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Paul Coker
Born	Paul Coker Jr. (1929-03-05)March 5, 1929 Lawrence, Kansas, U.S.
Died	July 23, 2022 (aged 93) Santa Fe, New Mexico, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Comic artist, Illustrator
Signature

Paul Coker Jr. (March 5, 1929 – July 23, 2022) was an American illustrator. He worked in many media, including Mad, character design for Rankin-Bass TV specials, greeting cards, and advertising.

Career

Coker was born in Lawrence, Kansas, the son of Bernice (Rutherford) and Paul Coker. One of his first professional works was in 1946 when he designed Chesty Lion, the mascot for Lawrence High School. His first appearance in Mad was in 1961; he went on to illustrate over 375 articles for the magazine. Beginning in 1967, Coker was a production designer on more than a dozen Rankin/Bass specials and shorts, including Frosty the Snowman, Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town, The Year Without a Santa Claus, Rudolph's Shiny New Year and The Easter Bunny Is Comin' to Town. In 1968, he illustrated the Mad paperback "MAD for Better or Verse"; written by Frank Jacobs, it was the first of eight all-new paperbacks drawn by Coker. In 2002, the magazine also published a collection of "Horrifying Cliches", the long-running feature that featured Coker art. Coker collaborated with writer Don Edwing on two comic strips: "Lancelot" and "Horace and Buggy".

Works

Rankin/Bass Productions

• The Wacky World of Mother Goose (1967) (uncredited)
• Cricket on the Hearth (1967)
• Frosty the Snowman (1969)
• The Reluctant Dragon & Mr. Toad Show (1970)
• Santa Claus is Comin' to Town (1970)
• Here Comes Peter Cottontail (1971)
• The Enchanted World of Danny Kaye (1972)
• The Red Baron (1972)
• Mad Mad Mad Monsters (1972) (uncredited)
• Festival of Family Classics (1972–73)
• 'Twas the Night Before Christmas (1974)
• The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974)
• Rudolph's Shiny New Year (1976)
• The First Easter Rabbit (1976)
• Frosty's Winter Wonderland (1976)
• The Easter Bunny is Comin' to Town (1977)
• Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey (1977)
• The Stingiest Man in Town (1978)
• Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July (1979)
• Jack Frost (1979)
• Pinocchio's Christmas (1980)
• The Leprechauns' Christmas Gold (1981)
• Santa, Baby! (2001)

References

1. Evans, Greg (July 29, 2022). "Paul Coker Jr. Dies: Designer Of Rankin/Bass Classic Holiday Characters & Longtime Mad Magazine Illustrator Was 93". Deadline. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
2. "Lawrence native brings Frosty to life – in stores". Lawrence Journal-World. Archived from the original on June 16, 2008. Retrieved July 25, 2008.
3. "Paul Coker (93) overleden". Strip Speciaal Zaak. July 29, 2022. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
4. Magazine, Animation (July 29, 2022). "Rankin/Bass Character Designer Paul Coker Jr. Dies Age 93". Animation Magazine. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
5. "Paul Coker Jr., Designer of Iconic Rankin/Bass Characters, Dies at 93". Animation World Network. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
6. Sandomir, Richard (August 11, 2022). "Paul Coker, Cartoonist at Mad for Almost Six Decades, Dies at 93". The New York Times.

External links

• Lambiek Comiclopedia article.
• Paul Coker at IMDb
• Complete list of Coker's work for MAD Magazine
• Two examples of Coker's original art
• Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum Art Database

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• American comics artists
• 1929 births
• 2022 deaths
• American illustrators
• Mad (magazine) cartoonists
• Artists from Kansas
• People from Lawrence, Kansas
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