| Both sides previous revisionPrevious revision | |
| e:b_erlam [2025/11/22 21:59] – sallyr | e:b_erlam [2025/11/22 23:40] (current) – sallyr |
|---|
| Robert Erlam (1917 – 2009) | Robert Erlam (1917 – 2009) |
| | |
| Bob Erlam's mother was a an artist and he learned to draw from her at an early age. At age 19, he enrolled in the Calgary Institute of Technology and Art and took classes in drawing from well-known artists Alfred Crocker Leighton and Henry George Glyde among others. He enlisted for service in the Second World War and spent five years in the army as a motorcycle dispatch rider. He drew sweetheart drawings and pin-up girls for his comrades and drew cartoons for Airgraphs, a process where letters are photographed and negatives sent to Canada where they were reprinted for delivery. Bob and Rusty were married in 1947 (sic).((Bob Erlam, "Whitehorse Star Circa 1967" in //Excerpts from the original 1967 100 years of Christmas in the Yukon from the files of the Whitehorse Star, Yukon Canada. Compiled by Pat Ellis for the Christ Church Cathedral, nd.)) | Bob Erlam's mother was a an artist and he learned to draw from her at an early age. At age 19, he enrolled in the Calgary Institute of Technology and Art and took classes in drawing from well-known artists Alfred Crocker Leighton and Henry George Glyde among others. He enlisted for service in the Second World War and spent five years in the army as a motorcycle dispatch rider. He drew sweetheart drawings and pin-up girls for his comrades and drew cartoons for Airgraphs, a process where letters are photographed and negatives sent to Canada where they were reprinted for delivery. Bob and Rusty were married in 1947 (sic).((Bob Erlam, "Whitehorse Star Circa 1967" in //Excerpts from the original 1967 100 years of Christmas in the Yukon from the files of the Whitehorse Star, Yukon Canada.// Compiled by Pat Ellis for the Christ Church Cathedral, nd.)) |
| |
| | Bob Erlam saw service during the Second World War in North Africa and Italy. One of his army buddies told him of great opportunities in the north and he and his wife Rusty came to the Yukon in 1947 (sic) with their sixteen-month-old son Paul. Bob worked at jobs in steam fitting, carpentry, electrical, and as a diesel operator. ((Stephanie Waddell, “Legendary publisher dies at 92.” //Whitehorse Star// (Whitehorse), 27 March 2009.)) He made extra money with his sketches sold as Christmas cards and notepapers and used as cafe placemats and menus.((Bob Erlam, "Whitehorse Star Circa 1967" in //Excerpts from the original 1967 100 years of Christmas in the Yukon from the files of the Whitehorse Star, Yukon Canada.// Compiled by Pat Ellis for the Christ Church Cathedral, nd.))After Erlam pinned a cartoon of a dispute between a local resident and the electric company to the door of the //Whitehorse Star// newspaper office, owner and publisher Harry Boyle asked Erlam to work at the paper.((Stephanie Waddell, “Legendary publisher dies at 92.” //Whitehorse Star// (Whitehorse), 27 March 2009.)) He was hired as the staff artist to illustrate and hand-letter advertisements and draw the weekly editorial cartoon.((Bob Erlam, "Whitehorse Star Circa 1967" in //Excerpts from the original 1967 100 years of Christmas in the Yukon from the files of the Whitehorse Star, Yukon Canada.// Compiled by Pat Ellis for the Christ Church Cathedral, nd.)) |
| |
| Bob Erlam saw service during the Second World War in North Africa and Italy. One of his army buddies told him of great opportunities in the north and he and his wife Rusty came to the Yukon in 1947 (sic) with their sixteen-month-old son Paul. Bob worked at jobs in steam fitting, carpentry, electrical, and as a diesel operator. Bob and Rusty were an integral part of the Whitehorse theatre scene; directing and producing a couple of plays each year. Bob built the sets and produced the plays while Rusty directed the productions. The couple was behind the construction of the Whitehorse Drama Club on Second Avenue. The Erlams left the territory for British Columbia in 1958 but returned two years later.((Stephanie Waddell, “Legendary publisher dies at 92.” //Whitehorse Star// (Whitehorse), 27 March 2009.)) | Bob and Rusty were an integral part of the Whitehorse theatre scene; directing and producing a couple of plays each year. Bob built the sets and produced the plays while Rusty directed the productions. The couple was behind the construction of the Whitehorse Drama Club on Second Avenue. The Erlams left the territory for British Columbia in 1958 but returned two years later.((Stephanie Waddell, “Legendary publisher dies at 92.” //Whitehorse Star// (Whitehorse), 27 March 2009.)) |
| | |
| After Erlam pinned a cartoon of a dispute between a local resident and the electric company to the door of the //Whitehorse Star// newspaper office, owner and publisher Harry Boyle asked Erlam to work at the paper. In 1963, Erlam got a note from Boyle saying he was now in charge as Boyle was going back to law school. Boyle went on to become a judge, and Bob took over as publisher of the newspaper and then bought the //Star// with Rusty in 1967. He convinced her to leave her government job in travel and publicity to write for the paper under then editor Flo Whyard. Their son Paul had been running the press for a few years already.((Stephanie Waddell, “Legendary publisher dies at 92.” //Whitehorse Star// (Whitehorse), 27 March 2009.)) | In 1963, Erlam got a note from Boyle saying he was now in charge as Boyle was going back to law school. Boyle went on to become a judge, and Bob took over as publisher of the newspaper and then bought the //Star// with Rusty in 1967. He convinced her to leave her government job in travel and publicity to write for the paper under then editor Flo Whyard. Their son Paul had been running the press for a few years already.((Stephanie Waddell, “Legendary publisher dies at 92.” //Whitehorse Star// (Whitehorse), 27 March 2009.)) |
| |
| The Erlams owned the //Whitehorse Star// for thirty-five years. The paper moved from letter-press printing to offset printing with Paul in the midst of the switch. Jackie Pierce was hired in 1972 as advertising manager in a one-man department. In 1979, Pierce was offered a twenty-five percent share in the company and in 1982 she took over as managing editor when Bob and Rusty moved south. In the mid-1980s, the newspaper made a major change with the purchase of $200,000 worth of computer equipment. Jackie Pierce bought the paper in 2002, but Erlam continued to call. Bob Erlam is remembered for his boundless energy, endless curiosity, long stories, and good advice.((Stephanie Waddell, “Legendary publisher dies at 92.” //Whitehorse Star// (Whitehorse), 27 March 2009.)) | The Erlams owned the //Whitehorse Star// for thirty-five years. The paper moved from letter-press printing to offset printing with Paul in the midst of the switch. Jackie Pierce was hired in 1972 as advertising manager in a one-man department. In 1979, Pierce was offered a twenty-five percent share in the company and in 1982 she took over as managing editor when Bob and Rusty moved south. In the mid-1980s, the newspaper made a major change with the purchase of $200,000 worth of computer equipment. Jackie Pierce bought the paper in 2002, but Erlam continued to call. Bob Erlam is remembered for his boundless energy, endless curiosity, long stories, and good advice.((Stephanie Waddell, “Legendary publisher dies at 92.” //Whitehorse Star// (Whitehorse), 27 March 2009.)) |
| |
