Richard S. Newcombe
Encyclopedia
Richard S. Newcombe is the founder and president of Creators Syndicate
. Founded in 1987, his syndicate was the first to work toward a more equitable arrangement between syndicates and the talent that they represent. Newcombe continues to head up Creators
, which is headquartered in Los Angeles
, California
and celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2007.
Newcombe established Creators Syndicate in 1987. Today, the company represents numerous comic strip
s, in addition to Bill O'Reilly
, Robert Novak
, Mark Shields
, the Newsday Crossword Puzzle, Thomas Sowell
, Walter E. Williams
, Mona Charen
, Susan Estrich
and John Stossel
, among others.
Creators Syndicate is a multimillion-dollar corporation that has been operating in the black since 1989. Dozens of new syndicates are started every year, but other than Creators Syndicate
, the only successful independent syndicates founded in the past 50 years have been Universal Press Syndicate
in 1970 and the Hall Syndicate more than half a century ago.
With the newspaper industry in a period of reorganization because of competition from other media, most experts thought it impossible to start a successful new syndication company in recent times. But Newcombe believed that with his enthusiasm and knowledge of the business, he could put together the best staff in the industry and attract top talent by offering them freedom in their contracts. He also believes that "content is king" and that the future is unlimited with digital delivery.
called Newcombe “a superhero for cartoonists.” Creators Syndicate's comic strips include:
of the Atlanta Constitution, two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, Steve Kelley
of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Pulitzer Prize-winner Steve Benson of The Arizona Republic, Chip Bok
of the Akron Beacon Journal, Gary Varvel
of The Indianapolis Star and John Deering
of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Creators Syndicate also dominates in the lifestyle category with horoscopes by Holiday Mathis, and advice from Annie's Mailbox and Dear Margo. Best-selling humor columnists include Bruce Cameron
, Lenore Skenazy
and Andy Borowitz
.
Over the years, Newcombe has syndicated many celebrities, world leaders and well-known journalists, including Pope John Paul II
, Ann Landers, Richard Nixon
, Hillary Clinton, Jimmy Carter
, Nancy Reagan
, Henry Kissinger
, Erma Bombeck
, Art Buchwald
, Joyce Jillson
, Jeane Dixon
, Sydney Omarr
, Carl Rowan
, Dan Quayle
, Oliver North
, Sheinwold on Bridge, and editorial cartoonists Herblock
of The Washington Post, Paul Conrad
of the Los Angeles Times, Bill Mauldin
of the Chicago Sun-Times, Ranan Lurie
and Pat Oliphant
. He has syndicated the comic strips Dennis the Menace
, Mark Trail
, Sally Forth
, Crock, Star Wars
, Star Trek
, Judge Parker
and Mary Worth.
. Before joining NAS, Newcombe served as vice president and general manager of the Los Angeles Times Syndicate from 1978 to 1984.
A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Georgetown University
, where he was one of the founding editors of The Georgetown Voice, Newcombe worked as a reporter and editor at UPI for four years. He also studied for his MBA at the graduate business school of the University of Chicago. Prior to college, Newcombe was one of the first graduates of the prep school La Lumiere, in La Porte, Indiana, a few years before Chief Justice John Roberts
.
with his wife, Carole, an attorney and law school professor. Their daughter, Sara, also armed with a law degree, works in Internet advertising and lives on the east coast while their son, Jack, became executive vice president and general manager of Creators Syndicate in 2009 after receiving his MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business
in Palo Alto, California
. Jack lives with his wife Allison and their two dogs, Bauer and Bailey in Redondo Beach, CA.
Newcombe’s primary hobby is keeping fit, and he co-authored the book, The Businessman’s Minutes-a-Day Guide to Shaping Up with Dr. Franco Columbu
. At the time he helped write the book, Newcombe was working out regularly with Arnold Schwarzenegger
at the old World Gym in Santa Monica. He is also an avid pipe collector and authored a book In Search of Pipe Dreams in 2003.
Newcombe said that success in life results from setting challenging goals, assuming only positive results, and being disciplined in one’s work in order to turn dreams into reality. Asked if he has one burning passion at work, Newcombe replied, “Yes, to build Creators Syndicate into the biggest and best in the world.”
Creators Syndicate
Creators Syndicate is an independent distributor of comic strips and syndicated columns for daily newspapers. It was founded in 1987 by Richard S. Newcombe, and is based in Los Angeles. Creators was one of the first syndicates to allow its clients to maintain creative control of their material...
