"Speak my name and I will live forever" – African proverb
GERALD W. "JERRY" COSTELLO - Obituary – died July 12, 1971
COSTELLO, 73, CARTOONIST, DIES IN ALBANY
Jerry Costello, retired cartoonist for The Knickerbocker News, died Monday night at Albany Medical Center Hospital. He was 73.
Funeral services will be Thursday morning.
Costello's career as an editorial cartoonist began in 1916 at the Philadelphia Press. Two years later he became an animated cartoonist for movie shorts for the Bray Studios.
Later jobs included the Scranton Republican, the Binghamton Press, Buffalo Enquirer, the Newark (NJ) Star-Eagle and the New York Herald, where he did full page color comics called "Topsy-Turveys," "Hawkeye, Jr". and "Cosmo."
Costello's last job was with the Albany Knickerbocker News from which he retired eight years ago.
As a syndicated cartoonist, Costello's work was carried by more than 75 newspapers and often featured the subject of traffic safety. His bold, deft lines, wry humor, and incisive social and political commentary made him nationally known.
Costello is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Richard H. Smith, of Selden, NY, and Lola M. Costello, of Albany; a brother, William Costello, and three sisters, Agnes Costello, Mrs. Rose Beemer (all of Scranton, PA) and Mrs. Joseph Marks of Austin, TX; and five grandchildren.
--------------------------------------------------
WHO'S WHO IN AMERICA (1958-59)
COSTELLO, Gerald William (Jerry Costello), cartoonist; b. Scranton, PA., Dec. 25, 1897; son of Patrick William and Mary Agnes (Mahon) C.; educated in Scranton (PA) public schools and High School, and PA Academy of the Fine Arts; married Lola Margaret Huntington, Oct. 23, 1925; children – Patricia Alice, Lola Margaret. Newspaper cartoonist Scranton (PA), Daily News 1915-16. Phila. Press, 1916-17, Scranton Republican, 1918, Binghamton (NY) Press, 1919. Buffalo Courier and Enquirer, 1920, Newark (NJ) Star-Eagle, 1921, The Albany Evening News (now named The Knickerbocker News), Albany, NY, since 1922. Was a pioneer in animated movie cartooning, and sold his first animated cartoon to Wm. Bray Studios, New York, 1918; originator of "Cosmo," Hawkeye, Jr," and "The Topsy Turvies" in the old New York Herald Sunday colored comic section; author "The Life of Al Smith," daily strip in New York Evening World and national syndicate, 1928 (also pub. In book form); his cartoons now syndicated in Gannett newspapers; editorial cartoon originals exhibited in Huntington Library and Art Gallery, San Marino, CA, Princeton University, University of Washington (Seattle), Boston University, Suffolk University (Boston); editorial cartoons now syndicated daily by General Features Corp., NY City. Awarded first prize, 1939, in Commercial Investment Trust Safety Foundation awards of merit for editorial cartoons in interest of traffic safety. Grand Award winner, National Safety Council annual cartoon contest, 1947; winner first prize, Disabled American Veterans newspaper editorial cartoon contest, 1948; Freedoms Foundation Gold Medal award, 1950, 51, 52; Distinguished Service award, 1952, 54, 55; Crusade for Freedom citation, 1956.
Home: 999 Washington Ave., Albany, NY.
Office: The Knickerbocker News, 18 Beaver St., Albany, NY.
The Albany Times Union (1960-62)
-------------------------------------------------
The Pittston Gazette, Tuesday, Nov. 30, 1920, pg. 10
Gerald Costello, well known Scranton cartoonist, will join the New York Herald's staff of cartoonists early in December. Mr. Costello is a son of P. W. Costello, and a former cartoonist of the Scranton Republican. For a time he was employed on a Buffalo paper and later went to Newark. In addition to his work in black and white, Mr. Costello will be responsible for one of the departments of the Herald's colored comic supplements, under the heading, "Cosmo." (Jerry's comic strips, "Hawkeye, Jr." and "The Topsy Turvies" were also published in the New York Herald in 1921).
The Scranton Republican, Dec. 13, 1920, pg. 3
COSTELLO HAS PAGE OF CARTOONS IN HERALD
The New York Herald yesterday had a page comic in the colored supplement which was designed by Gerald Costello of this city, former cartoonist for The Republican.
It is entitled "Cosmo" and deals with the adventures of a boy who turns detective. It is clever in conception and wonderfully well drawn.
Mr. Costello's local friends are much pleased over his entrance into the field of national cartooning.
---------------------------------------------------
In 1922, Jerry was hired as an editorial cartoonist for the Knickerbocker Press in Albany, NY. In 1928, the Knickerbocker Press and their competitor, the Albany Evening News, were purchased by Gannett. In 1937, the two papers merged and became the Knickerbocker News. In 1960, Hearst bought the Knickerbocker News. Jerry didn't want to work for Hearst, so he moved over to the Albany Times Union for two years, and retired in 1962. He died in 1971.
For much of his career in Albany, Jerry's cartoons were syndicated by 75 other newspapers.
---------------------------------------------------
COSTELLO - HUNTINGTON MARRIAGE
On October 23, 1925, Jerry Costello married Lola M. Huntington, of Delmar, N.Y., at St. Mary's Church in Albany. Rev. P. J. Whelan officiated. Miss Winifred Onderdonk and William W. Spalding were the attendants. Mr. Costello was the staff cartoonist of the Albany Evening News, syndicated in 75 papers nationally. Huntington was employed in the Circulation Dept. of the same paper.
At that point in his career, Jerry Costello was former cartoonist with the Scranton Republican, Philadelphia Press, Binghamton News, Buffalo Courier-Express, Newark Ledger and the McClure Syndicate.
Source: The Times-Tribune, Scranton, Pennsylvania, Fri, Jan 1, 1926, Page 16
----------------------------------------------------
Profile of Jerry Costello written by reporter John Mooney and published in the Courier-News, Plainfield, NJ, on Friday, June 28, 1929, pg. 18. It included a self-portrait of the artist (see Photos).
