[5] After starting out as a stock clerk in the export business, he worked as a cartoonist with the local tabloid the New York Evening Graphic.
"[3][7] His first professionally published work were six episodes of the recurring one-page feature Did You Know That for the film magazine Picture Play in 1932–1933.
(under the pseudonym Jack Curtiss), as well as Abdul Jones, The Black Buccaneer, Cyclone Burke, Detective Riley, and Socko the Seadog.
[12] Kirby remained with the syndicate until late 1939, when he began working for the theatrical animation company Fleischer Studios.
[13] After a two-year hiatus, from 1941 to 1946 Elmo worked on some new weekly strips, including It's Amazing, Sally Snickers,[3] and Useless Eustace.