Fred Harman
Encyclopedia
Fred Harman was an American artist, best known for his popular Red Ryder
comic strip, which he drew for 25 years, reaching 40 million readers through 750 newspapers. Harman sometimes used the pseudonym Ted Horn.
Harman was two months old when his parents moved from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Pagosa Springs, Colorado
, where he grew up familiar with horses and the ranching lifestyle. His father had previously homesteaded in Pagosa in 1891. Harman dropped out of school after seven years and never had any formal art training.
, he came in contact with the newspaper's art staff. When he was 20 years old, he was employed at the Kansas City Film Ad Company, working with Walt Disney
as an animator. Harman and Disney partnered to form their own company but went broke within a year. Harman then went back to Colorado. Harman's brother, Hugh Harman, was also an animator at Disney's Kansas City studio.
Returning to St. Joseph, home of the Pony Express
, Harman created promotional art, book illustrations and film costume designs commemorating the Pony Express, in addition to his work as a catalog illustrator. After he married musician Lola Andrews, the couple had a son in 1927. They moved to St. Paul, Minnesota, where he was a partner in an advertising agency for several years before it failed. He was employed in Iowa for a short time before moving his wife and son to Pagosa Springs where they built a log cabin. In 1933, he moved to Los Angeles where he edited, illustrated and published a Western magazine that collapsed after three issues. Although the Stendahl Art Gallery staged a show of his paintings, none sold.
strip from 1934 to 1938, finding few takers as he visited various West Coast newspaper offices. When he moved to New York in 1938, he met merchandising entrepreneur Stephen Slesinger
and finally found success. He worked with Slesinger to develop Bronc Peeler into Red Ryder, which Slesinger sold to the Newspaper Enterprise Association. It was launched as a Sunday strip
November 1938 with the daily strip
following four months later. Promoting Red Ryder as "America's famous fighting cowboy", Slesinger began an intensive campaign of merchandising and licensing with a parade of comic books, Big Little Books, novels, serial chapters, radio programs and commercial products and apparel.
In March 1953, Harman embarked on a six-week USO tour, doing chalk talks at camps in England, France, Germany, Italy, Turkey and Africa.
Harman lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico
, while also maintaining his Pagosa Springs ranch. After he retired from the strip in 1964, he turned to painting at his Albuquerque studio. The strip was continued by his former assistant, Bob MacLeod, along with Jim Gary, John Wade Hampton and Edmond Good.
Harman was one of the original 1965 members of the Cowboy Artists of America
, along with Joe Beeler
, Charlie Dye, John Hampton, and George Phippen
; and Harman's paintings were included in the first annual exhibition of the Cowboy Artists of America on September 9, 1966, at the National Cowboy Hall of Fame
in Oklahoma City
.
Harman died in Phoenix, Arizona
, in 1982.
. In 1958, he received the Sertoma Award as Colorado's Outstanding Citizen.
The Red Ryder Round-up is an annual July 4th weekend event in Pagosa Springs, home of the Fred Harman Art Museum.
Red Ryder
Red Ryder was a popular long-running Western comic strip created by Stephen Slesinger and artist Fred Harman. Beginning Sunday, November 6, 1938, Red Ryder was syndicated by Newspaper Enterprise Association, expanding over the following decade to 750 newspapers, translations into ten languages and...
comic strip, which he drew for 25 years, reaching 40 million readers through 750 newspapers. Harman sometimes used the pseudonym Ted Horn.
Harman was two months old when his parents moved from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Pagosa Springs, Colorado
Pagosa Springs, Colorado
Pagosa Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat of, and the only incorporated municipality in, Archuleta County, Colorado, United States. The population was 1,591 at the 2000 census...
, where he grew up familiar with horses and the ranching lifestyle. His father had previously homesteaded in Pagosa in 1891. Harman dropped out of school after seven years and never had any formal art training.
Kansas City
Working as a pressman’s helper at The Kansas City StarThe Kansas City Star
The Kansas City Star is a McClatchy newspaper based in Kansas City, Missouri, in the United States. Published since 1880, the paper is the recipient of eight Pulitzer Prizes...
, he came in contact with the newspaper's art staff. When he was 20 years old, he was employed at the Kansas City Film Ad Company, working with Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
as an animator. Harman and Disney partnered to form their own company but went broke within a year. Harman then went back to Colorado. Harman's brother, Hugh Harman, was also an animator at Disney's Kansas City studio.
