The Central Press Association was American newspaper syndication company based in Cleveland, Ohio. It was in business from 1910 to 1971. Originally independent, it was a subsidiary of King Features Syndicate from 1930 onwards. At its peak, the Central Press supplied features, columns, comic strips, and photographs to more than 400 newspapers and 12 million daily readers. Notable comic strips that originated with Central Press include Brick Bradford, Etta Kett, and Muggs McGinnis (later titled Muggs and Skeeter).
Virgil Venice McNitt (1881–1964), the managing editor of the Cleveland Press, founded the Central Press Association in Cleveland in 1910.[1][2] In 1912, McNitt acquired the Chicago-based North American Press Syndicate and merged it into the Central Press.[1][3] That same year, McNitt entered into arrangements to publish works authored by William Jennings Bryan and Jane Addams. Other early features were Bob Satterfield's cartoons, Edna K. Wooley's column, and a sports column by Ed Bang.[4]
In 1920, McNitt founded a separate, New York City-based Central Press Association, which was soon absorbed by his new McNaught Syndicate (founded in 1922).[8]
By 1925, the original Central Press's features had 12 million daily readers and was the largest newspaper picture service in the United States.[9] In 1927, the Central Press also took over the Editors Feature Service[8] and in August 1929 it acquired control of Johnson Features.
Also in 1929, the company constructed a mechanical production plant in New York, again forming a Central Press Association of New York, Inc. to operate the new plant.[10]
Virgil McNitt remained the president and general manager of the Central Press from its founding in 1910 until 1930, when he sold the service to King Features Syndicate, part of the Hearst newspaper syndicate, which retained the Central Press as a separate division.[10] Frank McLearn was managing editor of the Central Press at the time of the sale, eventually becoming president and general manager of King Features Syndicate.[11]
William H. Ritt wrote sports features and comic strips for the Central Press Association, including the strips Brick Bradford and Chip Collins Adventures, and possibly ghosting for Gilbert Patten on Frank Merriwell's Schooldays.[12]
Central Press didn't introduce any new comic strips after circa 1934; King Features took over syndication of all Central Press's strips circa 1937.[citation needed]
Murray Rosenblatt was the managing editor of the Central Press from 1946 to 1961.[13]
The Central Press Association continued to operate as a separate division specializing in producing material for small-town newspapers[14] until ceasing operations in 1971.[15]
News Notes From Movieland (syndicated Sunday column), by Daisy Dean (pseudonym); ran from January 1916 to about March 1936 (with Dean as editor), and to about June 27, 1936 (with no editor listed)
Comics
Strips and panels that originated with the Central Press Association, the North American Press Syndicate, or Editors' Feature Services:
Big Sister, by Les Forgrave and later Bob Naylor (1928–1972)
Chip Collins Adventures by William Ritt & Jack Wilhelm (July 17, 1934–July 27, 1935) — succeeds Frank Merriwell's Schooldays[12]
Etta Kett, by Paul Robinson (1927–Nov. 23, 1974) — taken over from Putnam Syndicate, where it originated Dec. 1925;[16] accompanied by topper stripThe Lovebyrds
Just Among Us Girls, originally written by Kathryn Kenney and then by Betty Blakeslee, with illustrations by R. J. Scott, "Maier," Paul Robinson, Ruth Carroll, and Walter Van Arsdal (1926–December 14 1935) — created for Editors' Feature Service[21]
^ abc"Virgil V. M'Nitt Journalist Dies" (PDF). The New York Times. June 16, 1964.
^Simpson, James Herver; McNitt, Frank (2003). Navaho Expedition. University of Oklahoma Press. pp. lxxxi. ISBN978-0-8061-3570-0.
^Mark S. Monmonier (1989). Maps With the News: The Development of American Journalistic Cartography. University of Chicago Press. p. 83. ISBN0-226-53411-1.
^"Central Press Has 50th Birthday Party," Editor & Publisher (October 15 1960). Archived at Stripper's Guide. Accessed Dec. 2, 2018.
^William Jennings Bryan (September 23, 1912). "THE TAFT-ROOSEVELT FEUD: Commoner Analyzes The Situation In The Republican Party And Shows The Causes Which Brought It About". The Sun, Baltimore, Md.
^William Jennings Bryan (October 7, 1912). "Bryan Says Both Taft and Roosevelt Cloud Tariff Issue". Chicago Daily Tribune.
^Katherine Joslin (2004). Jane Addams: A Writer's Life. University of Illinois Press. p. 137. ISBN0-252-02923-2.
^ abWatson, Elmo Scott. "CHAPTER VIII: Recent Developments in Syndicate History 1921-1935," A History Of Newspaper Syndicates In The United States, 1865-1935 (Western Newspaper Union, 1936). Archived at Stripper's Guide.
