Bradshaw Crandell

Bradshaw Crandell (June 14, 1896 – January 25, 1966) was an American artist and illustrator. He was known as the "artist of the stars". Among those who posed for Crandell were Carole Lombard, Bette Davis, Judy Garland, Veronica Lake and Lana Turner. In 1921, he began his career with an ad for Lorraine hair nets sold exclusively by F. W. Woolworth. His first cover illustration was the May 28, 1921 issue for the humor magazine Judge. In later life, he went from illustrations to oil-on-canvas paintings which included political figures. He also provided poster work for 20th Century Fox. In 2006, he was inducted into the Society of Illustrators Hall of Fame. In March 2010, an illustration for the 1952 Dutch Treat Club yearbook of Crandell's sold for $17,000.
Early life
John Bradshaw Crandell was born in Glens Falls, New York in 1896, son of Hubert Lee and Vira (Mills) Crandell. Hubert's grandfather, born Peter Crandall, thought "the better way to spell the last name was Crandell instead of the original spelling used by the immigrant ancestor, Elder John Crandall. Crandell attended classes at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago but did not graduate. Instead he enrolled in Wesleyan University and again did not graduate. His 1918 World War I draft registration card noted he was a student. The twelfth general catalog of the Psi Upsilon fraternity lists him under the Xi Chapter for the year 1919 (from Wesleyan).
Career
Crandall's career took off in 1921 with a contract for the cover of Judge magazine. Although he began his business as John Bradshaw Crandell Studios in 1925, he dropped his first name by 1935. He was known as a "glamour" artist and not necessarily a "pin-up" artist; however, he did have rather risque work, such as the two nude water nymphs and a nude cover for the Dutch Treat Club. In the 1950s, Crandall moved from illustrations to oil and portraits.
Crandall also created art for the Gerlach-Barklow Co., an art calendar factory in Joliet, Illinois.
Some of Crandell's work is on display in Vanderbilt Hall, a mansion hotel in Newport, Rhode Island owned by Peter de Savary. Phyllis Brown often graced the covers of Cosmopolitan and she was a well sought after model. An incident is told that Gerald Ford suggested the future Mrs. Betty Ford meet with two of his favorite friends when he heard of a trip she made to New York. Those friends being Mr. and Mrs. Bradshaw Crandell; however, when Phyllis arrived or as the future first lady put it later "In she slinked, Jerry's model" (Jerry had dated Phyllis) in a low cut very revealing outfit and then had the audacity to steal her escort. Both Crandell and Ford were innocent of any wrongdoing, though, as Phyllis admitted it was all her idea.
Advertising
The following is a partial list of some of Crandell's works and is by no means exhaustive:
1921: F. W. Woolworth's ad for Lorraine hair nets
1921, 1937: Chesterfield ad
1921: Judge (magazine) cover
1924-7: Collier's cover
1925-6: The Designer cover
1926-8, 1934-5, 1937: Saturday Evening Post cover
1926, 1928: Modern Priscilla cover
1927, 1931-2: Physical Culture cover
1928: Mazola Oil ad
1929: Cudahy's Puritan Bacon ad
1929: The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company (A&P) ad
1930: College Humor cover
1930: Life cover
c 1930: Old Gold cigarette ad
1931: Schrafft's candy ad
1931, 1933: Farmer's Wife cover
1932: Gerlack-Barklow calendars
1933: The American Magazine cover
1933: Palmolive soap ad
1935-1940, 1944-6: Cosmopolitan cover
1936: Buick ad
1938: Coca-Cola serving tray
1939: Lucky Strike calendar ad
1940: Pabst beer ad
1941: American Red Cross poster ad
1941-1944: John Player & Sons Cigarette ads
1943: Pontiac ads (honoring all arms and services of the fighting forces)
1943: Women's Army Corps recruiting poster
1944: Tangee face powder ad
1948: Edgeworth pipe tobacco ad
1948: The Loves of Carmen starring Rita Hayworth and Glenn Ford, Columbia Pictures theatrical release poster
1949: Lord Calvert whiskey ad
unknown: Redbook only editorial or story illustration per Crandell himself
Portraits, memorials, and other works
Stars
Lana Turner
Rita Hayworth and Glenn Ford
Susan Hayward
Judy Garland
Veronica Lake
Carole Lombard
Bette Davis
Olivia de Havilland
Rosemary Lane, one of the Lane Sisters
Gloria Callen
Joan Bennett
Joan Fontaine
Anne Baxter
Betty Hutton
Jennifer Jones
Lucille Ball
Helen Twelvetrees
Politicians
W. D. Hoard Jr., son of governor of Wisconsin
Walter J. Kohler Jr., governor of Wisconsin
Others
James Montgomery Flagg fellow artist who gave us the popular Uncle Sam poster of "We Want You for US Army"
Betty Sullivan, daughter of Ed Sullivan
References
External links and further reading
Platnick, Norman I. "Roses of Romance: A Collector's Guide to Bradshaw Crandell", Enchanment Ink, Bay Shore, New York, 2003
American Art Archives
Curtis Licensing
1896 births
1966 deaths
American illustrators
Wesleyan University alumni
Psi Upsilon