltan and Terry Szenics, 

Richard Deane Taylor, Alberta Tews, Irv Watanabe, Leo Wurtzel, John Yakata, Bill Yoshida, Bernie Zuber

(Next post on Monday: Labels)