Waldo Hunt
Encyclopedia
Waldo Henley Hunt was a prolific producer of pop-up books, having nearly singlehandedly revived the genre in the post-war era.
. Haunted House by Jan Pieńkowski
, a pop-up book created by Hunt, won the 1980 Kate Greenaway Medal
for illustration of children's books.
Born in Chicago, Hunt grew up in San Mateo, California
. He terminated his college career at Stanford University
early to serve in World War II
. After the his Army
stint, Hunt began a career in advertising, starting his own agency.
He exited the advertising business to found a graphic design firm. At the new firm, Graphics International, he developed an interest in pop-up design, initially focused on pop-up advertisements for magazines.
In a 2002 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Hunt said, "I knew I'd found the magic key. No one was doing pop-ups in this country. No one could afford to make them here. They had to be done by hand, and labor was too expensive."
In 1965, Hunt published a book called Bennett Cerf
's Pop-Up Riddles, which was sold as a product promotion for $1.00 and two Maxwell House coffee labels. Cerf was the president of Random House at the time, and by 1967, Hunt had 30 pop-up books in production for Random House.
In the late late 1960s, Hallmark bought Graphics International, and Hunt next founded Intervisual Books to produce pop-up and movable books. Hunt became known as the "King of the Pop-Ups," and was considered by many to be "the father of the modern pop-up book industry" for his work in pioneering pop-up interactive books. His companies dominated the pop-up book business from the 1960s until the late 1990s. By 1996, Intervisual Books had published 1,000 movable books. Hunt's personal favorites included best-sellers, The Human Body by David Pelham, Haunted House, and How Many Bugs in a Box? by David A. Carter. In its obituary of Hunt, The New York Times wrote that Hunt was "almost single-handedly responsible" for the revival of the pop-up book in the United States and noted:
Cynthia Burlingham, director of the UCLA Grunwald Center for the Graphic Arts at the Hammer Museum
, said of Hunt, "He was such an important publisher of pop-up books who really advanced them technically. The pop-up designers who worked for him were amazing creative engineers."
In addition to producing pop-up works, he was a significant collector of pop-up and other movable books, amassing 4,000 antique and contemporary titles. Hunt's extensive collection was the basis for a 2002 exhibit, Pop Up! 500 Years of Movable Books, at the Los Angeles Central Library.
Hunt lived for 30 years in Encino, Los Angeles, California
. He retired in 2002 and moved to Springville, California
. He died from congestive heart failure
at age 88.
Biography
Intervisual Books, his company, created pop-up books of all varieties—from The Human Body to Harry Potter and the Chamber of SecretsHarry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is the second novel in the Harry Potter series written by J. K. Rowling. The plot follows Harry's second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, during which a series of messages on the walls on the school's corridors warn that the "Chamber of...
. Haunted House by Jan Pieńkowski
Jan Pienkowski
Jan Michel Pieńkowski is a Polish-born British illustrator and author of children's books.Pieńkowski illustrated his first book at the age of eight, as a present for his father. During World War II, Pieńkowski's family moved about Europe, finally settling in Herefordshire, England in 1946...
, a pop-up book created by Hunt, won the 1980 Kate Greenaway Medal
Kate Greenaway Medal
The Kate Greenaway Medal was established in the United Kingdom in 1955 in honour of the children's illustrator, Kate Greenaway. The medal is given annually to an outstanding work of illustration in children's literature. It is awarded by Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals...
for illustration of children's books.
Born in Chicago, Hunt grew up in San Mateo, California
San Mateo, California
San Mateo is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area. With a population of approximately 100,000 , it is one of the larger suburbs on the San Francisco Peninsula, located between Burlingame to the north, Foster City to the east, Belmont to the south,...
. He terminated his college career at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
early to serve in World War II
World 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...
. After the his Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
stint, Hunt began a career in advertising, starting his own agency.
He exited the advertising business to found a graphic design firm. At the new firm, Graphics International, he developed an interest in pop-up design, initially focused on pop-up advertisements for magazines.
In a 2002 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Hunt said, "I knew I'd found the magic key. No one was doing pop-ups in this country. No one could afford to make them here. They had to be done by hand, and labor was too expensive."
In 1965, Hunt published a book called Bennett Cerf
Bennett Cerf
Bennett Alfred Cerf was a publisher and co-founder of Random House. Cerf was also known for his own compilations of jokes and puns, for regular personal appearances lecturing across the United States, and for his television appearances in the panel game show What's My Line?.-Biography:Bennett Cerf...
's Pop-Up Riddles, which was sold as a product promotion for $1.00 and two Maxwell House coffee labels. Cerf was the president of Random House at the time, and by 1967, Hunt had 30 pop-up books in production for Random House.
In the late late 1960s, Hallmark bought Graphics International, and Hunt next founded Intervisual Books to produce pop-up and movable books. Hunt became known as the "King of the Pop-Ups," and was considered by many to be "the father of the modern pop-up book industry" for his work in pioneering pop-up interactive books. His companies dominated the pop-up book business from the 1960s until the late 1990s. By 1996, Intervisual Books had published 1,000 movable books. Hunt's personal favorites included best-sellers, The Human Body by David Pelham, Haunted House, and How Many Bugs in a Box? by David A. Carter. In its obituary of Hunt, The New York Times wrote that Hunt was "almost single-handedly responsible" for the revival of the pop-up book in the United States and noted:
"On the flat, foursquare pages of a printed book, Waldo H. Hunt could part the Red Sea. He could make hearts beat, lungs fill and bones rattle. He could make dinosaurs rear up, ships set sail and bats quiver in belfries."
Cynthia Burlingham, director of the UCLA Grunwald Center for the Graphic Arts at the Hammer Museum
Hammer Museum
The Armand Hammer Museum of Art and Culture Center, or the Hammer Museum as it is more commonly known, is an art museum in the Westwood district of Los Angeles, California...
, said of Hunt, "He was such an important publisher of pop-up books who really advanced them technically. The pop-up designers who worked for him were amazing creative engineers."
In addition to producing pop-up works, he was a significant collector of pop-up and other movable books, amassing 4,000 antique and contemporary titles. Hunt's extensive collection was the basis for a 2002 exhibit, Pop Up! 500 Years of Movable Books, at the Los Angeles Central Library.
Hunt lived for 30 years in Encino, Los Angeles, California
Encino, Los Angeles, California
Encino is a hilly district of the city of Los Angeles, California, United States. Specifically, it is located in the central portion of the southern San Fernando Valley and on the north slope of the Santa Monica Mountains...
. He retired in 2002 and moved to Springville, California
Springville, California
Springville is a census-designated place in Tulare County, California, United States. The population was 934 at the 2010 census, down from 1,109 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Springville is located at ....
. He died from congestive heart failure
Congestive heart failure
Heart failure often called congestive heart failure is generally defined as the inability of the heart to supply sufficient blood flow to meet the needs of the body. Heart failure can cause a number of symptoms including shortness of breath, leg swelling, and exercise intolerance. The condition...
at age 88.