Benjamin William Sangor was born Ben William Samgorodecki on February 5, 1889 in Russia of Jewish ancestry. His father died in 1902, after which his widowed mother and her three children left Russia and moved to America. In 1904 they lived in Brooklyn, and two year later they family left NYC and he family left moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where the family name was changed to Samgor.
In September of 1909 Ben Samgor began to attend the University of Wisconsin, where he changed his name to Benjamin Sangor.
In June of 1913, at age twenty-five, he graduated from the Marquette Law School. Two months later he was admitted to the Wisconsin Bar. The 1913 Milwaukee Business Directory listed Benjamin Sangor as a "Deputy Clerk at the City Court House."
William Randolph Hearst (1863-1951) formed "Hearst-Brisbane Properties" with Arthur Brisbane (1864-1936), a renowned editor of Hearst newspapers. When Hearst bought The Chicago Herald he hired Moe Annenberg (1877-1942) to violently attack any Chicago newsstands that sold rival newspapers. When Hearst-Brisbane decided to also take over Milwaukee newspapers they made Annenberg the editor. While in Milwaukee, Annenberg bought significant real estate for "Hearst-Brisbane Properties," such as parking lots, theaters, pool halls, a taxi service and a bowling alley. To handle these transactions Moe Annenberg hired local real estate lawyer Benjamin Sangor.
In 1917 Benjamin Sangor was sent to jail for his corrupt role in a real estate bankruptcy case. After serving his time, which he left Milwaukee and moved to Chicago, where he represented the interests of an unidentified major Chicago real estate properties corporation.
In 1923 Benjamin Sangor moved to New York City, where he opened real estate offices at 1476 Broadway in the Longacre Building in Tines Square. He also opened real estate offices in New Jersey, where he proceeded to buy major real estate properties for development.
In 1924 Benjamin Sangor formed B. W. Sangor and Company, Incorporated, with funding from a group of Chicago real estate investors. They bought a foreclosed property, named Pinewald, which covered twelve square miles on the shore of southern New Jersey, near the town of Toms River, where he constructed the Royal Pines Hotel on a man-made lake.
On October 17, 1925 The New York Times reported that B. W. Sangor & Co., Inc. had listed a $200,000 designation of their incorporation with the N.Y. State Office of Business Registration. He sold lots to prospective home owners from real estate offices in Times Square, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Newark, and Trenton. He formed the B. W. Sangor Outdoor Advertising Company to paint signs and billboards to attract prospective home owners to Pinewald.
Sangor eventually sold all the lots at Pinewald. He then proceeded to sell the same lots to multiple owners. He even sold lots on surrounding property that the company did not own.
In 1928 Benjamin Sangor registered a newly incorporated business Preferred Publications, Incorporated, at 56 West 45th Street. The company published "100 French Romance Novels" and a copyrighted publication, "Modern Eugenics and Sex Relations" by Dr. Frank.
Ned Pines was born December 10, 1905 in Massachusetts of Russian Jewish ancestry. His family moved to Brooklyn when he was a child. At the age of twenty-one, he became a publisher of a joke book College Life, which was a poor imitation of the wildly popular College Humor.
By 1931 Ned Pines had formed Thrilling Publications, whose pulp magazines were produced and distributed by Eastern Distributing Corporation.
On July 31, 1931 The New York Times reported that Ned Pines had registered Metropolitan Magazines as a newly incorporated business. The first periodicals produced by this company were Thrilling Love and Thrilling Detective.
In 1931 Benjamin Sangor was indicted on five counts of real estate fraud, larceny and embezzlement of $81,000 from the Tom's River Trust Company Bank. He was arrested and convicted in New Jersey. After the verdict he delayed sentences by filing a long series of appeals.
On Janaury 19, 1933 "B. W. Sangor & Company" was voided as a corporation for non-payment of New Jersey State taxes.
On November 2, 1935 Sangor's previous conviction for embezzlement was again upheld in New Jersey appellate court.
In 1936 Ben Sangor established the Syndicated Feature Company. This small newspaper syndicate handled six comic strips, including “Peggy Wow” before closing down the following year.
On January 31, 1938, after five years of appeals, Benjamin Sangor's conviction for embezzlement was finally upheld by New Jersey Supreme Court. He was fined $1000 and taken to Trenton Prison to serve his sentence of two-to-three years.
On September 20, 1938 Benjamin Sangor's daughter, Jacquelyn Sangor, age twenty-five, married Ned Pines, age thirty-two. Benjamin Sangor was not able to attend his daughter's wedding ceremony because he was in jail.
On November 30, 1938 Benjamin Sangor's Preferred Publications, Inc. declared bankruptcy.
By 1939 Ned Pines had moved his offices to 22 West 48th Street, where he published eleven monthly pulps under various company names, Standard Magazines, Better Publications, Thrilling Publications, and Beacon Publications.
