Newspaper Novels Part XI

Part I introduced novels that were inserted in the weekend edition of at least 24 North American newspapers between 1919 and 1973. The novels were not serialized but complete in one issue, at least in the US. The Star Weekly published by the Toronto Star had two and three part inserts from 1960 to 1973. Little information is available on these inserts but I estimate between 10,000 and 12,000 were published. Many titles were published in more than one newspaper so the number of titles is less, perhaps 8,000 to 10,000. The vast majority were recently published or soon to be published romance, adventure, Western, crime, thriller and other genres. Most are long forgotten and out of print. But one title stands out.

On May 23, 1937 readers of the Sunday editions of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Detroit Free Press and Chicago Herald and Examiner found that week's novel, The Great Gatsby. While advertised as "complete" this version is nearly 30% shorter than the published book, 34,000 words vs. 48,000. Rare today this abridged version was reprinted in volume 21 (2023) of The F. Scott Fitzgerald Review. Here is the abstract for the accompanying article:

"Shortly before F. Scott Fitzgerald relocated to Hollywood for his final attempt at screenwriting, a condensed version of his most famous novel, The Great Gatsby, appeared in a select few newspapers on 23 May 1937, twelve years after its original publication fell far short of its author's original expectations. Featuring artwork by well-known book illustrator and landscape artist Harold E. Snyder (who presented the characters in some decidedly 1930s fashions rather than how they might have dressed and looked in 1922), the condensation sanitized the novel, revising offensive language like Owl Eyes's "poor son-of-a-bitch" (recast as "poor fellow") and excising suggestive scenes (such as Nick's strange, sudden appearance next to Chester McKee's bed, where the photographer reclines in his underwear). This version of Gatsby has long been hard to find, with only a handful of surviving copies available in various Fitzgerald collections."

Here are three US newspaper novels from that era. The Bangor Daily News novels are 16 pages, The Philadelphia Inquirer 20 pages.

Bangor Daily News - August 19, 1939 - Step in the Dark by Ethel Lina White (1876-1944), Wm. Collins, 1938.

Bangor Daily News - October 7, 1939 - Smoking Altars by Gladys St. John Loe (1895-?), Claude Kendall, 1936. 

Philadelphia Inquirer - July 13, 1941 - Deep Waters by Ben Ames Williams (1903-1989). I can't find a book version of this. It was published earlier in Maclean's May 1, 1939.

Bangor Daily News October 7, 1939

Bangor Daily News August 19, 1939

Philadelphia Inquirer July 13, 1941

158 and Counting

The British North American Act, enacted March 29, 1867 by the British Parliament, provided for Confederation of the three British North American colonies, Canada (Upper and Lower), Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Now much amended as the Constitution Act, 1867, it was proclaimed into law on July 1, 1867 and Canada was born. The first official birthday celebration was in 1868, July 1 being named Dominion Day in 1879 and Canada Day in 1982.

The Star Weekly was published by the Toronto Star from April 9, 1910 until July 1968, then by Southam Press until December 29, 1973. Here we return to 1966 Canada with the May 14, 1966 issue; 100 pages for 20 cents or free with your Saturday newspaper in selected cities.

Star Weekly (40 pages). The cover story is about a different kind of threat to Canadian sovereignty than we see now. It focuses on Canadian corporations sold to foreign ones. An interested reader could also find an article about treasure hunting in the waters off Cape Breton and a column by Wayne and Shuster. Short fiction, recipes, gardening tips and a crossword puzzle are included.

The Canadian (28 pages) Volume 2, number 19. An article on Toronto's first modern skyscraper, the Toronto Dominion Bank Tower, is followed by Barbara Frum's "Pretty Hip Dames", about mothers earning PhDs.

Novel (12 pages). The Baron and the Chinese Puzzle by Anthony Morton (John Creasey) (1908-1973). Illustrated by Colette McNeil. Like many of the Star Weekly novels this is promoted as "First Publication Anywhere".

Comics (20 pages). Twenty comics including Dick Tracy, Popeye, Prince Valiant, Steve Canyon, Blondie plus other features.

Star Weekly May 14, 1966

Star Weekly The Canadian May 14, 1966

Star Weekly Novel May 14, 1966

Star Weekly Comics May 14, 1966

Star Weekly Novel Part XIII

Continuing my discussion of the artists who worked on the Star Weekly Novel from 1938 to 1973. I have identified the artist for 700 of the approximately 1900 issues. There are 99 artists who worked on these 700 issues, 86 with less than 10. Three have more than 50 issues, including William Book (1906-1966) who did 107 of them from 1941 to 1956. Only information on Book I can find is that he was born in North Bay, Ontario.

Here are three of his covers.

January 28, 1950 - Image of a Murder by Paul Capon (1912-1969), T. V. Boardman, 1949. Two illustrations.

July 26, 1952 - Having No Heart by Elisabeth Margetson (1898-?), Ward Lock, 1952. One illustration.

July 7, 1945 - Short Leash by Bertrand Shurtleff (1897-1967), Bobbs-Merrill, 1945. Two illustrations.

Star Weekly Complete Novel January 28, 1950

Star Weekly Complete Novel July 26, 1952

Star Weekly Complete Novel July 7, 1945

Star Weekly Novel Part XII

Virtually all of the nearly 1900 issues of the Star Weekly Novel published between 1938 and 1973 had at least one illustration. So far I have identified the artist for 320 of the issues with illustrations by 63 artists. Here I'll highlight three of the artists seen on the 64 (76 issues) Erle Stanley Gardner titles published from 1942 to 1973.

October 16, 1943 - The Case of the Buried Clock, two illustrations by Eloise Noel Smith. I can find no information about her.

February 2, 1946 - The Case of the Half-Wakened Wife, two illustrations by Elsie Julia Miller. Here is a short biography.

June 12, 1954 - The Case of the Green Eyed Sister, one illustration by Mabel McDermott. I have found a 1936 Chatelaine cover by McDermott.

Star Weekly Complete Novel June 12, 1954

Star Weekly Complete Novel February 2, 1946

Star Weekly Complete Novel October 16, 1943

Star Weekly Novel Part XI

Between 1938 and 1973 Star Weekly published (I estimate) 1700 titles as inserts in the Saturday edition of the Toronto Star and other papers. I have identified about 1325 of those titles by 660 different authors.

Here are three from the last five years of the run when many of the titles were published over two or three weeks. All are 12 pages.

April 12, 1969 (part 2) - The Astrid Factor by Douglas Orgill (1922-1984), Peter Davies, 1968.

February 12, 1972 (part 2) - The Freedom Trap by Desmond Bagley (1923-1983), Wm. Collins, 1971. Filmed in 1973 as The Mackintosh Man with Paul Newman.

July 21, 1973 (part 2) - Decked With Flowers by Elizabeth Cadell (1903-1989), Hodder & Stoughton, 1973. Advertised as "First Publication Anywhere". When published as a book the title changed to Deck With Flowers.

Star Weekly - April 12, 1969

Star Weekly - February 12 1972

Star Weekly - July 21, 1973