Comics: Rick Keller, Letterer

Richard Jack “Rick” Keller was born on October 3, 1953 in Reading, Pennsylvania. His middle name was in a Public Records Index at Ancestry.com. Keller’s parents were Jack R. Keller and Phyllis Ann Bolig who married on March 3, 1951. Keller’s siblings were Robert and Scott.

While in high school, Keller lettered some of his father’s comic book work for Charlton Comics. He was fourteen or fifteen years old when he lettered the story, “Pursuit of the Transparent Man”, in World of Wheels #19, February 1968.

Surf n’ Wheels #4, May 1970

Surf n’ Wheels #6, September 1970

Evidently Keller’s last lettering job was “Pruning the Pros!” in Hot Rods and Racing Cars #114, May 1972. His credits are at the Grand Comics Database.

In June 1971, Keller graduated from Mount Penn High School.

1971 Penn Alma yearbook

The Reading Eagle, August 29, 1971, said Keller was to continue his education at Pennsylvania State University’s Berk Campus. According to the Eagle, March 4, 1976, Keller earned a Bachelor of Science degree in health and physical education.

The Eagle, April 3, 1978, said Keller was a teacher at Berks County Intermediate Unit. Keller was the Mount Penn Playground leader and volleyball coach of the Mount Penn Junior Coed Team, which was county champions in 1978, as reported in the Eagle, August 11, 1978.

Keller passed away on April 20, 2022. An obituary appeared in the Eagle, April 22, 2022, and repeated at Kuhn Funeral Home & Crematory, and Legacy.com.

Richard “Rick” J. Keller, 68, passed away on Wednesday, April 20, 2022 in his Reading residence after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.

Born in Reading, he was a son of the late Jack and Phyllis (Bolig) Keller. Rick graduated from Mt. Penn High School and The Pennsylvania State University. He funded his college education by lettering comic books for his father. Rick was employed as a Special Education/Physical Education teacher by the Reading School District and Berks I.U. for 37 years until his retirement in 2012.

Many will remember Rick as a Mt. Penn playground leader, a baseball and volleyball mentor as well as timekeeper at Mt. Penn High School basketball games. He was also a junior varsity soccer coach. Rick was a 2015 inductee in the Mt. Penn Athletics Hall of Fame.

Rick was active as a volleyball referee in PIAA, USAV, NAGWS and community co-ed volleyball. For many years, he participated in street hockey, volleyball, slow-pitch softball and golf. He enjoyed playing golf until the very end.

Rick liked to renovate his home and create a beautiful outdoor living space. He regularly attended the Trans Am Nationals and won awards for his 2002 Pontiac Firehawk. He was a Three Stooges fan as well as an avid “Leave It to Beaver” devotee.

He was a life-long American patriot and a constitutional scholar.

Rick is survived by brother, Robert Keller and his wife Lynn of Portland, CT; nephew, Michael Keller and his wife Jacqueline of Farmington, CT; and cousin, Philip Riegel and wife Kathy of Pottstown. He was predeceased by a brother, Scott Keller.

Visitation will be Wednesday, April 27, 2022 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, Inc. 739 Penn Avenue West Reading, PA 19611.

In lieu of flowers, please plant trees in your community and/or support youth sports and animal rescue groups in your area.

Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, Inc. is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be recorded at www.kuhnfuneralhomes.com.

Keller was laid to rest at Forest Hills Memorial Park.
 

 

Related Posts

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

Jean Callahan, 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, Rick Keller, Nadine French King, Ralph Komisarow, Grace Kremer, Morrie Kuramoto, Al Kurzrok, 

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

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

Walter Palais, Stephen Palmisano, 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, Frank Vina, Irv Watanabe, Leo Wurtzel, John Yakata, Bill Yoshida, Bernie Zuber

(Next post on Monday: Names in Script)

Comics: A Few Details About Jack Keller, Artist and Writer

Jack R. Keller was born on June 16, 1922 in Reading, Pennsylvania according to his World War II draft card which did not have his middle initial. In the 1930 United States Census, Keller (line 19), his parents and older sister, Vivian lived in West Reading, Pennsylvania at 119 South 4th Avenue. His parents were Reuben Keller, a hosiery knitter, and Catharine F. Horning, who married in October 1919.

