Phil Hirsch – RIP

Cartoon editor and humor and gag writer Phil Hirsch has passed away.


Philip (Phil) Hirsch
August 18, 1926 – January 20, 2020

Pyramid Books vice president/editor/writer

From the Jewish Exponent notice of death:

Philip Hirsch, 93 of Voorhees, NJ, passed
away on 1/2/20 in Voorhees. Philip was born
in Bronx, NY to Clara and Leo Hirsch on
8/18/26. He served in the Army Air Corps
during World War II and earned a B.S. in
Journalism from NYU. He worked as CEO for
Ideal Publishing and was responsible for 28
magazines. He wrote over 70 books, includ-
ing children’s joke books. He enjoyed read-
ing, punning, Broadway, politics, but most of
all, he enjoyed being with his family. Philip is
survived by his beloved wife of 62 years, Joy
Hirsch, daughter Hope (Charles), son Lee
(Evelyn), treasured grandchildren Cory and
Connor and brother, Ralph (Ellen). Memorial
donations may be made to the Alzheimers
Association.

 

Though Phil is famed as the editor of countless gag cartoon collections very little is known about him. From the Wikipedia entry on Jove Books:

Phil Hirsch was vice president of Pyramid Books from 1955-1975 and had his name as author or editor on many of Pyramid’s books, many of them anthologies of jokes, cartoons and humor, or concerned with the military and warfare, including some which combined those interests.

 

There is some evidence that, early in his career Phil wrote newspaper and magazine articles, but that remains unconfirmed.

 

The Grand Comics Database has him as a cartoon editor for Man’s magazine or, at least, their cartoon collections in the early 1970s; and as a contibutor to Marvel’s Crazy Magazine later in that decade.

Lenona has a summary of Phil’s career:

“Pyramid Communications, Inc., New York City, vice-president, 1955-75; Phi Publishing Corp., New York City, president and publisher, 1976-77; Ideal Publishing, New York City, president and publisher, 1977–.”

Lenona also has a partial list of Phil’s literary contributions.

Phil was an on and off member of our Senior Strippers Club.

 

I probably have a dozen or so of Phil’s “naughty” mass market paperback cartoon collections, and they contain a number of *big name* cartoonists. So thanks for bringing a bit of humor into my life Mr. Hirsch, and rest in peace.

 

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