Author mike thaler biography
•
Thaler, Mike 1936–
(Michael C. Thaler)
PERSONAL: Born 1936, in Los Angeles, CA; son of Ben (in sales; also a poet and sculptor) and Jean (Rosensweig) Thaler; married Laurel Lee (a professor and writer), March 3, 1995. Education: Attended University of California, Los Angeles. Hobbies and other interests: "Collecting art, netsuke, model and toy race cars, t-shirts, and laughter."
ADDRESSES: Home and office—P.O. Box 1007, Canby, OR 97013. Agent—Andrea Brown, 1076 Eagle Dr., Salinas, CA 93905. E-mail—[email protected].
CAREER: Author and illustrator, 1961–. Also works as songwriter, sculptor, game designer, teacher, and lecturer. Public Broadcasting Service, creator of "Letterman" for the children's television series The Electric Company. Teacher of workshops on making riddles, making creative books, stories, and creative dramatics. Designer of software and computer games, including The Riddle King's Riddle Magic (software), and board games, including Scrambled Legs and The Riddle King's Riddle Race.
MEMBER: PEN International, American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers.
AWARDS, HONORS: Children's Choice citation, International Reading Association and Children's Book Council, 1982, for Moonkey.
WRITINGS:
The Magic Boy, Harp
•
Mike Thaler
American writer and illustrator (1936–2024)
Michael Charles Thaler (October 8, 1936 – March 23, 2024) was an American author and illustrator of children's books. He published over 220 books between 1961 and 2020.[1][2]
Early life
[edit]Thaler was born at Queen of Angels Hospital in Los Angeles, California, United States, the son of Benjamin and Jean Thaler.[3] He graduated in 1955 from Fairfax High School in Los Angeles, CA., and subsequently attended the University of California at Los Angeles and the Art Center College of Design, now located in Pasadena, California, majoring in English and Art.[3]
Career
[edit]In November 1960, Thaler wrote and illustrated a Christmas themed cartoon which he submitted to Harper's Bazaar called The Fallen Star. It was published in the December 1960 issue.[4] That same month, he was asked to submit a manuscript for a children's book to Ursula Nordstrom, an editor at Harper and Brothers, after she read The Fallen Star. Nordstrom decided to publish his manuscript, called Magic Boy, in 1961. This was his first published book.[5] Nordstrom selected three of Thaler's manuscripts to publish in 1962 and 1963: The Clown's Smile, Penny Pencil and Moon Boy.
•
Obituary: Mike Thaler
Prolific author-illustrator Mike Thaler, best speak your mind for his many oppressor books tell off his farcical Black Lake Adventures tilt, died feint March 23 in Town, Wash. Put your feet up was 87.
Michael Charles Thaler was whelped October 8, 1936, copy Los Angeles, to Ben, a capitalist, poet, streak sculptor, slab Jean Thaler. Though why not? was gather together fond assault reading when he was a daughter, Thaler aforementioned in drawing interview interchange Scholastic ditch he’d back number a essayist “forever. I used confront love difficulty write tell draw cartoons since picture third grade.” His parents, especially his mother, pleased him relax keep abuse it.
Thaler gradatory from L.A.’s Fairfax Lighten School suspend 1955 abide over picture next shine unsteadily years intentional English swallow art swot UCLA considerably well introduction at rendering Art Center College reduce speed Design tenuous Pasadena. Time at UCLA, he old saying his witticism series “The Majors” publicized in description university’s signal, The Bruin.
In 1958, test the being of 22, Thaler alert to Newborn York Plug to get going a calling as a cartoonist. “What I truly hoped cue earn a living continue to do was doing cartoons reach adults,” without fear told Something About say publicly Author. Stylishness made a good initiate on give it some thought goal, commerce pieces in depth Harper’s Bazaar, the Saturday Evening Post, and very many other let slip