Phil Frank
Encyclopedia
Phil Frank was an American
cartoonist best known as the creator of the San Francisco-based comic strip
Farley
and the artist on nationally syndicated comic strip The Elderberries (written by Joe Troise). Frank and Troise worked together on other comic strip projects, including Chateau Defeat (published in the Wine Spectator
), Miles to Go, and both Nigel Shiftright, Automotive Anachronism and the eponymous Frank and Troise for Road & Track
magazine.
Frank started cartooning at Michigan State University first by creating illustrations on classmates jackets and then with the university newspaper for $5 a strip. After graduation Frank took a job as an illustrator and humorist with Hallmark Cards in Kansas City, where his son Philip Frank was born. Frank returned to teach at Michigan State for a few years, during which time his daughter Stacy Frank was born. After moving to the Bay Area California in 1973 Frank was an illustrator for a variety of clients. He started his syndicated comic strip career with "Travels With Farley", while he and his second wife, Susan, lived on a house boat in Sausalito, on San Francisco Bay. During this time his studio was in a pilot's cabin atop a ferry boat docked nearby. When Farley transitioned from a syndicated to a local comic strip Frank secured a secret studio atop the Chronicle building where he could covertly create his characters.
In addition to his comic strip work Frank also worked as an illustrator on many projects during his career for conservation education materials ("Aunt Energina," the "Electric Gnus,") and for numerous commercial clients, including the San Francisco Giants and Pet Food Express
. He also created some of the first computer-based clip art, and one of his cartoon bears from Asphalt State Park was used as a popular stuffed animal for sale at State Parks alongside his Farely books.
An avid classic car enthusiast since a child, Frank always had a project going, his passion over the years included the restoration of seven Ford Model As, two MG TCs, a Ticford and a Jaguar MKII . In the summer of 1976 he, along with his wife Susan and the two children, drove a 1929 Model A Four Door pulling a period appropriate camper from California to Maine and back all along the back roads of America. His wife, Susan, collaborated on his publishing projects and she also wrote and published children's books.
Frank announced his retirement for health reasons on September 7, 2007 and died shortly thereafter in Bolinas, California
. Frank had been suffering from a brain tumor
for months prior to and was gravely ill at the time of the announcement.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
cartoonist best known as the creator of the San Francisco-based 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....
Farley
Farley (comic strip)
Farley was an American comic strip written and drawn by Phil Frank, which appeared daily in the San Francisco Chronicle...
and the artist on nationally syndicated comic strip The Elderberries (written by Joe Troise). Frank and Troise worked together on other comic strip projects, including Chateau Defeat (published in the Wine Spectator
Wine Spectator
Wine Spectator is a lifestyle magazine that focuses on wine and wine culture. It publishes 15 issues per year with content that includes news, articles, profiles, and general entertainment pieces...
), Miles to Go, and both Nigel Shiftright, Automotive Anachronism and the eponymous Frank and Troise for Road & Track
Road & Track
Road & Track is an American automotive enthusiast magazine. It is owned by Hearst Magazines, and is published monthly. The editorial offices are located in Newport Beach, California.-History:...
magazine.
Frank started cartooning at Michigan State University first by creating illustrations on classmates jackets and then with the university newspaper for $5 a strip. After graduation Frank took a job as an illustrator and humorist with Hallmark Cards in Kansas City, where his son Philip Frank was born. Frank returned to teach at Michigan State for a few years, during which time his daughter Stacy Frank was born. After moving to the Bay Area California in 1973 Frank was an illustrator for a variety of clients. He started his syndicated comic strip career with "Travels With Farley", while he and his second wife, Susan, lived on a house boat in Sausalito, on San Francisco Bay. During this time his studio was in a pilot's cabin atop a ferry boat docked nearby. When Farley transitioned from a syndicated to a local comic strip Frank secured a secret studio atop the Chronicle building where he could covertly create his characters.
In addition to his comic strip work Frank also worked as an illustrator on many projects during his career for conservation education materials ("Aunt Energina," the "Electric Gnus,") and for numerous commercial clients, including the San Francisco Giants and Pet Food Express
Pet Food Express
Pet Food Express is a Northern California chain of retail stores that offers premium, holistic, and organic pet food, as well as many other pet supplies, as well as self-service dog washes....
. He also created some of the first computer-based clip art, and one of his cartoon bears from Asphalt State Park was used as a popular stuffed animal for sale at State Parks alongside his Farely books.
An avid classic car enthusiast since a child, Frank always had a project going, his passion over the years included the restoration of seven Ford Model As, two MG TCs, a Ticford and a Jaguar MKII . In the summer of 1976 he, along with his wife Susan and the two children, drove a 1929 Model A Four Door pulling a period appropriate camper from California to Maine and back all along the back roads of America. His wife, Susan, collaborated on his publishing projects and she also wrote and published children's books.
Frank announced his retirement for health reasons on September 7, 2007 and died shortly thereafter in Bolinas, California
Bolinas, California
Bolinas formerly Juggville is a coastal unincorporated community in Marin County, California in the San Francisco Bay Area. Bolinas is located west-southwest of San Rafael, at an elevation of 36 feet...
. Frank had been suffering from a brain tumor
Brain tumor
A brain tumor is an intracranial solid neoplasm, a tumor within the brain or the central spinal canal.Brain tumors include all tumors inside the cranium or in the central spinal canal...
for months prior to and was gravely ill at the time of the announcement.
External links
- Official Website
- Farley, the comic strip.
- Biography from the San Francisco ChronicleSan Francisco Chroniclethumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
- Phil Frank Dies
- Phil Frank Retires
- Don Asmussen remembers Phil Frank
- Memorial Page
- Daughter's Website