Samuel M. "Jerry" Iger was born August 22, 1903 in New York City of Polish Jewish ancestry. His father owned a prosperous clothing business.
Samuel attended public school in Brooklyn. He was unusually small, so bullies called him "Pee-Wee," but his friends called him "Jerry," which came from the second syllable of his family name "Iger," pronounced "eye-jair."
On June of 1917 at the age of thirteen he completed the eighth grade and then entered the work force. By 1919 at the age of fifteen he was a professional newspaper cartoonist at The New York American.
In 1928 his wrote and drew a newspaper comic strip, Mickey And His Gang for the American News Features Syndicate.
On October 14, 1928 he married Louise Hirsch in Brooklyn.
In 1935 Iger wrote and drew his second syndicated comic strip for newspapers "Pee Wee" To produce a daily comic strip required a full art studio of artists, writers, inkers, and letterers.
In 1936 he was joined by Will Eisner to package the contents of a new publication, WOW What a Magazine! The publisher was John Henle, who owned the printing company, Chrome Art Offset Color Corporation, at 41 Main Street in Flushing, Queens, NY. This magazine lasted for only four issues.
In 1937 Samuel M. Iger went into a business partnership with Will Eisner to form the Eisner & Iger Studio, which was located at 205 East 42nd Street. They provided content for client publishers, such as the comic book division of Fiction House.
In 1937 Iger began to write and draw "Bobby" his third syndicated comic strip for newspapers.
In 1940 the Eisner-Iger Shop partnership ended when Will Eisner accepted a contract to produce "The Spirit" for Cowle's Register-Tribune Newspaper Syndicate. Iger then formed his own independent comic art studio, the Iger Shop at 1619 Broadway on 49th Street. He registered the business as "The Iger Advertising Company Inc." H is staff produced his own newspaper comic strips, as well as cartoons for advertising, promotional comic book give-aways, and he supplied comic book contents to
Fox, Quality, Fiction House, Harvey, Hillman, McCombs, Superior, and Gilberton's Classics Illustrated.
In 1940 Samuel M. Iger was listed in U.S. Census Records as living separately from his wife. He lived at a boarding house at 310 East 44th Street in midtown Manhattan near First Avenue.
In 1940 Ruth Roche became his business partner, his business manager and his executive editor. Their first project was a series of childrens book "Action Play Books" which featured Iger's comic strip character "Pee-Wee." According to The East Hampton Star, his company was reorganized as "The Roche & Iger Studio.
During WWII he was age thirty-nine and five-foot-two, which was under the minimum height requirement, so he was not selected for military service.
In 1948 Samuel M. Iger was listed in the NYC Business Directory as a Cartoonist at 250 West Broadway, which was a concrete industrial space for printing companies.
On May 1, 1954 The New York Times reported "S, M, Iger - Artist" had rented a studio space at 113 West 57th Street near to 9th avenue.
Samuel M. Iger died at the age of eighty-seven in Long Island City, NY, on September 5, 1990.
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THE IGER SHOP ARTISTS from 1940 - 1954
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1940
W. M. Allison