In September of 1939, after serving eighteen months, Benjamin Sangor was paroled from jail in Trenton, NJ. He moved to NYC, where he resumed his legal career in affiliation with Moe Annenberg, Theodore Epstein, Paul Sampliner, Harry Donenfeld, and his new son-in-law, Ned Pines.
In 1939, following the impressive success of Donenfeld's "Superman," Ned Pines formed Standard Comics.
On September 15, 1939 Ned Pines and Benjamin Sangor, in partnership with Paul Sampliner, registered a newly incorporated business, Cinema Comics, located in the Longacre Building on Broadway and Times Square. The following year it moved to 45 West 45th Street.
The 1940 NYC Business Directory listed Sangor Studios – Art Services at 45 West 45th Street.
In March of 1941 Sangor and Sampliner founded Manhattan Fiction Publications at 45 West 45th Street to produce pulp magazines, such as Movie Love Stories, Movie Detective Magazine, and Movie Western Magazine.
On August 1, 1942 Benjamin Sangor, in partnership with Paul Sampliner, registered a newly incorporated business "Creston Publications" at 45 West 45th Street. The editor was Jerry Albert.
By 1942, the Sangor Shop (also known as Syndicated Features Corporation or Editorial Art Syndicate) began providing funny animal stories and art for Pines through contacts at Fleischer Studios, and an arrangement with animator Jim Davis. Early contributors included Vic Pazmino, Don Williams, Ben Solomon, and Ben Levin. .
In 1942 Ben Sangor listed his employer as "Cinema Comics of 45 West 45th Street." He produced promotional comic books as give-aways for syndicated movie theaters. The first title was for the animated movie "Mr. Bug Goes To Town," from Max Fleischer Studios in Miami, Florida. They made give-away comics for "Arabian Nights," "Lady For A Night," "Thunder Birds," and "Reap The Wild Wind." In 1943 they produced a comic for "Crash Dive," starring Tyrone Power, Anne Baxter, and Dana Andrews. Cinema Comics also produced TNT Humor Magazine, a digest-sized joke book.
Jay Morton of Fleischer Studios in Miami offered to provide Sangor with funny animal comic pages that were drawn by animators. Some of these talented artists included Jim Davis, Thurston Harper, Joe Oriolo, Dan Gordon, and Tony Loeb.
In 1943 Benjamin Sangor founded the American Comics Group (ACG) at 45 West 45th Street. Jerry Albert again was the editor. Their first titles were Ha-Ha Comics and Giggle Comics.
By 1944 Jim Davis left Fleischer and moved to California, where he established a West Coast Team of the Sangor Shop, using animators from Screen Gems, Disney, and Warner Brothers, such as Ken Hultgren, Lynn Karp, and Jack Bradbury.
In 1946 the editor at ACG was replaced by Richard Hughes, a talented writer and editor, who had worked on comic books for Ned Pines. "Richard Hughes" was actually a pen-name for Leo Rosenbaum (1909-1973).
The 1946 NYC Business Directory listed Sangor Studio - Art Services, Cinema Comics, Creston Publications Corporation, and ACG all at 45 West 45th Street.
By 1949 the Sangor Shop had closed down.
In July of 1951 ACG began to produce the comic book Forbidden Worlds. The indicia identified the publisher as Preferred Publications at 45 West 45th Street. "Preferred Publications" was the company Ben Sangor had first started back in 1928 to produce "Modern Eugenics and Sex Relations" by Dr. Frank.
In 1951 Benjamin Sangor retired from publishing and moved with his wife to Miami, Florida. His only continuing role in the company was as a corporate proxy represent the business interests of Paul Sampliner.
Benjamin Sangor died in Florida at the age of sixty-three on Janaury 26, 1953.
