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I had heard from several sources that Richard Amsel did more TV GUIDE covers than any other artist -- and repeated that presumed fact often on this site. But I recently read that the legendary Al Hirschfeld had actually matched Amsel's number of 37 published covers, while creating an additional four that remain unpublished. (Amsel also had at least three -- possibly four -- that were unpublished, including this one.) Nevertheless, it's remarkable to note that while Hirschfeld's covers spanned several decades, Amsel's output was framed within just 13 years, from 1972 to 1985. And there's no doubting that many more covers sporting that marvellous "AMSEL" stamp would have graced the magazine had we not lost the artist all too soon. I'm not so interested in the "Who did more?" question as I am in ensuring the accuracy of this site, so if any of you TV Guide fans know the definitive answer, it would be welcomed wholeheartedly.
I may have built
this website, but it never would have existed without the contributions
of Richard's many friends and family members. Nor could it thrive or
be improved upon without the feedback and input of his fans and admirers
the world over. June 13, 2010: Meeting Greg Hildebrandt "The Brothers Hildebrandt" are legends in the illustration world, and especially known among sci-fi and fantasy fans for their Star Wars movie poster and the immensely popular Lord of the Rings calendars. Twin brothers, Greg and Tim often collaborated on projects (exchanging "shifts" in painting duties -- a neat ability when facing tight deadlines), as well as worked on their own. What made their partnership so extraordinary was not just the consistant high calibre (and volume) of their work, but that they were so creatively sympatico, it's impossible -- for me, at least -- to distinguish one artist's work from the other. (Take, for example, Tim's Secret of NIMH poster and compare it to the collaborated works below.)
Sadly, Tim passed away in 2006 due to complications from diabetes, but Greg has continued their artistic legacy. I had the pleasure of meeting him yesterday in Santa Monica, and he was extremely kind, gracious, and receptive to my many annoying questions...
...the first of which I was a little hesitant to ask: As he and his brother collaborated so often throughout their careers, was there ever any serious creative strain or severe difference of opinions in approaching their many works? To my absolute astonishment, Greg answered no -- and even marvelled himself at just how well he and his late brother got along, as close personal relationships can so often fall victim to pressure while in the throws of creative collaboration. Greg, who blushed
when I called him "sir" -- "Call me Greg!",
he laughed -- is a class act, and I was delighted and honored to meet
him at long last. June 13, 2010: Comments by fellow artist Richard Adkins. I recently received this lovely email, and thought it was worth sharing:
Thanks to you, too, Richard! No doubt Amsel himself would have been honored by your comments -- and your incredible work! Bravo! Richard provided scans of some of his illustrations done for The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. You can definitely see the homage to Amsel's work. Absolutely amazing.
Adkins himself has had quite a remarkable career in Hollywood. To learn more about his art and work, go to hollywoodandart.com and historyforhire.com. He was also able to provide info on the recent "ACT ONE" illustration listed on ebay -- it wass for a paperback book, not a movie poster -- as well as another illustration during his early career:
Left:
Amsel's book cover for ACT ONE by Moss Hart (likely for
Ballantine's 1970
paperback edition). May 3, 2010: Links of the week! Special thanks to the website LINKS OF THE WEEK for including my coverage of the Richard Amsel TV Guide covers in their Blast From the Past section.
I recently found this eBay auction for one of Richard's early works. Here's the writeup from the item description:
I spoke briefly to Don Baca, the owner of the piece, who had acquired it from (of all places) a garage sale in New Mexico! I also consulted with Dorian Hannaway, who both verified Richard's authorship, and remembered that Richard's mother originally owned the painting many years ago. The film "Act One" was actually released in 1963, without Beatty's involvement (George Hamilton took over the role). Though I have doubts that this illustration reflects that specific film -- neither Beatty's nor Hamilton's likenesses are to be found, and Amsel would have only been about 15 at that time -- I am nevertheless intrigued by the work, and would be curious to know more. FOOTNOTE: Don provided these images (image 1, image 2)of writing on the back of the artwork, to further identify the piece. UPDATE 6/13/2010: Artist Richard Adkins stated that this was done not for a film but a reissue of the source book, ACT ONE by Moss Hart. Looking through Amazon, I suspect it was for Ballantine's 1970 paperback edition, though I'm trying to confirm. The timing certainly fits in with Amsel's style during his early career.
