Jo Sullivan originated the role of Rosabella, the young mail-order bride in the original 1956 Broadway production of Frank Loesser's "The Most Happy Fella." She married the composer in 1959. After her husband's death in 1969, she continued to rear their family while managing his musical legacy. Jo Sullivan Loesser passed away earlier this year at the age of 91.
Her estate includes two original New Yorker cartoons that went on the auction block in Connecticut just yesterday. Both cartoons were published in September of 1991 and both are concerned with the subject of dogs. One of the drawings has a cat too for good measure. The auction house has identified both cartoons it would seem as the work of Michael Maslin, and it is half-right. The other cartoon is by Arnie Levin.
For reasons we can only guess at, the auction house has chosen to show us a close-up of the pencilled crop lines:
We also get a couple of random details from the back of the art:
"Somebody, Somewhere"
From "The Most Happy Fella"
Original 1956 Broadway Cast
Jo Sullivan as Rosabella
Music and Lyrics by Frank Loesser
Update: This post has prompted cartoonist Michael Maslin to write, "I find it interesting that someone applied the heavy ink(?) caption on mine. I would never have let my caption overwhelm the drawing. In your close-up you can see my caption ever-so-slightly underneath. Looks like it was erased."
Note: You can read Jo Sullivan Loesser's obituary in the Times here.
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Her estate includes two original New Yorker cartoons that went on the auction block in Connecticut just yesterday. Both cartoons were published in September of 1991 and both are concerned with the subject of dogs. One of the drawings has a cat too for good measure. The auction house has identified both cartoons it would seem as the work of Michael Maslin, and it is half-right. The other cartoon is by Arnie Levin.
Both drawings are matted and framed. Paperwork affixed to the back includes printer's instructions and copies of the printed cartoons.
The drawing by Arnie Levin includes no fewer than thirteen dogs (and even more than thirteen dog names). I love the way he draws them here—the dogs, not the names.
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| Capt. Hargeter's Obedience School Graduating Class 1991 Arnie Levin Original art The New Yorker, September 9, 1991, page 40 |
A temperamental dog confronts a possibly rude cat in the cartoon by Michael Maslin. While the dog and cat are sorting it out, just look at the lovely detail the artist has lavished on the house! When has a backyard looked quite so inviting?
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| "You may never have hissed at me, but it's certainly been implied." Michael Maslin Original art The New Yorker, September 23, 1991, page 32 |
For reasons we can only guess at, the auction house has chosen to show us a close-up of the pencilled crop lines:
We also get a couple of random details from the back of the art:
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| Arnie Levin and Michael Maslin |
These two cartoons when published look pretty similar to the original art:
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| Capt. Hargeter's Obedience School Graduating Class 1991 Arnie Levin The New Yorker, September 9, 1991, page 40 |
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| Capt. Hargeter's Obedience School Graduating Class 1991 Arnie Levin Original art The New Yorker, September 9, 1991, page 40 |
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| Cartoon by Arnie Levin |
The New Yorker has cleaned up its online archive. The words are legible now and the images sharp. It's about time.
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| Cartoons by Michael Maslin and William Hamilton |
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| "You may never have hissed at me, but it's certainly been implied." Michael Maslin Original art The New Yorker, September 23, 1991, page 32 |
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| "You may never have hissed at me, but it's certainly been implied." Michael Maslin The New Yorker, September 23, 1991, page 32 |
From "The Most Happy Fella"
Original 1956 Broadway Cast
Jo Sullivan as Rosabella
Music and Lyrics by Frank Loesser
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| https://www.amazon.com/Somebody-Somewhere-Happy-Loesser-Artist/dp/B0767PPBML |
Update: This post has prompted cartoonist Michael Maslin to write, "I find it interesting that someone applied the heavy ink(?) caption on mine. I would never have let my caption overwhelm the drawing. In your close-up you can see my caption ever-so-slightly underneath. Looks like it was erased."
Note: You can read Jo Sullivan Loesser's obituary in the Times here.
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