Al Hirschfeld
He captured the kinetic energy of Broadway and Hollywood with a single, fluid line of ink, defining celebrity for the 20th century.
1903–2003 (age 100)·American caricaturist·Birthday: June 21·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Al Hirschfeld’s career began not with a pen, but with a movie camera. As a teenager, he worked for Goldwyn Pictures in New York, but a trip to Paris in the 1920s shifted his focus to drawing. Returning to Manhattan, he found his true subject: the performers of Broadway. His style, characterized by its elegant, calligraphic line, distilled actors and dancers into their most expressive essences, often hiding the name of his daughter, Nina, within the curls of hair and folds of fabric. For over seven decades, his drawings were a weekly event in The New York Times, a visual review that became as anticipated as the shows themselves. Hirschfeld didn’t just illustrate celebrities; he created a visual shorthand for fame itself, his work becoming synonymous with the golden age of American theater and film.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Al was born in 1903, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Al Was Born
The biggest hits of 1903
Al's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1903Born
Wright brothers achieve first powered flight
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1908Started school
Ford Model T goes into production
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1916Became a teenager
The Battle of the Somme claims over a million casualties
President: Woodrow Wilson
1919Could drive
Treaty of Versailles signed; Prohibition ratified
President: Woodrow Wilson
1921Could vote
First commercial radio broadcasts
President: Warren G. Harding"My Man" — Fanny Brice
1924Turned 21
First Winter Olympics held in Chamonix, France
President: Calvin Coolidge"It Had to Be You" — Isham Jones
1933Turned 30
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1943Turned 40
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1953Turned 50
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1963Turned 60
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1973Turned 70
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1983Turned 80
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
2003Died at 100
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Key Achievements
- His drawings were a signature feature of The New York Times arts section for nearly 75 years, from 1929 onward.
- Created the iconic poster art for the original Broadway productions of shows like 'My Fair Lady' and 'West Side Story'.
- Was awarded a special Tony Award in 1975 for his distinguished career capturing the theater world.
- Had his work declared a 'national treasure' by the U.S. Senate, leading to a postage stamp in his honor in 1991.
Did You Know?
He drew exclusively with a centuries-old flexible-nib pen called a 'lithographic crayon' on French tracing paper.
The first appearance of his daughter's name 'NINA' in a drawing was to announce her birth in 1945.
He worked in near-total darkness, with only a single light bulb illuminating his drawing board.
The number next to his signature in later years indicated how many times 'NINA' was hidden in that particular drawing.
“An artist is someone who can hold two fundamentally opposing viewpoints and still function.”
