Mad Magazine cartoonist dies

5/15/08 - William “Willie” Elder, the successful cartoonist and commercial
illustrator whose work helped launch MAD Magazine, died Thursday morning,
May 15th, 2008. He was 86.

Born Wolf William Eisenberg in the Bronx, New York, Elder changed his
name after returning in World War II. During his time of service, Elder
was part of the map-making team that was instrumental in the invasion
of Normandy.

When Harvey Kurtzman launched MAD Magazine in 1952, he hired Elder
along with Wally Wood, Jim Severin, and Jack Davis to produce content for
the first issues.

“Willie Elder was one of the funniest artists to ever work for MAD.
He created visual feasts with dozens of background gags layered into
every MAD story he illustrated,” says John Ficarra, Editor of MAD
Magazine, “He called these gags “chicken fat.” Willie’s “anything
goes” art style set the tone for the entire magazine and created a
look that endures to this day.”

“Willie's passing saddens all of us here at MAD,” says Sam Viviano,
MAD Magazine Art Director, “Everyone who has attempted to draw a
funny picture over the course of the last fifty or sixty years owes an
enormous debt to Willie, who taught us all how to do it -- and no one has
ever done it better than he did.”