Syd Hoff
Encyclopedia
Syd Hoff was a Jewish-American cartoonist and children's book author. Although best known for his classic early reader Danny and the Dinosaur
, his cartoons appeared in a multitude of genres, including advertising commissions for such companies as Eveready Batteries, Jell-O, S.O.S Pads, Rambler, Ralston Cereal and more.
While Hoff was still in high school, Milt Gross
, a popular 1930s cartoonist, told him at an assembly that "Kid, someday you'll be a great cartoonist!" At 16, he enrolled at the National Academy of Design
in New York City
. At 18, he sold his first cartoon to The New Yorker
, and would sell a total of 571 of them to the publication from 1931 to 1975. Hoff became known for his cartoons, in The New Yorker, depicting tenements and lower-middle class life in the city.
Hoff drew two long-running syndicated comic strips: Tuffy (1939–1949) and Laugh It Off (1958–1978). One of Hoff's recurring characters, a walrus-mustached man, eventually appeared as the father in his daily Tuffy, done for the King Features Syndicate
from 1940 to 1950.
His cartoons have appeared in a variety of publications including, the New Yorker, Esquire
, Look magazine. He was also the host of a television show, Tales of Hoff, in which he drew and told stories.
Hoff wrote and illustrated over 60 volumes in the HarperCollins
"I Can Read" series for beginning readers, most notably Sammy the Seal
and the popular Danny and the Dinosaur
(1958), which sold 10 million copies and has been translated into a dozen languages.
In 1976, Hoff edited and published Editorial and Political Cartooning: From Earlier Times to the Present, which contains over 700 examples of works from the world's editorial and political cartoons.
Danny and the Dinosaur
Danny and the Dinosaur is a popular children's book by Syd Hoff, first published by Harper & Row in 1958. It has sold over six million copies and has been translated into a dozen languages. The book inspired two sequels by Syd Hoff: Happy Birthday, Danny and the Dinosaur! and Danny and the Dinosaur...
, his cartoons appeared in a multitude of genres, including advertising commissions for such companies as Eveready Batteries, Jell-O, S.O.S Pads, Rambler, Ralston Cereal and more.
While Hoff was still in high school, Milt Gross
Milt Gross
Milt Gross , was an American comic strip and comic book writer, illustrator and animator. He wrote his comics in a Yiddish-inflected English. He originated the non-sequitur "Banana Oil!" as a phrase deflating pomposity and posing. His character Count Screwloose's admonition, "Iggy, keep an eye on...
, a popular 1930s cartoonist, told him at an assembly that "Kid, someday you'll be a great cartoonist!" At 16, he enrolled at the National Academy of Design
National Academy of Design
The National Academy Museum and School of Fine Arts, founded in New York City as the National Academy of Design – known simply as the "National Academy" – is an honorary association of American artists founded in 1825 by Samuel F. B. Morse, Asher B. Durand, Thomas Cole, Martin E...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. At 18, he sold his first cartoon to The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
, and would sell a total of 571 of them to the publication from 1931 to 1975. Hoff became known for his cartoons, in The New Yorker, depicting tenements and lower-middle class life in the city.
Hoff drew two long-running syndicated comic strips: Tuffy (1939–1949) and Laugh It Off (1958–1978). One of Hoff's recurring characters, a walrus-mustached man, eventually appeared as the father in his daily Tuffy, done for the King Features Syndicate
King Features Syndicate
King Features Syndicate, a print syndication company owned by The Hearst Corporation, distributes about 150 comic strips, newspaper columns, editorial cartoons, puzzles and games to nearly 5000 newspapers worldwide...
from 1940 to 1950.
His cartoons have appeared in a variety of publications including, the New Yorker, Esquire
Esquire (magazine)
Esquire is a men's magazine, published in the U.S. by the Hearst Corporation. Founded in 1932, it flourished during the Great Depression under the guidance of founder and editor Arnold Gingrich.-History:...
, Look magazine. He was also the host of a television show, Tales of Hoff, in which he drew and told stories.
Hoff wrote and illustrated over 60 volumes in the HarperCollins
HarperCollins
HarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
"I Can Read" series for beginning readers, most notably Sammy the Seal
Pinniped
Pinnipeds or fin-footed mammals are a widely distributed and diverse group of semiaquatic marine mammals comprising the families Odobenidae , Otariidae , and Phocidae .-Overview: Pinnipeds are typically sleek-bodied and barrel-shaped...
and the popular Danny and the Dinosaur
Danny and the Dinosaur
Danny and the Dinosaur is a popular children's book by Syd Hoff, first published by Harper & Row in 1958. It has sold over six million copies and has been translated into a dozen languages. The book inspired two sequels by Syd Hoff: Happy Birthday, Danny and the Dinosaur! and Danny and the Dinosaur...
