Al Posen
Encyclopedia
Alvah Posen was an American cartoonist on several comic strips, but he is best known for his strip Sweeney & Son and as co-producer of the now-lost Marx Brothers film, Humor Risk
(1921).
Born in New York, Posen served in the Army during World War I
and worked for a film advertising agency when the war ended. He then travelled in the Orient as a member of a geological and mining expedition, spending a year in Siam and Yunan.
Sweeney & Son was a Sunday page which began in 1933, distributed by the Chicago Tribune New York News Syndicate
, and continued for the next 25 years. It featured the topper
, Jinglet (1926-35), which used several rhymed words in a four-panel gag at the bottom of the page. On January 17, 1949, Posen revived his earlier format for a daily strip, Rhymin' Time, which had lyrics set to "Turkey in the Straw
'", such as:
He also adapted this rhyming format into comic strip advertisements for Bristol-Myers and companies.
As a National Cartoonists Society
member, he originated the idea of cartoonist shows for American servicemen and became the NCS Director of Overseas Shows. Posen, Gus Edson
, Bob Montana and other cartoonists participated in a USO cartoonists tour in October 1952. Posen was friends with Smokey Stover
cartoonist Bill Holman, and the famed nonsense phrase "1506 nix nix" seen in Smokey Stover was an inside joke between the two cartoonists. The number 1506 was a reference to a hotel room where Posen stayed.
Posen was a bachelor who liked to ski at Lake Placid, New York
and vacation at a ranch in Wyoming.
Humor Risk
Humor Risk was the first Marx Brothers film. The short film was never released and is now considered a lost film. The print may have been accidentally thrown away when left in the screening box overnight...
(1921).
Born in New York, Posen served in the Army during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and worked for a film advertising agency when the war ended. He then travelled in the Orient as a member of a geological and mining expedition, spending a year in Siam and Yunan.
Comic strips
In 1925, with no formal training in art, Posen created the rhyming comic strip, Them Days Are Gone Forever (aka Them Days Is Gone Forever). Distributed by United Features Syndicate, it was published in 100 newspapers within a year, and continued until 1927. Posen followed it with another rhyming strip, the short-lived Ella and Her Fella.Sweeney & Son was a Sunday page which began in 1933, distributed by the Chicago Tribune New York News Syndicate
Tribune Media Services
Tribune Media Services is a syndication company owned by the Tribune Company.The company has two divisions, "News and Features" and "Entertainment Products"...
, and continued for the next 25 years. It featured the topper
Topper (comic strip)
A topper in comic strip parlance is a small secondary strip seen along with a larger Sunday strip. In the 1920s and 1930s, leading cartoonists were given full pages in the Sunday comics sections, allowing them to add smaller strips and single-panel cartoons to their page.Toppers usually were drawn...
, Jinglet (1926-35), which used several rhymed words in a four-panel gag at the bottom of the page. On January 17, 1949, Posen revived his earlier format for a daily strip, Rhymin' Time, which had lyrics set to "Turkey in the Straw
Turkey in the Straw
"Turkey in the Straw" is a well-known American folk song dating from the early 19th century.The song's tune was first popularized in the late 1820s and early 1830s by blackface performers, notably George Washington Dixon, Bob Farrell and George Nichols. Another song, "Zip Coon", was sung to the...
'", such as:
- My business is conducting polls
- And, gosh, is my face red!
- Since last election, everyone
- Hurls insults at my head!
- They used to think me wonderful.
- "Infallible," they said.
- Them Days Are Gone Forever.
He also adapted this rhyming format into comic strip advertisements for Bristol-Myers and companies.
As a National Cartoonists Society
National Cartoonists Society
The National Cartoonists Society is an organization of professional cartoonists in the United States. It presents the National Cartoonists Society Awards. The Society was born in 1946 when groups of cartoonists got together to entertain the troops...
member, he originated the idea of cartoonist shows for American servicemen and became the NCS Director of Overseas Shows. Posen, Gus Edson
Gus Edson
Gus Edson was an American cartoonist known for two popular, long running comic strips, The Gumps and Dondi....
, Bob Montana and other cartoonists participated in a USO cartoonists tour in October 1952. Posen was friends with Smokey Stover
Smokey Stover
Smokey Stover is an American comic strip written and drawn by cartoonist Bill Holman, from 1935 until he retired in 1973. Distributed through the Chicago Tribune, it features the wacky misadventures of the titular fireman, and had the longest run of any comic strip in the "screwball comics"...
cartoonist Bill Holman, and the famed nonsense phrase "1506 nix nix" seen in Smokey Stover was an inside joke between the two cartoonists. The number 1506 was a reference to a hotel room where Posen stayed.
Posen was a bachelor who liked to ski at Lake Placid, New York
Lake Placid, New York
Lake Placid is a village in the Adirondack Mountains in Essex County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 2,638....
and vacation at a ranch in Wyoming.