Publishers-Hall Syndicate
Encyclopedia
Publishers-Hall Syndicate was a newspaper syndicate founded in 1944 by Robert M. Hall
, the company's president and general manager.
Hall had worked for The Providence Journal
during high school, followed by three years at Northeastern Law School and four years at Brown University
. After attending the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, he was a sales manager at United Feature Syndicate
, which he joined in 1935.
, Hall began his own syndicate by distributing to newspapers several New York Post
features, including Earl Wilson
's "It Happened Last Night," Sylvia Porter's finance column, "Your Money's Worth" and Samuel Grafton's "I'd Rather Be Right." Soon, Hall developed his own features, including a variety of comic strips, Debbie Dean, Mark Trail
and Bruce Gentry
, along with Herblock
's editorial cartoons. Added to the mix were serialized books and columns, including Elise Morrow's "Capital Capers," Pierre de Rohan's "Man in the Kitchen," Sterling North
's book reviews, Jimmy Cannon
's sports column and Major George Fielding Eliot writing on defense and tactics.
's Pogo, the adventure strip Tex Austin, Victor Riesel's "Inside Labor" column and a facts panel, Wizard of Odds.
On March 1, 1949, the company was renamed as the Post-Hall Syndicate, Inc., and during the 1950s, it distributed the writings of Norman Vincent Peale
.
The name was shortened to the Hall Syndicate after Robert Hall bought out the Post in 1955. Jules Feiffer
's strips ran for 42 years in The Village Voice
, first under the title Sick Sick Sick, briefly as Feiffer's Fables and finally as simply Feiffer. Influenced by UPA
and William Steig
, the strip debuted October 24, 1956. Three years later, beginning April 1959, Feiffer was distributed nationally by the Hall Syndicate, initially in The Boston Globe
, Minneapolis Star Tribune
, Newark Star-Ledger and Long Island Press
.
In 1967, the company was sold to Field Enterprises
, who merged it with the previously acquired Publishers Syndicate to form the Publishers-Hall Syndicate . Columnists featured by Publishers-Hall Syndicate included Rowland Evans Jr., Joseph Kraft
and Sydney J. Harris. John McMeel was assistant general manager and national sales director for the Publishers-Hall Syndicate when he began what would become Andrews McMeel Universal
in 1970. It was later renamed Field Newspaper Syndicate.
In yet another name change, it was renamed News America Syndicate after the company was purchased by News Corporation
in 1984. Hearst
bought the syndicate in 1986 and renamed it North America Syndicate. It is now part of Hearst's syndication division, King Features Syndicate
.
Robert M. Hall
Robert M. "Bob" Hall was an American media executive, founder of Publishers-Hall Syndicate and later Hall Communications....
, the company's president and general manager.
Hall had worked for The Providence Journal
The Providence Journal
The Providence Journal, nicknamed the ProJo, is a daily newspaper serving the metropolitan area of Providence, Rhode Island and is the largest newspaper in Rhode Island. The newspaper, first published in 1829 and the oldest continuously-published daily newspaper in the United States, was purchased...
during high school, followed by three years at Northeastern Law School and four years at Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
. After attending the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, he was a sales manager at United Feature Syndicate
United Media
United Media is a large editorial column and comic strip newspaper syndication service based in the United States, owned by The E.W. Scripps Company. It syndicates 150 comics and editorial columns worldwide. Its core business is the United Feature Syndicate and the Newspaper Enterprise Association...
, which he joined in 1935.
WWII years
During the final months of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Hall began his own syndicate by distributing to newspapers several New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
features, including Earl Wilson
Earl Wilson (columnist)
Earl Wilson , born Harvey Earl Wilson, was an American journalist, gossip columnist and author, perhaps best known for his nationally syndicated column, It Happened Last Night....
's "It Happened Last Night," Sylvia Porter's finance column, "Your Money's Worth" and Samuel Grafton's "I'd Rather Be Right." Soon, Hall developed his own features, including a variety of comic strips, Debbie Dean, Mark Trail
Mark Trail
Mark Trail is a newspaper comic strip created by the American cartoonist Ed Dodd. Introduced April 15, 1946, the strip centers on environmental and ecological themes. In 2006, King Features syndicated the strip to nearly 175 newspapers....
and Bruce Gentry
Bruce Gentry (comics)
Bruce Gentry was an aviation adventure comic strip by Ray Bailey, distributed by the Post-Hall Syndicate. It debuted March 25, 1945, and by July the strip had expanded to 35 newspapers.-Characters and story:...
, along with Herblock
Herblock
Herbert Lawrence Block, commonly known as Herblock , was an American editorial cartoonist and author best known for his commentary on national domestic and foreign policy from a liberal perspective.-Career:...
's editorial cartoons. Added to the mix were serialized books and columns, including Elise Morrow's "Capital Capers," Pierre de Rohan's "Man in the Kitchen," Sterling North
Sterling North
Thomas Sterling North was an American author of books for children and adults, including 1963's bestselling Rascal. North, who professionally went by "Sterling North", was born on the second floor of a farmhouse on the shores of Lake Koshkonong, a few miles from Edgerton, Wisconsin, in 1906, and...
