View source for Ballyhoo (magazine)

{{short description|Defunct humor publication}}
{{Unreferenced|date=October 2022}}
{{Infobox magazine
| title           = Ballyhoo
|  image_file     =
|  image_size     =
|  caption        =
| editor = Norman Anthony (1931–1939)<br />[[Bill Yates]] (1952–1954)
|  editor_title   = Editor
|  frequency      = Monthly
|  circulation    = 2,000,000 (1930s)
|  category       = [[Satire|Satirical]] magazine
|  company        = [[Dell Publishing]]
|  publisher      = [[George T. Delacorte Jr.]]
|  firstdate      = {{start date and age|1931}}<br />(relaunch #1) 1948<br />(relaunch #2) 1952
|  finaldate      = {{end date and age|1939}}<br />(relaunch #2) 1954
|  country        = [[United States]]
|  language       = English
|  website        =
|  issn           =
|  oclc           =
}}
'''''Ballyhoo''''' was a [[humor]] [[magazine]] published by [[Dell Publishing]], created by [[George T. Delacorte Jr.]], and edited by Norman Anthony (former editor of ''[[Life (magazine)|Life]]'' and ''[[Judge (magazine)|Judge]]''), from 1931 until 1939, with a couple of attempts to resuscitate the magazine (now edited by [[Bill Yates]]) after [[World War II|the war]] between 1948 and 1954.
In common with other magazines of the era, it featured a central section dedicated to one-off [[cartoon]]s, but in the surrounding pages, it presented spoof ads and articles much in the manner later popularized by the 1950s magazine ''[[Mad (magazine)|Mad]]''. When questioned about this at a gathering of the British SSI ([[Society of Strip Illustration]]), "[[Mad (magazine)|the usual gang of idiots]]" from ''Mad'' were unequivocal in their response: "We know nuthin', and what's more we ain't sayin'."
Delacorte's publishing history up to this point had been in digest-sized magazines of the kind not normally of interest to advertisers, so spoofing advertisements in ''Ballyhoo'' held no fears for him. Launched during the worst of the [[Great Depression]], the first issue sold out within a week. Real advertisers flocked to place ads. However, