28 Facts About Frank Frazetta

Frank Frazetta is often referred to as the "Godfather of fantasy art", and one of the most renowned illustrators of the 20th century.

Frank Frazetta was the subject of a 2003 documentary Painting with Fire.

Frank Frazetta removed one "z" from his last name early in his career to make his name seem less "clumsy".

At age eight, Frank Frazetta attended the Brooklyn Academy of Fine Arts, a small art school run by Italian instructor Michele Falanga.

In 1944, at age 16, Frank Frazetta, who had "always had this urge to be doing comic books", began working in comics artist Bernard Baily's studio doing pencil clean-ups.

For Dell's Famous Funnies, Frank Frazetta did war and human interest stories for Heroic Comics, as well as one pagers extolling the virtues of prayer and the evils of drug abuse.

In 1954 Frank Frazetta was hired as a member of Al Capp's studio; his primary job was to pencil the "L'il Abner" Sunday page, but he drew a variety of advertising and editorial art featuring L'il Abner's characters.

Frank Frazetta married Massachusetts native Eleanor Kelly in New York City in November 1956.

In 1961, after seven years with Al Capp, Frank Frazetta tried to return to comic books but was unsuccessful.

Frank Frazetta was given some inking work by his friend George Evans before deciding to pursue a career in illustration.

In 1964, Frank Frazetta's painting of Beatle Ringo Starr for a Mad magazine ad parody caught the eye of United Artists studios.

Frank Frazetta produced paintings for mass market paperback editions of adventure books.

Frank Frazetta's paintings have been used by a number of recording artists as cover art for their albums.

From 1998 to 1999, Quantum Cat Entertainment published the magazine Frank Frazetta Fantasy Illustrated, with cover art and some illustrations by Frazetta.

Frank Frazetta taught himself to paint and draw with his left hand.

Frank Frazetta was the subject of the 2003 feature film documentary Frank Frazetta: Painting With Fire.

On July 17,2009, his wife and business partner, Eleanor "Ellie" Frank Frazetta, died after a year-long battle with cancer.

Frank Frazetta then hired Rob Pistella and Steve Ferzoco to handle his business affairs.

Frank Frazetta died of a stroke on May 10,2010, in a hospital near his residence in Florida.

Frank Frazetta received the Hugo Award for Best Professional Artist in 1966; he was inducted into the comic book industry's Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame and was presented with the first Spectrum Grand Master Award, both in 1995, the Jack Kirby Hall of Fame in 1999.

In 2023, Frank Frazetta was inducted into the Inkwell Awards Joe Sinnott Hall of Fame.

Frank Frazetta has influenced many artists within the genres of fantasy and science fiction.

Frank Frazetta somehow created a second narrative layer for every book he ever illustrated.

Chris Perna, art director at Epic Games, stated in an interview in 2011 that Frank Frazetta was one of his influences.

Frank Frazetta co-founded Frazetta Girls alongside daughter Sara Frazetta in 2014.

Since 2014, Frank Frazetta Girls has collaborated with modern influential brands such as Primitive Skateboarding, Kid Robot, HUF Worldwide, and Mezco Toyz.

In March 2020, Holly Frank Frazetta announced the reopening of the Frank Frazetta Art Museum location in Boca Grande, Florida, by appointment only, featuring original Conan the Barbarian and Death Dealer works.

Frank Frazetta's painting Egyptian Queen sold for $5.4 million on May 16,2019, at a public auction of vintage comic books and comic art held by Heritage Auctions in Chicago, Illinois, which set a new world record for comic art.