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Brooklyn Academy of Music, November 15–18, 1984 |
The New Yorker, September 16, 1985 |
1986 |
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Catalog design by the Pushpin Group |
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1987 |
(Updated April 23, 2023; Next post on Monday: Happy and Prosperous New Year)
LETTERING • LOGOS • LETTERFORMS • ALPHABETS • TYPOGRAPHY • CALLIGRAPHY • ETC
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Brooklyn Academy of Music, November 15–18, 1984 |
The New Yorker, September 16, 1985 |
1986 |
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Catalog design by the Pushpin Group |
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1987 |
Ladies’ Night Is Observed by Mt. Wollaston Chapter... Another entertainment was Miss Bessie May [sic] Kelley, crayon artist. She drew landscape scenes and gave an illustration of how animated pictures are drawn from which films are made. ...
Secrets of Animated Movies Is Revealed in TalkDespite the heavy downpour of rain last evening a good-sized audience attended the entertainment given under the auspices of the Wollaston Parent-Teacher Association in the Wollaston school hall, the proceeds of which are to be used as a fund for the school playground. The Quincy high school band rendered selections under the direction of Miss Maude Howes and Miss Bessie Mae Kelly [sic], animated cartoonist, revealed the secret of how animated cartoons for the movies, such as “Aesop’s Fables,” are made. She drew with colored chalk cartoons of a mother spanking a boy. Although she used only two movements in her drawings, she explained that it would be necessary to make about 16 cartoons for that part of a moving picture. Repeating Joyce Kilmer’s poem “The House with Nobody in It,” she next drew an expressive picture of an abandoned farm-house. Then with a few deft touches on a fresh sheet of paper she sketched a knocker and making a remark that this was an article one never has when one wants it, but that she was now going to draw one that was always around when it wasn’t wanted, she proceeded to change it into a woman whose very face spelt trouble. Much amusement was finished by the cartoons Miss Kelly depicted of the characters in an entertaining little poem, “Lost Lovers.” …… Miss Kelly made her last appearance with a beautiful sketch, “Sunset,” while Mrs. Clark played “The End of a Perfect Day,” on her lyre, accompanied at the piano by Miss Soule. …
N.Y. Comedy Success Chautauqua Feature... Miss Bessie Mae Kelley, who will entertain the young folks of all ages at the Chautauqua tent Thursday afternoon possesses the unique distinction of being the only woman animated cartoonist in the motion picture profession, and has had thorough grounding and training in her art.She has been associated for seven years with the Bray Productions of New York and Chicago; has also assisted Max Fliescher [sic] on his famous cartoon stories, “Out of the Inkwell,” and Paul Terry in animating “Aesop’s Fables.” She has, personally, directed the series of animated cartoons “Gasoline Alley.” ...
Tehye Hsieh Speaker at Wollaston... Miss Bessie May Kelley, cartoonist of the Bray Animated Motion pictures, whose clever drawings and amusing recitations kept the audience highly entertained. The artist explained the process required in the making of such cartoons as the “Aesop Fables” which she “animated.” It takes the artists about 900 hours to perfect one of these films which we may see on any screen in less than eight minutes. One background is drawn and then each movement of each little character is drawn and placed over the background, many sheets of paper being used to make a character make one step. The slower they move in the movies the more pictures have to be drawn. When the artist has finished, they pictures are traced on celluloid 5-1000 of an inch thick and then handed to the color man who colors the figures on the back to blot out the background.Miss Kelley demonstrated her wonderful skill, in line and color, in her picture of “The House with Nobody in It,” accompanied by her recitation; caused a great deal of mirth with her “Moo, Cow, Moo,” and character sketches of suitors for her hand, and bought [sic] down the house with her life portraits of Dr. Sneath and Chester I. Campbell, who obligingly posed for her. Mr. Campbell then introduced Dr. Tehye Hsieh, director of the Chinese Trade Bureau, who spoke on the “Real Trouble in China.”
20,000 Persons Enjoy Presentation of Holiday Pantomime on CommonThe eighth annual community pageant “Beauty and the Beast,” a colorful pantomime, was presented yesterday on the Common before 20,000 persons.Depending largely on colorful costumes and settings for the success of the pageant, Mrs. Aline Meginot, who designed the costumes Harold F. Lindergreen, designer, and Bessie May [sic] Kelley, painter of the settings, deserve praise. ...
Turners Falls Rotary Club Holds Annual Ladies’ NightTurners Falls Inn Is Scene of Hallowe’en Event—Entertainment Is PleasingTurners Falls, Oct. 29.—The Turners Falls Rotary club held their annual ladles’ night last evening at the Turners Fall Inn. Being so close to Halloween, the event took the form of a Hallowe’en party. The rooms of the Inn were decorated, the orange and black color scheme being carried out A turkey supper was served the members and their guests, and between courses the popular songs of the day were sung by the entire gathering. ...... Following the contests the entertainment committee presented Miss Adele Neff of Boston, and a Novelette Trio, who presented an interesting entertainment. The trio gave some very pleasing numbers of vocal solos and instrumental selections. Miss Bessie Mae Kelley, cartoonist, showed wonderful skill with her crayons, and the work of Charles Budden as pianist and William Blackley as a tenor soloist was enjoyed. Miss Neff presented a fine program of character sketches and readings. ...
