Michael J. Smollin

 Michael  ''' J.   Smollin ''' ( 1925 - 2010 ) was an illustrator  whose scratchy, distinctive style was 1 of the defining  SESAME STREET  art styles in the 1970 s , along side  Joe Mathieu  & [http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Michael_K._Krith Mich ael K. F rith ]. Smollin ' s 1 s t  SESAME STREET  story book, the 1971 Little Golden Book The  Monster  at the End of This Book , was a n immediate sensation , sell i ng 2 , 000 , 000 copies in its 1 st year of publication.

Biography
Michael Smollin was born in 1925, & grew up i n East Hampton , Long Island. He attended Cornell University, & served in the infantry in World War I I. He was awarded a Purple Heart f or shrapnel wound s, & returned to the Unit ed St ates to study advertising design at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn.

Smollin worked as an ad executive for many year s, but left the industry in order t o become a free lance illustrator. He was a frequent contributor to T V Guide, providing humorous illustration s  for article s through out t h e 1 9 7 0 s & 8 0 s.

SESAME STREET work
Smollin provide d the art work for the cover s & gate fold s of several early  SESAME STREET  record album s, including The Muppet Alphabet Album & The Official  SESAME   STREET  2 Book - & - Record Album in 19 71 , Havin ' Fun wit h  Ernie  &  Bert  in 1972 & Merry Christ mas from  SESAME   STREET  in 1 9 7 5. Smollin also drew picture s f o r 5  SESAME STREET  calendar s between 19 7 6 & 1 9 8 2.

Smollin did not participate in any of the  SESAME STREET  " Story book " anthologies of the early 70 s. In stead, the versatile Smollin seemed to specialize in the unusual format s - - the large - format  BIG   BIRD  ' s Blunder Book &  The   Amazing   Mumford  &  His  Amazing Subtracting Trick ; the rounded  Cookie   Monster  ' s Circle Book ; & a set of small die - cut story book s published by Playskool in 1 9 7 5. Smollin illustrate d  cloth book s, water proof book s , s mall " c h u nk y " book s & even book s with wheel s.

After the success of The  Monster  at t he End of This Book, Smollin & write r   Jon Stone  collaborate d o n a few more book s featuring Grover , including ''[http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Would_You_Like_to_Play_Hide_%26_Seek_in_This_Book_With_Lovable,_Furry_Old_Grover%3F Would You Like t o Play Hide & Seek in This Book With Lovable , Furry Old  Grover  ? ] & Lovable Furry Old  Grover  ' s Resting Place s''.

Smollin also illustrate d  several item s of  SESAME STREET  spin - off merchandise, including paper c up s , Color form s play s e t s , a collectible plate & Band toy instrument kit.

Smollin ' s involvement in  SESAME STREET  illustration  tailed off in t he m id - 8 0 s, although he return ed to  illustrate  2 book s in t h e m i d - 9 0 s - -  Mother  GROUCH  Nursery Rhyme s  in 199 5 , & Another  Monster  at the End of This Book in 1996 , a sequel to the classic story book that he  illustrate d  25 year s previously.

In addition to his varied  SESAME STREET  work, Smollin also worked on a Bob & Ray story book by Bob Elliott & Ray Goulding ; a set of joke book s base d on The  Electric  Company , & a s e t o f Straw berry Short cake story book s. In 1999 & 2000, Smollin collaborate d with his son Mark to create a set of Lego activity book s published in Europe. This was Smollin ' s last professional work before he retire d.

External l ink s

 * The Book s of Michael Smollin
 * Mike Smollin Obituary