Leon Harrison Gross Bio/Wiki, Net Worth, Married 2018
Lee Falk, born Leon Harrison Gross (April 28, 1911 - March 13, 1999), was an American writer, theater director and producer, best known as the creator of the popular comic strips The Phantom (1936–present) and Mandrake the Magician (1934-2013). At the height of their popularity, these strips attracted over 100 million readers every day. Falk also wrote short stories, and he contributed to a series of pulp novels about The Phantom.A playwright and theatrical director/producer, Falk directed actors such as Marlon Brando, Charlton Heston, Paul Newman, Chico Marx and Ethel Waters.
Often used the names of his children in the comic strip
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Quote
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My only politics is up with democracy and down with dictatorships.
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(When asked about his age): "Just plain old."
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"Each artist, out of his own interests and imagination, creates his own world in his strip - this is true of Peanuts, Beetle Bailey, Popeye, all good strips. And you accomplish this not by imitating others - you come up with your own idea. To me, The Phantom and Mandrake are very real - much more than the people walking around whom I don't see very much. You have to believe in your own characters.
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Fact
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His character Lohan from Mandrake is considered the first African-American main character in a comic book.
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His character Mandrake The Magician is often considered the world's first comic book superhero.
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Graduated from the University of Illinois and worked with the Office of Information during World War II, prior to enlisting in the U.S. Army. After the war, he enjoyed a successful career as a playwright and stage producer.
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Considered calling The Phantom for The Gray Ghost at first, but he quickly found out that he preferred The Phantom instead.
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Originally intended The Phantom to be a rich playboy who fought crime at night. Falk actually introduced the character of Jimmy Wells in 1936 in his first story, The Singh Brotherhood, with the intention of him being the Phantom's real identity. However, during the course of the story, Falk decided to move The Phantom to Africa, where he got the familiar identity of Kit Walker.
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Falk wrote two musicals; one called "Happy Dollar" and "Mandrake the Magician", based on his own newspaper strip with the same name.
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He mainly wrote comic strips because of the high payment, because Falk's favorite kind of writing was for the theater. He ran 5 theaters, and directed and produced hundreds of plays, starring people like Marlon Brando, Charlton Heston, Chico Marx, Ethel Waters, Paul Newman, and Ezio Pinza.
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Was a world traveler, and often wrote his scripts for The Phantom and Mandrake the Magician in a hotel room, far away from his New York home.
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Is the only comic-creator to receive the Roman Lifetime Achievement Award, given to him by the Minister of Culture.
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Is one of the most widely read comics-writers ever; having over a hundred million readers every single day in his prime with his comic strips The Phantom and Mandrake.
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Wrote The Phantom newspaper comic strip, which he created, from 1936 until his death in 1999.
Writer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Mandrake the Magician
2019
comic strip / creator announced
Jax of Heart
characters announced
The Phantom
1996
characters
Phantom 2040
1994-1996
TV Series character - 35 episodes
Defenders of the Earth
TV Series characters - 7 episodes, 1986 characters creator: The Phantom, Mandrake the Magician, and Lother - 1 episode, 1986
Mandrake
1979
TV Movie comic strip
The ABC Saturday Superstar Movie
1972
TV Series creator: "Phantom" and "Mandrake the Magician" - 1 episode
$15 Million