. Founded in 1987, his syndicate was the first to work toward a more equitable arrangement between syndicates and the talent that they represent. Newcombe continues to head up Creators
Creators Syndicate
Creators Syndicate is an independent distributor of comic strips and syndicated columns for daily newspapers. It was founded in 1987 by Richard S. Newcombe, and is based in Los Angeles. Creators was one of the first syndicates to allow its clients to maintain creative control of their material...
, which is headquartered in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2007.
Creators and content
Richard S. Newcombe accomplished what most industry analysts considered impossible: He founded the first successful independent newspaper syndication company in two decades—only the second major independent syndicate started since the 1930s.Newcombe established Creators Syndicate in 1987. Today, the company represents numerous comic strip
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
s, in addition to Bill O'Reilly
Bill O'Reilly (commentator)
William James "Bill" O'Reilly, Jr. is an American television host, author, syndicated columnist and political commentator. He is the host of the political commentary program The O'Reilly Factor on the Fox News Channel, which is the most watched cable news television program on American television...
, Robert Novak
Robert Novak
Robert David Sanders "Bob" Novak was an American syndicated columnist, journalist, television personality, author, and conservative political commentator. After working for two newspapers before serving for the U.S. Army in the Korean War, he became a reporter for the Associated Press and then for...
, Mark Shields
Mark Shields
Mark Shields is an American political columnist and commentator.Since 1988, Shields has provided weekly political analysis and commentary for PBS’ award-winning PBS NewsHour. His current sparring partner is David Brooks of The New York Times. Previous counterparts were the late William Safire,...
, the Newsday Crossword Puzzle, Thomas Sowell
Thomas Sowell
Thomas Sowell is an American economist, social theorist, political philosopher, and author. A National Humanities Medal winner, he advocates laissez-faire economics and writes from a libertarian perspective...
, Walter E. Williams
Walter E. Williams
Walter E. Williams, is an American economist, commentator, and academic. He is the John M. Olin Distinguished Professor of Economics at George Mason University, as well as a syndicated columnist and author known for his libertarian views.- Early life and education :Williams family during childhood...
, Mona Charen
Mona Charen
Mona Charen is an American columnist, political analyst, and the author of two best-selling books, Useful Idiots: How Liberals Got it Wrong in the Cold War and Still Blame America First and Do-Gooders: How Liberals Harm Those They Claim to Help — and the Rest of Us . Her political stance is...
, Susan Estrich
Susan Estrich
Susan Estrich is an American lawyer, professor, author, political operative, feminist advocate, and political commentator for Fox News.-Early life:...
and John Stossel
John Stossel
John F. Stossel is an American consumer reporter, investigative journalist, author and libertarian columnist. In October 2009 Stossel left his long time home on ABC News to join the Fox Business Channel and Fox News Channel, both owned and operated by News Corp...
, among others.
Creators Syndicate is a multimillion-dollar corporation that has been operating in the black since 1989. Dozens of new syndicates are started every year, but other than Creators Syndicate
Creators Syndicate
Creators Syndicate is an independent distributor of comic strips and syndicated columns for daily newspapers. It was founded in 1987 by Richard S. Newcombe, and is based in Los Angeles. Creators was one of the first syndicates to allow its clients to maintain creative control of their material...
, the only successful independent syndicates founded in the past 50 years have been Universal Press Syndicate
Universal Press Syndicate
Universal Press Syndicate, a subsidiary of Andrews McMeel Universal, is the world's largest independent press syndicate. It distributes lifestyle and opinion columns, comic strips and other content. Popular columns include Dear Abby, Ann Coulter, Roger Ebert and News of the Weird...
in 1970 and the Hall Syndicate more than half a century ago.
With the newspaper industry in a period of reorganization because of competition from other media, most experts thought it impossible to start a successful new syndication company in recent times. But Newcombe believed that with his enthusiasm and knowledge of the business, he could put together the best staff in the industry and attract top talent by offering them freedom in their contracts. He also believes that "content is king" and that the future is unlimited with digital delivery.
Comic strips
The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
called Newcombe “a superhero for cartoonists.” Creators Syndicate's comic strips include:
- AgnesAgnes-People:*Agnes , a female given name *Agnes of Assisi*Agnes of Gandersheim, Abbess of Gandersheim and Quedlinburg*Agnes of Poitou, Regent of the Holy Roman Empire*Agnes of Tristain, fictional character...