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SANGOR SHOP ARTISTS from 1941 - 1948
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1941
Jon L. Blummer
Dan Gormley
Maurice Gutwirth
Kin Platt
George Mandel
Leo Morey
Sam Rosen (lettering)
Will Rowland
Milton Stein
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1942
Ben Batsford
Kay Blitz
Jack Davis
Jim Davis
Frank Frollo
Rube Grossman
Maurice Gutwirth
Everett Kinstler (inking)
Jim Logan
Pauline Loth
Bob Naylor
Bob Oksner
Joe Oriolo
Vic Pazmino
Kin Platt
Charles Quinlan
Will Rowland
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1943
Els Barthen
Ted Berman
Kay Blitz
John Chaffin
Matt Curzon
Jack Davis
Jim Davis
Phil DeLara
Irving Dressler
Raphael Esposito
Ben Farish
Otto Feuer
Woody Gelman
Tom Golden
Rube Grossman
Maurice Gutwirth
Thurston Harper
Bill Hudson
Teddi Hudson (inking)
Everett Kinstler
Rusty Lehman
Ben Levin
Irv Levine
Tony Loeb
Jim Logan
Fred Madison
Dick Mann
Bill Martin
Gene McGregor
Jim Mooney
Steve Muffatti
Naish
Bob Naylor
Bob Oksner
Norman Oliver
Joe Oriolo
William Pattengill
Vic Pazmino
Sid Pillet
Kin Platt
Al Pross
Larry Riley
Will Rowland
Bud Sagendorf
Eric Schenck
Harry Schwalb
Gordon Sheehan
E. F. Smith
Martin Smith
Ben Solomon
Irv Spector
Jimmy Talcott
Dave Tendlar
Jim Tyer
John Ushler
John Walworth
Carl Wessler
George Wilhelms
Don Williams
Kay Wright
Harry Wylie
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1944 EAST COAST TEAM -
Herman Brouwer
Roy Burke
Ed Dunn
Al Eugster
Nellie Farnham
Otto Feuer
Woody Gelman
John Gentilella
Tom Golden
Dan Gordon
Rube Grossman
Maurice Gutwirth
Gordie Heiman
Bill Henning
Bill Hudson
W. Heuruts
Harry Holt
Ben Levin
Tony Loeb
Jim Logan
Ed Loughlin
Dick Mann
Bill Martin
Alan Maver
Gene McGregor
Frank McSavage
Bob Oksner
Pay Patin
Vic Pazmino
Manny Perez
Hawley Pratt
Al Pross
Eric Schenck
Gordon Sheehan
Sam Singer
E. F. Smith
Martin Smith
Ben Solomon
Harold Straubing
Gil Turner
Jim Tyer
Sam Weissman
Carl Wessler
Volney White
Dick Whittington
George Wilhelms
Rod Wilkerson
Arman Williams
Don Williams
C. W. Winter
Kay Wright
Harry Wylie
1944 WEST COAST TEAM -
Jack Bradbury
Ken Champin
Don Christensen
Jim Davis
Irving Dressler
Owen Fitzgerald
Al Hubbard
Teddi Hudson (inking)
Ken Hultgren
Lynn Karp
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1945 EAST COAST TEAM -
Ken Battefield
Jack Bradbury
Ken Champin
Don Christensen
Jim Davis
Irving Dressler
Ed Dunn
Owen Fitzgerald
Dan Gordon
George Gordon
Maurice Gutwirth
Charles Hastings
Bill Hudson
Ken Hultgren
Inez Karma
Bill Martin
Bob Oksner
Pay Patin
Vic Pazmino
Manny Perez
Hawley Pratt
Bob Schwartz
Martin Smith
Howard Swift
Ralph Tiller
Gil Turner
Jim Tyer
Carl Wessler
Bob Wickersham
George Wilhelms
Kay Wright
Harry Wylie
1945 WEST COAST TEAM -
Al Hubbard
Teddi Hudson (inking)
Lynn Karp
Al Taliaferro
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1946 EAST COAST TEAM -
Ken Battefield
Allan Benedict
Robert Brice
Collub Bonno
Jack Bradbury
Ken Champin
Don Christensen
Jim Davis
Ed Dunn
Herb Field (lettering)
Owen Fitzgerald
Dan Gordon
Don Gunn
Arnold Hicks
Norman Hindreth
Ken Hultgren
Charles Menges
Helen Mohler (lettering)
Phil Mohler
Ed Murphy
A.W. Nugent
Bob Oksner
Pay Patin
Vic Pazmino
Manny Perez
Hawley Pratt
Rod Scribner
Paul Sommer
Jim Stater
Howard Swift
Ralph Tiller
Frank Tipper
Gil Turner
Jim Tyer
King Ward
Carl Wessler
Bob Wickersham
George Wilhelms
1946 WEST COAST TEAM -
Preston Blair
Al Hubbard
Lynn Karp
Phil Monroe
Curt Perkins
Al Taliaferro
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1947 EAST COAST TEAM -
Allen Benedict
Robert Brice
Di Mattia
Ed Dunn
Max Elkan
Owen Fitzgerald
Dan Gordon
Frank Grundeen
Fred Guardineer
Ken Hultgren
Ralph Mayo
A.W. Nugent
Bob Oksner
Pay Patin
Vic Pazmino
Manny Perez
Hawley Pratt
Paul Sommer
Harris Steinbrook
Gil Turner
Jim Tyer
King Ward
Bob Wickersham
1947 WEST COAST TEAM -
Jack Bradbury
Ken Champin
Don Christensen
Jim Davis
Al Hubbard
Lynn Karp
Phil Monroe
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1948 EAST COAST TEAM -
Allen Benedict
Ray Bloss
Robert Brice
Ed Dunn
Owen Fitzgerald
Dan Gordon
Fred Guardineer
Clark Haas
Ken Hultgren
Ralph Mayo
Frank Palliser
Pay Patin
Vic Pazmino
Manny Perez
Hawley Pratt
Louis Ravielli
Gil Turner
King Ward
Bob Wickersham
Ralph Wolfe
1948 WEST COAST TEAM -
Jack Bradbury
Ken Champin
Don Christensen
Jim Davis
Al Hubbard
Lynn Karp
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