Returning to St. Joseph, home of the Pony Express
Pony Express
The Pony Express was a fast mail service crossing the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, and the High Sierra from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California, from April 3, 1860 to October 1861...
, Harman created promotional art, book illustrations and film costume designs commemorating the Pony Express, in addition to his work as a catalog illustrator. After he married musician Lola Andrews, the couple had a son in 1927. They moved to St. Paul, Minnesota, where he was a partner in an advertising agency for several years before it failed. He was employed in Iowa for a short time before moving his wife and son to Pagosa Springs where they built a log cabin. In 1933, he moved to Los Angeles where he edited, illustrated and published a Western magazine that collapsed after three issues. Although the Stendahl Art Gallery staged a show of his paintings, none sold.
Red Ryder
Harman self-syndicated his Bronc PeelerBronc Peeler
Bronc Peeler was an American fictional cowboy created by Fred Harman. Harman created the Western adventure comic strip in 1933. Harman is best known as the artist for the Red Ryder comics, which was created by Stephen Slesinger....
strip from 1934 to 1938, finding few takers as he visited various West Coast newspaper offices. When he moved to New York in 1938, he met merchandising entrepreneur Stephen Slesinger
Stephen Slesinger
Stephen Slesinger , was an American radio/television/film producer, creator of comic strip characters and the father of the licensing industry...
and finally found success. He worked with Slesinger to develop Bronc Peeler into Red Ryder, which Slesinger sold to the Newspaper Enterprise Association. It was launched as a Sunday strip
Sunday strip
A Sunday strip is a newspaper comic strip format, where comic strips are printed in the Sunday newspaper, usually in a special section called the Sunday comics, and virtually always in color. Some readers called these sections the Sunday funnies...
November 1938 with the daily strip
Daily strip
A daily strip is a newspaper comic strip format, appearing on weekdays, Monday through Saturday, as contrasted with a Sunday strip, which typically only appears on Sundays....
following four months later. Promoting Red Ryder as "America's famous fighting cowboy", Slesinger began an intensive campaign of merchandising and licensing with a parade of comic books, Big Little Books, novels, serial chapters, radio programs and commercial products and apparel.
In March 1953, Harman embarked on a six-week USO tour, doing chalk talks at camps in England, France, Germany, Italy, Turkey and Africa.
Cowboy Artists of America
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As...
, while also maintaining his Pagosa Springs ranch. After he retired from the strip in 1964, he turned to painting at his Albuquerque studio. The strip was continued by his former assistant, Bob MacLeod, along with Jim Gary, John Wade Hampton and Edmond Good.
Harman was one of the original 1965 members of the Cowboy Artists of America
Cowboy Artists of America
The Cowboy Artists of America was founded in 1965 by four prominent western artists, Joe Beeler, Charlie Dye, John Hampton and George Phippen, who have all since died...
, along with Joe Beeler
Joe Beeler
Joe Beeler was an American illustrator, artist and sculptor specializing in the field of Western art. In 1965, he cofounded the Cowboy Artists of America with Charlie Dye, John Hampton and George Phippen....
, Charlie Dye, John Hampton, and George Phippen
George Phippen
George Phippen, a western artist from Skull Valley, Arizona, is the co-founder and first president of the Cowboy Artists of America.Phippen did approximately 3,000 works in his brief career. Succumbing to cancer in 1966 , he made art for only 20 years. He was a sculptor and painter in...
; and Harman's paintings were included in the first annual exhibition of the Cowboy Artists of America on September 9, 1966, at the National Cowboy Hall of Fame
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is a museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, with more than 28,000 Western and American Indian art works and artifacts. The facility also has the world's most extensive collection of American rodeo, photographs, barbed wire, saddlery, and early rodeo trophies...
in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
.
Harman died in Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, in 1982.
Awards
Among other honors, Harman was one of only 75 white men in history to be adopted into the Navajo NationNavajo Nation
The Navajo Nation is a semi-autonomous Native American-governed territory covering , occupying all of northeastern Arizona, the southeastern portion of Utah, and northwestern New Mexico...
. In 1958, he received the Sertoma Award as Colorado's Outstanding Citizen.
The Red Ryder Round-up is an annual July 4th weekend event in Pagosa Springs, home of the Fred Harman Art Museum.