Sam Berman

[3] In 1933, he and E. Simms Campbell co-created Esky, the famed mascot of Esquire magazine, who featured on the monthly's covers for several years.

Later in the decade, Berman worked for Esquire's current-affairs counterpart Ken, doing a series of caricatures of political figures of the era comparing them to animals.

[4] His murals graced the walls of the Café Society club in Greenwich Village, and he illustrated Mark Hellinger's syndicated newspaper column, "Goin' to Town", throughout the 1930s and the 1940s.

With a tight deadline, he created caricatures of NBC's most popular radio personalities and shows, each printed on a separate 6"x7" card, and inserted in a green vinyl slipcase.

The set of 56 caricatures included Fred Allen, Jack Benny, Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy, Milton Berle, George Burns and Gracie Allen, Judy Canova, Eddie Cantor, Jerry Colonna, Dennis Day, Bob Hope, Eddy Howard, H. V. Kaltenborn, Kay Kyser, Art Linkletter, Robert Merrill, Frank Sinatra and Red Skelton, as well as the stars of Amos 'n' Andy, A Date with Judy, Dr.