's book reviews, Jimmy Cannon
Jimmy Cannon
Jimmy Cannon was a sports journalist inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame for his coverage of the sport.-Early career:...
's sports column and Major George Fielding Eliot writing on defense and tactics.
Post-war years
The company was incorporated as the New York Post Syndicate in August 1946. New features added in 1948-49 included Walt KellyWalt Kelly
Walter Crawford Kelly, Jr. , or Walt Kelly, was an American animator and cartoonist, best known for the comic strip, Pogo. He began his animation career in 1936 at Walt Disney Studios, contributing to Pinocchio and Fantasia. Kelly resigned in 1941 at the age of 28 to work at Post-Hall Syndicate,...
's Pogo, the adventure strip Tex Austin, Victor Riesel's "Inside Labor" column and a facts panel, Wizard of Odds.
On March 1, 1949, the company was renamed as the Post-Hall Syndicate, Inc., and during the 1950s, it distributed the writings of Norman Vincent Peale
Norman Vincent Peale
Dr. Norman Vincent Peale was a minister and author and a progenitor of the theory of "positive thinking".-Early life and education:...
.
The name was shortened to the Hall Syndicate after Robert Hall bought out the Post in 1955. Jules Feiffer
Jules Feiffer
Jules Ralph Feiffer is an American syndicated cartoonist, most notable for his long-run comic strip titled Feiffer. He has created more than 35 books, plays and screenplays...
's strips ran for 42 years in The Village Voice
The Village Voice
The Village Voice is a free weekly newspaper and news and features website in New York City that features investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts and music coverage, and events listings for New York City...
, first under the title Sick Sick Sick, briefly as Feiffer's Fables and finally as simply Feiffer. Influenced by UPA
United Productions of America
United Productions of America, better known as UPA, was an American animation studio of the 1940s through present day, beginning with industrial films and World War II training films. In the late 1940s, UPA produced theatrical shorts for Columbia Pictures, most notably the Mr. Magoo series. In...
and William Steig
William Steig
William Steig was a prolific American cartoonist, sculptor and, later in life, an author of popular children's literature...
, the strip debuted October 24, 1956. Three years later, beginning April 1959, Feiffer was distributed nationally by the Hall Syndicate, initially in The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
, Minneapolis Star Tribune
Star Tribune
The Star Tribune is the largest newspaper in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is published seven days each week in an edition for the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area. A statewide version is also available across Minnesota and parts of Wisconsin, Iowa, South Dakota, and North Dakota. The...
, Newark Star-Ledger and Long Island Press
Long Island Press
The Long Island Press is a free newsweekly serving Long Island with extensive coverage of arts and entertainment, sports, and alternative political viewpoints. The newspaper started in 2003 after its parent company, Morey Publishing, bought The Long Island Ear, which was a free bi-monthly...
.
In 1967, the company was sold to Field Enterprises
Field Enterprises
Field Enterprises was a private holding company founded on August 31, 1944, by Marshall Field III and others whose main asset was the Chicago Sun. That same year the company acquired the book publishers Simon & Schuster and Pocket Books....
, who merged it with the previously acquired Publishers Syndicate to form the Publishers-Hall Syndicate . Columnists featured by Publishers-Hall Syndicate included Rowland Evans Jr., Joseph Kraft
Joseph Kraft
Joseph Kraft was an American journalist.After working at the Washington Post and the New York Times in the 1950s, he became a speechwriter for 1960 Presidential candidate John F. Kennedy. His work landed him on the master list of Nixon political opponents...
and Sydney J. Harris. John McMeel was assistant general manager and national sales director for the Publishers-Hall Syndicate when he began what would become Andrews McMeel Universal
Andrews McMeel Universal
Andrews McMeel Universal is an American corporation based in Kansas City, Missouri. It was founded in 1970 by Notre Dame alumni Jim Andrews and John McMeel as Universal Press Syndicate and was renamed in 1997 to AMU to reflect the diversification that had taken place since its founding...
in 1970. It was later renamed Field Newspaper Syndicate.
In yet another name change, it was renamed News America Syndicate after the company was purchased by News Corporation
News Corporation
News Corporation or News Corp. is an American multinational media conglomerate. It is the world's second-largest media conglomerate as of 2011 in terms of revenue, and the world's third largest in entertainment as of 2009, although the BBC remains the world's largest broadcaster...
in 1984. Hearst
Hearst Corporation
The Hearst Corporation is an American media conglomerate based in the Hearst Tower, Manhattan in New York City, New York, United States. Founded by William Randolph Hearst as an owner of newspapers, the company's holdings now include a wide variety of media...
bought the syndicate in 1986 and renamed it North America Syndicate. It is now part of Hearst's syndication division, King Features Syndicate
King Features Syndicate
King Features Syndicate, a print syndication company owned by The Hearst Corporation, distributes about 150 comic strips, newspaper columns, editorial cartoons, puzzles and games to nearly 5000 newspapers worldwide...
.