Title: As Jerry Sees Himself At Work
Caption under portrait: HERE'S the way Jerry Costello. whose cartoons appear frequently In this newspaper, visualizes himself at work at his drawing board. He put the cat in just for trimmings.
By John Mooney
"ISN'T it so!" That is the first reaction of many readers of this newspaper who follow Jerry Costello's cartoons as they appear from time to time.
In kindly, tolerant fashion, a typical Costello cartoon pictures a problem, suggests a remedy, or visualizes human achievement, human frailty.
Costello began drawing at the age of four, and history relates that this was the most expensive part of his student career. He had no use for fancy bindings or artistic typography and one after another of the books in the family library were made over and extra-illustrated by the eager young artist.
He was born on Christmas Day, 1897, in Scranton, Pa., and followed his early beginnings in art by doing cartoons for the Scranton (later called Central) High School magazine publication ("Impressions"). During his high school years, he also turned out some cartoons for the Scranton newspapers, and in his spare time made sketches of the then famous movie stars. These were hung in the corridors of the local nickelodeons.
Before he had graduated to long pants, he told his father he was going to the '"big city" which happened in his case, to be Philadelphia. And there he went in 1915 and remained with the art department of the Philadelphia Press for two years. It was the beginning of his newspaper career.
Costello inherited much of his gift for drawing. His father, P. W. Costello, is a noted engrosser and illustrator. Costello has always been a student of his own profession and, outside of a few months at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, he had little supervised training.
He has worked on papers in Scranton, Binghamton, Buffalo, Newark and New York. He left the New York Herald after two years to join the staff of the Albany Knickerbocker Press. He was transferred a month later to the staff of the Albany Evening News and has been there since 1922, his "home base," from which his cartoons are syndicated.
With pen and brush, Costello can turn to any phase of newspaper art.
His portraits from life include those of Teddy Roosevelt; Col. Charles Lindbergh; President Calvin Coolidge; Gov. Alfred E. Smith; actor E. H. Sothern; General Douglas McArthur; boxers "Gentleman Jim" Corbett, Gene Tunney and Jack Dempsey; Ambassador James W. Gerard; Belgian Cardinal Désiré-Joseph Mercier and other notables.
Prior to the last presidential campaign he sketched the life of then-Governor Smith. The series was syndicated by the "New York Evening World" to papers throughout the country and into Canada, and published in a hardcover book.
His motto is "put kindness into your cartoons.'' And maybe that's one reason he is so popular.
------------------------------------------------
The article above, written by John Mooney, was published in the Plainfield (NJ) Courier-News in June 1929, seven years after Jerry started at the Knickerbocker News.
Jerry worked in Albany for 40 years (1922-1962), a total of 47 years in political cartooning (1915-1962), including one at the Scranton Republican (1918).
His first cartoon was published in the Daily News in Scranton in 1915 when he was only 17 years old. That's when he left Scranton High School and attended the Philadelphia Fine Arts Academy, but only for a few months. He didn't need formal training. His father, P. W. Costello, one of the best illustrators in the country, taught him what he needed to know about illustration. He was then hired by the Philadelphia Press, followed by the Scranton Republican, where he learned from Bill Steinke, an outstanding caricaturist and cartoonist, and good friend of his father.
He worked briefly at papers in Binghamton, Buffalo, Newark and NY City before going to the Knickerbocker News. He also did some pioneer animated cartooning work for the Wm. Bray Studios in NY and created two Sunday cartoon strips for the NY Herald ("Cosmo," "Hawkeye, Jr.," and "The Topsy Turveys").
When Jerry told a reporter that he tried to put kindness into his cartoons, he was referring to his work advocating for social and humanitarian causes, like the Community Chest, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, and employment opportunities for disabled WWII veterans. He won numerous awards for his compelling cartoons on the subject of highway safety, with particular focus on the dangers of speeding and reckless driving. He often created cartoons for friends' causes - quietly and without fanfare.
Jerry was highly regarded by others in the cartooning profession, many of whom honored him with cartoons when he retired.
--------------------------------------
From Public Safety, Vol. 14, March 1938, page 24.
ONE CARTOON = 15,000 WORDS, by Jerry Costello, The Albany Knickerbocker News
I draw newspaper cartoons for a living. It is not a side-splitting job.
Anyone who thinks a newspaper cartoonist does his work on a stool or chair with a double-width seat to keep him from falling off with laughter at his own handiwork can save his brain for straighter thinking.
The job of cartoonist, particularly an editorial cartoonist, is serious and often grim business.
Actually, he is not the clown who makes you laugh. His job is to picture the clowns who stride and ride across the pages of the day's news.
Among his subjects are the political fakirs who make economic confusion, the militarists, statesmen, kings, premiers, dictators who make world history and world-wide confusion, and lately...
A cartoonist's subjects include the newest and most gruesome army - the army of licensed and unlicensed killers. You know them. You've met them. They are: the Drunken Driver, the Speed Maniac, the Red Light Runner, the Road-Hog, the Hilltop Passer and the Pedestrian Bumper.
This sextet of street and highway marauders are riding hard these days, seemingly unchecked.
It should be, therefore, first business to a responsible editorial cartoonist to attack this problem.
For years I have turned to the traffic accident problem frequently - more frequently, perhaps, than the average cartoonist.
My reason: My wife and I are exposed to the threat of accident every minute we are on the streets. We have two children, and our concern for their safety is no more, no less, than typical of the concern other parents feel for their safety and that of their children.
As we cartoonists attack this subject of traffic accidents, we labor in agreement with Confusius that..."one picture is worth 10,000 words."
In fact, we'll go him one better. We believe one good cartoon is worth 15,000 words!
