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Boris Drucker, 1920-2009
posted January 20, 2009
 



Boris Drucker, a prolific cartoonist whose clients included The New Yorker, Saturday Evening Post, Punch and Playboy, passed away last Thursday at Hahnemann University Hospital in Philadelphia. He was 88.

Drucker attended and graduated high school and college in Philadelphia, where he lived for the vast majority of his life. He served in World War II in the Chinese/Indian theater. After a significant post-war stint in advertising -- he would later return to this field as an element of, but not the entirety of, his professional output, concentrating on directly providing business with cartoon art -- Drucker began freelance cartooning with a sale to the Saturday Evening Post. He would upon moving to New York City and opening his own studio sell his first cartoon to The New Yorker in 1966, a professional high point. He would continue to contribute to that magazine and a growing client list over the next three decades. He also pursued comics syndication, including a panel in the 1960s called Future Boy.

Drucker's work, including several drawings and illustration he made while a soldier, are part of the holdings at Syracuse University. A book drawing on those cartoons, Don't Pay Any Attention to Him, He's 90% Water was put together by the cartoonist's daughter Johanna Drucker and published by Syracuse University Press in 2006. His work was shown at least once, in 2005. He contributed to at least one book, Henrietta in 1965.

Boris Drucker is survived by a wife, a son, a daughter, a sister, two stepchildren and a dozen grandchildren. A Memorial donations may be made to Congregation Rodeph Shalom in Philadelphia.