Reading Eagle, November 12, 1937
 

The Kellers were at the same address in the 1940 census (see line 27).

Keller attended West Reading High School. The Reading Eagle, May 10, 1940, said the art department exhibit included pen drawings by Keller. According to the Eagle, May 29, 1940, Keller was one of fifty students who graduated last evening.

On June 30, 1942, Keller signed his draft card. His address was unchanged. He was a self-employed cartoonist. His description was five feet seven inches, 130 pounds, with blue eyes and auburn hair.

In 1942 Keller went to New York and sold his first comic book feature, “The Whistler Strikes”, which appeared in War Stories #5 from Dell Comics. Dr. Michael J. Vassallo said

Keller was now living in New York City full time at the 34th street YMCA and his quarters were cramped and tiny.

Keller found work with Busy Arnold at Quality Comics. He also did backgrounds on Lou Fine’s The Spirit when Will Eisner was away during the war. Clients included DC, Fawcett, Fiction House, Hillman, Lev Gleason and others.

Keller’s father passed away on January 29, 1947. His obituary appeared in the Eagle, January 30, 1947.

Keller’s engagement to Phyllis Ann Bolig, was announced in the Eagle, September 15, 1949.

The 1950 census counted Keller, his mother and stepfather, Carl F. Schatz, a steel company carpenter, in Reading at 107 Newport Avenue. Keller (line 8) was a cartoonist in the publishing industry.

In 1950, Keller saw Stan Lee and started doing horror, war and romance stories. Keller started on Kid Colt in 1953. An overview of his career is at Who’s Who of American Comic Books 1928–1999. The Grand Comics Database has a checklist of his credits.

The Eagle, February 25, 1951, said Keller, 28, and Phyllis A. Bolig, 20, obtained a marriage license. They married on March 3. The Eagle said

... The bride is a graduate of Shillington High School while the bridegroom is a graduate of West Reading High. He is employed as a cartoonist with the Timely Comics, in New York.

Their first child, Richard Jack Keller, was born on October 3, 1953 in Reading.

When work from Marvel decreased, Keller found a job at a car dealership. The salesmen of Morganstern Chevrolet were pictured in an advertisement in the Eagle, January 24, 1958. Keller is in the bottom row, second from left.

Gradually Keller was getting more assignments from Marvel. The same image of Keller appeared in the 1964 annual, Marvel Tales #1, which featured Marvel’s staff. His Marvel credits are here. Keller was best known for Kid Colt.

 Kid Colt Outlaw #98, May 1961; reprinted in #220, October 1977

 

Keller also produced material for Charlton Comics from the late 1950s to the early 1970s.

Surf n’ Wheels #4, May 1970, with lettering by his son, Rick

Keller’s art was among the exhibits at the Reading Public Museum and Art Gallery in March 1965. Also included were works by Milton Caniff, LeRoy A. Gensler and Kenard Fischer, both Reading newspaper cartoonists. The Eagle, March 8, 1965, said nearly 1,500 people attended the first day.

By 1972, Keller was employed at the car dealer, Marshall Chevrolet. The company went out of business in early January 1982. 

Reading Eagle, November 21, 1972

advertisement detail

 

Keller’s mother passed away on March 3, 1981. Her obituary appeared in the Eagle, March 4, 1981.

 

In January 1983 Keller began work at the car dealer, Savage, for about a year.

Reading Eagle, January 26, 1983

advertisement detail

In September 2000, Keller was a guest at Golden Eagle Comic Con 1 in Kutztown, Pennsylvania.

Reading Eagle, September 27, 2000

Keller passed away on January 2, 2003. An obituary appeared in the Eagle, January 3, 2003.

Jack R. Keller, retired illustrator of comic books
Jack R. Keller, a retired comic book artist, writer and creator, died Jan. 2 in St. Joseph Medical Center, where he had been a patient since Dec. 17.

Keller, 80, of Brighton Avenue, Pennside, was a free-lance cartoonist since 1941 and illustrated Kid Colt Outlaw for Marvel Comics from 1952 to 1964, the most prolific run for one strip in comic book history.

He also did hot rods and racing cars for Charlton Comics from 1958 until his retirement in 1973. Keller was considered by other professionals as the icon of auto racing/hot rod comics.

Keller also wrote and illustrated many other characters such as the Sheriff of Tombstone, Billy the Kid, Cheyenne Kid and illustrated many war comic stories.

Following his retirement, he was employed as a salesman by Marshall Chevrolet, Reading, until 1983 when the dealership closed. He was last employed as a part-time salesman by Fun Stuff Hobbies and Kiddie Kar Kollectibles, both of Reading, last working in June.

Born in Reading, he was a son of the late Reuben and Catherine (Horning) Keller.

Keller was a 1940 graduate of West Reading High School.

He was a member of the Community Evangelical Church, Lower Heidelberg Township.

Surviving are two sons, Richard J., Mount Penn and Robert J., Portland, Conn.

Other survivors include a sister, Vivian (Keller) Riegel, Sinking Spring; and a grandson.

He was predeceased by a son Scott M. Keller, in 1988.

Services will be Monday at 11 a.m. in Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home Inc., West Reading. Burial will be in Forest Hills Memorial Park, Reiffton.

Obituaries were published in The Comics Journal #251, March 2003, and Alter Ego #23, April 2003.

Further Reading
Comicartville Library, Jack Keller Remembered

News from ME, Jack Keller, R.I.P.

Don Markstein’s Toonopedia, Kid Colt, Outlaw

Comic Book Artist #12, March 2001, interview
Doc Lehman, Summer, Race Cars & Comic Books
Comics Buyer’s Guide #894, January 4, 1991, Hotrodding in two dimensions

 

 

(Next post on Monday: Rick Keller, Letterer)

Comics: Ray Burzon, Letterer

Raymond William “Ray” Burzon was born on December 6, 1932, in the Bronx, New York, according to the New York, New York Birth Index, at Ancestry.com, and his obituary. His parents were William, of Germany, and Marie, of Luxembourg.

The 1940 U.S. Census said Burzon lived with his parents and an aunt in the Bronx at 2558 Creston Avenue. His parents were self-employed bakers. 

The Sun News (Myrtle Beach, South Carolina), November 21, 2016, said “At age 16, Ray joined the Squire youth group and advanced to 4th degree as member of the Knights of Columbus in St. Andrews Parish …”

In the 1950 census, the Burzons were at the same address. 

Burzon studied advertising design at the School of Industrial Art in Manhattan. He graduated in 1951.

The Palette yearbook. The middle initial is incorrect.

The Sun News said Burzon 

served in the Korean War as a corporal in the U.S. Army. After the Army, he became a commercial artist and was an art director for J. Walter Thompson in Manhattan, NY, working on Pan American Airlines, Ford and Proctor and Gamble accounts. Later he went on to Ayers advertising …

Burzon’s marriage was reported in the Hackensack Record (New Jersey) on October 14, 1957. 

Eleanore Kohler, Raymond Burzon 

Palisades Park—Miss Eleanore Marie Kohler, daughter of Mrs. Marie Kohler of 30 Henry Avenue and the late Mr. Kohler, was married to Raymond Burzon, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Burzon of the Bronx, at 4:30 P. M. Saturday at St. Michael’s R. C. Church.

Given in marriage by her god father, James Lamb, the bride wore French lace. 

Miss Joshine Lamb of Palisades Park was maid of honor, Miss Erna Marquardt of Rochelle Park and Mrs. Raymond Huber of Greenwood Lake were bridesmaids. 

Best man was William Keppler and ushers were Bruce Keppler and Fred Darmstadt, all of the Bronx. 

After a reception at Sauter’s in Fairview the couple left for Daytona Beach, Fla. They will reside in Ridgefield. 

Mrs. Burzon studied at Leonia High School and is a telephone operator. Her husband, a graduate of Industrial Art High School and an Army veteran, is a commercial artist. 

Burzon’s comic book lettering began with Charlton as early as 1958. In Alter Ego #107, February 2012, Jim Amash interviewed Tony Tallarico. 

