whippersnappers out there). Though mostly self-taught as an artist, he had the gumption to send cartoons to Yank Magazine, the official service weekly. Yank was distributed to G.I.s all over the world during World War II. “I was thrilled to have some 30 cartoons published, which started me on a career in art.” All of Roy’s World War II cartoons in Yank were lost through the years. His wife suggested he write a blurb in a magazine called Reminisce asking readers for their old copies. “I got about 50 replies! People sent me bundles of them. I was touched. The cartoons were kinda crude, and I like to think I’ve improved since then.” In 1949, at the suggestion of friends, Roy moved to New Orleans to work as a graphic artist for the Louisiana Health Department. However, Gov. Earl K. Long scrapped the program in his first year in office. Undaunted, Roy did a stint at painting Mardi Gras floats for Blaine Kern the year Kern started designing and building parades. “I answered an ad and met Blaine, who handed me a pad and pencil and said ‘Draw me a shoe.’ I did, and he hired me on the spot.” That led to designing the artwork for carnival paraphernalia like cups, doubloons, programs and ads. After teaching graphic arts at the Newcomb Art School for two years, Roy became art director for a number of television programs. He then tried out Philadelphia and Chicago, but in 1968, he came back and put down roots “way down yonder” for good.
“I was a staff artist at Mouton Art Associates, and we serviced ad agencies and clients directly with advertising art.” Roy did artwork for the city under the Landrieu administration (that’s Moon—Mitch’s daddy, kids). He did the “Pride Builds New Orleans” logo back then and tried to resuscitate it for Mitch’s campaign as “Pride ReBuilds New Orleans.” One of the principals at Mouton Art Associates was Frank >> January-February 2012 53