''1000 Jokes'' was a humor magazine launched by

Dell Publishing Dell Publishing Company, Inc. is an American publisher of books, magazines and comic books, that was founded in 1921 by George T. Delacorte Jr. with $10,000 (approx. $145,000 in 2021), two employees and one magazine title, ''I Confess'', and ...

in 1937. With a later title change to ''1000 Jokes Magazine'', it was published quarterly over three decades. During the 1950s, it was edited by

Bill Yates Floyd Buford Yates (July 5, 1921 – March 26, 2001), better known as Bill Yates, was an American cartoonist who drew gag cartoons and comic strips before assuming the position of comic strip editor for King Features Syndicate in 1978. Biograph ...

with associate editor John Norment. The format featured brief humorous essays, short satires, cartoons and light verse. Pantomime cartoons were grouped into a section titled "Too Funny for Words". "Louder and Funnier" featured one-liners, such as, "Then there is the rich Texan who has a different dentist for every tooth."

Cartoonists

Covers during the 1940s and 1950s featured caricatures of comedians by

Rowland B. Wilson Rowland Bragg Wilson (August 3, 1930 – June 28, 2005) was an American gag cartoonist and animation production artist who did watercolor cartoon illustrations for leading magazines, notably ''Playboy'' (beginning in 1967) and ''TV Guide'' and ' ...

and others. This eventually made a transition to photo covers. Cartoonists included Bob Barnes,

Irwin Caplan Irwin Caplan (May 24, 1919 – February 22, 2007), nicknamed Cap, was an American illustrator, painter, designer and cartoonist, best known as the creator of ''The Saturday Evening Post'' cartoon series, ''Famous Last Words'', which led to newspap ...

Chon Day Chauncey Addison Day, better known as Chon Day, (April 6, 1907 – Jan 1, 2000) was an American cartoonist whose cartoons appeared in ''The New Yorker'' and other magazines. Born in Chatham, New Jersey, Day attended Lehigh University in 1926, whe ...

, Leo Garel,

Jerry Marcus Jerry Marcus (June 27, 1924, Brooklyn, New York – July 22, 2005, Waterbury, Connecticut) was a prolific freelance gag cartoonist who also created the syndicated newspaper comic strip '' Trudy''. A high school drop-out, Marcus was rejected by th ...

Don Orehek Don Orehek (August 9, 1928 – December 6, 2022) was an American freelance cartoonist who contributed gag cartoons to a wide variety of newspapers, magazines and books. On more obscure publications, he used several pseudonyms, including Sam de Sad ...

Virgil Partch Virgil Franklin Partch (October 17, 1916 – August 10, 1984), who generally signed his work Vip,Virgil F ...

, Bob Schroeter, Eli Stein, George Wolfe and Pete Wyma. The magazine paid $15 for a cartoon and an equal amount for an 18-line verse. Many of the cartoons were later recycled into paperback cartoon collections. Cartoonist

Lee Lorenz Lee Sharp Lorenz (October 17, 1932 – December 8, 2022) was an American cartoonist most notable for his work in ''The New Yorker''. Early life and education Lorenz was born on October 17, 1932 in Hackensack, New Jersey. After studying at Nor ...

described cartoonists making rounds and making a sale to ''1000 Jokes'': :After ''

The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issues ...

'' stop, they moved on: ''

Collier's ''Collier's'' was an American general interest magazine founded in 1888 by Peter Fenelon Collier. It was launched as ''Collier's Once a Week'', then renamed in 1895 as ''Collier's Weekly: An Illustrated Journal'', shortened in 1905 to ''Collie ...

'', ''

The Saturday Evening Post ''The Saturday Evening Post'' is an American magazine, currently published six times a year. It was issued weekly under this title from 1897 until 1963, then every two weeks until 1969. From the 1920s to the 1960s, it was one of the most widely c ...

'', ''

Esquire Esquire (, ; abbreviated Esq.) is usually a courtesy title. In the United Kingdom, ''esquire'' historically was a title of respect accorded to men of higher social rank, particularly members of the landed gentry above the rank of gentlema ...

'', ''

Sports Illustrated ''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twic ...

'', ''

Ladies' Home Journal ''Ladies' Home Journal'' was an American magazine last published by the Meredith Corporation. It was first published on February 16, 1883, and eventually became one of the leading women's magazines of the 20th century in the United States. In 18 ...

'', ''

American Legion The American Legion, commonly known as the Legion, is a non-profit organization of U.S. war War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militi ...

'', ''

True True most commonly refers to truth, the state of being in congruence with fact or reality. True may also refer to: Places * True, West Virginia, an unincorporated community in the United States * True, Wisconsin, a town in the United States * Tr ...

'', ''

Cavalier The term Cavalier () was first used by Roundheads as a term of abuse for the wealthier royalist supporters of King Charles I and his son Charles II of England during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration (1642 – ). It ...

'', ''

Playboy ''Playboy'' is an American men's lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. K ...

''. "At the end of the day," Mr. Lorenz said, "you'd go to ''1000 Jokes'', published by Dell, and the editor would sop up whatever was left."''The New York Times'', February 14, 2000.
/ref> A sister Dell publication was ''For Laughing Out Loud'', and Dell revived the ''Ballyhoo'' title in the early 1950s. Both employed the ''1000 Jokes'' format of mixing cartoons with short humorous essays. Today, Margate Entertainment which previously licensed Colliers Media Company has been dissolved and the assets are now owned by Tom Ficara and TVS Magazines.Com, its former owner, which publishes ''1000 Jokes'' and other magazines.

References

{{Reflist 1937 establishments in the United States Satirical magazines published in the United States Quarterly magazines published in the United States Magazines established in 1937

Cartoonists

See also

References