Amash: So you were lettering your own stuff.

Tallarico: Most of the time, except I had a friend of mine, Ray Burzon, who was an art director at J. Walter Thompson. He lettered a lot of my stuff.

The interview continued in Alter Ego #108, April 2012. 

Amash: From 1968 to ’75, you’re listed as lettering for them [Charlton].

Tallarico: No, that was my friend, Ray Burzon. I might have lettered a story that I was working on if the deadline was tight and I didn’t have time to give it to Ray. But that didn’t happen very often.

The interview continued in Alter Ego #109, May 2012. 

Amash: And were they paying thirty-five a page, too?

Tallarico: Yes, no lettering. With lettering, it was $37.50, so I had D.J. [Arneson] contact Ray Burzon, and Ray worked directly for him.

JA: Did you have to turn in the pencils first?

Tallarico: No, I did pencils, got them to Ray to letter, who would get them back to me; then I would ink the job and bring it in. …

At some point, Burzon moved to Pearl River, New York, where he was involved with scouting. The Journal-News (Nyack, New York), October 28, 1970, said 

... Frank McCoy has been named as the new committee chairman for Cub Scout Pack 34 sponsored by St. Margaret’s Church, Pearl River. He succeeds Connie DeFelice who held the position for three years.

Returning pack leaders and committee members include Walter Kelly, cubmaster; Pe­ter Siano, assistant cubmaster; Larry McKeamey, Webelos leader; Ray Burzon, advancement; Tom Crean; activities; John Rooney, transportation; Art Maggio, fund raiser; and Bob Roman, publicity.

The Sun News said “Ray was a very involved Scout Master for 5 years in St. Margaret’s Parish in Pearl River, N.Y.”

In 1990 Burzon retired with his wife to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. His hobbies included oil painting, gardening, swimming and reading. 

Burzon passed away on November 18, 2016, in Myrtle Beach. 

Related Posts

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

Jean Callahan, 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, Rick Keller, Nadine French King, Ralph Komisarow, Grace Kremer, Morrie Kuramoto, Al Kurzrok, 

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

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

Walter Palais, Stephen Palmisano, 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, Frank Vina, Irv Watanabe, Leo Wurtzel, John Yakata, Bill Yoshida, Bernie Zuber

(Next post on Monday: Hotel Canada, Vancouver, Canada)

Comics: Frank Frollo, Artist and Art Director

Today is Veterans Day.

Courtesy of 63rd Infantry Division, Blood and Fire

Frank Joseph Frollo was born on February 4, 1915, in the Bronx, New York, according to his World War II draft card. 

In the 1915 New York state census, Frollo (line 37) was the only child of Rocco, an Italian immigrant, and Mary, a New Yorker. They were Bronx residents at 760 Trinity Avenue. 

On June 5, 1917, Frollo’s father signed his World War I draft card. His Bronx address was 885 Union Avenue. 

The same address was recorded in the 1920 census. Frollo is on line 47. 

Frollo’s father applied for a passport which was issued on July 20, 1922. The family intended to depart aboard the steamship Conte Rosso on August 10, 1922.

On April 1, 1923 the Frollos (lines 4 to 6) returned to New York. They departed aboard the same steamship from Naples, Italy on March 21, 1923.

According to the 1925 New York state census, the Frollos’ Bronx address was 796 East 161st Street (lines 40 to 43). Also in the household was Frollo’s uncle.

The 1930 census counted Frollo (line 12) and his parents in the Bronx at 845 East 228th Street. 

It’s not known which schools Frollo attended. Who’s Who of American Comic Books 1928–1999 said Frollo studied at the Art Students League and Famous Artists School which was founded in 1948. 

The Catalog of Copyright Entries, Part 4, Works of Art, Etc., 1935, New Series, Volume 30, Number 4, published the following entry. 

Frollo (Frank)* 8335

Adventures of newsreel cameramen. © 1 c. Nov. 8, 1935; G 21163. 

“Adventures of Newsreel Cameramen” appeared in Funny Picture Stories, #3, January 1937, and #6, April 1937. 

