Frank Kramer (artist)
Encyclopedia
Frank Kramer was an American artist
known chiefly for his illustrations for
Jack Snow
's two Oz books, The Magical Mimics in Oz
and The Shaggy Man of Oz
, founded on and continuing the famous Oz stories by L. Frank Baum
. He also illustrated Robert A. Heinlein
's Solution Unsatisfactory
, Maureen Daly
's Twelve Around the World (Dodd, Mead and Company
, 1957), and many of Caary Paul Jackson's sports novels for children, including the Bud Baker series.
Other than a short biography (with an incorrect birth date) in Jack Snow's reference work Who's Who in Oz (1954), almost nothing was written about Kramer. Recently, however, the Spring 2011 issue of The Baum Bugle
featured articles discussing his life, career, and work.
Snow notes that Kramer was born in New York City
and lived in Brooklyn
, and was a fan of the Brooklyn Dodgers, living as modestly as a "typical" (Snow's quotation marks) business man. He had indeed been a business man, but gave it up to become a freelance artist. His work appeared in Street & Smith
magazines prior to Snow's discovery of his "flair for the imaginative" in his sports drawings that drew Snow to his art, which Snow states is known nationally.
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
known chiefly for his illustrations for
Jack Snow
Jack Snow (writer)
John Frederick "Jack" Snow was an American radio writer and scholar, primarily of the works of L. Frank Baum. When Baum died in 1919, the twelve-year-old Snow offered to be the next Royal Historian of Oz, but was politely turned down by a staffer at Baum's publisher, Reilly & Lee...
's two Oz books, The Magical Mimics in Oz
The Magical Mimics in Oz
The Magical Mimics in Oz is the thirty-seventh in the series of Oz books created by L. Frank Baum and his successors, and the first written by Jack Snow. It was illustrated by Frank G. Kramer.-A new "Royal Historian":...
and The Shaggy Man of Oz
The Shaggy Man of Oz
The Shaggy Man of Oz is the thirty-eighth in the series of Oz books created by L. Frank Baum and his successors, and the second and last by Jack Snow. It was illustrated by Frank G. Kramer....
, founded on and continuing the famous Oz stories by L. Frank Baum
L. Frank Baum
Lyman Frank Baum was an American author of children's books, best known for writing The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...
. He also illustrated Robert A. Heinlein
Robert A. Heinlein
Robert Anson Heinlein was an American science fiction writer. Often called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was one of the most influential and controversial authors of the genre. He set a standard for science and engineering plausibility and helped to raise the genre's standards of...
's Solution Unsatisfactory
Solution Unsatisfactory
"Solution Unsatisfactory" is a 1940 science fiction short story by Robert A. Heinlein. It describes the US effort to build a nuclear weapon in order to end the ongoing World War II, and its dystopian consequences to the nation and the world....
, Maureen Daly
Maureen Daly
Maureen Daly , was an American author best known for her novelSeventeenth Summer , one of the first to target a teenage audience....
's Twelve Around the World (Dodd, Mead and Company
Dodd, Mead and Company
Dodd, Mead and Company was one of the pioneer publishing houses of the United States, based in New York City. Under several names, the firm operated from 1839 until 1990. Its history properly began in 1870, with the retirement of its founder, Moses Woodruff Dodd. Control passed to his son Frank...
, 1957), and many of Caary Paul Jackson's sports novels for children, including the Bud Baker series.
Other than a short biography (with an incorrect birth date) in Jack Snow's reference work Who's Who in Oz (1954), almost nothing was written about Kramer. Recently, however, the Spring 2011 issue of The Baum Bugle
The Baum Bugle
The Baum Bugle: A Journal of Oz is the official journal of The International Wizard of Oz Club. The journal was founded in 1957, with its first issue released in June of that year . It publishes three times per year, with issues dated Spring, Autumn, and Winter; Issue No. 1 of Volume 50 appeared in...
featured articles discussing his life, career, and work.
Snow notes that Kramer was born in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and lived in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, and was a fan of the Brooklyn Dodgers, living as modestly as a "typical" (Snow's quotation marks) business man. He had indeed been a business man, but gave it up to become a freelance artist. His work appeared in Street & Smith
Street & Smith
Street & Smith or Street & Smith Publications, Inc. was a New York City publisher specializing in inexpensive paperbacks and magazines referred to as pulp fiction and dime novels. They also published comic books and sporting yearbooks...
magazines prior to Snow's discovery of his "flair for the imaginative" in his sports drawings that drew Snow to his art, which Snow states is known nationally.