^"Press Manager Surprised By Developments". The Evening Independent. January 16, 1925.
^ ab"Central Press Purchased by King; To Be Operated as Separate Unit: Staff and Features of Cleveland Organization to be Continued Intact — New York Plant Not Included In Purchase — Eichel Shifted to West as Editor," Editor & Publisher (Feb. 15, 1930). Archived at Stripper's Guide. Accessed Dec. 1, 2018.
^"Frank McLearn, of King Features" (PDF). The New York Times. May 25, 1969.
^Holtz, Allan. "Dell Publishing’s 'The Funnies' Part 2," Stripper's Guide (April 22, 2008).
^Jay, Alex. "Ink-Slinger Profiles by Alex Jay: The Cartoonists of Just Among Us Girls," Stripper's Guide (March 01, 2011).
^Ink-Slinger Profiles by Alex Jay: Lee Stanley, by Alex Jay, at Stripper's Guide; published April 15, 2014; retrieved August 17, 2015
^Jay, Alex. "Ink-Slinger Profiles by Alex Jay: Elmer Messner," Stripper's Guide (July 03, 2014).
January 07, 2023
central, press, association, american, newspaper, syndication, company, based, cleveland, ohio, business, from, 1910, 1971, originally, independent, subsidiary, king, features, syndicate, from, 1930, onwards, peak, central, press, supplied, features, columns, . The Central Press Association was American newspaper syndication company based in Cleveland Ohio It was in business from 1910 to 1971 Originally independent it was a subsidiary of King Features Syndicate from 1930 onwards At its peak the Central Press supplied features columns comic strips and photographs to more than 400 newspapers and 12 million daily readers Notable comic strips that originated with Central Press include Brick Bradford Etta Kett and Muggs McGinnis later titled Muggs and Skeeter Central Press AssociationIndustryPrint syndicationFounded1910 113 years ago 1910 FounderVirgil Venice McNittDefunct1971 52 years ago 1971 Fateabsorbed into King Features SyndicateHeadquartersCleveland Ohio U S Key peopleLeslie EichelFrank McLearnMurray RosenblattProductsfeatures columns comic strips photographsOwnersVirgil Venice McNitt 1910 1930 King Features Syndicate 1930 1971 SubsidiariesNorth American Press SyndicateEditors Feature Service Contents 1 History 2 Syndicated properties 2 1 Features 2 2 Comics 2 3 Sports writers 2 4 Opinion 3 See also 4 ReferencesHistory EditVirgil Venice McNitt 1881 1964 the managing editor of the Cleveland Press founded the Central Press Association in Cleveland in 1910 1 2 In 1912 McNitt acquired the Chicago based North American Press Syndicate and merged it into the Central Press 1 3 That same year McNitt entered into arrangements to publish works authored by William Jennings Bryan and Jane Addams Other early features were Bob Satterfield s cartoons Edna K Wooley s column and a sports column by Ed Bang 4 He hired Bryan to cover the 1912 Republican and Democratic National Conventions for the Central Press 1 5 6 He also made a deal with Addams to circulate her Progressive Party Platforms to newspaper across the country 7 In 1920 McNitt founded a separate New York City based Central Press Association which was soon absorbed by his new McNaught Syndicate founded in 1922 8 By 1925 the original Central Press s features had 12 million daily readers and was the largest newspaper picture service in the United States 9 In 1927 the Central Press also took over the Editors Feature Service 8 and in August 1929 it acquired control of Johnson Features Also in 1929 the company constructed a mechanical production plant in New York again forming a Central Press Association of New York Inc to operate the new plant 10 Virgil McNitt remained the president and general manager of the Central Press from its founding in 1910 until 1930 when he sold the service to King Features Syndicate part of the Hearst newspaper syndicate which retained the Central Press as a separate division 10 Frank McLearn was managing editor of the Central Press at the time of the sale eventually becoming president and general manager of King Features Syndicate 11 William H Ritt wrote sports features and comic strips for the Central Press Association including the strips Brick Bradford and Chip Collins Adventures and possibly ghosting for Gilbert Patten on Frank Merriwell s Schooldays 12 Central Press didn t introduce any new comic strips after circa 1934 King Features took over syndication of all Central Press s strips circa 1937 citation needed Murray Rosenblatt was the managing editor of the Central Press from 1946 to 1961 13 The Central Press Association continued to operate as a separate division specializing in producing material for small town newspapers 14 until ceasing operations in 1971 15 Syndicated