Fortnightly NotesThe children’s party on Monday afternoon, Dec. 28, was a great success. The grace and beauty of the dance numbers presented by Grace De Carlton, director of the Dance Department of the National Associated Studios of Music, and her pupils delighted both children and adults. The program by Bessie Mae Kelley, the only woman in the United States who draws animated cartoons for the motion pictures, was clever and unusual, and provided excellent entertainment for the youngsters. Miss Kelley explained the process of making the cartoons and illustrated with sketches of the little animals who appear in Aesop’s Fables cartoons. While making her other sketches, she recited humorous stories and poems which pleased the children immensely. She made cartoons of two of the small boys in the audience to the great delight of the other children. ...
Clambake to Be Held... Following the clambake, there will be ... entertainment consisting of ... Bessie Mae Kelley of the Bray Productions of New York and Chicago, who has made several cartoons for moving pictures. ...
For twenty-five years the cartoon department of the film business, a veritable industry in itself, has hired only men animators. Women artists have been unable to crash the field. Of the hundreds who made the attempt none seemed able to stand the strain of drawing the same caricature over and over, thousands of times, in a room filled with men.But now the old order has changed. A young woman, only twenty-two and it takes at least five years to make the average cartoon animator—has proven that she can draw Betty Boop and Popeye as well, and as consistently, as any of the better masculine artists.Max Fleischer, father of screen cartoons, who has given an army of women artists an opportunity to pull themselves up to $250 a week, which is the better animator’s salary, found it difficult to believe that this conservative girl, who had never joined even in office conversation during the three years she has been on his lesser personnel payroll, had actually made the grade.She is Miss Lillian Friedman of New York, and she now has a long term contract with full screen credit.
Bill married Elizabeth Mae Kelley (Walker Institute of Art and Pratt Institute) in 1931.
Lloyd and Grace Jacquet’s shop, known as Funnies Incorporated, was not as much a “factory” as Binder’s. Artists were allowed to sign their work if the publisher did not object, and the Jacquets encouraged individuals to produce complete strips — writing, lettering and drawing as a unit. The Jacquet shop also operated as a freelancer’s agenting service, accepting and placing work by a number of artists who had only a peripheral connection to the comic book industry. Features produced in the shop or sold through it were published by a wide selection of companies, among them Timely (Marvel), Centaur and Novelty. Aside from Grace Jacquet and Edith Ross, who functioned as editors, other women in the shop included Nina Albright, Dolores Carroll, Lucy Feller, Tarpe Mills, Claire Moe, and Ramona Patenaude.
As early as 1938, Claire S. Moe drew a series of children’s adventure strips with circus-related themes for Centaur’s Funny Pages. The Circus and Sue, Circus Days, and Little Mary of the Circus were all exciting serials reminiscent of films from the period featuring Shirley Temple.
Thada Benbrook Is East Moline BrideMarried to Richard M. Hill of Moline at Evening Rites.Miss Thada Benbrook, daughter of Mrs. Adeline Benbrook, 2129 Seventh avenue, Moline, became the bride of Richard M. Hill of Moline, son of Mrs. Mary Hill of Marseilles, at 6:30 o’clock last night.The service took place in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph E. Miller, 2236 Third avenue. East Moline, and the Rev. R. J. VanAlstyne of Port Byron, formerly of East Molina, officiated.Miss June Leeper of Molina was the bridesmaid and Revis Benbrook, brother of the bride, was the best man.The bride and her attendant descended a stairway and entered the living room where they were met by the bridegroom and the best man in front of the fireplace which was banked with palms, ferns and cut flowers to provide an attractive setting for the wedding. Only a few relatives and friends were present.The bride wore a fitted gown of white satin featuring a lace yoke and long sleeves which extended into points at the wrists. The skirt was long with a slight fullness at the bottom. A finger-tip veil of tulle was attached to a tiny lace cup. The bridal bouquet consisted of white roses and babysbreath in an arm arrangement.Miss Leeper was in a crepe frock of ashes-of-roses shade made with long skirt and cap sleeves and her flowers were yellow roses. Dinner Is Served.Following the ceremony a wedding dinner was served in the Millar home, covers being laid at one table which was daintily trimmed in blue and white satin, with a white wedding cake as the centerpiece.The young couple will begin housekeeping immediately in Moline, deferring their honeymoon trip until later.The bride attended East Molina and Molina high school and has been engaged as a clerk in the Karmelcorn shop in Molina. Mr. Hill was graduated from Marseilles high school and is employed at the John Deere Plow works in Molina.
Annual Carol Service.The Chicago College Glee club will present its annual carol service with readings by Miss Thada Benbrook after a candlelight supper at the club at 6 o’clock tomorrow night. Members of the Glee club will be hostesses.
Soroptimists Group Hears Jo CarrollMembers of the North Shore Soroptimists Club were entertained at a program and dinner meeting by Jo Carroll of the Queensboro Public Library, Jamaica.The meeting, held in the Colonial House, Flushing, was arranged by Nell McCormick Thyberg of Kew Gardens, program chairman.Among the guests were Mrs. Thada Lufkin of Kew Gardens, comic artist; Miss Margaret Schumacher, dietician, and Mrs. Grace Wright, former interior decorator now in photographic work, both of Flushing, and Mrs. Ruth Harrison of Whitestone associated with Mrs.Wright.The next meeting will be held Feb. 10 at the same address with dinner at 6:10 P. M.
Amash: What about other production people or letterers?Fago: Billie Landis was a musician, sculptor, freelance letterer, and a friend.Veda Lufkin was a housewife from New Jersey, and she’d letter at home.
Winsted—The Gilbert School: Teacher, Mrs. Thada B. Lufkin; student, David Gundelach.
34. Thistle, Thada B. Lufkin, Winsted, Conn.