Charles Addams's First Published Cartoon?

An eBay listing offers a rare 1927 Westfield High School yearbook, the Weather Vane. The eBay seller contends that it holds Charles Addams's first published cartoon, a plausible enough statement. This would have been Addams's sophomore year and the fifteen-year-old is credited as one of three art editors on the yearbook staff. The Addams cartoon in question, dated 1927, appears on page 94 in a section dedicated to the foreign languages—and it's in Latin!

Logic

Terentia:  "When the man began to speak, he did not stop to think."

Cicero:  "But when the woman began to speak, he did not think to interrupt."

It's actually funnier in Latin where the parallel wordplay is more explicit. I don't believe for a minute that this Latin exercise was Addams's idea; he merely illustrated it. He said/she said cartoons were still common back then, but they were soon to be replaced in The New Yorker and later everywhere else, by single-speaker cartoons. The characters, Terentia and her husband Cicero the orator, are vaguely drawn in the style of 1920s newspaper comics. She is drawn as a beautiful flapper and he is drawn as a caricature a little reminiscent of Jiggs from George McManus's comic strip Bringing Up Father. Addams attempts to invoke Ancient Rome with the sandals and those ponderous Roman column table legs. It's rare to see him have any trouble with perspective, but the stool and table leg sit lower on Cicero's side while Terentia's stool is floating just above the tile line. Addams will outgrow all this soon.

Addams may be seen in the yearbook staff photo, I believe, standing to the right of center in the sweater vest.

"IS IT POSSIBLE THAT: . . .                                                         
Charles Addams has learned to play Bethune Jones' Piccolo?"

The yearbook's previous owner observes of Addams, "The neat thing is you can already see his unique, macabre style." And where might that be?

Say it isn't so!

Charles Addams
eBay listing accessed June 10, 2023

https://www.ebay.com/itm/175763869365?hash=item28ec57ceb5:g:-eAAAOSwiipkWV-S

Charles Addams
eBay item description

The Westfield Memorial Library has digitized a copy of the 1927 Westfield High School yearbook here. It reveals that Charles Addams had a second published drawing just four pages after the first, an illustration for the Sports section dated 1926. As with the Latin cartoon, he's already signing his name Chas.

I confess I'm not entirely sold on this Addams kid yet. Let's come back in a few years and see what he comes up with.

Image added June 28, 2023

Note:  Is the Latin drawing truly Charles Addams's first published cartoon? Very likely, unless he was previously published in some school or local newspaper. I'd like to hear from anyone who can confirm or refute this. Submissions of other Addams juvenilia, Latin or otherwise, would be welcome too.

04346 

Gahan Wilson: Reductio ad Absurdum

The Latin phrase reductio ad absurdum means reduction to absurdity. It is a device commonly used in argumentation, taking a statement or its denial to an extreme logical conclusion and thus showing it to be untenable. As we see here in this example by Gahan Wilson, it can be used in cartooning as well...

Gahan Wilson, Reduced for Clearance

EBay Listing Ended July 8, 2015 with Best Offer Accepted

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ORIGINAL-SIGNED-GAHAN-WILSON-CARTOON-ILLUSTRATION-REDUCED-FOR-CLEARANCE-/231613884529?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35ed436871&nma=true&si=MY%252BVlM1DDf4MNMNGGnCdh3m%252FHQQ%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

EBay Item Description

Note:  For further home study, simply choose your favorite blog topic:
Gahan Wilson
Original cartoon art
Latin
Size gags

01658

Bob Mankoff for President

Four years ago this blog neglected to endorse a Presidential candidate. That moral lapse will not be repeated in the current election cycle. Today Attempted Bloggery is proud to lead the national conversation by endorsing a Presidential candidate who has been quietly getting his name out there in cartoon books since at least 2007. Here's the sort of creative campaigning we need to see a lot more of:

Bob Mankoff, Bob Mankoff for President
Signed drawing in The New Yorker Cartoon Yearbook 2007

Bob Mankoff, for those who don't know, has been biding his time as cartoon editor of the New Yorker since 1997. He was publishing cartoons in the magazine for 20 years prior to that. Thus he is uniquely qualified to comment with insight and humor on the most pressing issues of our time.

In light of my early endorsement and the extraordinary publicity it is bound to engender, I have consented to be interviewed. My initial press conference found the members of the local press to be unavailable on short notice, so the interview has been conducted by the latest version of Siri. Bob Mankoff for President!

***

Siri:  So you are endorsing Bob Mankoff as a Presidential candidate, Doc.

Docnad:  Yes, Siri, I am unconditionally endorsing Bob Mankoff for President. You give a tough interview.