My good friend (and fellow Vassar alum) Nathan Gray directed me to this great article about alternate poster designs inspired by classic movies. Among them is the work of Travis Coburn, who created "retro" style posters of the leading nominees for this year's BAFTAS (including, lower left, THE HURT LOCKER). I also found this site, which explains the creation of a wonderful poster (bottom center) inspired by 2001: A Space Odyssey, done by art student Sakke Soini . Needless to say, Mr. Soini has quite a career ahead of him. Finally, check out the work of graphic designer Brandon Schaefer, whose minimalist-style movie poster designs, while appearing deceptively simple at first, are actually quite complex, striking, and very, very memorable. (Such an example is his poster for EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, bottom right.) Seeing such extraordinary talent is both inspiring and, frankly, makes me feel all the more insecure about my own work in comparison.
Famed Space
Artist Robert McCall, 90, Dies Artist Robert McCall, whose visions of the past, present, and future of space exploration have graced U.S. postage stamps, NASA mission patches, and the walls of the Smithsonian, died on Friday of a heart attack in Scottsdale, Arizona. He was 90.
Since then, many more have encountered McCall's space art through canvases both very large and very small.
Others of McCall's large murals can be found at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, at the Dryden Flight Research Center in Lancaster, California, and at the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center in Hutchinson. A number of his paintings decorated the walls of the former Horizons pavilion at Walt Disney World Resort's Epcot in Florida, and one remains on display at the entrance to the park's iconic "Spaceship Earth" attraction. At the other end of the size spectrum but no less popular, McCall created the art for 21 space-themed U.S. postage stamps, ranging in subject from the moon landings to the unmanned probes sent to Mars and Jupiter. His design for a commemorative marking the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project adorned the largest stamp published in the United States. In 1981, McCall designed eight stamps celebrating STS-1, the first flight of the space shuttle. At mission commander John Young's request, McCall also designed the insignia that Young and Bob Crippen wore aboard Columbia for the two-day mission. It was through the stamps and patches that he created did McCall ultimately see his artwork merge with their subject matter and enter space. The Apollo 15 astronauts flew his "Decade of Achievement" two-stamp pane to the Moon, and the last men to walk on the lunar surface did so while wearing an Apollo 17 mission patch designed by McCall. "It is something I continue to covet," shared McCall in a 2006 interview with collectSPACE.com. "It was wonderful to really see this emblem that I designed on the Moon, in real time from Mission Control." In 1973, at the personal request of flight director Eugene Kranz, McCall designed the original insignia to represent the Mission Control teams. McCall also created patches for the third and fifth shuttle crews, as well as the first to dock with Russia's Mir space station. His most recent patch was designed for back-up spaceflight participant Barbara Barrett, a family friend, in 2009. Continue reading at collectSPACE.com about McCall's path to becoming a NASA artist and his view on the future of spaceflight. McCall's own website can be found here.
As the song goes, "Everything old is new again...", and so for the new year it seems fitting that a lot of Amsel's early work has finally come my way. Perhaps the earliest work I've seen thus far comes from Marc Walther, a high school classmate of Richard's. Upon discovering this website, Marc emailed me some scanned illustrations Richard had made for their 1965 yearbook. Marc writes:
These early images not only showcase Amsel's developing creative talents, but provide a touching, personal look into the artist as a young man.
Jan. 28, 2010: Early Amsel book cover added to the gallery. Last night I wandered around a favorite used bookstore in downtown Glendale when I found this old, battered paperback book perched upon a rack. The cover caught my eye immediately, and lo and behold, it was one of Richard's works. To make the $2.50 purchase even more rewarding was that it was not only signed by the author, but also by the two people he had dedicated the book to -- who, in turn, gave the book to one of their mutual friends. Dorian Hannaway informed me that the original Amsel cover illustration now resides within the University of the Arts, but this was the first time she had actually seen a copy of the book itself.
For me, one of the most rewarding things about this site is that, no matter how familiar I may be with Richard's work -- or at least presume to be -- new discoveries always turn up! American Art Archives is selling three magazine pages on eBay featuring Richard Amsel's work, all from 1971. I've added them to the MISC. WORKS page, and hope you enjoy them. (I'm especially partial to his gorgeous illustration for "The Earring".)
