An offer you can't refuse from Mobster Nick!

Stan Laurel

I first read the sad news of Stan Laurel's passing on February 23rd, 1965, coming back from school at my grandma's house, where I usually stopped to read the paper before heading home. I was 14 years old at the time, and had been a fan since the mid-fifities when the local TV station began showing their shorts. RIP Stanley!

Stan Laurel, born Arthur Stanley Jefferson (June 16, 1890-February 23, 1965), most famous for his role in the comedy duo Laurel and Hardy. With his comedy partner Oliver Hardy he appeared in 107 short films, feature films and cameo roles. Laurel began his career in the British music hall, from where he took a number of his standard comic devices: the bowler hat, the deep comic gravity, and the nonsensical understatement. His performances polished his skills at pantomime and music hall sketches. Laurel was a member of "Fred Karno's Army," where he was Charlie Chaplin's understudy. The two arrived in the US on the same ship from Britain with the Karno troupe. Laurel began his career in films in 1917 and made his last appearance in 1951. From 1928 onwards he appeared exclusively with Oliver Hardy. In August 1957, Oliver Hardy died. Laurel was too ill to attend his funeral and said, "Babe would understand".People who knew Laurel said he was devastated by Hardy's death and never fully recovered from it. He refused to perform on stage, or act in another film without his good friend, although he continued to socialize with his fans. Laurel was a heavy smoker until suddenly quitting around 1960. Stan Laurel died in February 1965, age 74, four days after suffering a heart attack. Just minutes away from death, Laurel told his nurse he would not mind going skiing right at that very moment. Somewhat taken aback, the nurse replied that she was not aware that he was a skier. "I'm not," said Laurel, "I'd rather be doing that than this!" A few minutes later the nurse looked in on him again and found that he had died quietly in his armchair. He is buried at Forest Lawn-Hollywood Hills.

Rio Olympics: Mexican diving team worried about health risks of Zika virus.

WHAT'S THE POINT?

Any way you look at it, entering cartoon contests is a waste of your time and effort!

Even if you're a winner, there's no money in it and you're never hired for a well-paying job!

If you're ever invited, skip it!

Meeting Sergio Aragonés!

Back in 1982, I had the great fortune of meeting Sergio Aragonés,  one of my all-time heroes and one of the original artists from way back when MAD Magazine was truly the best humor and satire publication. Sergio was one of my favorite artists along with Mort Drucker, Jack Davis, Paul Coker Jr., Jack Rickard, Al Jaffee, Antonio Prohias, Angelo Torres, Wallace Wood, Harvey Kurtzman, Will Elder, Bob Clarke, Norman Mingo, Dave Berg, Joe Orlando and the amazing Don Martin!  Sergio Aragonés was in Mexico City and not only did he graciously autograph my copy of one of his compilation books but regaled me with a funny little drawing of himself and MAD's Alfred E. Neuman as well. The speed with which he could dish out these drawings left my dumbfounded! I'll always cherish that moment from so long ago.
Viva Sergio!

AND NOW...A FEW UNREALIZED PROJECTS

Of course, every cartoonist has done a few projects which have never seen the light of day. These are a few examples of preliminary artwork done for different companies, which for one reason or another, couldn't get green-lighted!

My Laurel & Hardy Cartoon Collection

I joined the Laurel and Hardy appreciation society known as SONS OF THE DESERT in 1976 and had the fortune to meet Stan Laurel's daughter Lois when she flew to Mexico City on her way to Taxco. A delegation of our SOD branch, The Bullfighters Tent, was at the airport ready to greet her. Thus began a long friendship with Lois Laurel Hawes and many other wonderful members of the club. Most of these drawings were done during the first six years of my membership although I've managed to do a few more since then.

The Gold Key Years

Beep Beep The Road Runner and The Pink Panther kept me busy writing and drawing comic book stories for them during the 70s, 80s and part of the 90s. Thanks to these wonderful characters, I made a comfortable living and gave my son an education. I will always be grateful to the great artists who were responsible in creating them: Friz Freleng, David H. DePatie and Chuck Jones. Somehow, after Dell, Gold Key and Whitman comics disappeared, life has never been the same for me!

RIP Pat Harrington Jr., the voice of The Inspector!

Pat Harrington Jr., who played handyman Schneider on the popular sitcom "One Day At A Time", and was the voice of Inspector Clouseau on DePatie-Freleng's The Inspector cartoons in the 60s, died January 6th at age 86, his daughter announced Thursday morning.

Harold Lloyd caricature.

Harold Clayton Lloyd, Sr. (April 20, 1893 – March 8, 1971) was an  American actor, comedian, film director, film producer, screenwriter and stunt performer who is most famous for his silent comedy films. One of my all time favorite comedians, he developed a style known as “thrill comedy”. He made many short films for Hal Roach. His better known feature films are GRANDMA’S BOY, SAFETY LAST, GIRL SHY, WHY WORRY?, THE FRESHMAN, THE KID BROTHER and SPEEDY, from his silent period. His better talkie efforts were FEET FIRST, WELCOME DANGER, MOVIE CRAZY and THE MILKY WAY. This caricature of Lloyd was presented as a gift to Harold Lloyd’s granddaughter, Suzanne Lloyd  Hayes during her visit to Mexico City in 2008, promoting the Harold Lloyd Collection on DVD.

Unpublished Newspaper Cartoon commenting on City Mayor assassinated in Mexico.

IN MY LIFE

A Holiday message from Nick the Mobster:

A VERY PINK CHRISTMAS card

THE LAUREL AND HARDY CHRISTMAS CARDS:

A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT FROM MOBSTER NICK:

THE PINK PANTHER sample covers from the 70s and 80s. (Novaro Publishing)

These are a few of more than 200 Pink Panther comics I did for Novaro during the 70s and 80s.

This was a VID Publishers 1990s reworking of a previous cover I did for Novaro:

Most of my later VID comics were simply recreations of former stories I had done

for NOVARO  before it went bankrupt.