Lawrence Henry “Larry” Mayer was born on August 15, 1921, in Dutzow, Missouri, according to his World War II draft card which also had his full name.
The 1930 United States Census said Mayer was the only child of Fred, a farmer, and Wanda (Hellwig). They lived in Lyon, Missouri.
In the 1940 census, Mayer, his parents and six-year-old brother, Russell, were residents of Boeuf, Missouri. Mayer’s highest level of education was the eighth grade.
On February 14, 1942, Mayer signed his World War II draft card. His home was at 3 1/2 South New Haven in Lyon, Missouri. Mayer was unemployed. His description was five feet eight inches, 160 pounds, with blue eyes and brown hair. During the war Mayer served in the Marine Corps. An April 1945 muster roll said he was stationed with “C” Battery, 11th 155mm Gun Battalion, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific. A handwritten note on the draft card said he was honorably discharged on March 22, 1946.
Just over six weeks later on May 7, Mayer and Ethel Marie Cain, a member of the Women’s Auxiliary Corps, were married in Florida according to the Florida County Marriage Record at Ancestry.com.
The obituary in the Los Angeles Times (California), November 20, 2002, said Mayer went to an art school.
The 1950 census recorded the couple in Los Angeles, California. Mayer had one year of college and was an instructor in the cartoons industry. In 1949 he earned $4,248.
In Walt’s People: Talking Disney with the Artists Who Knew Him, Volume 12 (2012), Didier Ghez said
Larry Mayer was an art director for coloring books, Golden Books, etc., but he also drew a lot of covers and quite a few stories for the Gold Key and later Whitman Comics, as well as designing their logos. He was an excellent letterer, too.
Who’s Who of American Comic Books 1928–1999 has an overview of Mayer’s career. The Grand Comics Database has a checklist of Mayer’s work.
Mayer passed away on November 17, 2002, in Los Angeles. He was laid to rest at Holy Cross Cemetery.
Further Reading
News From ME, What was the relationship between Dell Comics and Gold Key Comics?
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