Whitney Ellsworth
Encyclopedia
Fredric Whitney Ellsworth (November 27, 1908 – September 7, 1980) was an American
comic book
editor
, and sometime writer
and artist
for DC Comics
during the period known to historians and fans as the Golden Age of Comic Books
. He was also DC's "movie studio contact," becoming both a producer and story editor on the TV series The Adventures of Superman.
, New York
. He took a cartooning course at the YMCA
in Brooklyn and worked on the syndicated features Dumb Dora (for Newspaper Feature Service), Embarrassing Moments (providing plots, pencils and inks for both) and Just Kids (assisting with pencils and inks, for the King Features Syndicate
) between 1927 and 1929. In the early 1930s, he began working on another syndicated feature, Tillie the Toiler
for King, as well as writing gag cartoons, articles and features for the Newark Star-Eagle/Ledger newspaper (1931–1934), also finding time to work on a number of pulp magazine
stories throughout the 1930s.
's fledgling company National Allied Publications, later known as DC Comics
. Initially an assistant editor, before becoming associate editor (1936–38), Ellsworth worked on such titles as Billy the Kid, Little Linda and More Fun Comics
, as well as producing cover roughs for several years. Ellsworth left the company in c. 1937-38 for a brief hiatus in California
before returning to DC a couple of years later. He subsequently served as editorial director until c. 1951-1953, in particular on such titles as the flagship titles Action Comics
, Adventure Comics
, Batman
, Detective Comics
and Superman
between 1939 and 1951, and later on such diverse titles as The Adventures of Alan Ladd, All-Star Comics, Green Lantern
, Mr. District Attorney, Real Fact Comics, Real Screen Comics, Scribbly
, Superboy
and Wonder Woman
(among others) between 1948 and 1951.
two pulps - #76 Murder at the World's Fair and #77 The Forty Thieves in June and July 1939), among others.
et al.), developed a number of projects (including creating Congo Bill in 1941) and wrote several more, including Hollywood Screen Shots (1936) (which, like some others, he also pencilled an inked), Slam Bradley
, Genius Jones, Laughing at Life, Speed Saunders
and Starman
, among many other characters and comics.
He also sketched "rough cover layouts for DC's top titles," including notably some for "Batman
and Detective Comics
until about 1946."
newspaper strip
, which appeared first on Sundays and later on weekdays. Featuring artwork primarily from Sheldon Moldoff
and Joe Giella
, Ellsworth wrote the strip between 1966 and 1970, whereupon E. Nelson Bridwell
took over for a couple of years.
, a position which gave him absolute control of the script and production. He initially objected to casting of Kirk Alyn
as the lead, whom producer Sam Katzman
had found by looking through studio photographs. This was made even worse when Alyn came in for a screen test, during filming on a historical film, with a goatee and moustache. These initial reservations were eventually overcome and Alyn got the part. Columbia's advertising claimed that they could not get an actor to fill the role so they had hired Superman himself. Kirk Alyn was merely playing Clark Kent.
(1950) (also with Kirk Alyn), and co-wrote the sequel Superman and the Mole Men
(1951) before becoming a producer, episode writer, and script editor
on the subsequent live-action TV series The Adventures of Superman (both starring George Reeves
as the Man of Steel). In 1958, he created a pilot titled Superpup, which attempted to capitalise on that series' success by recasting the Superman
mythos in a fictional universe populated by dogs instead of people.
Three years later, Ellsworth helped produce another ultimately-aborted pilot for another spin-off series called The Adventures of Superboy
.
, Ellsworth was also a consultant on the two Batman serials in 1943
and 1949
; the Superman serial
starring Kirk Alyn that was a precursor to the later live-action Superman features, and the Congo Bill serial (1949). He is listed as having been - for "one week only" - a consultant on the 1966 Batman
TV series (with Adam West
), and a writer for the Superman radio show
during the war years
.
In addition, he wrote the Off-Broadway
production Maiden Voyage (1935), for the TV series The Millionaire1 (1955) between c. 1954-56 and produced another pilot in 1961, this time for a "comedy-detective series starring Sheree North
" to be called Here's O'Hare (ABC
did not pursue the show).
Ellsworth is also said by Bails to have helped co-write The Godfather
.
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
, and sometime writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
for DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
during the period known to historians and fans as the Golden Age of Comic Books
Golden Age of Comic Books
The Golden Age of Comic Books was a period in the history of American comic books, generally thought of as lasting from the late 1930s until the late 1940s or early 1950s...
. He was also DC's "movie studio contact," becoming both a producer and story editor on the TV series The Adventures of Superman.
