Hershfield, Harry, 1885-1974

Cartoonist, humorist, writer and lecturer.

Harry Hershfield, who was known as "Mister New York," was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa of Russian immigrant parents. Hershfield is known for his depictions of ethnic humor and dialect in numerous comic strips that he created during his long career as a cartoonist, writer, and storyteller. At the age of 14 he was doing his first comic strip, Homeless Hector, for the Chicago Daily News. Moving to San Francisco in 1907, he created Rubber, the Canine Cop, for the Chronicle and Examiner. In 1910, he began his first major comic strip, Desperate Desmond, for the New York Journal. At about the same time Hershfield began his most famous strip, Abie the agent, which ran until 1940. During a legal disagreement with the Journal, Hershfield went to work for the New York Herald-Tribune, where he drew According to Hoyle in the mid-1930's. Hershfield gained a reputation as a humor writer and storyteller through his N.Y. Daily Mirror column, "My Week" in the 1930's and 1940's. He joined the radio cast of Can You Top This? in the 1940's. In his later years, Hershfield became a sought after toastmaster and lecturer, serving as an officer in many New York City civic organizations.

Harry Hershfield was born on October 13, 1885 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He studied in Chicago at the Frank Holmes School of Illustration and the Chicago Art Institute. His career began at the age of 14 when he started drawing sports cartoons and his comic strip about a dog, Homeless Hector, for the Chicago Daily News in 1899. He moved to the San Francisco Chronicle in 1907 and later worked for the Chicago Examiner, the New York Evening Journal, New York Graphic, and New York Herald Tribune.

Hershfield was the creator of several long-running comic strips. Desperate Desmond began its run in 1910 and Abie the Agent started in 1914. Abie the Agent featured a Jewish immigrant protagonist, Abie Kabibble. The comic strip ran until 1940 and it also spawned an animated short, 1917's Abie Kabibble Outwitted a Rival.

In addition to his cartooning career, Harry Hershfield was a columnist for the New York Daily Mirror. He also regularly appeared on the 1940s radio show, Can You Top This? In addition, Hershfield served as a toastmaster and was one of the most sought after master of ceremonies in the nation. Hershfield authored the book, Laugh Louder, Live Longer and numerous humor titles. Harry Hershfield died on December 15, 1974 at the age of 89.