George L. Carlson

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George L. Carlson (1887-1962) was an illustrator and artist with numerous completed works, perhaps the most famous being the dust jacket for Gone with the Wind.

A tribute published in the pages of the Bridgeport Telegram, Bridgeport Connecticut, Sept 27, 1962. GEORGE CARLSON SERVICES FRIDAY

Services will take place Friday for George L. Carlson of 13 Shoreham Village drive, Fairfield, artist and caricaturist, who died yesterday in his home.

They will be conducted at 3 p.m. in the Larson funeral home, 2496 North avenue, by the Rev. Blaine H. Zimmerman of the Long Hill Baptist church. Burial will be in Mountain Grove Cemetery.

Also an illustrator and designer, Mr. Carlson was born in New York city. A former Westport resident, he had resided in this area for more than 40 years.

Contributed to the "Crypt"

Mr. Carlson was chosen as a contributor for "The Crypt of Civilization" project, a panel of history of communication since the times of Egyptians, which will remain sealed and preserved in Oglethorpe university, Atlanta, Ga., until 8113 A.D.

His best known illustration is considered to be the jacket for the book, "Gone with the Wind."

Upon coming to America from England, his mother obtained employment in the home of Ulysses S. Grant, the Civil War hero who later became president of the United States. She was commended in a letter by Grant, and was among who walked over Brooklyn bridge on the first day of its use.

Before turning to cartooning at the turn of the century, Mr. Carlson worked in several New York shops and factories.

Studied Caricature

He studied in the National School of Caricature, started by Dan McCarthy, political cartoonist for the New York World; the National Academy of Design, and the Art Students league of New York City.

Mr. Carlson started as illustrator about 47 years ago with "John Martin's Book." children's magazine, by which he was employed until 1933 when publication was suspended. He created "Peter Puzzlemaker," widely-circulated, for the "Book."

He had also been puzzle editor for the Girl Scout magazine, and worked with St. Nicholas magazine, Scribner's, Life, Judge and many others.

He had drawn travel books for such ships as the Queen Mary, to launch innumerable enterprises.

Aided C of C Project

Mr. Carlson contributed works to promote the 1938 Father's Day picture contest, sponsored by the Bridgeport Chamber of Commerce, and was a judge for the event.

In addition to commuting to work in New York, he had maintained a studio in his home at Redfield road, Fairfield, until he moved to his present address sometime after 1940.

He was a member of the Baptist Temple of Bridgeport; and past historian of the George Anderson post, American Legion, World War I.

Surviving are his wife, Gertrude Jorth Carlson, who operates a greeting cards shop in Southport; two daughters, Mrs. June Bishop of Roxbury, and Mrs. Alice Morgan of Oceanside, Calif.; a sister, Mrs. Eleanor M. Wilson, of Alexandra, Va.; a brother, Edward O. Carlson, of Mommouth Beach, N.J.; five grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

[edit] Timeline of creative works

(Incomplete list, currently)

1917 - Illustrates The Magic Stone: Rainbow Fairy Stories with paintings
1920 - Illustrates Jane and the Owl by Gene Stone
1921 - Illustrates Adventures of Jane by Gene Stone
1928 - Illustrates The Adventures of Toby Spaniel
1929 - Creates a dust jacket for The Whirlwind
1931 - Provides black and white ink drawings and full color frontis for Fact and Story Reader - book eight
1936 - Illustrated the original yellow dust jacket for Gone with the Wind
1937 - Writes and Illustrates Fun-Time Games, Puzzles, Stunts, Drawings, also Fun For Juniors, and also Points on Cartooning.
1942 - Begins work with Jingle Jangle Comics at its birth, creating covers and contributing comic strips such as The Pie-Faced Prince, contributed for 8 years every other month, two strips per contributed issue.
1949 - creates 1001 Riddles for Children
1953 - Creates book I Can Draw for young artists