Comments on: RIP Richard Goldwater http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/10/08/rip-richard-goldwater/ The News Blog of Comics Culture Thu, 21 Aug 2008 19:42:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: ZEITGEIST / Michael Silberkleit, 1932-2008 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/10/08/rip-richard-goldwater/#comment-2120806 Fri, 08 Aug 2008 23:20:44 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/10/08/rip-richard-goldwater/#comment-2120806 [...] Michael Silberkleit, 1932-2008 Archie Comic Publications has disseminated a press release announcing the passing of their chairman and co-publisher, Michael Silberkleit, on August 5th. He died in New York City from complications arising from cancer. He was 76 years old. Silberkleit was the son of Archie co-founder Louis Silberkleit and began working at the company at 16 years old. He was born in New York City and attended the Fieldsteon School and Albright College. He majored in history. The press release claims he studied law at some point, but doesn't indicate where it would have been while he was working at Archie. Silberkleit spent much of his time at Archie as the primary business partner of Richard Goldwater, son of the other co-founder, John Goldwater. Both came up through the company's various department, starting out as errand boys and gofers. In perhaps the most dramatic period in Archie's history, the pair took the company public and then private again. The early 1970s decision to take Archie public was according to Silberkleit designed to fund an effort to offer Archie Restaurant franchises during a period in which American business was fascinated by the franchising model. Silberkleit served as treasurer and as a director during the public phase of the company's history. "Several outside people felt that Archie Enterprises was ripe for a hostile takeover," Silberkleit told interviewer Rik Offenberger. "They started buying stock on the open market, attempting to gain control. Tender offers were made. Richard and I decided to buy back all of the stock. We made a tender offer higher than what was made and the shareholders voted to accept ours. We then bought back all of the stock of Archie held by the public and took the company private." Goldwater passed away in Fall 2007. Other accomplishments credited to the lengthy Silberkleit era at the company include the licensing of the characters to Spire Christian Comics, managing new characters such as Josie and the Pussycats, licensing its superhero characters to DC in the early 1990s and then ending that agreement when sales did not meet the company's expectations, the Archie Meets the Punisher project, TV shows for the Archie characters both cartoon and live-action, a film for the Josie property, licensed comics offering such as the Sonic the Hedgehog comic book and a title featuring the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and a generally conservative take on maintaining the Archie characters' iconic, all-American status. Archie's release notes that Silberkleit also served as chairman of the Comics Association of America, a volunteer auxiliary policeman for the Scarsdale Police force and enjoyed restoring vintage sports cars. Michael Silberkleit is surived by his wife, three daughters, a son and two grandchildren. A memorial is planned for Sunday; donations can be made to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. [...] […] Michael Silberkleit, 1932-2008 Archie Comic Publications has disseminated a press release announcing the passing of their chairman and co-publisher, Michael Silberkleit, on August 5th. He died in New York City from complications arising from cancer. He was 76 years old. Silberkleit was the son of Archie co-founder Louis Silberkleit and began working at the company at 16 years old. He was born in New York City and attended the Fieldsteon School and Albright College. He majored in history. The press release claims he studied law at some point, but doesn’t indicate where it would have been while he was working at Archie. Silberkleit spent much of his time at Archie as the primary business partner of Richard Goldwater, son of the other co-founder, John Goldwater. Both came up through the company’s various department, starting out as errand boys and gofers. In perhaps the most dramatic period in Archie’s history, the pair took the company public and then private again. The early 1970s decision to take Archie public was according to Silberkleit designed to fund an effort to offer Archie Restaurant franchises during a period in which American business was fascinated by the franchising model. Silberkleit served as treasurer and as a director during the public phase of the company’s history. “Several outside people felt that Archie Enterprises was ripe for a hostile takeover,” Silberkleit told interviewer Rik Offenberger. “They started buying stock on the open market, attempting to gain control. Tender offers were made. Richard and I decided to buy back all of the stock. We made a tender offer higher than what was made and the shareholders voted to accept ours. We then bought back all of the stock of Archie held by the public and took the company private.” Goldwater passed away in Fall 2007. Other accomplishments credited to the lengthy Silberkleit era at the company include the licensing of the characters to Spire Christian Comics, managing new characters such as Josie and the Pussycats, licensing its superhero characters to DC in the early 1990s and then ending that agreement when sales did not meet the company’s expectations, the Archie Meets the Punisher project, TV shows for the Archie characters both cartoon and live-action, a film for the Josie property, licensed comics offering such as the Sonic the Hedgehog comic book and a title featuring the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and a generally conservative take on maintaining the Archie characters’ iconic, all-American status. Archie’s release notes that Silberkleit also served as chairman of the Comics Association of America, a volunteer auxiliary policeman for the Scarsdale Police force and enjoyed restoring vintage sports cars. Michael Silberkleit is surived by his wife, three daughters, a son and two grandchildren. A memorial is planned for Sunday; donations can be made to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. […]