Gerald Altman (lettering)
Toni Blum (writer)
Herman Bolstein (writer)
Bill Bossert
Steve Broder
Eleanor Brody (writer)
Alex Blum
Richard Case
John Cassone
Arthur Cazeneuve
Louis Cazeneuve
John Celardo
Greg Chapin
Dana Dutch (writer)
Gene Fawcette
Lou Ferstadt
Leonard Frank
Robert Golden
George Hamilton
Bob Hebberd
S. M. Iger
Ezra Jackson
Ezra Keats
Henry C. Kiefer
Andre LeBlanc
R. Livingstone
Les Marshall
Charles Nicholas
Klaus Nordling
Munson Paddock
Walter Palais
Roland Patenaude
Arthur Peddy
Art Pinajian
Al Plastino
Bob Powell
Pierce Rice
Ruth Roche
Fred Schwab
F. Schwarz
Harry Stein (writer)
Nick "Cardy" Viscardi
________________________
1941
W. M. Allison
Gerald Altman (lettering)
Lee Ames
George Appel
Rafael Astarita
Alex Blum
Toni Blum (writer)
Bill Bossert
Steve Broder
Eleanor Brody (writer)
Al S. Bryant
Richard Case
John Cassone
Arthur Cazeneuve
Louis Cazeneuve
John Celardo
Greg Chapin
Milton Cohen
Dana Dutch (writer
Max Elkan
Al Fagaly
Gene Fawcette
Al Feldstein
Lou Ferstadt
Leonard Frank
Al Gabriele
Frank Giacoia
Robert Golden
Alfred Grenet (lettering)
Bob Hebberd
S. M. Iger
Pagsilang Rey Isip
Ezra Jackson
Ezra Keats
Henry C. Kiefer
Andre LeBlanc
Mort Lev
R. Livingstone
Pete Llanuza
Les Marshall
Charles Nicholas
Klaus Nordling
Rudy Palais
Walter Palais
Roland Patenaude
Victor Pazmino
Arthur Peddy
Art Pinajian
Al Plastino
Bob Powell
Si Reit
Don Rico
Ruth Roche
Aldo Rubano
Art Saaf
Fred Schwab
F. Schwarz
Martin Smith (writer)
Harry Stein (writer)
Nick "Cardy" Viscardi
________________________
1942
W. M. Allison
Lee Ames
George Appel
Rafael Astarita
Alex Blum
Toni Blum (writer)
Bill Bossert
Steve Broder
Eleanor Brody (writer)
Al S. Bryant
Richard Case
John Cassone
Greg Chapin
Sam Citron
Milton Cohen
Dana Dutch (writer)
Al Feldstein
Al Gabriele
Robert Golden
Alfred Grenet (lettering)
Maurice Gutwirth
Bob Hebberd
S. M. Iger
Pagsilang Rey Isip
Ezra Jackson
Jack Kamen
Henry C. Kiefer
Joe Kubert
Mort Lev
R. Livingstone
Pete Llanuza
Les Marshall
Ruben Moreira
Fred Morgan
Jack Murray
Charles Nicholas
Rudy Palais
Walter Palais
Roland Patenaude
Victor Pazmino
Arthur Peddy
Art Pinajian
Bob Powell
Jean Press (editor)
Si Reit
Don Rico
Ruth Roche
Aldo Rubano
Art Saaf
F. Schwarz
Martin Smith (writer)
Harry Stein (writer)
Nick "Cardy" Viscardi
________________________
1943
Nina Albright
W. M. Allison
Lee Ames
George Appel
Alex Blum
Eleanor Brody (writer)
Richard Case
John Cassone
Milton Cohen
Dana Dutch (writer)
Ezersky (lettering)
Al Feldstein
Homer Fleming
George Gladir (lettering)
Alfred Grenet (lettering)
Maurice Gutwirth
Bob Hebberd
Arnold Hicks
David Icove
S. M. Iger
Pagsilang Rey Isip
Ezra Jackson
Jack Kamen
Henry C. Kiefer
Mort Lev
Frank Little
R. Livingstone
Pete Llanuza
Les Marshall
Ruben Moreira
Fred Morgan
Jack Murray
Rudy Palais
Walter Palais
Bob Powell
Jean Press (editor)
Don Rico
Ruth Roche
Bob Schwartz
Martin Smith (writer)
_____________________
1944
Nina Albright
George Appel
Ayer
Aylor
Matt Baker
Alex Blum
Ann Brewster
Eleanor Brody (writer)
Richard Case
Sam Cooper
Al Feldstein
Homer Fleming
Burt Frohman
Maurice Gutwirth
Bob Hebberd
Arnold Hicks
David Icove
S. M. Iger
Pagsilang Rey Isip
Ezra Jackson
Jack Kamen
Hal Kanter (writer)
Henry C. Kiefer
Mort Lawrence (lettering)
Frank Little
Les Marshall
Fred Morgan
Walter Palais
Ann Roche
Ruth Roche
Bob Schwartz
_____________________
1945
Eleanor Brody (writer)