Siri:  Is he indeed running for President then?

Docnad:  Of course he is. Take a look at his drawing.

Siri:  What is Mr. Mankoff's party affiliation?

Docnad:  Well, I think that's his business, Siri. Either party would be lucky to have him. Or both. We could put an end to the coming contentious campaign today if both parties were simply to draft him.

Siri:  Doc, I don't think both major parties would choose the same Presidential candidate. Think of what would become of the debates.

Docnad:  We could still hold the debates. Bob Mankoff could debate himself. And if he wants, he could choose a different Vice President for each party.

Siri:  Would that be helpful?

Docnad:  No, Siri, but it might be funny.

Siri:  Has he informed you of any of his political views?

Docnad:  I don't speak for him, Siri. I met him only once. All I can tell you is that Bob Mankoff is a true American patriot whom I believe would make an outstanding Commander in Chief. And, to his credit, he did not sign that Senate letter to the leaders of Iran.

Siri:  But don't you think it's time we had a woman President?

Docnad:  I see where you're going with that. By all means, we should elect the most qualified candidate to be our President. But let me add that I'm pretty sure Bob Mankoff does not maintain a private email server in his laundry room.

Siri:  Doc, don't you stand to benefit personally from this endorsement? Isn't there a quid pro quo?

Docnad:  Sorry, Siri, I don't speak Latin.

Siri:  Might your endorsement, for example, earn you favorable treatment in the Caption Contest?

Docnad:  Have you seen my captions? I don't believe so.

Siri:  Come on, Doc. The voters deserve to know. What if first you endorse Bob Mankoff for President, then suddenly your captions become his little darlings for the next four years.

Docnad:  The Presidency is  an office of vital importance to our nation. I don't think he'd be able to continue his caption-judging responsibilities while in the White House. And I don't think you're taking his candidacy seriously.

Siri:  Well, would you agree then that the international situation is a serious, even a paramount, issue? Would Bob Mankoff be able to stand up to Vladimir Putin, for example? Could he take on the Iranians?

Docnad:  Siri, Bob Mankoff deals every day with disappointed cartoonists, some of whom experience repeated rejection, becoming emotionally unbalanced and even unstable. Ipso facto I'm sure he can handle a couple of fanatical Iranian clerics who want to build nukes.

Siri:  I thought you didn't speak Latin.

Docnad:  Next question.

Siri:  Doc, concerning your blog--

Docnad:  Oh, you've seen my blog?

Siri:  Yes, it's so sweet the way you've kept it up after the rest of the world has moved on. It's almost quaint.

Docnad:  Thank you. I think.

Siri:  Your blog shows you possess a number of books signed by Mr. Mankoff. If Bob Mankoff does become President, don't you stand to profit greatly as your personal library increases astronomically in value?

Docnad:  Oh, I see we're out of time. Siri, I'd just like to say how much I've enjoyed this interview. Let's do it again soon.


Note: Attempted Bloggery has long been following the political career of Bob Mankoff, the first Presidential candidate to be endorsed here.

Signed books with original drawings are a popular topic around here.

01470

Joseph Farris: The Latin Riddle Book

Cartoonist Joseph Farris, who passed away last week at the age of 90, provided the illustrations to The Latin Riddle Book published in 1988. Forty-one drawings from the project, including the cover drawing and an alternative version of the cover, were offered at auction last month by Swann Galleries. The collection of original book illustrations did not find a buyer despite a reasonable estimate. Sic transit gloria mundi.

Swann Auction Galleries, January 22, 2015, Lot 101

http://catalogue.swanngalleries.com/asp/fullcatalogue.asp?salelot=2372+++++101+&refno=++699591&image=0

Note:  Quo vadis?  Here are some quick links to this blog:

Joseph Farris

Original Book Illustrations

Latin

01418

Gaudeamus Igitur

In an annual rite of passage, eager college freshmen are moving into dormitories on campuses all over the country. This raises a concern, namely: are they prepared, musically, for the oldest college student's song of them all? 

Probably not. "Gaudeamus Igitur" is a traditional student song dating from the days when almost everyone studied Latin. It's been in its current form for well over two centuries. Christian Wilhelm Kindleben published his version of the verses in 1781 to be sung to a well-known melody of the time. The serious nature of some of the material did not preclude its use as a drinking song. In fact, it is the first line that sets the devil-may-care tone of the piece, and not the morbid musings on life's brevity.

http://www.users.on.net/~algernon/gaudeamus/translation.html

I leave it to the reader whether "Long live all young women" is a faithful translation of Vivant omnes virgines.