Very special thanks to David Edward Byrd for providing these new images to me:
By
Adam Bernstein, Washington Post Staff Writer
One vivid example, commissioned by McCall's magazine in the late 1950s, was a portrait of two young couples relaxing in a small room after dinner. One man is lying on the ground, his head nestled on a woman's lap and smoking a cigarette as she strokes his hair. While the image has the control and realism of Rockwell, it also has several more dynamic features taken from avant-garde techniques: the vigorous brush strokes; the tilted horizon that heightens a sense of drama; a lampshade in the foreground that appears slightly distorted; and, most strikingly, the placement of the couples in the distance instead of being the center of the picture. "Bernie combined the best of both worlds," said illustrator Murray Tinkelman, who directs the University of Hartford's master of fine arts program and chairs the New York-based Society of Illustrators' hall of fame committee. "He became the most emulated and imitated illustrator in the field through the 1980s . . . when the vogue turned to more decorative, whimsical, punkier illustrations that were influenced by underground cartoons like those of Robert Crumb." Mr. Fuchs entered the hall of fame in 1975. He was among the youngest inductees on a roster that includes Rockwell, N.C. Wyeth, Winslow Homer and John James Audubon. Bernard Leo Fuchs was born Oct. 19, 1932, in the coal mining town of O'Fallon, Ill., and his father soon abandoned the family. As a young man, Mr. Fuchs enjoyed drawing characters from Walt Disney movies and "The Wizard of Oz," but his main interest became jazz trumpet. He worked in a machine shop after high school, and the loss of three fingers from his right hand ended his musical ambitions. He enrolled in art school out of desperation, figuring it was his only career prospect. The money he received from the accident paid for his art training at Washington University in St. Louis, where he graduated in 1954. About this time, he married his high school sweetheart, Anna Lee Hesse. She survives, living in Westport, along with their three children, Cynthia Fuchs of Washington, Derek Fuchs of Casselberry, Fla., and Ellise Fuchs of Torino, Italy; and three grandchildren. After college, Mr. Fuchs went to work for a commercial art studio in Detroit and found immediate success drawing the latest car models for magazines, brochures and billboards. He captured the chrome-dappled allure of the auto industry: happy Americans enjoying themselves at picnics and on golf courses and accompanied by their elegant cars.
Several top corporations in America took note of Mr. Fuchs's skill. He relocated to suburban Connecticut in the late 1950s and became one of the busiest commercial artists of the next 20 years, working for businesses such as Coca-Cola and Seagram's, as well as magazines including TV Guide and Look. For the publications, he created a range of illustrations, with scenes from romance fiction and images that conveyed the grit of athletes and the determination of presidents and civil rights leaders. Mr. Fuchs often photographed his subjects and returned to his studio to turn the images into illustrations. He said his most challenging deadline story came in 1969, when Sports Illustrated assigned him to cover the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., and the Orange Bowl in Miami. He saw the Rose Bowl live, lurking on the sidelines with his camera, and watched the game in Miami on television. He finished six paintings in 36 consecutive hours of work. In the course of a prolific career, he met many historic figures of his era, including President John F. Kennedy, baseball player Jackie Robinson, entertainers Frank Sinatra and Bob Hope, and cellist Pablo Casals, who, ailing at 93, nevertheless played a Bach cantata for Mr. Fuchs at the musician's villa in Puerto Rico. Starting
in the mid-1970s, Mr. Fuchs had contracts to illustrate postage stamps
and children's books. His paintings, whose subjects ranged from images
of the Old West to the Longchamps horse races in France, were exhibited
in galleries worldwide. Jill Bossert, editor of Society of Illustrators
books, once described Mr. Fuchs's skill: "His colors shine with the
brilliance of stained glass as if lit from within. His equine pictures
rival Degas."
Just came across this coverage of the exhibit by Peter Crimmins of the WHY Y FM News and Information channel. Dorian Hannaway and Mark Tocchet comment on Amsel's work, and the web page includes an abridged audio version of the article.
During my recent interview with The Indycast, host Ed Dolista and I wondered who it was that created the legendary title design for RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. I had speculated that it might have been Richard Amsel...but now, after all these years, I finally have a definite answer, and wish to do my part to get the word out.
