Vintage Quick Magazine, Jack Benny Cover
Quick magazine was a “news weekly” published by Cowles Magazines, Inc., part of Cowles Media Company (now a subsidiary of McClatchy Newspapers Inc.). The pocket-sized publication (4.5 X 6 inches and 64-68 pages, plus covers) were available at newsstands each Thursday, where folks were encouraged via cutesy back covers to “carry it in your pocket or your purse… and read it wherever you are”.
Quick was started by Gardner Cowles Jr. (called “Mike”) in 1949 and, despite a circulation of 1.3 million, the magazine was ended in 1953 when it was decided that Quick’s subscribers could be transferred to Look, where the circulation numbers would help Look maintain a lead in the big battle with competitor Colliers.
When I first spotted a handful of copies of the vintage magazines I knew none of this. But the the small size appealed to my rationalizing collector self (“Hey, we won’t take up much room!”) and the covers (front and back) were cute. But, flipping through the pages, it was the glimpses of odd “news” items which beckoned the most seductively…
Vintage "Of The Week" News Bits
Like in the July 31, 1950 issue, the “Shoe Shine Man Of The Week” (Toni Tomasulo, who apparently had landed in New York back in 1892 with just 20 cents and earned a name for himself with his Broadway shoeshine stand), the “Labor Union Of The Week” (the Burmese Royal Family Association, formed in Rangoon, Burma, to negotiate higher allowances for the elderly descendants of King Mindon (Burmese princes and princesses), and the “Freckled Kids Of The Week” (Joe Cassidy and Frances Brucato — who were winners of the New York Children’s Aid Society’s annual freckle contest).
These “Of The Week” dealios had me wondering if such awards were really handed out each week. Sadly, no; tagging on “Of The Week” is just a cute way of profiling a quick item — just like bloggers do today. But still, I kept flipping through the old little magazines, squealing over each page — sometimes over each paragraph. It reminded me of being a little girl in our local drugstore, thumbing through the magazines until Mr. V would creep up on me and say, “If you want to read it all, you’ll need to buy it!”
Memories of Mr. V. can still make me jump, so I had to buy the four vintage mags; blame him for my latest collection.
At least these vintage weekly magazines are small and there’s only four years of them to collect. If the four year run was complete years, I only have 204 more issues to go.
August 8th, 2009 at 2:09 PM
I have about 35 of them…make me an offer?
August 10th, 2009 at 12:20 PM
Debbie,
Do you have photos/scans, a list of dates and conditions? You can post them in the Collectors’ Quest Community…
September 30th, 2009 at 1:04 AM
Funny thing about you collecting Quick. My dad told me about the magazine when I was a little child. Seems one issue has a photo of a mummified man pulled from the Mississippi on the cover. If you look close, he said, you can see three holes poked in this man. Approximately the size of a ten year old kid’s finger. He said one day, he and his buddy wondered what it felt like. So they poked their fingers in the man’s chest/belly.
When Quick came out, much later, he was slightly ashamed, not enough to ‘fess up, of course.
Should you find that issue, please forward me a pic of the cover. I’d love to see it!
September 30th, 2009 at 7:53 PM
OMG, Lisa, thats amazing! If I do run across that issue, I’ll be sure to let you know!
October 24th, 2009 at 11:53 AM
I have one of these small magazines, it was found on the passing of an elderly family member. It is the Sept. 22, 1952 issue. Ann Blythe & Gregory Peck are on the front cover. Anyone interested?
February 28th, 2010 at 6:00 PM
I have 33 issue all 1952 all in good condition. Make me an offer.
March 2nd, 2010 at 5:06 PM
Would anyone be able to send me a photocopy of pages 37, 38, 39 of the December 8, 1952 issue of Quick? It features some Arthur Murray dance diagrams that I would like to see. Please email me for more information. Jeff@studiojeff.com
March 30th, 2010 at 11:41 PM
I have december 31st 1951 copy with Elizabeth Taylor on front cover great condition
March 31st, 2010 at 6:12 AM
i have one august 4 1952 yogi berra front page
May 5th, 2010 at 3:27 PM
[...] scans of a vintage magazine feature on Esther Williams from the November 21, 1949 issue of Quick magazine, sent to me by Deanna (of Kitsch Slapped and Kitschy Kitschy Coo). Click them to see/read the full [...]
June 8th, 2010 at 8:03 PM
I have 38 copies from March 6, 1950 to Jan 29, 1951.
They have some water damage as pages are stuck together. I am separating and going well. Overall, I would say they are at 80% quality.
Contact if interested.
Bob
July 10th, 2010 at 10:17 PM
Hi, Debbie.
I have a bunch of these — mostly all from 1949. I’m trying to figure out how to price them for sale/auction and am wondering if you can provide any guidance based upon what you’ve seen?
Thanks so much!
July 21st, 2010 at 10:09 AM
I Have:
Apr. 2,
May 7,
Jul. 16,23,30,
Aug. 6,13,20,27,
Sep. 3,10,17,24,
Oct. 1,22,29,
Nov. 12,19,26,
Dec. 3,10,17,24,31, all of 1951.
& Jan 14, 21 of 1952.
I also have small size “People” mag.
Apr. 9, 52 & May 7, 52
Anyone interested?
August 2nd, 2010 at 8:59 PM
hello
for an artist project magazine i search for pictures of quick magazine the first 10 issues anyone know what date was the first ?
thanks
arno
August 31st, 2010 at 12:55 PM
I have the copy in good condition
from July 28, 1952, w/Glynis Johns on Cover.
$6.00 + S/H.Send me a post if interestd.
I will be placing it on the internet today (8/31/10)
Contact: Klassicfilms@yahoo.com