Laugh, Hardy Har Har, Laugh!

Good afternoon, Kids! So nice to visit with you all again!

Today the Big Blog will be highlighting another work from the wonderful team of painter, Norman McGary and draftsman, Hawley Pratt

As was true in my last post regarding Mr. McGary, I can find virtually no bibliographic information at all. McGary and his work are listed in several art gallery online sources as an “illustrator of children’s books” or as an illustrator of Hannah-Barbera and Disney characters (as here). And other than a birth/death date (Born October 20, 1930; Died February 10, 2012 – he passed away in California) not much was found.

Mr. McGary did a great deal of work for Golden Books (both big and little). And it all was simply gorgeous. I’ve collected many in my collection and will be sharing them. He often collaborated with the great Hawley Pratt, who always supplied the drawing (as here).

This is from Lippy the Lion and Hardy Har Har, A Little Golden Book from 1963. The author is Gina Ingoglia Weiner, and I find the story sweet (and a touch melancholy), as I find the cartoons involving the Hanna-Barbera character, Hardy Har Har – the laughing hyena that couldn’t laugh.

Well, that's all for now, Kids! Coming up: An artist and a comic strip character new to me (I love when that happens)! Dave Gerard and his creation "Will-Yum" appearing in a Dell Four Color comic from 1954!

I will see you all again very soon. Until then, I hope you are all warm, safe, and happy!

--Your friend, Mykal

Mel Crawford's Big Red!

Hi, Kids! As promised last post, today we have some more beautiful artwork from the great Mel Crawford featured in the 1962 Little Golden Book, Walt Disney’s Big Red.

Big Red tells the story of a big Irish Setter, owned by a wealthy man and kept in his kennel of ribbon-winning show dogs. Like all dogs, however, Big Red needed a kid! This story is adopted beautifully by Kathleen N. Daly from the Disney move of the same name. Ms. Daly was an editor at Little Golden Books in the 1960s and penned many of the stories.

I love Little Golden Books. The artwork was (and still is) exquisite. Just look at this series of beautiful paintings by Mr. Crawford!

I hope all you kids are having a great holiday season. I will see you all again very soon. Until then, I hope you are all warm, safe, and happy!

--Your friend, Mykal

Next up, some work from one of my all-time favorite cartoonists, Howie Post!

Loopy De Loop in Little Golden Books

For those that may not remember, Loopy De Loop was a much undervalued Hanna Barbara cartoon from the 1950s/1960s; starring a misunderstood french Canadian hobo wolf that traveled around determined to give wolves a good name. His goodwill mission was constantly hampered by the fact that he was, well, a wolf. He spoke in broken English, which didn't help matters either. In his dauntless way, he was rather heartbreaking, introducing himself as "Loopy De Loop, the good wolf!"

This comes from a Little Golden Book published in 1960 with artwork by George Santos.

Hamilton Greene - "Golden" Horses

My last post highlighting the western work of Everett Raymond Kinstler really got me in the mood for more horsey artwork. Here is a Little Golden Book from 1962 featuring paintings by Hamilton Greene. Wow, is this some pretty stuff. Not to be overlooked is the wonderful children's writing of Blanche Chenery Perrin.