Ken Ernst
Encyclopedia
Kenneth Ernst known professionally as Ken Ernst, was an US comic book
and comic strip
artist. He is most notable for his work on the popular and long-running comic strip Mary Worth from 1942 to 1985. With his realistic style, uncommon in those early years, Ernst paved the way for soap opera strips that followed.
. Ernst began his working life as a stage magician, but he aimed for a career in art. Using money made performing magic to finance his education, he studied at the Art Institute of Chicago
and the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts.
. He joined the Harry "A" Chesler comic book production shop, where he contributed to Star Comics and Funny Pages until 1943. He took assignments on numerous titles from Centaur in the late 1930s. Ernst also worked for National Periodical Publications on Larry Steele and at Western Publishing
on Buck Jones, Tom Mix and Clyde Beatty. He is credited with the art on back-up stories in the DC Comics
flagship title Detective Comics
, issues 31-33, 38, and most issues between 39 and 49.
strip. (another source reports that he "ghosted" it). In 1942, Ernst took over as artist on the King Features Syndicate
comic strip Mary Worth, and that strip became his life's work. Ernst rendered the strip, scripted by Allen Saunders
, in a realistic style "inspired by that of his mentors Milton Caniff
and Noel Sickles
." His Mary Worth became a prototype for the "gentle and sophisticated" soap opera strip.
Eminent comic strip historian Coulton Waugh
made note of Ernst's "smooth, smart, dressy, modern style." Waugh also admired Ernst's device of drawing a group of characters in a panel without any background and—through clever use of shadow—making the figures appear to leap out of the panel.
, Judge Parker
, The Heart of Juliet Jones
and Apartment 3-G
among others are said to have followed Ernst's lead.
The Wisconsin Historical Society
possesses some black and white photographs of Ernst sketching co-eds at the University of Wisconsin on February 5, 1947. Ernst is said to have chosen one of the young women to serve as the model for a new character in Mary Worth. Seven related images were published in the Wisconsin State Journal
on February 9, 1947.
Ernst's artwork appeared in comic books again in the late 1940s and early 1950s in The Green Hornet
from Harvey Comics
, but the panels were reprints of his Mary Worth.
Ken Ernst illustrated the Mary Worth strip until the time of his death. He died August 6, 1985 of a heart attack, while visiting his son in Salem Oregon.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
and comic strip
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
artist. He is most notable for his work on the popular and long-running comic strip Mary Worth from 1942 to 1985. With his realistic style, uncommon in those early years, Ernst paved the way for soap opera strips that followed.
Early years
Ken Ernst was born in 1918 in Illinois. At the age of 12, he was elected President of the Chicago Chapter of the International Brotherhood of MagiciansInternational Brotherhood of Magicians
International Brotherhood of Magicians is the world's largest organization for professional and amateur magicians, with approximately 15,000 members worldwide. The headquarters is in St...
. Ernst began his working life as a stage magician, but he aimed for a career in art. Using money made performing magic to finance his education, he studied at the Art Institute of Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago is one of America's largest accredited independent schools of art and design, located in the Loop in Chicago, Illinois. It is associated with the museum of the same name, and "The Art Institute of Chicago" or "Chicago Art Institute" often refers to either...
and the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts.
Comic books
In 1936, young Ernst began his art career during the burgeoning Golden Age of Comic BooksGolden Age of Comic Books
The Golden Age of Comic Books was a period in the history of American comic books, generally thought of as lasting from the late 1930s until the late 1940s or early 1950s...
. He joined the Harry "A" Chesler comic book production shop, where he contributed to Star Comics and Funny Pages until 1943. He took assignments on numerous titles from Centaur in the late 1930s. Ernst also worked for National Periodical Publications on Larry Steele and at Western Publishing
Western Publishing
Western Publishing, also known as Western Printing and Lithographing Company was a Racine, Wisconsin firm responsible for publishing the Little Golden Books. Western Publishing also produced children's books and family-related entertainment products as Golden Books Family Entertainment...
on Buck Jones, Tom Mix and Clyde Beatty. He is credited with the art on back-up stories in the DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
flagship title Detective Comics
Detective Comics
Detective Comics is an American comic book series published monthly by DC Comics since 1937, best known for introducing the iconic superhero Batman in Detective Comics #27 . It is, along with Action Comics, the book that launched with the debut of Superman, one of the medium's signature series, and...
, issues 31-33, 38, and most issues between 39 and 49.