Biography
Whitney "Whit" Ellsworth was born in BrooklynBrooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He took a cartooning course at the YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
in Brooklyn and worked on the syndicated features Dumb Dora (for Newspaper Feature Service), Embarrassing Moments (providing plots, pencils and inks for both) and Just Kids (assisting with pencils and inks, 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...
) between 1927 and 1929. In the early 1930s, he began working on another syndicated feature, Tillie the Toiler
Tillie the Toiler
Tillie the Toiler was a newspaper comic strip created by cartoonist Russ Westover who initially worked on his concept of a flapper character in a strip he titled Rose of the Office...
for King, as well as writing gag cartoons, articles and features for the Newark Star-Eagle/Ledger newspaper (1931–1934), also finding time to work on a number of pulp magazine
Pulp magazine
Pulp magazines , also collectively known as pulp fiction, refers to inexpensive fiction magazines published from 1896 through the 1950s. The typical pulp magazine was seven inches wide by ten inches high, half an inch thick, and 128 pages long...
stories throughout the 1930s.
National Allied Publications (DC)
In late 1934, he became associated with Major Malcolm Wheeler-NicholsonMalcolm Wheeler-Nicholson
Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson was an American pulp magazine writer and entrepreneur who pioneered the American comic book, publishing the first such periodical consisting solely of original material rather than reprints of newspaper comic strips...
's fledgling company National Allied Publications, later known as DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
. Initially an assistant editor, before becoming associate editor (1936–38), Ellsworth worked on such titles as Billy the Kid, Little Linda and More Fun Comics
More Fun Comics
More Fun Comics, originally titled New Fun: The Big Comic Magazine a.k.a. New Fun Comics, was a 1935-1947 American comic book anthology that introduced several major superhero characters and was the first American comic-book series to feature solely original material rather than reprints of...
, as well as producing cover roughs for several years. Ellsworth left the company in c. 1937-38 for a brief hiatus in 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...
before returning to DC a couple of years later. He subsequently served as editorial director until c. 1951-1953, in particular on such titles as the flagship titles Action Comics
Action Comics
Action Comics is an American comic book series that introduced Superman, the first major superhero character as the term is popularly defined...
, Adventure Comics
Adventure Comics
Adventure Comics was a comic book series published by DC Comics from 1935 to 1983 and then revamped from 2009 to 2011. In its first era, the series ran for 503 issues , making it the fifth-longest-running DC series, behind Detective Comics, Action Comics, Superman, and Batman...
, Batman
Batman (comic book)
Batman is an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics hero of the same name. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27, published in May 1939. Batman proved to be so popular that a self-titled ongoing comic book series began publication in the spring of 1940...
, Detective Comics
Detective Comics
Detective Comics is an American comic book series published monthly by DC Comics since 1937, best known for introducing the iconic superhero Batman in Detective Comics #27 . It is, along with Action Comics, the book that launched with the debut of Superman, one of the medium's signature series, and...
and Superman
Superman (comic book)
Superman is an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics hero of the same name. The character Superman began as one of several anthology features in the National Periodical Publications comic book Action Comics #1 in June 1938...
between 1939 and 1951, and later on such diverse titles as The Adventures of Alan Ladd, All-Star Comics, Green Lantern
Green Lantern
The Green Lantern is the shared primary alias of several fictional characters, superheroes appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The first Green Lantern was created by writer Bill Finger and artist Martin Nodell in All-American Comics #16 .Each Green Lantern possesses a power ring and...
, Mr. District Attorney, Real Fact Comics, Real Screen Comics, Scribbly
Scribbly
Scribbly is a comic that ran daily in the Dutch edition of the Metro free newspaper for over five years. It was written and drawn by Jan-Paul Arends. Seven albums have been published containing the daily strips...
, Superboy
Superboy
Superboy is the name of several fictional characters that have been published by DC Comics, most of them youthful incarnations of Superman. These characters have also been the main characters of four ongoing Superboy comic book series published by DC....
and Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
(among others) between 1948 and 1951.
Pulps
Ellsworth also wrote short stories for the pulp titles Black Bat, G-Man (including the Dan Fowler novel "Spotlight on Murder" in September 1942) and Phantom Detective (for which title he certainly ghostedGhostwriter
A ghostwriter is a professional writer who is paid to write books, articles, stories, reports, or other texts that are officially credited to another person. Celebrities, executives, and political leaders often hire ghostwriters to draft or edit autobiographies, magazine articles, or other written...
two pulps - #76 Murder at the World's Fair and #77 The Forty Thieves in June and July 1939), among others.