]]> by: Ed Gauthier http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/10/08/rip-richard-goldwater/#comment-669492 Tue, 01 Jan 2008 00:43:16 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/10/08/rip-richard-goldwater/#comment-669492 I agree that DeCarlo was shafted, but hey, in godlike fashion John Goldwater created Archie in his own former schoolboy image, and even used the Riverdale area, where he himself once lived (and is close to the Archie publications building to this day), as the backdrop for the whole thing. And one Archie is worth a thousand Sabrinas and Josies. (Yes, Montana fleshed out the supporting characters very well, but he didn't create the concept of the book anymore than DeCarlo did.) . I agree that DeCarlo was shafted, but hey, in godlike fashion John Goldwater created Archie in his own former schoolboy image, and even used the Riverdale area, where he himself once lived (and is close to the Archie publications building to this day), as the backdrop for the whole thing.

And one Archie is worth a thousand Sabrinas and Josies.

(Yes, Montana fleshed out the supporting characters very well, but he didn’t create the concept of the book anymore than DeCarlo did.)

.

]]> by: Rich Handley http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/10/08/rip-richard-goldwater/#comment-480938 Fri, 26 Oct 2007 00:21:30 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/10/08/rip-richard-goldwater/#comment-480938 Shame on Archie Comics for not even mentioning Dan DeCarlo, who created Josie and Sabrina but was screwed out of the payment he should have received by Goldwater. For the company to now screw him out of his credit, and instead imply Goldwater created the chaaracters, is despicable. Shame on Archie Comics for not even mentioning Dan DeCarlo, who created Josie and Sabrina but was screwed out of the payment he should have received by Goldwater. For the company to now screw him out of his credit, and instead imply Goldwater created the chaaracters, is despicable.

]]> by: michael http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/10/08/rip-richard-goldwater/#comment-456515 Wed, 10 Oct 2007 19:59:25 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/10/08/rip-richard-goldwater/#comment-456515 Almost everyone knows about the fun of Archie comics. RIP Mr. Goldwater. Almost everyone knows about the fun of Archie comics. RIP Mr. Goldwater.

]]> by: BradyDale http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/10/08/rip-richard-goldwater/#comment-455435 Tue, 09 Oct 2007 20:16:29 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/10/08/rip-richard-goldwater/#comment-455435 Archie Comics Digests were my first comics. I had tons of those things. Eventually, I moved on to the superhero stuff, but it started with Archie for me. Archie Comics Digests were my first comics. I had tons of those things. Eventually, I moved on to the superhero stuff, but it started with Archie for me.

]]> by: Jimmie Robinson http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/10/08/rip-richard-goldwater/#comment-453370 Mon, 08 Oct 2007 14:57:19 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/10/08/rip-richard-goldwater/#comment-453370 Thank you for your work, Richard. Comics needs more people like you. Rest in peace. Thank you for your work, Richard.
Comics needs more people like you.
Rest in peace.

]]>