Comic strips
It was in the field of newspaper comics, however, that Ken Ernst became famous. Between 1940 and 1942, he assisted on the daily Don Winslow of the NavyDon Winslow of the Navy (comics)
Don Winslow of the Navy was an American comic strip distributed by the Bell Syndicate from 1934 to 1955. The title character was a spychasing Lieutenant Commander in Naval intelligence. The comic strip led to a radio adventure serial that began in 1937, as well as a film serial that began in 1942...
strip. (another source reports that he "ghosted" it). In 1942, Ernst took over as artist on the King Features Syndicate
King Features Syndicate
King Features Syndicate, a print syndication company owned by The Hearst Corporation, distributes about 150 comic strips, newspaper columns, editorial cartoons, puzzles and games to nearly 5000 newspapers worldwide...
comic strip Mary Worth, and that strip became his life's work. Ernst rendered the strip, scripted by Allen Saunders
Allen Saunders
Allen Saunders was an American writer, journalist and cartoonist who wrote the comic strips Steve Roper and Mike Nomad, Mary Worth and Kerry Drake...
, in a realistic style "inspired by that of his mentors Milton Caniff
Milton Caniff
Milton Arthur Paul Caniff was an American cartoonist famous for the Terry and the Pirates and Steve Canyon comic strips.-Biography:...
and Noel Sickles
Noel Sickles
Noel Douglas Sickles was an American commercial illustrator and cartoonist, best known for the comic strip Scorchy Smith....
." His Mary Worth became a prototype for the "gentle and sophisticated" soap opera strip.
Eminent comic strip historian Coulton Waugh
Coulton Waugh
Frederick Coulton Waugh was a cartoonist, painter, teacher and author, best known for his illustration work on the comic strip Dickie Dare and his book The Comics , the first major study of the field.His father was the marine artist Frederick Judd Waugh, and his grandfather was the Philadelphia...
made note of Ernst's "smooth, smart, dressy, modern style." Waugh also admired Ernst's device of drawing a group of characters in a panel without any background and—through clever use of shadow—making the figures appear to leap out of the panel.
Influence
In terms of style, later strips such as Rex Morgan, M.D.Rex Morgan, M.D.
Rex Morgan, M.D. is an American soap-opera comic strip, created in 1948 by psychiatrist Dr. Nicholas P. Dallis under the pseudonym Dal Curtis. It maintained a readership well over a half-century, and in 2006 it was published in more than 300 U.S. newspapers and 14 foreign countries, according to...
, Judge Parker
Judge Parker
Judge Parker is a soap opera-style comic strip created by Nicholas P. Dallis that first appeared on November 24, 1952. The strip's look and content were influenced by the work of Allen Saunders and Ken Ernst on Mary Worth.-Characters and story:...
, The Heart of Juliet Jones
The Heart of Juliet Jones
The Heart of Juliet Jones was a comic strip created by Stan Drake in 1953.The strip was a soap opera, following the prototype set by Mary Worth but elevated by Drake's exceptional artwork...
and Apartment 3-G
Apartment 3-G
Apartment 3-G is an American newspaper comic strip about a trio of career women who share Apartment 3-G in Manhattan. Created by Nicholas P...
among others are said to have followed Ernst's lead.
The Wisconsin Historical Society
Wisconsin Historical Society
The Wisconsin Historical Society is simultaneously a private membership and a state-funded organization whose purpose is to maintain, promote and spread knowledge relating to the history of North America, with an emphasis on the state of Wisconsin and the trans-Allegheny West...
possesses some black and white photographs of Ernst sketching co-eds at the University of Wisconsin on February 5, 1947. Ernst is said to have chosen one of the young women to serve as the model for a new character in Mary Worth. Seven related images were published in the Wisconsin State Journal
Wisconsin State Journal
The Wisconsin State Journal is a daily newspaper published in Madison, Wisconsin by Lee Enterprises. The newspaper, the second largest in Wisconsin, is primarily distributed in a 19 county region in south-central Wisconsin...
on February 9, 1947.
Ernst's artwork appeared in comic books again in the late 1940s and early 1950s in The Green Hornet
The Green Hornet
The Green Hornet is an American radio and television masked vigilante created by George W. Trendle and Fran Striker, with input from radio director James Jewell, in 1936. Since his radio debut in the 1930s, the Green Hornet has appeared in numerous serialized dramas in a wide variety of media...
from Harvey Comics
Harvey Comics
Harvey Comics was an American comic book publisher, founded in New York City by Alfred Harvey in 1941, after buying out the small publisher Brookwood Publications. His brothers Robert B...
, but the panels were reprints of his Mary Worth.
Ken Ernst illustrated the Mary Worth strip until the time of his death. He died August 6, 1985 of a heart attack, while visiting his son in Salem Oregon.