---------------------------------------
- written and compiled by Thomas W. Costello, grand-nephew of Jerry Costello
GERALD W. "JERRY" COSTELLO - Obituary – died July 12, 1971
COSTELLO, 73, CARTOONIST, DIES IN ALBANY
Jerry Costello, retired cartoonist for The Knickerbocker News, died Monday night at Albany Medical Center Hospital. He was 73.
Funeral services will be Thursday morning.
Costello's career as an editorial cartoonist began in 1916 at the Philadelphia Press. Two years later he became an animated cartoonist for movie shorts for the Bray Studios.
Later jobs included the Scranton Republican, the Binghamton Press, Buffalo Enquirer, the Newark (NJ) Star-Eagle and the New York Herald, where he did full page color comics called "Topsy-Turveys," "Hawkeye, Jr". and "Cosmo."
Costello's last job was with the Albany Knickerbocker News from which he retired eight years ago.
As a syndicated cartoonist, Costello's work was carried by more than 75 newspapers and often featured the subject of traffic safety. His bold, deft lines, wry humor, and incisive social and political commentary made him nationally known.
Costello is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Richard H. Smith, of Selden, NY, and Lola M. Costello, of Albany; a brother, William Costello, and three sisters, Agnes Costello, Mrs. Rose Beemer (all of Scranton, PA) and Mrs. Joseph Marks of Austin, TX; and five grandchildren.
--------------------------------------------------
WHO'S WHO IN AMERICA (1958-59)
COSTELLO, Gerald William (Jerry Costello), cartoonist; b. Scranton, PA., Dec. 25, 1897; son of Patrick William and Mary Agnes (Mahon) C.; educated in Scranton (PA) public schools and High School, and PA Academy of the Fine Arts; married Lola Margaret Huntington, Oct. 23, 1925; children – Patricia Alice, Lola Margaret. Newspaper cartoonist Scranton (PA), Daily News 1915-16. Phila. Press, 1916-17, Scranton Republican, 1918, Binghamton (NY) Press, 1919. Buffalo Courier and Enquirer, 1920, Newark (NJ) Star-Eagle, 1921, The Albany Evening News (now named The Knickerbocker News), Albany, NY, since 1922. Was a pioneer in animated movie cartooning, and sold his first animated cartoon to Wm. Bray Studios, New York, 1918; originator of "Cosmo," Hawkeye, Jr," and "The Topsy Turvies" in the old New York Herald Sunday colored comic section; author "The Life of Al Smith," daily strip in New York Evening World and national syndicate, 1928 (also pub. In book form); his cartoons now syndicated in Gannett newspapers; editorial cartoon originals exhibited in Huntington Library and Art Gallery, San Marino, CA, Princeton University, University of Washington (Seattle), Boston University, Suffolk University (Boston); editorial cartoons now syndicated daily by General Features Corp., NY City. Awarded first prize, 1939, in Commercial Investment Trust Safety Foundation awards of merit for editorial cartoons in interest of traffic safety. Grand Award winner, National Safety Council annual cartoon contest, 1947; winner first prize, Disabled American Veterans newspaper editorial cartoon contest, 1948; Freedoms Foundation Gold Medal award, 1950, 51, 52; Distinguished Service award, 1952, 54, 55; Crusade for Freedom citation, 1956.
Home: 999 Washington Ave., Albany, NY.
Office: The Knickerbocker News, 18 Beaver St., Albany, NY.
The Albany Times Union (1960-62)
-------------------------------------------------
The Pittston Gazette, Tuesday, Nov. 30, 1920, pg. 10
Gerald Costello, well known Scranton cartoonist, will join the New York Herald's staff of cartoonists early in December. Mr. Costello is a son of P. W. Costello, and a former cartoonist of the Scranton Republican. For a time he was employed on a Buffalo paper and later went to Newark. In addition to his work in black and white, Mr. Costello will be responsible for one of the departments of the Herald's colored comic supplements, under the heading, "Cosmo." (Jerry's comic strips, "Hawkeye, Jr." and "The Topsy Turvies" were also published in the New York Herald in 1921).
The Scranton Republican, Dec. 13, 1920, pg. 3
COSTELLO HAS PAGE OF CARTOONS IN HERALD
The New York Herald yesterday had a page comic in the colored supplement which was designed by Gerald Costello of this city, former cartoonist for The Republican.
It is entitled "Cosmo" and deals with the adventures of a boy who turns detective. It is clever in conception and wonderfully well drawn.
Mr. Costello's local friends are much pleased over his entrance into the field of national cartooning.
---------------------------------------------------
In 1922, Jerry was hired as an editorial cartoonist for the Knickerbocker Press in Albany, NY. In 1928, the Knickerbocker Press and their competitor, the Albany Evening News, were purchased by Gannett. In 1937, the two papers merged and became the Knickerbocker News. In 1960, Hearst bought the Knickerbocker News. Jerry didn't want to work for Hearst, so he moved over to the Albany Times Union for two years, and retired in 1962. He died in 1971.
For much of his career in Albany, Jerry's cartoons were syndicated by 75 other newspapers.
---------------------------------------------------
COSTELLO - HUNTINGTON MARRIAGE
On October 23, 1925, Jerry Costello married Lola M. Huntington, of Delmar, N.Y., at St. Mary's Church in Albany. Rev. P. J. Whelan officiated. Miss Winifred Onderdonk and William W. Spalding were the attendants. Mr. Costello was the staff cartoonist of the Albany Evening News, syndicated in 75 papers nationally. Huntington was employed in the Circulation Dept. of the same paper.
At that point in his career, Jerry Costello was former cartoonist with the Scranton Republican, Philadelphia Press, Binghamton News, Buffalo Courier-Express, Newark Ledger and the McClure Syndicate.
Source: The Times-Tribune, Scranton, Pennsylvania, Fri, Jan 1, 1926, Page 16
----------------------------------------------------
Profile of Jerry Costello written by reporter John Mooney and published in the Courier-News, Plainfield, NJ, on Friday, June 28, 1929, pg. 18. It included a self-portrait of the artist (see Photos).
Title: As Jerry Sees Himself At Work
Caption under portrait: HERE'S the way Jerry Costello. whose cartoons appear frequently In this newspaper, visualizes himself at work at his drawing board. He put the cat in just for trimmings.
By John Mooney
"ISN'T it so!" That is the first reaction of many readers of this newspaper who follow Jerry Costello's cartoons as they appear from time to time.
In kindly, tolerant fashion, a typical Costello cartoon pictures a problem, suggests a remedy, or visualizes human achievement, human frailty.
Costello began drawing at the age of four, and history relates that this was the most expensive part of his student career. He had no use for fancy bindings or artistic typography and one after another of the books in the family library were made over and extra-illustrated by the eager young artist.
He was born on Christmas Day, 1897, in Scranton, Pa., and followed his early beginnings in art by doing cartoons for the Scranton (later called Central) High School magazine publication ("Impressions"). During his high school years, he also turned out some cartoons for the Scranton newspapers, and in his spare time made sketches of the then famous movie stars. These were hung in the corridors of the local nickelodeons.
Before he had graduated to long pants, he told his father he was going to the '"big city" which happened in his case, to be Philadelphia. And there he went in 1915 and remained with the art department of the Philadelphia Press for two years. It was the beginning of his newspaper career.
Costello inherited much of his gift for drawing. His father, P. W. Costello, is a noted engrosser and illustrator. Costello has always been a student of his own profession and, outside of a few months at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, he had little supervised training.
He has worked on papers in Scranton, Binghamton, Buffalo, Newark and New York. He left the New York Herald after two years to join the staff of the Albany Knickerbocker Press. He was transferred a month later to the staff of the Albany Evening News and has been there since 1922, his "home base," from which his cartoons are syndicated.
With pen and brush, Costello can turn to any phase of newspaper art.
His portraits from life include those of Teddy Roosevelt; Col. Charles Lindbergh; President Calvin Coolidge; Gov. Alfred E. Smith; actor E. H. Sothern; General Douglas McArthur; boxers "Gentleman Jim" Corbett, Gene Tunney and Jack Dempsey; Ambassador James W. Gerard; Belgian Cardinal Désiré-Joseph Mercier and other notables.
Prior to the last presidential campaign he sketched the life of then-Governor Smith. The series was syndicated by the "New York Evening World" to papers throughout the country and into Canada, and published in a hardcover book.
His motto is "put kindness into your cartoons.'' And maybe that's one reason he is so popular.
------------------------------------------------
The article above, written by John Mooney, was published in the Plainfield (NJ) Courier-News in June 1929, seven years after Jerry started at the Knickerbocker News.
Jerry worked in Albany for 40 years (1922-1962), a total of 47 years in political cartooning (1915-1962), including one at the Scranton Republican (1918).
His first cartoon was published in the Daily News in Scranton in 1915 when he was only 17 years old. That's when he left Scranton High School and attended the Philadelphia Fine Arts Academy, but only for a few months. He didn't need formal training. His father, P. W. Costello, one of the best illustrators in the country, taught him what he needed to know about illustration. He was then hired by the Philadelphia Press, followed by the Scranton Republican, where he learned from Bill Steinke, an outstanding caricaturist and cartoonist, and good friend of his father.
He worked briefly at papers in Binghamton, Buffalo, Newark and NY City before going to the Knickerbocker News. He also did some pioneer animated cartooning work for the Wm. Bray Studios in NY and created two Sunday cartoon strips for the NY Herald ("Cosmo," "Hawkeye, Jr.," and "The Topsy Turveys").
When Jerry told a reporter that he tried to put kindness into his cartoons, he was referring to his work advocating for social and humanitarian causes, like the Community Chest, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, and employment opportunities for disabled WWII veterans. He won numerous awards for his compelling cartoons on the subject of highway safety, with particular focus on the dangers of speeding and reckless driving. He often created cartoons for friends' causes - quietly and without fanfare.
Jerry was highly regarded by others in the cartooning profession, many of whom honored him with cartoons when he retired.
--------------------------------------
From Public Safety, Vol. 14, March 1938, page 24.
ONE CARTOON = 15,000 WORDS, by Jerry Costello, The Albany Knickerbocker News
I draw newspaper cartoons for a living. It is not a side-splitting job.
Anyone who thinks a newspaper cartoonist does his work on a stool or chair with a double-width seat to keep him from falling off with laughter at his own handiwork can save his brain for straighter thinking.
The job of cartoonist, particularly an editorial cartoonist, is serious and often grim business.
Actually, he is not the clown who makes you laugh. His job is to picture the clowns who stride and ride across the pages of the day's news.
Among his subjects are the political fakirs who make economic confusion, the militarists, statesmen, kings, premiers, dictators who make world history and world-wide confusion, and lately...
A cartoonist's subjects include the newest and most gruesome army - the army of licensed and unlicensed killers. You know them. You've met them. They are: the Drunken Driver, the Speed Maniac, the Red Light Runner, the Road-Hog, the Hilltop Passer and the Pedestrian Bumper.
This sextet of street and highway marauders are riding hard these days, seemingly unchecked.
It should be, therefore, first business to a responsible editorial cartoonist to attack this problem.
For years I have turned to the traffic accident problem frequently - more frequently, perhaps, than the average cartoonist.
My reason: My wife and I are exposed to the threat of accident every minute we are on the streets. We have two children, and our concern for their safety is no more, no less, than typical of the concern other parents feel for their safety and that of their children.
As we cartoonists attack this subject of traffic accidents, we labor in agreement with Confusius that..."one picture is worth 10,000 words."
In fact, we'll go him one better. We believe one good cartoon is worth 15,000 words!
---------------------------------------
- written and compiled by Thomas W. Costello, grand-nephew of Jerry Costello
"Speak my name and I will live forever" – African proverb
GERALD W. "JERRY" COSTELLO - Obituary – died July 12, 1971
COSTELLO, 73, CARTOONIST, DIES IN ALBANY
Jerry Costello, retired cartoonist for The Knickerbocker News, died Monday night at Albany Medical Center Hospital. He was 73.
Funeral services will be Thursday morning.
Costello's career as an editorial cartoonist began in 1916 at the Philadelphia Press. Two years later he became an animated cartoonist for movie shorts for the Bray Studios.
Later jobs included the Scranton Republican, the Binghamton Press, Buffalo Enquirer, the Newark (NJ) Star-Eagle and the New York Herald, where he did full page color comics called "Topsy-Turveys," "Hawkeye, Jr". and "Cosmo."
Costello's last job was with the Albany Knickerbocker News from which he retired eight years ago.
As a syndicated cartoonist, Costello's work was carried by more than 75 newspapers and often featured the subject of traffic safety. His bold, deft lines, wry humor, and incisive social and political commentary made him nationally known.
Costello is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Richard H. Smith, of Selden, NY, and Lola M. Costello, of Albany; a brother, William Costello, and three sisters, Agnes Costello, Mrs. Rose Beemer (all of Scranton, PA) and Mrs. Joseph Marks of Austin, TX; and five grandchildren.
--------------------------------------------------
WHO'S WHO IN AMERICA (1958-59)
COSTELLO, Gerald William (Jerry Costello), cartoonist; b. Scranton, PA., Dec. 25, 1897; son of Patrick William and Mary Agnes (Mahon) C.; educated in Scranton (PA) public schools and High School, and PA Academy of the Fine Arts; married Lola Margaret Huntington, Oct. 23, 1925; children – Patricia Alice, Lola Margaret. Newspaper cartoonist Scranton (PA), Daily News 1915-16. Phila. Press, 1916-17, Scranton Republican, 1918, Binghamton (NY) Press, 1919. Buffalo Courier and Enquirer, 1920, Newark (NJ) Star-Eagle, 1921, The Albany Evening News (now named The Knickerbocker News), Albany, NY, since 1922. Was a pioneer in animated movie cartooning, and sold his first animated cartoon to Wm. Bray Studios, New York, 1918; originator of "Cosmo," Hawkeye, Jr," and "The Topsy Turvies" in the old New York Herald Sunday colored comic section; author "The Life of Al Smith," daily strip in New York Evening World and national syndicate, 1928 (also pub. In book form); his cartoons now syndicated in Gannett newspapers; editorial cartoon originals exhibited in Huntington Library and Art Gallery, San Marino, CA, Princeton University, University of Washington (Seattle), Boston University, Suffolk University (Boston); editorial cartoons now syndicated daily by General Features Corp., NY City. Awarded first prize, 1939, in Commercial Investment Trust Safety Foundation awards of merit for editorial cartoons in interest of traffic safety. Grand Award winner, National Safety Council annual cartoon contest, 1947; winner first prize, Disabled American Veterans newspaper editorial cartoon contest, 1948; Freedoms Foundation Gold Medal award, 1950, 51, 52; Distinguished Service award, 1952, 54, 55; Crusade for Freedom citation, 1956.
Home: 999 Washington Ave., Albany, NY.
Office: The Knickerbocker News, 18 Beaver St., Albany, NY.
The Albany Times Union (1960-62)
-------------------------------------------------
The Pittston Gazette, Tuesday, Nov. 30, 1920, pg. 10
Gerald Costello, well known Scranton cartoonist, will join the New York Herald's staff of cartoonists early in December. Mr. Costello is a son of P. W. Costello, and a former cartoonist of the Scranton Republican. For a time he was employed on a Buffalo paper and later went to Newark. In addition to his work in black and white, Mr. Costello will be responsible for one of the departments of the Herald's colored comic supplements, under the heading, "Cosmo." (Jerry's comic strips, "Hawkeye, Jr." and "The Topsy Turvies" were also published in the New York Herald in 1921).
The Scranton Republican, Dec. 13, 1920, pg. 3
COSTELLO HAS PAGE OF CARTOONS IN HERALD
The New York Herald yesterday had a page comic in the colored supplement which was designed by Gerald Costello of this city, former cartoonist for The Republican.
It is entitled "Cosmo" and deals with the adventures of a boy who turns detective. It is clever in conception and wonderfully well drawn.
Mr. Costello's local friends are much pleased over his entrance into the field of national cartooning.
---------------------------------------------------
In 1922, Jerry was hired as an editorial cartoonist for the Knickerbocker Press in Albany, NY. In 1928, the Knickerbocker Press and their competitor, the Albany Evening News, were purchased by Gannett. In 1937, the two papers merged and became the Knickerbocker News. In 1960, Hearst bought the Knickerbocker News. Jerry didn't want to work for Hearst, so he moved over to the Albany Times Union for two years, and retired in 1962. He died in 1971.
For much of his career in Albany, Jerry's cartoons were syndicated by 75 other newspapers.
---------------------------------------------------
COSTELLO - HUNTINGTON MARRIAGE
On October 23, 1925, Jerry Costello married Lola M. Huntington, of Delmar, N.Y., at St. Mary's Church in Albany. Rev. P. J. Whelan officiated. Miss Winifred Onderdonk and William W. Spalding were the attendants. Mr. Costello was the staff cartoonist of the Albany Evening News, syndicated in 75 papers nationally. Huntington was employed in the Circulation Dept. of the same paper.
At that point in his career, Jerry Costello was former cartoonist with the Scranton Republican, Philadelphia Press, Binghamton News, Buffalo Courier-Express, Newark Ledger and the McClure Syndicate.
Source: The Times-Tribune, Scranton, Pennsylvania, Fri, Jan 1, 1926, Page 16
----------------------------------------------------
Profile of Jerry Costello written by reporter John Mooney and published in the Courier-News, Plainfield, NJ, on Friday, June 28, 1929, pg. 18. It included a self-portrait of the artist (see Photos).
Title: As Jerry Sees Himself At Work
Caption under portrait: HERE'S the way Jerry Costello. whose cartoons appear frequently In this newspaper, visualizes himself at work at his drawing board. He put the cat in just for trimmings.
By John Mooney
"ISN'T it so!" That is the first reaction of many readers of this newspaper who follow Jerry Costello's cartoons as they appear from time to time.
In kindly, tolerant fashion, a typical Costello cartoon pictures a problem, suggests a remedy, or visualizes human achievement, human frailty.
Costello began drawing at the age of four, and history relates that this was the most expensive part of his student career. He had no use for fancy bindings or artistic typography and one after another of the books in the family library were made over and extra-illustrated by the eager young artist.
He was born on Christmas Day, 1897, in Scranton, Pa., and followed his early beginnings in art by doing cartoons for the Scranton (later called Central) High School magazine publication ("Impressions"). During his high school years, he also turned out some cartoons for the Scranton newspapers, and in his spare time made sketches of the then famous movie stars. These were hung in the corridors of the local nickelodeons.
Before he had graduated to long pants, he told his father he was going to the '"big city" which happened in his case, to be Philadelphia. And there he went in 1915 and remained with the art department of the Philadelphia Press for two years. It was the beginning of his newspaper career.
Costello inherited much of his gift for drawing. His father, P. W. Costello, is a noted engrosser and illustrator. Costello has always been a student of his own profession and, outside of a few months at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, he had little supervised training.
He has worked on papers in Scranton, Binghamton, Buffalo, Newark and New York. He left the New York Herald after two years to join the staff of the Albany Knickerbocker Press. He was transferred a month later to the staff of the Albany Evening News and has been there since 1922, his "home base," from which his cartoons are syndicated.
With pen and brush, Costello can turn to any phase of newspaper art.
His portraits from life include those of Teddy Roosevelt; Col. Charles Lindbergh; President Calvin Coolidge; Gov. Alfred E. Smith; actor E. H. Sothern; General Douglas McArthur; boxers "Gentleman Jim" Corbett, Gene Tunney and Jack Dempsey; Ambassador James W. Gerard; Belgian Cardinal Désiré-Joseph Mercier and other notables.
Prior to the last presidential campaign he sketched the life of then-Governor Smith. The series was syndicated by the "New York Evening World" to papers throughout the country and into Canada, and published in a hardcover book.
His motto is "put kindness into your cartoons.'' And maybe that's one reason he is so popular.
------------------------------------------------
The article above, written by John Mooney, was published in the Plainfield (NJ) Courier-News in June 1929, seven years after Jerry started at the Knickerbocker News.
Jerry worked in Albany for 40 years (1922-1962), a total of 47 years in political cartooning (1915-1962), including one at the Scranton Republican (1918).
His first cartoon was published in the Daily News in Scranton in 1915 when he was only 17 years old. That's when he left Scranton High School and attended the Philadelphia Fine Arts Academy, but only for a few months. He didn't need formal training. His father, P. W. Costello, one of the best illustrators in the country, taught him what he needed to know about illustration. He was then hired by the Philadelphia Press, followed by the Scranton Republican, where he learned from Bill Steinke, an outstanding caricaturist and cartoonist, and good friend of his father.
He worked briefly at papers in Binghamton, Buffalo, Newark and NY City before going to the Knickerbocker News. He also did some pioneer animated cartooning work for the Wm. Bray Studios in NY and created two Sunday cartoon strips for the NY Herald ("Cosmo," "Hawkeye, Jr.," and "The Topsy Turveys").
When Jerry told a reporter that he tried to put kindness into his cartoons, he was referring to his work advocating for social and humanitarian causes, like the Community Chest, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, and employment opportunities for disabled WWII veterans. He won numerous awards for his compelling cartoons on the subject of highway safety, with particular focus on the dangers of speeding and reckless driving. He often created cartoons for friends' causes - quietly and without fanfare.
Jerry was highly regarded by others in the cartooning profession, many of whom honored him with cartoons when he retired.
--------------------------------------
From Public Safety, Vol. 14, March 1938, page 24.
ONE CARTOON = 15,000 WORDS, by Jerry Costello, The Albany Knickerbocker News
I draw newspaper cartoons for a living. It is not a side-splitting job.
Anyone who thinks a newspaper cartoonist does his work on a stool or chair with a double-width seat to keep him from falling off with laughter at his own handiwork can save his brain for straighter thinking.
The job of cartoonist, particularly an editorial cartoonist, is serious and often grim business.
Actually, he is not the clown who makes you laugh. His job is to picture the clowns who stride and ride across the pages of the day's news.
Among his subjects are the political fakirs who make economic confusion, the militarists, statesmen, kings, premiers, dictators who make world history and world-wide confusion, and lately...
A cartoonist's subjects include the newest and most gruesome army - the army of licensed and unlicensed killers. You know them. You've met them. They are: the Drunken Driver, the Speed Maniac, the Red Light Runner, the Road-Hog, the Hilltop Passer and the Pedestrian Bumper.
This sextet of street and highway marauders are riding hard these days, seemingly unchecked.
It should be, therefore, first business to a responsible editorial cartoonist to attack this problem.
For years I have turned to the traffic accident problem frequently - more frequently, perhaps, than the average cartoonist.
My reason: My wife and I are exposed to the threat of accident every minute we are on the streets. We have two children, and our concern for their safety is no more, no less, than typical of the concern other parents feel for their safety and that of their children.
As we cartoonists attack this subject of traffic accidents, we labor in agreement with Confusius that..."one picture is worth 10,000 words."
In fact, we'll go him one better. We believe one good cartoon is worth 15,000 words!
---------------------------------------
- written and compiled by Thomas W. Costello, grand-nephew of Jerry Costello
GERALD W. "JERRY" COSTELLO - Obituary – died July 12, 1971
COSTELLO, 73, CARTOONIST, DIES IN ALBANY
Jerry Costello, retired cartoonist for The Knickerbocker News, died Monday night at Albany Medical Center Hospital. He was 73.
Funeral services will be Thursday morning.
Costello's career as an editorial cartoonist began in 1916 at the Philadelphia Press. Two years later he became an animated cartoonist for movie shorts for the Bray Studios.
Later jobs included the Scranton Republican, the Binghamton Press, Buffalo Enquirer, the Newark (NJ) Star-Eagle and the New York Herald, where he did full page color comics called "Topsy-Turveys," "Hawkeye, Jr". and "Cosmo."
Costello's last job was with the Albany Knickerbocker News from which he retired eight years ago.
As a syndicated cartoonist, Costello's work was carried by more than 75 newspapers and often featured the subject of traffic safety. His bold, deft lines, wry humor, and incisive social and political commentary made him nationally known.
Costello is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Richard H. Smith, of Selden, NY, and Lola M. Costello, of Albany; a brother, William Costello, and three sisters, Agnes Costello, Mrs. Rose Beemer (all of Scranton, PA) and Mrs. Joseph Marks of Austin, TX; and five grandchildren.
--------------------------------------------------
WHO'S WHO IN AMERICA (1958-59)
COSTELLO, Gerald William (Jerry Costello), cartoonist; b. Scranton, PA., Dec. 25, 1897; son of Patrick William and Mary Agnes (Mahon) C.; educated in Scranton (PA) public schools and High School, and PA Academy of the Fine Arts; married Lola Margaret Huntington, Oct. 23, 1925; children – Patricia Alice, Lola Margaret. Newspaper cartoonist Scranton (PA), Daily News 1915-16. Phila. Press, 1916-17, Scranton Republican, 1918, Binghamton (NY) Press, 1919. Buffalo Courier and Enquirer, 1920, Newark (NJ) Star-Eagle, 1921, The Albany Evening News (now named The Knickerbocker News), Albany, NY, since 1922. Was a pioneer in animated movie cartooning, and sold his first animated cartoon to Wm. Bray Studios, New York, 1918; originator of "Cosmo," Hawkeye, Jr," and "The Topsy Turvies" in the old New York Herald Sunday colored comic section; author "The Life of Al Smith," daily strip in New York Evening World and national syndicate, 1928 (also pub. In book form); his cartoons now syndicated in Gannett newspapers; editorial cartoon originals exhibited in Huntington Library and Art Gallery, San Marino, CA, Princeton University, University of Washington (Seattle), Boston University, Suffolk University (Boston); editorial cartoons now syndicated daily by General Features Corp., NY City. Awarded first prize, 1939, in Commercial Investment Trust Safety Foundation awards of merit for editorial cartoons in interest of traffic safety. Grand Award winner, National Safety Council annual cartoon contest, 1947; winner first prize, Disabled American Veterans newspaper editorial cartoon contest, 1948; Freedoms Foundation Gold Medal award, 1950, 51, 52; Distinguished Service award, 1952, 54, 55; Crusade for Freedom citation, 1956.
Home: 999 Washington Ave., Albany, NY.
Office: The Knickerbocker News, 18 Beaver St., Albany, NY.
The Albany Times Union (1960-62)
-------------------------------------------------
The Pittston Gazette, Tuesday, Nov. 30, 1920, pg. 10
Gerald Costello, well known Scranton cartoonist, will join the New York Herald's staff of cartoonists early in December. Mr. Costello is a son of P. W. Costello, and a former cartoonist of the Scranton Republican. For a time he was employed on a Buffalo paper and later went to Newark. In addition to his work in black and white, Mr. Costello will be responsible for one of the departments of the Herald's colored comic supplements, under the heading, "Cosmo." (Jerry's comic strips, "Hawkeye, Jr." and "The Topsy Turvies" were also published in the New York Herald in 1921).
The Scranton Republican, Dec. 13, 1920, pg. 3
COSTELLO HAS PAGE OF CARTOONS IN HERALD
The New York Herald yesterday had a page comic in the colored supplement which was designed by Gerald Costello of this city, former cartoonist for The Republican.
It is entitled "Cosmo" and deals with the adventures of a boy who turns detective. It is clever in conception and wonderfully well drawn.
Mr. Costello's local friends are much pleased over his entrance into the field of national cartooning.
---------------------------------------------------
In 1922, Jerry was hired as an editorial cartoonist for the Knickerbocker Press in Albany, NY. In 1928, the Knickerbocker Press and their competitor, the Albany Evening News, were purchased by Gannett. In 1937, the two papers merged and became the Knickerbocker News. In 1960, Hearst bought the Knickerbocker News. Jerry didn't want to work for Hearst, so he moved over to the Albany Times Union for two years, and retired in 1962. He died in 1971.
For much of his career in Albany, Jerry's cartoons were syndicated by 75 other newspapers.
---------------------------------------------------
COSTELLO - HUNTINGTON MARRIAGE
On October 23, 1925, Jerry Costello married Lola M. Huntington, of Delmar, N.Y., at St. Mary's Church in Albany. Rev. P. J. Whelan officiated. Miss Winifred Onderdonk and William W. Spalding were the attendants. Mr. Costello was the staff cartoonist of the Albany Evening News, syndicated in 75 papers nationally. Huntington was employed in the Circulation Dept. of the same paper.
At that point in his career, Jerry Costello was former cartoonist with the Scranton Republican, Philadelphia Press, Binghamton News, Buffalo Courier-Express, Newark Ledger and the McClure Syndicate.
Source: The Times-Tribune, Scranton, Pennsylvania, Fri, Jan 1, 1926, Page 16
----------------------------------------------------
Profile of Jerry Costello written by reporter John Mooney and published in the Courier-News, Plainfield, NJ, on Friday, June 28, 1929, pg. 18. It included a self-portrait of the artist (see Photos).
Title: As Jerry Sees Himself At Work
Caption under portrait: HERE'S the way Jerry Costello. whose cartoons appear frequently In this newspaper, visualizes himself at work at his drawing board. He put the cat in just for trimmings.
By John Mooney
"ISN'T it so!" That is the first reaction of many readers of this newspaper who follow Jerry Costello's cartoons as they appear from time to time.
In kindly, tolerant fashion, a typical Costello cartoon pictures a problem, suggests a remedy, or visualizes human achievement, human frailty.
Costello began drawing at the age of four, and history relates that this was the most expensive part of his student career. He had no use for fancy bindings or artistic typography and one after another of the books in the family library were made over and extra-illustrated by the eager young artist.
He was born on Christmas Day, 1897, in Scranton, Pa., and followed his early beginnings in art by doing cartoons for the Scranton (later called Central) High School magazine publication ("Impressions"). During his high school years, he also turned out some cartoons for the Scranton newspapers, and in his spare time made sketches of the then famous movie stars. These were hung in the corridors of the local nickelodeons.
Before he had graduated to long pants, he told his father he was going to the '"big city" which happened in his case, to be Philadelphia. And there he went in 1915 and remained with the art department of the Philadelphia Press for two years. It was the beginning of his newspaper career.
Costello inherited much of his gift for drawing. His father, P. W. Costello, is a noted engrosser and illustrator. Costello has always been a student of his own profession and, outside of a few months at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, he had little supervised training.
He has worked on papers in Scranton, Binghamton, Buffalo, Newark and New York. He left the New York Herald after two years to join the staff of the Albany Knickerbocker Press. He was transferred a month later to the staff of the Albany Evening News and has been there since 1922, his "home base," from which his cartoons are syndicated.
With pen and brush, Costello can turn to any phase of newspaper art.
His portraits from life include those of Teddy Roosevelt; Col. Charles Lindbergh; President Calvin Coolidge; Gov. Alfred E. Smith; actor E. H. Sothern; General Douglas McArthur; boxers "Gentleman Jim" Corbett, Gene Tunney and Jack Dempsey; Ambassador James W. Gerard; Belgian Cardinal Désiré-Joseph Mercier and other notables.
Prior to the last presidential campaign he sketched the life of then-Governor Smith. The series was syndicated by the "New York Evening World" to papers throughout the country and into Canada, and published in a hardcover book.
His motto is "put kindness into your cartoons.'' And maybe that's one reason he is so popular.
------------------------------------------------
The article above, written by John Mooney, was published in the Plainfield (NJ) Courier-News in June 1929, seven years after Jerry started at the Knickerbocker News.
Jerry worked in Albany for 40 years (1922-1962), a total of 47 years in political cartooning (1915-1962), including one at the Scranton Republican (1918).
His first cartoon was published in the Daily News in Scranton in 1915 when he was only 17 years old. That's when he left Scranton High School and attended the Philadelphia Fine Arts Academy, but only for a few months. He didn't need formal training. His father, P. W. Costello, one of the best illustrators in the country, taught him what he needed to know about illustration. He was then hired by the Philadelphia Press, followed by the Scranton Republican, where he learned from Bill Steinke, an outstanding caricaturist and cartoonist, and good friend of his father.
He worked briefly at papers in Binghamton, Buffalo, Newark and NY City before going to the Knickerbocker News. He also did some pioneer animated cartooning work for the Wm. Bray Studios in NY and created two Sunday cartoon strips for the NY Herald ("Cosmo," "Hawkeye, Jr.," and "The Topsy Turveys").
When Jerry told a reporter that he tried to put kindness into his cartoons, he was referring to his work advocating for social and humanitarian causes, like the Community Chest, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, and employment opportunities for disabled WWII veterans. He won numerous awards for his compelling cartoons on the subject of highway safety, with particular focus on the dangers of speeding and reckless driving. He often created cartoons for friends' causes - quietly and without fanfare.
Jerry was highly regarded by others in the cartooning profession, many of whom honored him with cartoons when he retired.
--------------------------------------
From Public Safety, Vol. 14, March 1938, page 24.
ONE CARTOON = 15,000 WORDS, by Jerry Costello, The Albany Knickerbocker News
I draw newspaper cartoons for a living. It is not a side-splitting job.
Anyone who thinks a newspaper cartoonist does his work on a stool or chair with a double-width seat to keep him from falling off with laughter at his own handiwork can save his brain for straighter thinking.
The job of cartoonist, particularly an editorial cartoonist, is serious and often grim business.
Actually, he is not the clown who makes you laugh. His job is to picture the clowns who stride and ride across the pages of the day's news.
Among his subjects are the political fakirs who make economic confusion, the militarists, statesmen, kings, premiers, dictators who make world history and world-wide confusion, and lately...
A cartoonist's subjects include the newest and most gruesome army - the army of licensed and unlicensed killers. You know them. You've met them. They are: the Drunken Driver, the Speed Maniac, the Red Light Runner, the Road-Hog, the Hilltop Passer and the Pedestrian Bumper.
This sextet of street and highway marauders are riding hard these days, seemingly unchecked.
It should be, therefore, first business to a responsible editorial cartoonist to attack this problem.
For years I have turned to the traffic accident problem frequently - more frequently, perhaps, than the average cartoonist.
My reason: My wife and I are exposed to the threat of accident every minute we are on the streets. We have two children, and our concern for their safety is no more, no less, than typical of the concern other parents feel for their safety and that of their children.
As we cartoonists attack this subject of traffic accidents, we labor in agreement with Confusius that..."one picture is worth 10,000 words."
In fact, we'll go him one better. We believe one good cartoon is worth 15,000 words!
---------------------------------------
- written and compiled by Thomas W. Costello, grand-nephew of Jerry Costello
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