When I asked Salisbury if he wanted to comment on his work, he kindly referred me to his book, I Sold Sex! Drugs & Rock 'N' Roll, which chronicles his career and many, many creative achievements. I wholeheartedly look forward to reading it. From his website:
Very special thanks to Pat dePoortere for solving this mystery, and for directing me to Salisbury's site!
With the opening of Comic-Con in San Diego this week, Illustration House will have a special booth featuring an extraordinary number of original pieces -- including works from Al Hirschfeld, J.C. Leyendecker, Bob Peak, John Solie, and even Theodor S. Geisel ("Dr. Seuss"). Richard Amsel fans will be excited to learn that one of the artist's most popular and famous pieces ever created will also be up for sale -- the stunning poster art for Jim Henson's beloved fantasy film, THE DARK CRYSTAL!
I've been wondering for years where this artwork has been, and hope that it will go to a loving home. I'd buy it myself...but the $16,500 pricetag is quite a bit beyond what my budget will allow.
Other issues addressed include the current decline of movie poster art, David Edward Byrd's lecture, the search for a long-lost "RAIDERS" comp, Amsel's love of (and ambitions toward) animation, and an unspoken rivarly with fellow poster artist Drew Struzan.
My friend David Edward Byrd just sent me these scans of two long-lost preliminary sketches Amsel did for the DEATH ON THE NILE poster! The first of these (below left) presents an entirely different alternate design from the one that was used (below right). Thanks, David!
Michael Amsel informs me that Richard has been awarded the University of the Arts' SILVER STAR AWARD for outstanding alumni. The announcement was made during the university's commencement last Thursday, and is available for viewing as an on-demand webcast.
Some tangential "Amsel" news...and certainly something to interest both poster artists and art admirers! One of the most imaginative and prolific illustrators of the 20th century, Bob Peak revolutionized advertising in the film industry and is considered the "father of the modern movie poster." His work for such films as CAMELOT, MY FAIR LADY, SUPERMAN, EXCALIBUR, STAR TREK I-V, and APOCALYPSE NOW possessed a signature style -- and a painting technique that was very, very much his own.
In addition to work in the film industry, Peak illustrated 45 covers of Time Magazine - including the well-known portrait of Mother Teresa, now featured in the National Portrait Gallery Smithsonian Institution along with his paintings of Anwar Sadat and Marlon Brando. Next month, Gallery Nucleus will feature a collection of Peak's original artwork, in addition to a rare selection of iconic movie posters and advertising work. This will indeed be a rare and exciting opportunity to view in person, a massive retrospective into the range and versatility of a 20th Century Master...an artist who Richard Amsel himself greatly admired.
May 8, 2009: PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER REVIEW It's sad knowing that the exhibit will be coming to an end next week, but Dorian Hannaway shared some happier news with me this morning: a link to this wonderful review by The Philadelphia Inquirer. April 29, 2009: MORE NEWS COVERAGE OF THE EXHIBIT Two news items about the exhibit have popped up: first, a nice writeup from Philadelphia Weekly, and Dorian Hannaway's radio interview this morning with Sirius channel 109. (I'm trying to get my hands on a clip of the broadcast -- can anyone help?) April 26, 2009: AMSEL ORIGINALS UP FOR AUCTION
The Illustration House gallery in New York is auctioning a small number of Amsel's original illustrations, including some from the collection of Michael Amsel. Having spoken to Michael and Illustration House president Roger T. Reed, I'm happy to help spread the word so that would-be collectors may seize this rare opportunity. Reed writes:
These are some works included in the auction:
In adding these pieces to my site, I felt it was important to distinguish Amsel's personal portfolio and school projects from his "canon" of official movie poster works. Therefore, Amsel's conceptual illustrations for films such as Ryan's Daughter and Oliver! will reside under a new MISC. WORKS gallery page, which also includes his book and magazine cover illustrations, and ads. ___ I'm happy to share some photos taken last week of the exhibit, its preparation, and David Byrd's wonderful lecture. You can find them on the newly created THE EXHIBIT page, which also includes information on the catalogs and archival prints affiliated with the event.