In The Comics Journal #261, June–July 2004, Ron Goulart asked Gill Fox about the artists in Harry “A” Chesler’s studio. 

“OK, Frank Frollo sat behind me,” he said. “In front of me was Paul Gustavson. Then there was Charlie Biro, Bob Wood ... Ken Ernst was there briefly, not too long. Running the place, about six months after I’d been there, was Jack Binder. Jack Cole was there ... the kid, Fred Schwab. Rafael Astarita. Oh, and Fred Guardineer.”

Who’s Who said Frollo was also in the studios of Eisner and Iger, Binder, Funnies Inc., and Iger. Many of Frollo’s credits are at the Grand Comics Database. 

The New York Times, December 9, 1939, said 

Frank Frollo, commercial artist, has joined the advertising staff of the S. & S. Corrugated Paper Machinery Company, Inc., Brooklyn, as assistant advertising manager.

The 1940 census said Frollo (line 19) lived with his parents at the same address. His occupation was artist for picture magazines. He completed four years of high school and earned $936 in 1939. 

Frollo and Emily E. Bongiorno obtained, in the Bronx, marriage license number 11819. The date of their marriage is not known.

On October 16, 1940, Frollo signed his World War II draft card. His address and employer were unchanged. Frollo was described as five feet eleven inches, with brown eyes and hair. 

Frollo created the super-heroine Blue Lady who debuted in Amazing-Man Comics #24, October 1941. 

Frollo enlisted on August 17, 1943. He served in the Army’s M Company, 255th Infantry Regiment, 63rd Infantry Division. Frollo’s son provided photographs of his father and his mural at their website here and here. Frollo was a technician fifth grade. Frollo’s veteran’s file (transcribed at Ancestry.com) said he served from September 1, 1943 to April 22, 1946.

A 1947 issue of Printers’ Ink said Frollo worked on a comic strip for Arthur Davis, head of Arthur Davis Associates. 

The 1948 New York, New York city directory listed Frollo at 41 Bennett Avenue in Manhattan. 

In 1950, Frollo, his wife and son lived in Manhattan at 701 West 189 Street, apartment 4E. He was a freelance commercial artist. The same address was in the 1960 Manhattan directory. 

At Charlton, Frollo was one of the art editors on Fantastic Science Fiction, August 1952. His art appeared in several Charlton Comics from 1952 to 1956. Below are two illustrations from True Life Secrets #11, January 1953.

The Reporter of Direct Mail Advertising, February 1961, said 

... Frank Frollo, formerly Art Director of Grayson-Robinson Stores, has been named Art Director at Sales Letters Inc. ...

Who’s Who said Frollo had an advertising agency, FAA Advertising, from 1962 to 1971. Actually, his agency started earlier and operated out of his home. FAA Advertising was mentioned in Automotive News, April 26, 1954. 

Brach Mfg. Corp., 200 Central ave., Newark 4, N. J. Auto radio antennas. FM and TV antennas. Leon 8. Brach, pres.; Ira Kamen, vice-pres.; J. B. Cejka, vice-pres. and cf. engr.; A. Ashcroft, pur. agt. Det. Rep.—8S. Kehoe, 719 Fisher bldg., Detroit, Mich. Adv. Agcy.—FAA Advertising, 701 W. 189th st., New York City.

Who’s Who said Frollo was an art director at Allied Leathercraft in the 1970s. There was no such company in New York but there was an Allied Lettercraft Company that was founded in 1926 according to an advertisement in The Literary Market Place 1945. At the time the company specialized in multigraphing, mimeographing, addressing and mailing for publishers’ promotion. Similar services were offered in the 1970s. The MIMP 1980 said the company was located at 307 West 36th Street in Manhattan. 

Frollo passed away on October 12, 1981, in New York City.

Further Reading and Viewing

Don Markstein’s Toonopedia

Four-Color Shadows

Lady, That’s My Skull

The Charlton Comics Reading Library, Space Adventures #9, Winter 1954 

Heritage Auctions, oil painting, original comic art here and here

Charlton Companion, Charlton Comics Forgotten Artists

(Next post on Monday: The 1930 Hi-O-Hi Yearbook)