Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Al Jaffee

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Al Jaffee made an impact.

Al Jaffee (born Allan Jaffee) was a highly influential American cartoonist, best known for his long-standing contributions to Mad magazine. For 65 years, he created the iconic Mad Fold-in, a back-cover feature requiring readers to fold the page to reveal a hidden image and joke. Jaffee was Mad's longest-running contributor, solidifying his legacy in the world of satire and cartooning. His work was a staple of American humor for generations. His humor was described to be dry, as seen in his quote: "Serious people my age are dead."

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Legacy & Impact

December 1942: First Publication

In December 1942, Jaffee's work was first published in Joker Comics.

1942: Career Start

In 1942, Jaffee began his career as a comic artist, setting the stage for a record-breaking run.

1946: Return to Civilian Life

In 1946, Al Jaffee returned to civilian life and began working for Stan Lee.

1955: First Mad Appearance

In 1955, Jaffee first appeared in Mad magazine, marking a significant moment in his career.

1957: Tall Tales Panel

In 1957, Jaffee began drawing the Tall Tales panel for the New York Herald Tribune, which was syndicated to over 100 newspapers.

1958: Return to Mad

In 1958, after Humbug folded, Jaffee brought his unpublished material to Mad, leading to his re-hiring.

1961: Invention of Telephone Redial and Address Books

In 1961, Al Jaffee's articles showcased his inventions like telephone redial and address books, demonstrating his inventive mind.

1963: End of Tall Tales

In 1963, Jaffee stopped drawing the Tall Tales panel for the New York Herald Tribune after pressure to add words led to a decrease in foreign sales.

April 1964: Near Continuous Mad Contribution Begins

Starting in April 1964, Al Jaffee began a half-century run of nearly continuous contributions to Mad magazine.

1964: Fold-In Becomes Signature Feature

From 1964, the Fold-In became one of Mad's signature features, appearing in almost every issue.

1964: Creation of the Fold-In

In 1964, Al Jaffee created the Fold-In for Mad Magazine, which became his longest-running feature.

1965: Invention of Snowboarding

In 1965, Al Jaffee's articles showcased his inventions like snowboarding, demonstrating his inventive mind.

1967: Invention of Computer Spell-Checker

In 1967, Al Jaffee's articles showcased his inventions like the computer spell-checker, demonstrating his inventive mind.

1977: Issue Without Fold-In

In 1977, one issue of Mad was published without a Fold-In, although Jaffee did provide the back cover.

1979: Invention of Multi-Blade Razors

In 1979, Al Jaffee's articles showcased his inventions like multi-blade razors, demonstrating his inventive mind.

1980: Double-Visual Gimmick

In 1980, Jaffee created a unique double-visual gimmick for Mad, where the inside and outside back covers merged to create a third image when held up to the light.

1982: Invention of Graffiti-Proof Building Surfaces

In 1982, Al Jaffee's articles showcased his inventions like graffiti-proof building surfaces, demonstrating his inventive mind.

1984: The Shpy Illustrations

Since 1984, Jaffee has provided illustrations for "The Shpy" in The Moshiach Times.

1997: Fold This Book! collection of Fold-Ins released

In 1997, a collection of Al Jaffee's Fold-Ins was released in a book titled Fold This Book!.

1998: Hawks & Doves strips republished

In 1998, Al Jaffee's Hawks & Doves strips were republished, along with an original strip in color.

2005: Motion Theory creates video for Beck's song "Girl"

In 2005, the production company Motion Theory created a video for Beck's song "Girl" using Al Jaffee's Mad Fold-Ins as inspiration; Jaffee's name appears briefly in the video, on a television screen.