Some More 2020 Deaths: Marsalls, Graves, Prine, Drucker, Khan

DEATHS IN APRIL

ELLIS MARSALLS JR. 85

Jazz pianist, teacher and patriarch of a New Orleans musical family.  Died April 1.

EARL GRAVES SR., 85

He championed black businesses as founder of the first black-owned magazine focusing on black entrepreneurs.  Died April 6.

JOHN PRINE, 73

The singer-songwriter who explored the heartbreaks, indignities and absurdities of everyday life.  April 7.

MORT DRUCKER, 91

The Mad magazine cartoonist who for decades lovingly spoofed politicians, celebrities and popular culture.  (He sure warped me a tad.)  Died April 9.

IRRFAN KHAN, 54

A veteran character actor in Bollywood movies.  Died April 29.

Before Mad... The First Alfred E. Neuman?

From the July 2015 Our State Magazine "Before Mad..."

Mad magazine's familiar face first appeared in "The State" magazine in 1935, and on the magazine's cover in 1938.

"We can't say for sure that the editors of "Mad" magazine were fans of "The State," but the iconic "Mad" mascot debuted in 1954, Alfred E. Neuman, bears a striking resemblance to "Athaletic Al," who graced the cover of "The State" some twenty years before.

"Even Rich Powell, who regularly illustrates comics for "Mad" was surprised by the similarity.

"Turns out, "A;" was actually a popular character in print advertising as far back as the late 1800s."

"What, Me Worry? "  --Cooter

Ten Things You Might Not Know About Mascots-- Part 4: Mad's Alfred E. Neuman

From Wikipedia. //// Growing up in my early teenage years, I was a huge fan of Mad Magazine, just the right medium for a young boy's early years. I have since looked at the magazine and was amazed at how sophomoric it was. But, I will still pick one up and go through it any chance I get. Visiting my childhood you know. //// Mad's mascot, picture-boy Alfred E. Neuman, was created by the first Mad Editor Harvey Kurtzmand and named by Mad's second editor, Al Feldstein. //// Kurtzmand first saw him on a postcard pinned to the bulletin board of Ballantine Books editor Bernard Shir-Clift and remembers, "It's a face that didn't have a care in the world except mischief." //// Rarely seen in progile, Alfred has jug ears, a missing front tooth and one eye lower than the other. He was featured on nearly every cover but a few of the magazine's 500 issues. //// Spy vs. Spy and the Folding Back Page in Back. --Cooter