My personal introduction to the song was in the operetta "The Student Prince" (1924). The score is by Sigmund Romberg and the lyrics are by Dorothy Donnelly, but in addition there is that one traditional student's song. It's quite enjoyable and quite the showstopper. Tenor Mario Lanza, who does not himself appear on screen in the 1954 MGM movie, reportedly performed each track of the recording in just one take:

"Gaudeamus Igitur"

Mario Lanza (Voice of Prince Karl Franz)

"The Student Prince" 1954 MGM Film Soundtrack

Mario Lanza in "The Student Prince"

http://discosparaelrecuerdo.blogspot.com/2013/05/discos-de-oro-en-1954-usa.html

Is this traditional song still performed? Yes, I'm sure it is, but probably not as much as in years gone by and probably only rarely with all ten verses. Even "The Student Prince" doesn't get past the first verse, which is sung a total of three times.

Speaking from my own experience, I'm pleased to report that "Gaudeamus Igitur" was performed at the Vassar College Fall Convocation on August 31, 1983. Don't worry if you don't have a program; I saved mine. Note that in this arrangement four verses were performed in the order 1, 4, 3, 10.

Vassar College, Fall Convocation
August 31, 1983

"Gaudeamus!" Vassar College, Fall Convocation
August 31, 1983

A lovely sound can be heard from the Men of the Robert Shaw Chorale, who consider "Guadeamus Igitur" to be a "Glee Club Favorite." The verses sung are 1 and 10.

"Gaudeamus Igitur"
Men of the Robert Shaw Chorale
From "23 Glee Club Favorites" (1962)

Men of the Robert Shaw Chorale

"23 Glee Club Favorites" (1962)

http://www.amazon.com/ROBERT-CHORALE-Favorites-LSC-2598-Shaded/dp/images/B00933KOJM

The famous student's song is even quoted in an orchestral showpiece. Brahms's Academic Festival Overture concludes with the triumphant theme, which begins in the finale at around 9:11 on this video recording.

Johannes Brahms, Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80, 1880

Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, 1983

Leonard Bernstein, Conductor

Johannes Brahms, Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80, 1880

Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, 1983

Leonard Bernstein, Conductor

http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/Y1E6FBi-AJw/hqdefault.jpg

In 1953, the year prior to the release of the movie "The Student Prince" when the operetta was on no one's mind in particular, The New Yorker published a cartoon by Eldon Dedini of a monk singing in the shower. At this point, I bet you can guess what he's singing.

"Gaudeamus igitur,
Juvenes dum sumus;
Post jucundam juvenutem,
Post molestam senectutem
Nos habebit humus."
Eldon Dedini
The New Yorker, February 14, 1953, p. 40

https://archives.newyorker.com/newyorker/1953-02-14/flipbook/040/

The Robert Israel score to Harold Lloyd's "The Freshman" (1925) features the theme at about 7:01.

Harold Lloyd, "The Freshman" (1925)

Video added February 22, 2016

Most recently, the traditional school song appeared in the soundtrack for "Monsters University." The melody of "Gaudeamus Igitur" is prominent at the beginning of this clip as Mike and Sulley chase Archie the Scare Pig, the stolen mascot belonging to Fear Tech, Monsters University's rival college. Got that?

"Monsters University" (2013)

Animation Progression

Disney/Pixar

Sulley and Mike chase Archie the Scare Pig to the tune of "Gaudeamus Igitur" in Disney/Pixar's "Monsters University" (2013). The traditional school music during the early part of the chase is a really deft touch, and it's too bad they didn't put the same care into crafting a satisfying ending for this movie.

OK, you now know what I know about this song, and if you're musically inclined, you can even sing it, which I can't do for love or money. All together, now!

http://www.users.on.net/~algernon/gaudeamus/gaudeamus.pdf

http://www.users.on.net/~algernon/gaudeamus/gaudeamus.pdf

Note:  Here's another handy Latin phrase for the college bound: "Dimidus Asinus Genius." Does it mean half-assed genius? Not exactly, but still that might have been the inside joke among Disney's top brass. I am the current owner of former Disney President Donn Tatum's Ludwig von Drake cufflinks bearing those inspiring Latin words and if you agree that that's certainly worth a blog post, check it out here.

My pleas to have Attempted Bloggery's contents inform our nation's college curricula have gone unheeded, perhaps because I chose to run my entire academic campaign on April Fools Day and I don't think it was taken seriously. Nevertheless, I would love to hear all about it if this blog should ever be referenced in any college syllabus or other academic course materials. Look, it could happen. There's got to be secondary source material for a senior Comics thesis in here somewhere. Yes, they teach courses in Comics now. I believe the subject has replaced Latin.

Vivat Academia!

0860