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Author Topic: Caricaturist : Al Hirschfeld dies at 99 Bill Gabel Film God Posts: 3873 From: Technicolor / Postworks NY, USA Registered: Jan 2002 posted 01-20-2003 12:57 PM                     Famed Caricaturist Al Hirschfeld has died in NY. He was 99. Later this spring they were going to rename the Martin Beck Theatre after him. He was famous for drawing many stars since the 1920's.  |  IP: Logged Mark Lensenmayer Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1605 From: Upper Arlington, OH Registered: Sep 1999 posted 01-20-2003 01:02 PM                     No more "Nina"'s. Very sad. RIP Al.  |  IP: Logged Ken Layton Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1452 From: Olympia, Wash. USA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 01-20-2003 05:14 PM                     Another true immortal artist gone.  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 01-20-2003 05:39 PM                    Who is/was Martin Beck and why is he no longer deserving of being memorialized?  |  IP: Logged Bill Gabel Film God Posts: 3873 From: Technicolor / Postworks NY, USA Registered: Jan 2002 posted 01-20-2003 05:46 PM                     Martin Beck was a Broadway Producer. Some of the theatres, over the years have been renamed after (critics, playwrights, actors). Mr. Hirschfeld's name is going up on this theatre. For all the work he did for Broadway. June 21st was to have been his 100th birthday. [ 01-21-2003, 05:11 PM: Message edited by: Bill Gabel ]  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 01-20-2003 06:52 PM                     Al Hirschfeld was one of the 20th century's truly great illustrators and raised the craft of caricature into respectable art. Most anyone could easily identify his distinct drawing style. But unlike many other illustrators with a certain style, his style endured through many decades. To me, Hirschfeld is as much a titan to commercial illustration as fellows like Norman Rockwell.  |  IP: Logged Gerard S. Cohen Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 975 From: Forest Hills, NY, USA Registered: Sep 2001 posted 01-20-2003 08:33 PM                     Since she was a toddler, my daughter would eagerly count the "Nina's" in his drawings in the NYTimes. (She's 23 now, and has been working in museums in Houston and NY.) I was hoping he'd make it to his 100th birthday, but am consoled that he died in his sleep. He was productive to the very end.  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 01-20-2003 08:35 PM                    Meaning no disrespect to the estimable Mr. Hirschfeld, I just don't like renaming. Perhaps from a generic name but I don't even like that. But certainly not when someone has been honored with something named for them then it should not be taken away. It's disrespectful and suggests that despite having something or other named for them we have forgotten who they were or why they mattered, precisely the reason for the naming. If having this theater named for Martin Beck did little to preserve his memory then why would the Hirschfeld family want such a dubious "honor"? Let them build something new and name that for the honoree.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-20-2003 08:42 PM                     I agree with Steve, Re-naming a place after someone that has had that honor bestowed upon them...especially after they have kicked the bucket is pure stupidity in itself and very disrespectful of that persons family! There is plenty of room for them to build something else and dedicate it to him. Gee, What if they re-named the Ed Sullivan Theatre The David Letterman Theatre??? Overall, only someone with no brains and that survives on pure stupidity would ever consider doing something like this..... Mark  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 01-20-2003 09:34 PM                    Ah, but the Ed Sullivan Theatre used to be the Oscar Hammerstein Theater. (No, not that Oscar Hammerstein. The familiar one was Oscar Hammerstein II; the theater was named after the grandfather.) Renaming it for Letterman is no more disrespectful to Ed than CBS was to Mr. Hammerstein.  |  IP: Logged Gerard S. Cohen Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 975 From: Forest Hills, NY, USA Registered: Sep 2001 posted 01-21-2003 04:51 PM                     I agree it's a shame to change the name of a theater or other place named in honor of someone for whom it was intended to evoke the contributions of the person after whom it was named. Oh, in the case of someone who disgraced his name, perhaps, I'd agree to change it. But today sports stadiums have their appelations changed to advertise corporations who restore them, or merely buy--or rent--the right to name them for advertising purposes. That makes it difficult to know exactly where a game will be played, unless you keep up with the business pages. I was hoping Al Hirschfield would reach the age of 100 to join the ranks of the 1,787 New York City centenarians (year 2000 censes, up 23% from 1990). More Live Past A Century He was "Mr.Theater" in New York, and has probably been to more plays, known more actors and directors, and witnessed more theatrical history than anyone in U.S. history. He deserves to have a theater BUILT for his memory, not just named. I'm curious to find out the provisions of his will. He lived very modestly, yet his original drawings sold well in a specialty art gallery. I suspect he may have left a legacy to the Actors' Fund and the Actors' Home. His obit and some of his recent drawings (he sketched the Marx Brothers, whom he knew well, last Saturday) are worth a look: Al Hirschfield, 99, Dies; He Drew Broadway  |  IP: Logged Ken Lackner Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1907 From: Atlanta, GA, USA Registered: Sep 2001 posted 01-21-2003 09:38 PM                     Indeed, he will be missed. I was very pleased that they did a piece in Fantasia 2000 based on his style. That is probablly my favorite piece in the whole movie.  |  IP: Logged Gerard S. Cohen Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 975 From: Forest Hills, NY, USA Registered: Sep 2001 posted 01-31-2003 09:49 PM                     More Al Hirschfeld drawings and prints, fron the 1920's through 2003, may be viewed at the online gallery run by Margo Feiden, at http://www.alhirschfeld.com/random/index.html I find this site wonderful to browse. You can save the images if you don't click to enlarge them, as Ms Feiden retains the reproduction rights. Originals and reprints may be purchased at the online gallery or at the Margo Feiden Gallery in New York.  |  IP: Logged System Notices Forum Watchdog / Soup Nazi Posts: 215 Registered: Apr 2004 posted 08-22-2004 10:00 AM                 It has been 568 days since the last post.  |  IP: Logged Ken Lackner Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1907 From: Atlanta, GA, USA Registered: Sep 2001 posted 08-22-2004 10:00 AM                     Does anyone know if he ever designed any theatrical movie posters?  |  IP: Logged

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