Bill Brewer

The interview

1 - A memory of Salone and Bordighera

Humorismo and Me 1970

  Shortly before a move with my family from Southern California to Kansas City, Missouri, in 1970, where wife Polly and I would begin work creating Hallmark humorous greeting cards, I mailed my cartoon entry to Salone Internazionale Uumorismo, Bordighera, Italy. And forgot about it amidst finding a new place to live in a new town and beginning my new job as an art director at Hallmark.

Except… one day some months later, newly settled in our neighborhood in nearby Fairway, Kansas, there somehow arrived a forwarded letter envelope with the return address of Bordighera, Italy. I thought it probably an advertisement. I was puzzled by the signature - Cesare Perfetto. Although, I had a year of French at Cal-Berkeley, with help from a pretty student tutor from Mexico, I was not yet able of reading this fine correspondence in Italian.

After busily creating and directing development of “Funny Expressions” cards at Hallmark for a couple of months, I began search in Kansas City for a translator of my Italian correspondence from Cesare Perfetto. He being a key figure in success of the said Salone! It was by chance at a Berbiglia liquor store I met aproned Italian clerk Alfredo! Who agreed to do a translation! Alfredo studied the letter with polite--but growing interest. 

Then he set his feet, squared his shoulders and in the spirit of bold ‘proclamation’ announced (forgive me): “Signor Brueeer! Theese say you win grande cartoon prize--Salone Internazionale Umorismo Bordigera 1970!“ A customer in the next aisle applauded! I was very happily astonished! Word made Noon News in the Hallmark Cards cafeteria. The National Cartoonists Society USA sent an officer to beautiful seaside Bordighera to receive my award for me thinking I might otherwise end up in ‘Toonisia’. Thankfully, more fine recognitions followed for which I am very grateful! The beautiful framed silver metal plaque with golden palm tree looks down where I write this letter. 

Thank you all with all my heart!  Bill Brewer