Comics, including Batman
Acting as DC's major creative guide and editor during the company's early years, Ellsworth oversaw editorially both scripts and art for several diverse comics (including the above as well as World's Best Comics and World's Finest ComicsWorld's Finest Comics
World's Finest Comics was an American comic book series published by DC Comics from 1941 to 1986. The series was initially titled World's Best Comics for its first issue; issue #2 switched to the more familiar name...
et al.), developed a number of projects (including creating Congo Bill in 1941) and wrote several more, including Hollywood Screen Shots (1936) (which, like some others, he also pencilled an inked), Slam Bradley
Slam Bradley
Samuel Emerson "Slam" Bradley is a fictional character that has appeared in various comic book series published by DC Comics. He is a private detective who exists in DC's main shared universe, known as the DC Universe...
, Genius Jones, Laughing at Life, Speed Saunders
Speed Saunders
Cyrill "Speed" Saunders is a DC Comics character who first appeared in Detective Comics #1 . He was an adventurer and detective whose occupation was for a long time never specified. He seemed not to report to anyone, but was able to order people around. Eventually, it was revealed that he was a...
and Starman
Starman (comics)
Starman is a name used by several different fictional DC Comics superheroes, most prominently Ted Knight and his sons David and Jack.Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Jack Burnley, the original Starman, Ted Knight, first appeared in Adventure Comics #61...
, among many other characters and comics.
He also sketched "rough cover layouts for DC's top titles," including notably some for "Batman
Batman (comic book)
Batman is an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics hero of the same name. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27, published in May 1939. Batman proved to be so popular that a self-titled ongoing comic book series began publication in the spring of 1940...
and Detective Comics
Detective Comics
Detective Comics is an American comic book series published monthly by DC Comics since 1937, best known for introducing the iconic superhero Batman in Detective Comics #27 . It is, along with Action Comics, the book that launched with the debut of Superman, one of the medium's signature series, and...
until about 1946."
Newspaper strip
Ellsworth was also the first writer on the Batman & RobinBatman (comic strip)
The Batman comic strip began a few years after the creation of the comic book Batman. At first titled Batman and Robin, a later incarnation was shortened to Batman. The comic strip had three major and two minor runs in American newspapers....
newspaper 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....
, which appeared first on Sundays and later on weekdays. Featuring artwork primarily from Sheldon Moldoff
Sheldon Moldoff
Sheldon "Shelly" Moldoff is an American comic book artist best known his early work on the DC Comics characters Hawkman and Hawkgirl, and as one of Bob Kane's primary "ghost artists" on the superhero Batman. He co-created the Batman supervillains Poison Ivy, Mr...
and Joe Giella
Joe Giella
Joe Giella is an American comic book artist best known as a DC Comics inker during the late 1950s and 1960s period historians and fans call the Silver Age of comic books.-Early life and career:...
, Ellsworth wrote the strip between 1966 and 1970, whereupon E. Nelson Bridwell
E. Nelson Bridwell
Edward Nelson Bridwell was a writer for Mad magazine and various comic books published by DC Comics. One of the writers for the Batman comic strip and Super Friends, he also wrote The Inferior Five, among other comics...
took over for a couple of years.
TV and film
In addition to his extensive comics work, Ellsworth "was DC's movie studio contact" on a number of projects, keeping his "editorial director" title, but working mainly on "DC properties in Hollywood" between c. 1951-1959.The Superman serials
Ellsworth was the representative from National Comics during the production of the 1948 serial SupermanSuperman (serial)
Superman is a 15-part black-and-white Columbia film serial based on the comic book character Superman. It stars an uncredited Kirk Alyn and Noel Neill as Lois Lane. It is notable as the first live-action appearance of Superman on film and for the longevity of its distribution...
, a position which gave him absolute control of the script and production. He initially objected to casting of Kirk Alyn
Kirk Alyn
-External links:...
as the lead, whom producer Sam Katzman
Sam Katzman
Sam Katzman was an American film producer and director. Born into a poor Jewish family, Katzman went to work as a stage laborer at the age of 13 in the fledgling East Coast film industry...
had found by looking through studio photographs. This was made even worse when Alyn came in for a screen test, during filming on a historical film, with a goatee and moustache. These initial reservations were eventually overcome and Alyn got the part. Columbia's advertising claimed that they could not get an actor to fill the role so they had hired Superman himself. Kirk Alyn was merely playing Clark Kent.
The Adventures of Superman
Most notably, Ellsworth was a consultant on the theatrical feature Atom Man Vs. SupermanAtom Man vs. Superman
Atom Man vs. Superman , Columbia's 43rd serial, finds Lex Luthor , secretly the Atom Man, blackmailing the city of Metropolis by threatening to destroy the entire community...