I soon hope to post some photos from the exhibit's opening last week, as well as David Byrd's wonderful lecture. In the meantime, enjoy this snapshot of yours truly from Monday, April 13th, as I was helping to paint one of more elaborate areas of the gallery. (I'm probably a mere 3 or 4 feet off the ground, but grew nervous with each step up that wobbly ladder.) Once again, Amsel fan Scot Ryersson has unearthed a little gem. This alternate image (below) of MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS was taken from a CD cover for "Poirot Goes to the Movies." Scot states that Amsel was asked to modify Lauren Bacall's portrait for the final poster. Thanks again, Scot!
April 21, 2009
I'm back in L.A. for three days, and already I'm terribly missing the east coast. There's just too much for me to write about in just one sitting; I'll be making extensive updates over the next few weeks, including a new page specifically about the exhibit, and a special auction of Amsel originals from Illustration House. In the meantime, here are some significant happenings:
The
web podcast, a discussion of all things Indiana Jones, was a lot of
fun to do. Host Ed Dolista and I spoke on the phone for nearly an hour,
and unfortunately I was on the verge of a sneezing fit for a large part
of that time.
Two days ago The Philadelphia Daily News featured an article about the Amsel exhibit. You can read it HERE.
David Edward Byrd just sent me this flyer regarding his upcoming lecture at the Amsel exhibit:
Also, last week I was interviewed by Ed Dolista for the INDYCAST, to discuss Richard Amsel's life and career. The web podcast, a discussion of all things Indiana Jones, is expected to air around Saturday, April 11, and because I'll be heading out to Philadelphia that week for the exhibit, I won't be able to update the site until my return. I'll also be doing a follow up interview in May, so there's more to come.
I'm sure there's more to be found from this period in the artist's career, so if any of you find anything, please...pass it on! Thanks again, Scot, for your wonderful emails.
With the exhibit soon to open, I'm looking to update and improve this site as much as possible. This includes:
The University of the Arts' website now features a press release touting the upcoming exhibit, and some never before published sketches that are to be part of the showcase. To help them get the word out, I've redirected this site's former domain name (www.RichardAmsel.com) to the university's address. Here's their press release:
For more information on the National Portrait Gallery, you can visit their official website. |
July
1, 2010: So, just who did the most TV GUIDE covers?
This
seemingly innocuous tidbit is yet another reminder to me that my tribute
page is in dire need of an update -- including more information on Richard's
life and work (particularly his aspirations to work in animation), as
well as some corrections and clarifications to what I had written back
in early 2008.
I hope to get to this by the end of the summer.
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March
6, 2010:
R.I.P. ROBERT McCALL (1919-2010)
Once
described by author Isaac Asimov as the "nearest thing to an artist
in residence from outer space," McCall's paintings first attracted the
public's attention in the 1960s on the pages of LIFE, illustrating the
magazine's series on the future of space travel. He expanded on that
theme at the invitation of director Stanley Kubrick, who had McCall
paint the advertising posters for his seminal 1968 science fiction film,
"2001: A Space Odyssey."
Perhaps
his most famous piece, the six-story "The Space Mural — A Cosmic View"
greets visitors to the National Air and Space Museum in Washington,
D.C. Painted over the course of eight months in 1976, McCall's depiction
of the creation of the universe leading to astronauts walking on the
moon is seen by an estimated ten million annually. 
Mr.
Fuchs was adept at balancing art and commerce. He met the needs of mass-circulation
magazines accustomed to Norman Rockwell-style realism, but he injected
a fresh vitality and impressionism that became hugely popular and transformed
the illustration field. He even experimented with bold designs based
on the abstract expressionism movement popularized by painters Jackson
Pollock and Willem de Kooning. 
"Others
might portray a married couple dressed formally in suits dazzled by
a car on the street, or a woman in a fancy ball gown swooning over a
car in a showroom, but Bernie's innovation was to put the cars in real
life situations with people in all kinds of informal poses, having fun
and even in some cases standing in front of the car (heresy!)," illustration
authority David Apatoff wrote in an e-mail. 
August
6, 2009: WHY Y Article & clip regarding the exhibit
The
logo -- whose typeface, like the film itself, has become so commonly
associated with action and adventure -- was the product of 
CLICK
HERE
Maya
Foo, a researcher at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery, recently
discussed Richard Amsel's 