properties EditFeatures Edit Beauty by Madame Rubinstein Jess Cargill editorial cartoons Diet and Health by Lulu Hunt Peters Hocus Pocus by Wil Davey Dr Gary C Myers psychology series News Notes From Movieland syndicated Sunday column by Daisy Dean pseudonym ran from January 1916 to about March 1936 with Dean as editor and to about June 27 1936 with no editor listed Comics Edit Strips and panels that originated with the Central Press Association the North American Press Syndicate or Editors Feature Services Big Sister by Les Forgrave and later Bob Naylor 1928 1972 Brick Bradford by William Ritt and Clarence Gray 1933 1987 Chip Collins Adventures by William Ritt amp Jack Wilhelm July 17 1934 July 27 1935 succeeds Frank Merriwell s Schooldays 12 Etta Kett by Paul Robinson 1927 Nov 23 1974 taken over from Putnam Syndicate where it originated Dec 1925 16 accompanied by topper strip The Lovebyrds The Figgers Family by Victor E Pazmino Jan 3 1927 June 2 1928 17 Frank Merriwell s Schooldays by Gilbert Patten amp Jack Wilhelm July 20 1931 July 14 1934 18 succeeded by Chip Collins Adventures 12 Goofey Movies by Fred Neher 1920s animal strip High Pressure Pete by George Swanson 1927 1937 19 Humorous Slants on Humanity by Clifford McBride c 1920s c 1930s Jimmy Jams by Victor E Pazmino late 1920s daily panel 20 Just Among Us Girls originally written by Kathryn Kenney and then by Betty Blakeslee with illustrations by R J Scott Maier Paul Robinson Ruth Carroll and Walter Van Arsdal 1926 December 14 1935 created for Editors Feature Service 21 Muggs McGinnis later named Muggs and Skeeter by Wally Bishop 1927 Feb 1974 The Old Home Town by Lee W Stanley and Harriet Stanley January 3 1923 1966 22 Sport Side Lights by Jack Sords c 1920 c 1930s That s Not the Half of It by Elmer Messner Feb 1926 July 1927 created for Editors Feature Service 23 Sports writers Edit Norman E Brown William H Ritt Jack Sords Al WinfieldOpinion Edit The Way of the World by Grove Patterson editor of the Toledo Blade Who s Who Timely Views The Grab BagSee also EditMcNaught SyndicateReferences Edit a b c Virgil V M Nitt Journalist Dies PDF The New York Times June 16 1964 Simpson James Herver McNitt Frank 2003 Navaho Expedition University of Oklahoma Press pp lxxxi ISBN 978 0 8061 3570 0 Mark S Monmonier 1989 Maps With the News The Development of American Journalistic Cartography University of Chicago Press p 83 ISBN 0 226 53411 1 Central Press Has 50th Birthday Party Editor amp Publisher October 15 1960 Archived at Stripper s Guide Accessed Dec 2 2018 William Jennings Bryan September 23 1912 THE TAFT ROOSEVELT FEUD Commoner Analyzes The Situation In The Republican Party And Shows The Causes Which Brought It About The Sun Baltimore Md William Jennings Bryan October 7 1912 Bryan Says Both Taft and Roosevelt Cloud Tariff Issue Chicago Daily Tribune Katherine Joslin 2004 Jane Addams A Writer s Life University of Illinois Press p 137 ISBN 0 252 02923 2 a b Watson Elmo Scott CHAPTER VIII Recent Developments in Syndicate History 1921 1935 A History Of Newspaper Syndicates In The United States 1865 1935 Western Newspaper Union 1936 Archived at Stripper s Guide Press Manager Surprised By Developments The Evening Independent January 16 1925 a b Central Press Purchased by King To Be Operated as Separate Unit Staff and Features of Cleveland Organization to be Continued Intact New York Plant Not Included In Purchase Eichel Shifted to West as Editor Editor amp Publisher Feb 15 1930 Archived at Stripper s Guide Accessed Dec 1 2018 Frank McLearn of King Features PDF The New York Times May 25 1969 a b c Holtz Allan End of Chip Collins Adventures Stripper s Guide April 29 2006 Murray Rosenblatt PDF The New York Times June 10 1961 Ron Goulart The 30s Boomtime for SF Heroes Starlog magazine January 1981 pp 31 35 Walter Johns The Nevada Daily Mail August 27 2002 Robinson entry Who s Who of American Comic Books 1928 1999 Accessed Oct 14 2018 The Figgers Family Retrieved 2013 04 04 Stripper s Guide A Frank Merriwell Bulletin May 30th 2006 Swanson entry Lambiek Comiclopedia Accessed Oct 14 2018 Holtz Allan Dell Publishing s The Funnies Part 2 Stripper s Guide April 22 2008 Jay Alex Ink Slinger Profiles by Alex Jay The Cartoonists of Just Among Us Girls Stripper s Guide March 01 2011 Ink Slinger Profiles by Alex Jay Lee Stanley by Alex Jay at Stripper s Guide published April 15 2014 retrieved August 17 2015 Jay Alex Ink Slinger Profiles by Alex Jay Elmer Messner Stripper s Guide July 03 2014 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Central Press Association amp oldid 1097124700, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
