Born in Pennsylvania, Robert Oliver Skemp studied at the Art Students League of New York and also spent some time at the Grand Central Art School in New York.  He was also a member of the Merchant Marine, traveling across the world and no doubt picking up inspiration for the tough, two-fisted characters who would later appear in some of his artwork.

Most of Skemp’s career was spent in advertising but he was also a prolific pulp cover artist and portrait painter.  Here’s a small sampling of his paperback artistry: