Frank Frazetta's THE NIGHT THEY RAIDED MINSKY'S

[Mister Trent]

Latest acquisition winging its way to me from the States is a small (monchrome) painting Frazetta created for the pressbook used to promote the film THE NIGHT THEY RAIDED MINSKY'S (United Artists, 1968), directed by William Friedkin. The image depicts Bert Lahr (best known as the Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz) as Professor Spats. Signed with a trademark "F" in the upper right corner (as well as a full signature on the reverse), this piece measures 10" x 13.5" overall, with a general image area of 7" x 11.25".

 

I'm particularly pleased to be getting this piece as, years ago, when Russ Cochran had the original poster artwork up for auction I was absolutely taken aback by the beauty of the work (some of the best Frazetta art I've ever seen). Whilst the poster original was beyond my means to buy at the time, this pressbook image captures the quality of Frazetta's work for the promotion of the movie (albeit on a smaller scale, and minus full-color).

 

The image is now up in my CAF Gallery, should anyone wish to take a look . . .

[Mister Trent]

I just dug up my copy of the Frazetta Art Auction Catalog that Russ Cochran issued way back in November 1986. In it was offered the original movie poster art for THE NIGHT THEY RAIDED MINSKY'S. Minimum bid was $9,000, but no bids were attracted!

 

Here's a small scan of the poster art taken from Cochran's catalog (this is NOT the original I've bought, I hasten to add . . . unfortunately!):

 

[Mighty Hal]

Love your monochrome. Very Frazetta with an edge of Jack Davis. Congrats!

[spider9698]

Great piece. Captures the classic Frazetta energy.

[FourthWorld]

I don't know, looks more like Jack Davis than Frazetta...

[Mister Trent]

I don't know, looks more like Jack Davis than Frazetta...

 

If memory serves me right, Frazetta, Davis, Heath, Elder and Kurtzman all collaborated on LITTLE ANNIE FANNIE at various points in that strip's production. Probably, there's a cross-pollination of styles in this type of humor art resulting from those working partnerships. If you have a copy of the Frazetta book, ICON, on hand, you will note that Kurtzman, Elder, Davis and Frazetta share joint-credits on the splash page of the LITTLE ANNIE FANNY artwork displayed in that book.

 

Frazetta's humor work is largely overshadowed by his fantasy paintings, and we tend to forget the fact he was also a first-class cartoonist.

 

I agree that there's a look of the Davis style in my new Frazetta piece. I think that's understandable given the fact Frazetta, Davis and company were contemporaries, who sometimes collaborated together and no doubt rubbed off on each other . . .

[Mister Trent]

Close-up shot of Frazetta's MINSKY'S art . . .

 

 

Lovely tonal work, don'tcha think?

[HouseofComics.Com]

Very very nice piece. Congrats.