Martin K. Speckter was born Mordko Szprecher. At age six, he accompanied his parents, Moisze and Chaja, younger sister, Ejdla, and aunt, Frima, when they immigrated to the United States. At the time they were natives of the Republic of Poland. On June 30, 1921, the family was aboard the ship, Lapland, when it departed Antwerp, Belgium. The ship arrived at the Port of New York on July 10, 1921. The Szprechers’ final destination was Omaha, Nebraska.
Lines 17 to 21
The Szprechers adapted to their home with new names. Szprecher became Speckter; Moisze changed to Morris; Chaja to Ida; Mordko to Martin; and Ejdla to Adeline. The new names were recorded in the 1930 United States Census. Their home in Omaha was 2533 North 16th Street. Speckter’s father was a grocer. Who’s Who in the East (1971) said Speckter was naturalized in 1927.
Speckter graduated from Omaha Technical High School. He was a member of the Senate Debating Club. Speckter (below, first row, far right) was a winner in the annual Inter-Club debates.
Speckter continued his education at Municipal University. The World-Herald, October 9, 1934, said Speckter was elected president of the German club. Who’s Who said he was a student at Omaha University from 1933 to 1935. Speckter was a writer at the World-Herald, 1933 to 1935, and managing editor of McCook Daily Gazette, 1936 to 1939.
According to the 1940 census, Speckter lived with his parents at the same address. He had completed two years of college. Speckter’s occupation was advertising. He earned $650 in 1939.
On October 16, 1940, Speckter signed his World War II draft card which had his full name, Martin Kiehra Speckter. (Who’s Who had the middle name Khiva.) His birth date, May 14, 1915, differed from Who’s Who and his Social Security application birth date, June 14, 1915. Speckter worked at the Omaha Fixture and Supply Company. His description was five feet five inches, 132 pounds, brown eyes and hair.
The World-Herald, July 28, 1943, said
Sgt. Martin Speckter, son of Mr. and Mrs. Morris Speckter, 2533 1/2 North Sixteenth street, received an honorable discharge from the army last week following several weeks of hospitalization resulting from an ailment which seriously affected his sight.Who’s Who said Speckter was at the Office of War Information in 1944. The World-Herald, July 27, 1967, said
He was assigned to the army’s recruiting office at Richmond, Va., for more than a year following his preliminary training. Before entering the army, Speckter was employed as a newspaper reporter for The World-Herald and the McCook Gazette.
Speckter is expected here Thursday or Friday.
Endless are the tales they tell about Martin Speckter, …The World-Herald, December 3, 1944, noted Speckter’s upcoming marriage.
One of the Speckter stories is told by Omaha ad man Jack Dow.
It happened in early 1944 when Jack, then an Army infantry man, had a chance to spend several hours in New York before going overseas. He looked up old colleague Martin Speckter, who was working in New York for the Office of War Information.
This was Jack’s first trip to New York. He had in mind seeing Times Square, the lights of Broad way and that kind of thing.
“Fine,” said Martin, “we’ll do everything you want to do. But first, you’ve got to try the borscht.”
“Thanks,” said Jack, “but to me, borscht is beet soup. I don’t like beet soup.”
“Please,” said Martin, “it’s borscht! Everybody likes borscht. They’ve got some fine Jewish restaurants here that serve wonderful borscht. You anti-Semitic, or something?”
Announcement is made by Henry Bank of the approaching marriage of his daughter, Miss Virginia Bank, to Martin K. Speckter, son of Mr. and Mrs. M.J. Speckter, on December 14. Miss Bank is associated with the Douglas County Chapter of the American Red Cross.According to Who’s Who, Speckter was vice president and creative director at the advertising agency, Bozell & Jacobs, from 1944 to 1955. The World-Herald, November 1, 1946, reported his move to Miami.
Bozell & Jacobs, Omaha Advertising agency, has opened a branch office in Miami, Fla., it was announced Thursday.The 1946 Omaha city directory listed Speckter, an account executive, and his wife at 607 North 34th Street. They have not yet been found in the 1950 census.
Martin K. Speckter, former World-Herald staff member, will be manager of the office. He will be assisted by Edward N. Green, another Omahan. Both men were in Army public relations during the war.
Mr. Speckter will go to his new assignment from the agency’s Los Angeles office.
The Television Age 1956 Yearbook listed Bozell & Jacobs’ New York office where Speckter was the vice president in charge of creative services. Speckter’s resignation was reported in Advertising Age, June 18, 1956.
Martin K. Speckter has resigned as vp in charge of creative services of Bozell & Jacobs to open his own agency, Martin K. Speckter & Associates. Among his new accounts is the Wall Street Journal. Mr. Speckter originally joined Bozell & Jacobs in 1935.Martin K. Speckter Associates was located in downtown Manhattan at 32 Broadway. In 1969 Martin K. Speckter Associates merged with Clinton E. Frank Advertising.
Beginning in 1959, Speckter was editor of Type Talks. He wrote about creating the interrobang in the March–April 1962 issue. It was visualized by his agency’s art director, Jack Lipton (below).
Image from Shady Characters
The May–June 1962 Type Talks featured interrobang designs by Larry Ottino, Joe Carter and Frank Davies.
Speckter’s interrobang was reported in the World-Herald, May 27, 1962.
In 1967 American Type Founders’s type family, Americana, included an “interabang”. The alphabet was drawn by Richard Isbell.
Art Direction, July 1967
Shortly after Americana’s release, the World-Herald, June 23, 1967, profiled Speckter.
A 1967 issue of Art Direction included interrobang designs by Larry Ottino, Joe Carter, Frank Davies, Raymond Landino and Clarence Noel Johnson.
Remington Rand’s 1968 Model 25 electric typewriter included an interrobang. Graphic designer Kenneth Wright, an employee, designed it.
The interrobang was reviewed in Life, November 15, 1968. A headline with an interabang was published in Time, May 31, 1971. The designer is not known.
Speckter retired in 1974. He filed a claim for Social Security benefits on July 10, 1974. Speckter passed away on February 14, 1988 and laid to rest at New Montefiore Cemetery. An obituary appeared in The New York Times, February 16, 1988.
Speckter’s wife, Myrtle Virginia “Penny” Speckter passed away on December 13, 2020. A photograph of Penny appeared in Editor & Publisher, March 3, 1962.
Further Reading
You Call that a Punctuation Mark?! The Interrobang Celebrates its 50th Birthday
Posts for October and November
Interrobang, Part 2: Jack Lipton, Designer and Art Director
Interrobang, Part 3: Larry Ottino, Lettering Artist, Designer and Art Director
Interrobang, Part 4: Joe Carter, Lettering Artist and Calligrapher
Interrobang, Part 5: Clarence Noel Johnson, Art Director
Interrobang, Part 6: Kenneth Wright, Graphic Designer
Interrobang, Part 3: Larry Ottino, Lettering Artist, Designer and Art Director
Interrobang, Part 4: Joe Carter, Lettering Artist and Calligrapher
Interrobang, Part 5: Clarence Noel Johnson, Art Director
Interrobang, Part 6: Kenneth Wright, Graphic Designer
(Next post on Monday: Interrobang, Part 2, Jack Lipton)
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