(1958), which sold 10 million copies and has been translated into a dozen languages.
In 1976, Hoff edited and published Editorial and Political Cartooning: From Earlier Times to the Present, which contains over 700 examples of works from the world's editorial and political cartoons.
Children's books
- Mr. His: a Children's Story for Anybody (New Masses, 1939)
- Muscles and Brains (Dial Press, 1940)
- Mom, I'm Home! (Doubleday/Doran & Co., 1945)
- Oops! Wrong Party! (Dutton, 1951)
- It's Fun Learning Cartooning (Stravon Publishers, 1952)
- Oops! Wrong Stateroom! (Washburn, 1953)
- Out of Gas (Ives Washburn, 1954)
- Eight Little Artists (Abelard-Schuman)
- Patty's Pet (Young Readers Press, 1955)
- Danny and the Dinosaur series (Harper & Row, 1958–1996)
- Danny and the Dinosaur (1958)
- Happy Birthday, Danny and the Dinosaur (1985)
- Danny and the Dinosaur Go to Camp (1996)
- Chester (Harper & Row, 1959)
- Julius (Harper & Row, 1959)
- Sammy the Seal (Harper & Row, 1959)
- Ogluk the Eskimo (Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1960)
- Oliver (Harper & Row, 1960)
- Where's Prancer? (Harper & Brothers, 1960)
- Who Will Be My Friends? (Harper & Row, 1960)
- Albert the Albatross (Harper & Row, 1961)
- Little Chief (Harper & Row, 1961)
- Stanley (Harper & Row, 1962)
- Grizzwold (Reader's Digest Services, 1963)
- Lengthy (G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1964)
- Mrs. Switch (Putnam, 1966)
- Irving and Me (Harper & Row, 1967) — for young adults; no illustrations
- Jeffrey at Camp (Putnam, 1968)
- Slithers (G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1968)
- Wanda's Wand (C. R. Gibson Co., 1968)
- The Witch, the Cat, and the Baseball Bat (Grosset & Dunlap, 1968)
- Baseball Mouse (Putnam, 1969)
- Herschel the Hero (Putnam, 1969)
- Roberto and the Bull (McGraw-Hill, 1969)
- The Horse in Harry's Room (Harper & Row, 1970)
- A Walk Past Ellen's House (McGraw-Hill, 1973) ISBN 0437470199
- Barkley (Harper & Row)
- Henrietta series (Garrard Pub. Co., 1977–1985)
- Henrietta Lays Some Eggs (1977)
- Henrietta, Circus Star (1978)
- Henrietta, the Early Bird (1978)
- Henrietta Goes to the Fair (1979)
- Henrietta's Halloween (1980)
- Henrietta's Fourth of July (1981)
- Happy Birthday, Henrietta! (1983)
- Henrietta's Vacation (1985)
- Walpole (Harper & Row, 1977)
- The Young Cartoonist, The ABC's of Cartooning (Stravon, 1983)
- Barney's Horse (Harper & Row, 1987)
- Mrs. Brice's Mice (Harper & Row, 1988)
- Captain Cat (Harper Collins, 1993)
Books for adults
- Naval Secrets: This Book is Filled with Man-to-Man Ideas and Aids to Help you Record Your Bang-up Navy Experiences (Hillair Publishing Company, 1943)
- Military Secrets: This Book is Filled with Man-to-Man Ideas and Aids to Help you Record Your Bang-up Army Experiences (Hillair Publishing Company, 1943)
- Feeling No Pain: an Album of Cartoons (Dial Press, 1944)
- Okay—You Can Look Now! (Duell, Sloan and Pearce, 1955)
- The Better Hoff (Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1961)
- Upstream, Downstream and Out of My Mind (Bobbs-Merrill, 1961)
- Twixt the Cup and the Lipton (Bobbs-Merrill, 1962)
- So This is Matrimony: Cartoons (Pocket Books, 1962)
- Hunting, Anyone? (Bobbs-Merrill, 1963)
- From Bed to Nurse, or, What a Way to Die (Dell, 1963)
External links
- Syd Hoff Cartoons (1948-1969) at Syracuse University (primary resource material)