- Andy CappAndy CappAndy Capp is a British comic strip created by cartoonist Reg Smythe , seen in The Daily Mirror and The Sunday Mirror newspapers since 5 August 1957. Originally a single-panel cartoon, Smyth later expanded it to four panels....
- ArchieArchie-People:* Archie Karas , a Greek gambler known for turning $50 into $40 million before losing it all* Archie Brown , a British political scientist and historian* Archie Macpherson, Scottish sports broadcaster* Archie Thompson, Australian footballer...
- Ballard StreetBallard StreetBallard Street is a comic panel created by Jerry Van Amerongen and distributed by Creators Syndicate that has run since 1991.-About the Comic:...
- B.C.
- Dog Eat DougDog eat DougDog eat Doug is a comic strip written and illustrated by Brian Anderson. It began in 2004 as a webcomic that ran on the cartoonist's homepage and , and was later picked up for newspaper syndication through Creators Syndicate...
- HeathcliffHeathcliffHeathcliff may refer to:* Heathcliff , a comic strip about a cat of the same name** Heathcliff , a cartoon based on the above comic strip, produced by Ruby-Spears...
- The Meaning of LilaThe Meaning of LilaThe Meaning of Lila is a comic strip written by John Forgetta and L. A. Rose. It is syndicated by Creators Syndicate. The strip centers around Lila, her cubicle partner and close friend Boyd, and their friend and co-worker Drew. The central theme of the comic is about Lila trying to find the...
- MommaMommaMomma is an English language comic strip by Mell Lazarus which debuted on October 26, 1970. Initially distributed by the Publishers-Hall Syndicate, it is currently handled by Creators Syndicate and published in more than 400 newspapers worldwide....
- One Big HappyOne Big HappyOne Big Happy is a daily comic strip written and illustrated by Rick Detorie, detailing the daily adventures of a six-year-old girl named Ruthie. The strip also features her eight-year-old brother Joe, their parents Frank and Ellen, and their grandparents Nick and Rose, who live next door...
- The Other CoastThe Other CoastThe Other Coast is a comic strip, drawn by Adrian Raeside. It has been syndicated by the Creator's Syndicate since 2001. It is syndicated to more than 150 newspapers worldwide...
, - RubesRubesRubes is a syndicated newspaper single panel cartoon created by Leigh Rubin in 1984.Leigh Rubin began making and distributing his own greeting cards in 1979 through his company Rubes. The cartoon Rubes began appearing in newspapers in 1984 and is since 1989 syndicated by Creators Syndicate to over...
- Speed BumpSpeed bumpA speed bump is a speed-reducing feature of road design to slow traffic or reduce through traffic, via...
- The Wizard of IdThe Wizard of IdThe Wizard of Id is a daily newspaper comic strip created by American cartoonists Brant Parker and Johnny Hart. Beginning in 1964, the strip follows the antics of a large cast of characters in a shabby medieval kingdom called "Id". From time to time, the king refers to his subjects as "Idiots"...
- Zack Hill
Current and past features
Newcombe's company also syndicates political cartoonists Mike LuckovichMike Luckovich
Michael Edward Luckovich is an editorial cartoonist who has worked for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution since 1989...
of the Atlanta Constitution, two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, Steve Kelley
Steve Kelley (cartoonist)
Steve Kelley is a syndicated political cartoonist. Born in Virginia, he was an honors graduate of Dartmouth College in 1981, where he drew cartoons for both the Daily Dartmouth and The Dartmouth Review...
of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Pulitzer Prize-winner Steve Benson of The Arizona Republic, Chip Bok
Chip Bok
Chip Bok is an American editorial cartoonist for the Akron Beacon Journal. He received the National Cartoonist Society Editorial Cartoon Award for 1995 and 1999.-External links:*...
of the Akron Beacon Journal, Gary Varvel
Gary Varvel
Gary Varvel is a political cartoonist for the Indianapolis Star. Gary Varvel has been the editorial cartoonist for The Star since 1994. Previously he was the chief artist for The Indianapolis News for 16 years. His works are syndicated with Gannett....
of The Indianapolis Star and John Deering
John Deering
John W. Deering was the subject of an experiment to observe what would happen to the human heart during death by gunshot. Deering, an American facing execution by the state of Utah for the May 1938 murder of Oliver R. Meredith Jr., volunteered to have himself hooked up to an electrocardiogram...
of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Creators Syndicate also dominates in the lifestyle category with horoscopes by Holiday Mathis, and advice from Annie's Mailbox and Dear Margo. Best-selling humor columnists include Bruce Cameron
W. Bruce Cameron
William Bruce Cameron is an internationally known humor columnist. Cameron attended Westminster College. He is the author of 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter, a best selling self-improvement book adapted to the short-lived ABC sitcom which aired from 2002 to 2005...
