by Erin Nicole
There’s a story that goes along with this picture but I’m not sure if I’m allowed to tell it. So, I’ll just all of you the happiest of Valentine’s Days!
Artwork of the Day: Do Not Disturb
Category Archives: Artwork of the Day
Artwork of the Day: Play It Cool (artist unknown)
Artist Unknown
Play it cool? How can anyone play it cool when you’ve got Danny Zuko checking out both you and your red tights? Those jeans! That leather jacket! Those sideburns! The cigarette behind the ear! The hair full of grease! Will you be my Valentine?
This book was published in 1959 and it was probably a big hit with young hoods everywhere. Unfortunately, the identity of the artist responsible for this quite frankly amazing cover is not known.
Artwork of the Day: Manhattan Nights (by Robert Stanley)
by Robert Stanley
Manhattan Nights was first published in 1937. The Dell Edition came out in 1951 and featured this cover, by Robert Stanley. The boxer looks remarkably good for someone who gets beat up for a living. Neither his his manager nor his trainer seem to be there but his girlfriend made to the edge of the ring. Hopefully, she’s telling him to keep his hands up and protect that handsome face. It is almost Valentine’s Day, after all.
Artwork of the Day: Hot Date (by Raymond Johnson)
by Raymond Johnson
I’m always a little confused by these covers that feature a new title for a previously published book but which also include the old title. If they liked Shame Girl so much, why did they change the title to Hot Date? If they didn’t like Shame Girl, why are they still letting everyone know that was the original title? Hot Date does sound and look better than Shame Girl. There’s not much shame to be found on this cover.
This cover is from 1949. It was done by Raymond Johnson, who has been featured many times on this site and who will be undoubtedly be featured more in the future.
Artwork of the Day: They Call Her “Easy” (Artist Unknown)
Artist Unknown
That might not be the best nickname to have!
This book came out in 1952. It was published by Ecstasy Novels, which probably tells you all that you need to know. The cover was later reused in 1959 for Private Club, which was written by Orrie Hitt. While the identity of the artist is not known, they did a good job with this cover, strategically placing the girl (Easy?) so that it’s impossible to tell whether or not her friend with the cigarette is wearing a bathing suit or not. Maybe he should be nicknamed Easy!
Artwork of the Day: The Show Girls (by Harry Schaare)
by Harry Schaare
Uhm, her eyes aren’t down there, buddy. Also, what happened to her other shoe?
This book was published in 1963. The cover is by Harry Schaare, who was one of the few cover artists to regularly sign his work. Though I haven’t read the book, this cover definitely tells a story of its very own. I especially like contrast between the flustered look on the man’s face and the half-smile on the showgirl’s face. At least one of these two knows what she’s doing.
Artwork of the Day: Cosmopolitan (by Bradshaw Crandell)
by Bradshaw Crandell
This is from 1938. The artwork was done by Bradshaw Crandell, who did several covers for Cosmopolitan and who was one of the few artists of the era to actually get to sign their own work. On this cover, you can find his signature right underneath the hands holding the gun.
There’s nothing more romantic than learning how to shoot together.
Artwork of the Day: Sport Story Magazine (by Earle Bergey)
by Earle Bergey
Happy Super Bowl Sunday!
This issue of Sport Story Magazine is from 1936. As you can tell from the Earle Bergey-illustrated cover, football used to look much different. I don’t know if those leather hats provided much protection.
Lt. Col. Gar Davidson, who wrote the featured story “How the Army Plays Football” was the coach of West Point’s football team. He coached from 1933 to 1937 and compiled a 35-11-1 record. Later, from 1956 to 1960, he served as the Superintendent of the United States Military Academy.
Artwork of the Day: Tough Guy (Artist Unknown)
Artist Unknown
In 1938, writer A.I. Bezzerides sold his first novel. It was called Long Haul and it was about the dangerous lives of truckers. In 1940, it was turned into a movie called They Drive By Night and, when the original novel was republished, it was renamed so that the book’s title matched the movie’s title. Then, for some reason, in 1953, the book’s title was again changed. When Lion Books republished Long Haul, they changed the title to Tough Guy.
The cover for Tough Guy features someone doing something that no one should ever do — wear a fedora with jeans! It also features a woman hitchhiking in high heels, which is something else you should never do. A trucker should know better than to pick up a hitchhiker but, in this case, he was probably more busy thinking about the cleavage than the potential danger of letting a stranger into his cab. I do like the beret.
Unfortunately, the identity of this cover’s artist is unknown.
Artwork of the Day: Smashing Detective Stories (Artist Unknown)
Artist Unknown
This issue of Smashing Detective Stories is from 1952. Unfortunately, the identity of the artist who did this cover is not known.
It’s love! Or is it a prison break? Or a chase through the swamps? I’m impressed that anyone could keep their hair looking that good even after passing out in a swamp. Is the man on the cover Mickey? Is the passed out woman named Mayhem? Perhaps only Richard Deming knows for sure.
