Jeff Koterba
Jeffrey Arthur Koterba | |
---|---|
Born | |
Occupation | Editorial Cartoonist & Musician |
Relatives | Ed Koterba (uncle)[1] |
Jeffrey Koterba (born May 6, 1961) is an American editorial cartoonist based in Omaha, Nebraska. He was the editorial cartoonist for the Omaha World-Herald from 1989 until September 2020 and his work is syndicated nationwide to over 850 newspapers by Cagle Cartoons.
Biography
Koterba started drawing editorial cartoons for the
Work
His work regularly appears in many major U.S. newspapers, including
Koterba has written for
Koterba is the lead singer, guitarist and songwriter for the Omaha-based swing and jump-blues band the Prairie Cats, who have released three albums. The Prairie Cats have been featured at the
He has published three collections of his cartoons including a book on Nebraska Cornhuskers football cartoons he drew while in college. In October 2009, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt published Koterba's memoir, Inklings, which deals with his dysfunctional childhood and his lifelong love of cartooning and music.[6]
Many of his original cartoon drawings are regularly available for sale on eBay.
On April 5, 2010, two original Koterba cartoons blasted off into space aboard Space Shuttle Discovery compliments of astronaut Clayton Anderson.[7]
Koterba was laid off by the Omaha World Herald on September 18, 2020, after 31 years of employment.
Awards
In 1983 Koterba was awarded the Mark of Excellence Award for college cartooning from the Society of Professional Journalists. In 1996 he was a finalist for the H.L. Mencken Award, placed second in the 2000 and 2012 National Headliner Awards and in 2002 he was a finalist for Editorial Cartoonist of the Year (Reuben Award) from the National Cartoonists Society. In 2009, 2010, 2013, 2016, and 2017 Koterba won first place for editorial cartooning in the Great Plains Journalism Awards.
On May 6, 2010, Koterba was honored by the Omaha Press Club as his "Face" was put on the Barroom Floor. He was the 125th "Face" in a tradition dating back to 1971. Past honorees have ranged from local politicians, business leaders and members of the press to national figures with Omaha ties such as Warren Buffett, Johnny Carson, and President Gerald Ford. The "Face on the Barroom Floor" is a drawing of Koterba and his life that is encased on the barroom floor to be walked upon and admired by members until a new "Face" is unveiled. His "Face" will then be moved to a lofty position on the club's walls.[8]
In 2018 Koterba was nominated for a Heartland Chapter Emmy Award for his work in connection with
Personal life
Koterba has Tourette syndrome[9] and also survived a lightning strike in high school.[6] He has one child, Josh Koterba, who is a singer and a songwriter. Koterba lives in the Benson neighborhood area of Omaha, Nebraska.
Koterba is friends with filmmaker Alexander Payne and was an extra in Payne's 2002 film About Schmidt. However, his scene was deleted.[10] A Koterba cartoon also appeared in Payne's 1999 film Election.[11]
Koterba is friends with astronaut Clayton Anderson and has featured him in several cartoons.
In March 2012, "Voluntary Gestures" a short film by Canadian filmmaker Stefan Morel on Koterba and his experience with Tourette's syndrome, debuted at the Omaha Film Festival. Not only is Koterba the central figure in the movie, he penned drawings for the film and with his son Josh, wrote and composed original music for it.[12]
Books
- The Big Red Cartoon Book (1985)
- Illustrator, To Spank or Not to Spank(1994), Rosemond, John, author
- Jeff Koterba Back from the Drawing Board (1995)
- Inklings (2009)
- Koterba: Drawing You In (2014)
References
- Omaha World Herald. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
- ^ Omaha World Herald
- ^ "Koterba".
- ^ Omaha World Herald June 16, 2009
- ^ "Prairie Cats".
- ^ a b Noble, Barnes &. "Inklings".
- ^ "Dogie the Cartoon Dog Blasts Off for Space". ABC News. 2 April 2010.
- ^ "Koterba's face hits the floor - Omaha.com". www.omaha.com. Archived from the original on 2010-05-09.
- ^ "Nonfiction Book Review: Inklings: A Memoir by Jeffrey Koterba, Author . Houghton Mifflin Harcourt $25 (264p) ISBN 978-0-15-101492-7".
- ^ "About Schmidt". 3 January 2003 – via IMDb.
- ^ "Election". 7 May 1999 – via IMDb.
- ^ Omaha World Herald March 4, 2012