Drew Friedman in SCREEM Magazine

The latest issue of SCREEM magazine is available, featuring my cover artwork, (images from the "Ed Wood. Jr trading cards"), and leading off with a new interview with me, conducted by the excellent pop culture journalist Thom Shubilla, who has written in the past about Tor Johnson and Buster Crabbe swimming pools.

Thom and I discuss many important and essential topics, including Ed Wood. Jr,
Bela Lugosi, Famous Monsters magazine, New York's Chiller Theatre vs Supernatural Theatre, Sammy Petrillo, Vampira, Basil Wolverton, Joe Franklin, Howard Stern, Barack Obama and naturally Tor Johnson. All this plus Duke Mitchell!

Order your copy here:
http://screemag.com/index.php

Foster Brooks LP's

Thanks To John Wendler

Robert Johnson Portrait

Robert Johnson (1911-1938) is a towering figure in the history of 20th century music. He was a master of early Mississippi Delta blues, but his influence extended into rock, jazz, folk, country, slide guitar, even punk. Eric Clapton called Johnson "the most important blues singer that ever lived." And Bob Dylan said that after first hearing Johnson sing, "I immediately differentiated between him and anyone else I had ever heard." Johnson's life was turbulent, shadowy, and short.

This is my newly completed portrait of Robert Johnson, being released as a limited edition print to coincide with his 104th birthday, May 8th.

http://www.drewfriedman.net/prints/robert-johnson.html

My preliminary pencil sketch:

Forgotten Caricaturists Remembered

Frank Sinatra by Sam Berman (1947)

The work of masters of twentieth century celebrity caricature, among them Miguel Covarrubias, Jack Davis, Mort Drucker, David Levine, Ronald Searle, Edward Sorel, Robert Grossman and especially Al Hirschfeld continues to be reprinted, celebrated, and discovered by new and younger audiences. Sadly, there are many once hugely popular celebrity caricaturists whose work, for one reason or another, has been largely forgotten and rarely warrants a mere mention in most books on the art of caricature, including the recent "Infinite Jest". Illustrators and pop culture historians Drew Friedman and Stephen Kroninger aim to rectify that situation by presenting the work of 12 great, yet neglected and forgotten caricaturists.

Drew Friedman and Stephen Kroninger discuss the Forgotten Caricaturists presentation on WNYC's Leonard Lopate show:
http://www.wnyc.org/story/reviving-work-and-names-master-caricaturists/

Join us on Wednesday May 6th at 6:30 PM at New York's Society of Illustrators for an entertaining visual presentation discussing and celebrating the long forgotten works of Al Freuh, Einar Nerman, William Auerbach-Levy, Lou Hirshman, Jacques Kapralik, Alex Gard, Sam Berman, George Wachsteter, Alan Jedla, Abel Ianiro, Bill Utterback and John Johns.

To order tickets:
http://www.societyillustrators.org/Product.aspx?id=12922

http://www.societyillustrators.org/Events-and-Programs/Lectures/2015/Caricaturists/12-Legendary-Caricaturists-You’ve,-(probably),-Never-Heard-Of.aspx


Steven Heller on Forgotten Caricaturists Remembered for PRINT:
http://www.printmag.com/daily-heller/forgotten-caricaturists-remembered/

Leonard Maltin for "Movie Crazy":
http://blogs.indiewire.com/leonardmaltin/from-cary-grant-to-groucho-captured-in-caricature-20150504

art by Jacques Kapralik (1940)

Marc Maron interviews Drew Friedman (and Mick Jagger)

My interview with Marc Maron for his WTF podcast is up today.

We discuss many fun topics, including Shemp Howard, Marty Allen, Jerry Lewis, and several of the "Heroes of the Comics" from my recent book.

Oh yeah, The lead-in interview is with a British musician
 named "Mick Jagger". Enjoy:

http://www.wtfpod.com

Marc Maron and I pose in front of the garage after our discussion

Recent illustrations.

From time to time I show some of my recent work on this blog, some pieces that  were assignments, and others, private commissions. Here's some recently completed illustrations. (Click the images to enlarge):

comedian and host of the WTF podcast Marc Maron commissioned this portrait.
 This will be a large poster available on Maron's site.
 I'll be a guest on an upcoming WTF.

Bob Dylan posed as Frank Sinatra, for HEEB, also availible as a
limited edition print (only three left)
http://www.drewfriedman.net

and an album cover that could have been. Art direction by Todd Alcott

author Mickey Spillane, who began his career writing for comic books,
created for my
next book More Heroes of the Comics, coming out in late 2016 from
Fantagraphic books.

Screenwriters Scott Alexander & Larry Karaszwski, for the cover of the
Writer's Guild magazine Written By

Comedian Gilbert Gottfried, for the New York Observer

NY Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom for the NY Observer

Comics artist Daniel Clowes, a private commission

the late underground comix artist Rory Hayes, a private commission

the late underground cartoonist Spain Rodriguez, a private commission

musician Eric Clapton who turns 70 on March 30th, this was a private commission.
This will be for sale as a (very) limited edition print:
http://www.drewfriedman.net

Lorne Greene and the Hotel BONANZA

The Hotel Bonanza, A two level, 160-room western-themed hotel and casino in Las Vegas, was constucted and owned by New York attorney Larry Wolf and opened on July 1, 1967. 

In order to capitalize on the then hugely popular primetime TV show Bonanza, the opening night revue was hosted by none other than the show's (Jewish) star Lorne Greene, "An Evening with Lorne Greene", who performed in his full Ponderosa/Ben Cartwright costume in the hotel's "Opera House Showcase of the Stars". Other performers in the revue included Suzi Wallace, "the Lively Five", "the Bonanza Girls", "Watusi Stampede '67", all backed by the Joe Guercio Orchestra. 

Lorne Greene performed his fairly recent hit "Ringo", and other popular songs of the day. His closing number was "What the World Needs Now". The audience loved it. 

In 1970 Larry Wolf went into bankruptcy and the hotel was demolished to make way for the MGM Grand Hotel, which would later burn down.

      Lorne Greene sings "You make me feel so Young":
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0g9PxDf0G9Y

Special Thanks to John Wendler

postcard for the Bonanza hotel featuring the show host Lorne Greene

back of postcard

a postcard of the new Hotel Bonanza in 1967

more postcards:

a 1970 Hotel Bonanza postcard

Lorne Greene with comics Red Buttons and Jimmy Durante in Las Vegas

Opening night jitters with conducter Joe Guercio

Dale Robertson performs at the Bonanza

hotel postcards featuring legendary western outlaws

the real draw for the hotel,
displaying her Bonanzas.

thanks to John Wendler