, Lenore Skenazy
Lenore Skenazy
Lenore Skenazy writes a nationally syndicated column that appears in more than 100 papers through the Creators Syndicate. Her work offers commentary on everything from politics to family life to popular culture phenomena, and include My Dollar Store Addiction and Don't Call Me From Your Car Just...
and Andy Borowitz
Andy Borowitz
Andy Borowitz is a comedian and New York Times bestselling author who won the first National Press Club award for humor. He is best known for creating the satirical website , which has an audience in the millions...
.
Over the years, Newcombe has syndicated many celebrities, world leaders and well-known journalists, including Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
, Ann Landers, Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
, Hillary Clinton, Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
, Nancy Reagan
Nancy Reagan
Nancy Davis Reagan is the widow of former United States President Ronald Reagan and was First Lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989....
, Henry Kissinger
Henry Kissinger
Heinz Alfred "Henry" Kissinger is a German-born American academic, political scientist, diplomat, and businessman. He is a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. He served as National Security Advisor and later concurrently as Secretary of State in the administrations of Presidents Richard Nixon and...
, Erma Bombeck
Erma Bombeck
Erma Louise Bombeck was an American humorist who achieved great popularity for her newspaper column that described suburban home life from the mid-1960s until the late 1990s...
, Art Buchwald
Art Buchwald
Arthur Buchwald was an American humorist best known for his long-running column in The Washington Post, which in turn was carried as a syndicated column in many other newspapers. His column focused on political satire and commentary...
, Joyce Jillson
Joyce Jillson
Joyce Jillson was a syndicated newspaper columnist, best-selling author, actress, and astrologer. Her column was syndicated worldwide in over 200 papers and magazines....
, Jeane Dixon
Jeane Dixon
Jeane L. Dixon was one of the best-known American astrologers and psychics of the 20th century, due to her syndicated newspaper astrology column, some well-publicized predictions, and a best-selling biography....
, Sydney Omarr
Sydney Omarr
Sydney Omarr was an American astrologer and an astrology consultant to the rich and famous. Omarr was born Sidney Kimmelman at 10:27 am, in Philadelphia, with the Sun, Mercury and Neptune all in Leo, and Libra on the Ascendant.While he wrote numerous books on the subject of astrology, including...
, Carl Rowan
Carl Rowan
Carl Thomas Rowan , was an American government official, journalist and author. Rowan was a nationally-syndicated op-ed columnist for the Washington Post and the Chicago Sun-Times. He was one of the most prominent black journalists of the 20th century.-Background:Carl Rowan was born in...
, Dan Quayle
Dan Quayle
James Danforth "Dan" Quayle served as the 44th Vice President of the United States, serving with President George H. W. Bush . He served as a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from the state of Indiana....
, Oliver North
Oliver North
Oliver Laurence North is a retired U.S. Marine Corps officer, political commentator, host of War Stories with Oliver North on Fox News Channel, a military historian, and a New York Times best-selling author....
, Sheinwold on Bridge, and editorial cartoonists Herblock
Herblock
Herbert Lawrence Block, commonly known as Herblock , was an American editorial cartoonist and author best known for his commentary on national domestic and foreign policy from a liberal perspective.-Career:...
of The Washington Post, Paul Conrad
Paul Conrad
Paul Francis Conrad was an American political cartoonist from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. During college, Conrad started cartooning at the University of Iowa for the Daily Iowan. While serving with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, during World War II, Conrad received a B.A. in art in 1950...
of the Los Angeles Times, Bill Mauldin
Bill Mauldin
William Henry "Bill" Mauldin was a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist from the United States...
of the Chicago Sun-Times, Ranan Lurie
Ranan Lurie
Ranan R. Lurie is an American Israeli editorial cartoonist and journalist. He is a Senior Associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a member of the United Nation Correspondents Association, and the editor of Cartoon News magazine.Lurie became a naturalized citizen of the...
and Pat Oliphant
Pat Oliphant
Patrick Bruce "Pat" Oliphant is the most widely syndicated political cartoonist in the world, described by the New York Times as "the most influential cartoonist now working"...
