Otto Soglow (1900-1975) was an illustrator and cartoonist. He is best remembered for his comic strip “The Little King,” which told its stories in a style using images and very few words.
Born in Yorkville, he was raised in New York City and held odd jobs in his teenage years, trying unsuccessfully to become an actor. In 1919, while studying with artist John French Sloan at the Art Students League of New York, his first cartoon was printed and throughout the 1920s, his drawings were seen in numerous magazines.
His cartoon “The Little King” first appeared in 1931 in The New Yorker and soon showed signs of becoming a successful strip. It began publications in comic book issues from 1933, was licensed for a 1933 to 1934 series of animated cartoons by Van Beuren Studios and featured in an advertising campaign for Standard Oil. The strip continued a successful run with several more animated cartoon appearances and advertising campaigns, and it continued to run until his death.
His cartoons were published in the New York World newspaper, along with Collier’s, The New Yorker, Judge, and Life magazines. He illustrated more than 35 books, and did five books of his own, including “Wasn’t the Depression Terrible?” (1934).
He was a co-founder of the National Cartoonists Society and served as its president for the 1953 to 1954 term. In 1966 he received the National Cartoonists Society’s Reuben Award, followed by the Elzie Segar Award in 1972. He died in New York at the age of 74.