(1950) (also with Kirk Alyn), and co-wrote the sequel Superman and the Mole Men
Superman and the Mole Men
Superman and the Mole Men is a 1951 superhero film starring George Reeves as Superman and Phyllis Coates as Lois Lane. It is the first theatrical feature film based on the DC Comics character Superman, although two live-action Superman films had already been shown in cinemas, they appeared in a...
(1951) before becoming a producer, episode writer, and script editor
Script editor
A script editor is a member of the production team of scripted television programmes, usually dramas and comedies. The script editor has many responsibilities including finding new script writers, developing storyline and series ideas with writers, ensuring that scripts are suitable for production...
on the subsequent live-action TV series The Adventures of Superman (both starring George Reeves
George Reeves
George Reeves was an American actor best known for his role as Superman in the 1950s television program Adventures of Superman....
as the Man of Steel). In 1958, he created a pilot titled Superpup, which attempted to capitalise on that series' success by recasting the Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
mythos in a fictional universe populated by dogs instead of people.
Three years later, Ellsworth helped produce another ultimately-aborted pilot for another spin-off series called The Adventures of Superboy
The Adventures of Superboy
The Adventures of Superboy was a proposed TV series that was put into production in 1961. It was meant to capitalize on the success of Adventures of Superman, which was cancelled years earlier. A revival was planned, but abandoned following the death of George Reeves, but only a pilot episode,...
.
Other
According to noted comics historian Jerry BailsJerry Bails
Jerry Gwin Bails was an American popular culturist. Known as the "Father of Comic Book Fandom", he was one of the first to approach the comic book field as a subject worthy of academic study, and was a primary force in establishing 1960s comics fandom.- Early life :Jerry G. Bails was born June...
, Ellsworth was also a consultant on the two Batman serials in 1943
Batman (serial)
Batman is a 15-chapter serial, released in 1943 by Columbia Pictures. The serial starred Lewis Wilson as Batman and Douglas Croft as Robin. J. Carrol Naish played the villain, an original character named Dr. Daka. Rounding out the cast were Shirley Patterson as Linda Page , and William Austin as...
and 1949
Batman and Robin (serial)
Batman and Robin is a 15-chapter serial released in 1949 by Columbia Pictures. Robert Lowery played Batman, while Johnny Duncan played Robin...
; the Superman serial
Superman (serial)
Superman is a 15-part black-and-white Columbia film serial based on the comic book character Superman. It stars an uncredited Kirk Alyn and Noel Neill as Lois Lane. It is notable as the first live-action appearance of Superman on film and for the longevity of its distribution...
starring Kirk Alyn that was a precursor to the later live-action Superman features, and the Congo Bill serial (1949). He is listed as having been - for "one week only" - a consultant on the 1966 Batman
Batman (TV series)
Batman is an American television series, based on the DC comic book character of the same name. It stars Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin — two crime-fighting heroes who defend Gotham City. It aired on the American Broadcasting Company network for three seasons from January 12, 1966 to...
TV series (with Adam West
Adam West
William West Anderson , better known by the stage name Adam West, is an American actor best known for his lead role in the Batman TV series and the film of the same name...
), and a writer for the Superman radio show
The Adventures of Superman (radio)
The Adventures of Superman was a long running radio serial that originally aired from 1940 to 1951, adapted from the DC Comics character. ....
during the war years
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
In addition, he wrote the Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
production Maiden Voyage (1935), for the TV series The Millionaire1 (1955) between c. 1954-56 and produced another pilot in 1961, this time for a "comedy-detective series starring Sheree North
Sheree North
Sheree North was an American actress, singer, and dancer. She was known for being 20th Century Fox's answer to Marilyn Monroe from 1954 to 1956...
" to be called Here's O'Hare (ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
did not pursue the show).
Ellsworth is also said by Bails to have helped co-write The Godfather
The Godfather
The Godfather is a 1972 American epic crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, based on the 1969 novel by Mario Puzo. With a screenplay by Puzo, Coppola and an uncredited Robert Towne, the film stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard...
.
Later life
Ellsworth left DC (shortly after leaving the Batman newspaper strip) in 1970/1971. He died on September 7, 1980 in North Hollywood, California. In 1985, he was posthumously named as one of the honorees by DC Comics in the company's 50th anniversary publication Fifty Who Made DC GreatFifty Who Made DC Great
Fifty Who Made DC Great is a one shot published by DC Comics to commemorate the company's 50th anniversary in 1985. It was published in comic book format but contained text articles with photographs and background caricatures...
.