George Appel
Matt Baker
Alex Blum
Ann Brewster
Richard Case
Paul Cooper
Al Feldstein
Homer Fleming
John Forte
Burt Frohman
Robert Golden
Maurice Gutwirth
David Heames (inking)
Jack Hearne
Bob Hebberd
Arnold Hicks
David Icove
S. M. Iger
Ezra Jackson
Jack Kamen
George Kapitan (writer)
Jack Katz (lettering)
Henry C. Kiefer
Mort Lawrence (lettering)
Frank Little
Les Marshall
Charles Miller
Ray Osrin (inking)
Mike Peppe
Ann Roche
Ruth Roche
Gustav Schrotter
Tom Scott (writer)
Bob Schwartz
Manning Stokes (writer)
_____________________
1946
George Appel
Matt Baker
Alex Blum
Ann Brewster
Richard Case
Paul Cooper
Al Feldstein
Homer Fleming
John Forte
Robert Golden
John Graham
David Heames (inking)
Bob Hebberd
Arnold Hicks
David Icove
S. M. Iger
Ezra Jackson
Jack Kamen
Henry C. Kiefer
Mort Lawrence (lettering)
Frank Little
Charles Miller
Ray Osrin (inking)
Clarence Ramon
Ann Roche
Ruth Roche
Gustav Schrotter
Tom Scott (writer)
Manning Stokes (writer)
_____________________
1947
George Appel
Matt Baker
Alex Blum
Ann Brewster
Paul Cooper
Al Feldstein
Homer Fleming
John Forte
Robert Golden
David Heames (inking)
Bob Hebberd
Arnold Hicks
David Icove
S. M. Iger
Jack Kamen
Henry C. Kiefer
Frank Little
Charles Miller
Ray Osrin (inking)
Ruth Roche
Gustav Schrotter
Tom Scott (writer)
Manning Stokes (writer)
_____________________
1948
Matt Baker
Ken Battefield
Alex Blum
Ann Brewster
Lina Buffolente
Paul Cooper
Al Feldstein
John Forte
Homer Fleming
Frank Frollo
Robert Golden
David Heames (inking)
Bob Hebberd
Arnold Hicks
David Icove
S. M. Iger
Jack Kamen
Henry C. Kiefer
Frank Little
Charles Miller
Ray Osrin (inking)
Ruth Roche
Gustav Schrotter
Manning Stokes (writer)
_____________________
1949
Ken Battefield
Alex Blum
Lina Buffolente
Myron Fass
Homer Fleming
John Forte
Robert Golden
David Heames (inking)
Bob Hebberd
David Icove
S. M. Iger
Jack Kamen
Henry C. Kiefer
Alex Koda
Charles Miller
Ray Osrin (inking)
Don Perlin
Ruth Roche
Gustav Schrotter
Manning Stokes (writer)
_____________________
1950
Ken Battefield
Alex Blum
Lina Buffolente
Richard Case
Jay Disbrow
Myron Fass
Homer Fleming
Robert Golden
David Heames (inking)
Bob Hebberd
S. M. Iger
Jack Kamen
Henry C. Kiefer
Alex Koda
Charles Miller
Don Perlin
Ruth Roche
Gustav Schrotter
Jerry Siegel (writer)
Manning Stokes (writer)
_____________________
1951
Ken Battefield
Chester Blaski
Alex Blum
Richard Case
Jay Disbrow
Myron Fass
Harold Fromm
Dick Giordano
Robert Golden
David Heames (inking)
S. M. Iger
Jack Kamen
Henry C. Kiefer
Alex Koda
Bill Lacava
Charles Miller
Ruth Roche
Gustav Schrotter
Jerry Siegel (writer)
Manning Stokes (writer)
_____________________
1952
Ken Battefield
John Belcastro
Harry Belil
Chester Blaski
Alex Blum
Richard Case
Myron Fass
Harold Fromm
Dick Giordano
Robert Golden
David Heames (inking)
S. M. Iger
Jack Kamen
Henry C. Kiefer
Alex Koda
Chester Martin
Charles Miller
Ruth Roche
Gustav Schrotter
Jerry Siegel (writer)
Manning Stokes (writer)
_____________________
1953
Ken Battefield
John Belcastro
Harry Belil
Alex Blum
Myron Fass
Harold Fromm
David Heames (inking)
S. M. Iger
Henry C. Kiefer
Chester Martin
Charles Miller
Ruth Roche
Gustav Schrotter
Manning Stokes (writer)
_____________________
1954
Ken Battefield
John Belcastro
Harry Belil
Alex Blum
S. M. Iger
Ruth Roche
Manning Stokes (writer)
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