. He has syndicated the comic strips Dennis the Menace
Dennis the Menace (U.S.)
Dennis the Menace is a daily syndicated newspaper comic strip originally created, written and illustrated by Hank Ketcham. It debuted on March 12, 1951 in 16 newspapers and was originally distributed by Post-Hall Syndicate...
, Mark Trail
Mark Trail
Mark Trail is a newspaper comic strip created by the American cartoonist Ed Dodd. Introduced April 15, 1946, the strip centers on environmental and ecological themes. In 2006, King Features syndicated the strip to nearly 175 newspapers....
, Sally Forth
Sally Forth (syndicated strip)
Sally Forth is a daily comic strip created by Greg Howard in 1982, focusing on the life of a white American middle-class mother at home and work. Sally's name is a play on words—"to sally forth" means to set out on an adventure....
, Crock, Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
, Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
, Judge Parker
Judge Parker
Judge Parker is a soap opera-style comic strip created by Nicholas P. Dallis that first appeared on November 24, 1952. The strip's look and content were influenced by the work of Allen Saunders and Ken Ernst on Mary Worth.-Characters and story:...
and Mary Worth.
Before Creators Syndicate
Prior to founding the company, Newcombe served as president of News America Syndicate, which was the third largest syndicate in the world and at the time owned by Rupert MurdochRupert Murdoch
Keith Rupert Murdoch, AC, KSG is an Australian-American business magnate. He is the founder and Chairman and CEO of , the world's second-largest media conglomerate....
. Before joining NAS, Newcombe served as vice president and general manager of the Los Angeles Times Syndicate from 1978 to 1984.
A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
, where he was one of the founding editors of The Georgetown Voice, Newcombe worked as a reporter and editor at UPI for four years. He also studied for his MBA at the graduate business school of the University of Chicago. Prior to college, Newcombe was one of the first graduates of the prep school La Lumiere, in La Porte, Indiana, a few years before Chief Justice John Roberts
John Roberts
John Glover Roberts, Jr. is the 17th and current Chief Justice of the United States. He has served since 2005, having been nominated by President George W. Bush after the death of Chief Justice William Rehnquist...
.
Family life and hobbies
A native of Winnetka, Ill., Newcombe grew up in a newspaper family. His father, Leo Newcombe, served as senior vice president for the newspaper division of Field Enterprises. He also was business manager and later general manager of the Chicago Daily News and the Chicago Sun-Times. Newcombe lives in the Brentwood section of Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
with his wife, Carole, an attorney and law school professor. Their daughter, Sara, also armed with a law degree, works in Internet advertising and lives on the east coast while their son, Jack, became executive vice president and general manager of Creators Syndicate in 2009 after receiving his MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business
Stanford Graduate School of Business
The Stanford Graduate School of Business is one of the professional schools of Stanford University, in Stanford, California and is broadly regarded as one of the best business schools in the world.The Stanford GSB offers a general management Master of Business Administration degree, the Sloan...
in Palo Alto, California
Palo Alto, California
Palo Alto is a California charter city located in the northwest corner of Santa Clara County, in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, United States. The city shares its borders with East Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Stanford, Portola Valley, and Menlo Park. It is...
. Jack lives with his wife Allison and their two dogs, Bauer and Bailey in Redondo Beach, CA.
Newcombe’s primary hobby is keeping fit, and he co-authored the book, The Businessman’s Minutes-a-Day Guide to Shaping Up with Dr. Franco Columbu
Franco Columbu
Franco Columbu is an Italian actor, former bodybuilder and World's Strongest Man competitor.-Bodybuilding:Columbu was born in Ollolai, Sardinia . Starting out his athletic career as a boxer, Columbu progressed into the sport of Olympic Weightlifting, powerlifting and later bodybuilding, winning...
. At the time he helped write the book, Newcombe was working out regularly with Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
at the old World Gym in Santa Monica. He is also an avid pipe collector and authored a book In Search of Pipe Dreams in 2003.
Newcombe said that success in life results from setting challenging goals, assuming only positive results, and being disciplined in one’s work in order to turn dreams into reality. Asked if he has one burning passion at work, Newcombe replied, “Yes, to build Creators Syndicate into the biggest and best in the world.”