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Cratinus

(Encyclopedia)Cratinus krətīˈnəs [key], d. c.419 b.c., Athenian comic dramatist. He won the prize at the Athenian drama contest when Aristophanes competed with The Clouds and was regarded with Aristophanes and ...

dime novels

(Encyclopedia)dime novels, swift-moving, thrilling novels, mainly about the American Revolution, the frontier period, and the Civil War. The books were first sold in 1860 for 10 cents by the firm of Beadle and Adam...

graphic novel

(Encyclopedia)graphic novel: see comic strip.

Brooks, Mel

(Encyclopedia)Brooks, Mel, 1927–, American film director, writer, actor, and producer, b. Brooklyn, NY as Melvin Kaminsky. His earliest work was in television, notably as a gag writer for Sid Caesar's “Your Sho...

Feiffer, Jules

(Encyclopedia)Feiffer, Jules fīˈfər [key], 1929–, American cartoonist and writer, b. New York City. He began publishing a cartoon strip in the Village Voice in 1956, maintaining his association with the paper ...

Bishop, Sir Henry Rowley

(Encyclopedia)Bishop, Sir Henry Rowley, 1786–1855, English operatic conductor, composer or arranger of 120 dramatic works. He is known today for a setting of Shakespeare's “Lo, here the gentle lark” and the m...

farce

(Encyclopedia)farce, light, comic theatrical piece in which the characters and events are greatly exaggerated to produce broad, absurd humor. Early examples of farce can be found in the comedies of Aristophanes, Pl...

Max, Peter

(Encyclopedia)Max, Peter, 1937–, American artist, b. Berlin. Max is noted for his undulating graphic designs in bright, vibrating colors. His style has influenced much commercial art. It is reminiscent of art nou...

Onslow, George

(Encyclopedia)Onslow, George, 1784–1853, French composer. Onslow studied piano in London and composition in Paris. Although he wrote symphonies, comic operas, and various chamber works, he is remembered principal...

Adam, Adolphe Charles

(Encyclopedia)Adam, Adolphe Charles ädōlfˈ shärlˈ ädäNˈ [key], 1803–56, French composer of the popular song Cantique de Noël. He composed more than 50 stage works, including comic operas such as Le Posti...