Books illustrated
- The Magical Mimics in OzThe Magical Mimics in OzThe Magical Mimics in Oz is the thirty-seventh in the series of Oz books created by L. Frank Baum and his successors, and the first written by Jack Snow. It was illustrated by Frank G. Kramer.-A new "Royal Historian":...
by Jack SnowJack Snow (writer)John Frederick "Jack" Snow was an American radio writer and scholar, primarily of the works of L. Frank Baum. When Baum died in 1919, the twelve-year-old Snow offered to be the next Royal Historian of Oz, but was politely turned down by a staffer at Baum's publisher, Reilly & Lee...
(Reilly & Lee, 1946) - The Shaggy Man of OzThe Shaggy Man of OzThe Shaggy Man of Oz is the thirty-eighth in the series of Oz books created by L. Frank Baum and his successors, and the second and last by Jack Snow. It was illustrated by Frank G. Kramer....
by Jack Snow (Reilly & Lee, 1949) - Fullback in the Large Fry League by C(aary) Paul Jackson (Follett CorporationFollett CorporationFollett Corporation is a River Grove, Illinois-based company that provides a variety of educational products to schools, colleges, and public libraries through its subsidiaries.-History:...
, 1951) - Twelve Around the World: True Accounts of the Lives and Countries of a Dozen Teenagers by Maureen DalyMaureen DalyMaureen Daly , was an American author best known for her novelSeventeenth Summer , one of the first to target a teenage audience....
(Dodd, Mead and CompanyDodd, Mead and CompanyDodd, Mead and Company was one of the pioneer publishing houses of the United States, based in New York City. Under several names, the firm operated from 1839 until 1990. Its history properly began in 1870, with the retirement of its founder, Moses Woodruff Dodd. Control passed to his son Frank...
, 1957) (with Frank Daly) - Bud Baker, T Quarterback by C. Paul Jackson (Hastings HouseHastings HouseThe Hastings House is a property owned and maintained by the Beverly Farms-Prides Crossing Community Association. It is located at 14 Oak Street in the Beverly Farms section of Beverly, Massachusetts.-Organization:...
, 1960) - Bullpen Bargain by C. Paul Jackson (Hastings House, 1961)
- Pro Hockey Comeback by C. Paul Jackson (Hastings House, 1961)
- The Ironclads by Frank Robert Donovan (A Wonderful World Book. A.S. Barnes and CompanyAlfred Smith Barnes__notoc__Alfred Smith Barnes was an American publisher and philanthropist. He was known as "the General".-Life and career:...
, 1961) - Great Suspense Stories compiled by Rosamund Morris, (Hart Publishing, 1962)
- Pro Football Rookie by C. Paul Jackson (Hastings House, 1962)
- Bud Baker, Racing Swimmer by C. Paul Jackson (Hastings House, 1962)
- Little Major Leaguer by C. Paul Jackson (Hastings House, 1963)
- Chris Plays Small Fry Football by C. Paul Jackson (Hastings House, 1964)
- Bud Plays Senior High Basketball by C. Paul Jackson (Hastings House, 1964)
- Pee Wee Cook of the Midget League by C. Paul Jackson (Hastings House, 1964)
- Junior High Freestyle Swimmer by C. Paul Jackson (Hastings House, 1965)
- Minor League Shorstop by C. Paul Jackson (Hastings House, 1965)
- Bud Baker, High School Pitcher by C. Paul Jackson (Hastings House, 1967)
- Hall of Fame Flankerback by C. Paul Jackson (Hastings House, 1968)
- Big Play in the Small League by C. Paul Jackson (Hastings House, 1968)
- Pennant Stretch Drive by C. Paul Jackson (Hastings House, 1969)
- Stepladder Steve Plays Basketball by C. Paul Jackson (Hastings House, 1969)
- Bud Baker, College Pitcher by C. Paul Jackson (Hastings House, 1970)
- Tim, the Football Nut by C. Paul Jackson (Hastings House, 1972)
- Physical Feats That Made History by Harold H. Hart (Hart Publishing, 1974)
Magazine work
- ADVENTURE: Vol. 112, No. 5 (Popular Publications, May, 1946)
- ADVENTURE: Vol. 112, No. 5 (Popular Publications, December, 1947)
- Astounding Science Fiction: May 1941, Vol. 27, No. 3 (illustrations for the novella Solution UnsatisfactorySolution Unsatisfactory"Solution Unsatisfactory" is a 1940 science fiction short story by Robert A. Heinlein. It describes the US effort to build a nuclear weapon in order to end the ongoing World War II, and its dystopian consequences to the nation and the world....
by Anson MacDonald, pseudonym for Robert A. HeinleinRobert A. HeinleinRobert Anson Heinlein was an American science fiction writer. Often called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was one of the most influential and controversial authors of the genre. He set a standard for science and engineering plausibility and helped to raise the genre's standards of...
) - Astounding Science Fiction: December 1941, Vol. 27, No. 10 (illustrations for the novella Defense Line by Vic Phillips)