Al Jaffee (born Abraham Jaffee) was an American cartoonist and humorist, best known for his work in the satire magazine MAD.
He was born on March 13, 1921, in Savannah, Georgia, and he is currently 102 years old (as of my knowledge cutoff in 2021).
Jaffee started his career in the 1940s, working as a comic book artist for Marvel and DC Comics, among others.
He also created his own comic strips, such as “Tall Tales,” “Abracadabra,” and “Hawkshaw the Detective.”
In 1955, Jaffee joined MAD magazine, where he worked for over 65 years, becoming one of its most beloved and enduring contributors.
He was known for his “fold-in” pages, which featured a seemingly innocent image that, when folded in half, revealed a hidden and often hilarious message. Jaffee is credited with creating more than 400 fold-ins for MAD.
Jaffee’s other contributions to MAD included his “Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions” feature, which featured humorous responses to inane inquiries, as well as countless cartoons, comic strips, and articles.
Over the course of his long and prolific career, Jaffee received numerous awards and accolades, including the National Cartoonists Society’s Reuben Award and induction into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame.
Jaffee retired from MAD in 2020, at the age of 99, and the magazine ceased publication shortly thereafter.
However, his legacy as one of the most innovative and influential cartoonists of the 20th century lives on.
Jaffee died of organ failure on April 10, 2023, at a Manhattan hospital. He was 102.
Al Jaffee Parents: Meet Mildred and Morris Jaffee
Jaffee was born March 13, 1921, in Savannah, Georgia, to Mildred and Morris Jaffee, the oldest of four children, all sons. His parents were Jewish immigrants from Zarasai, Lithuania.
His father had a management job at a department store in Savannah. In 1927, Mildred took her four sons, with Morris’s consent, back to Zarasai.
After a year, Morris took the family back to the United States. After another year, Mildred took the children back to Lithuania.
After four more years, Morris took the eldest three sons back to the USA, where they lived in Far Rockaway, Queens.
source:nsemwokrom.com
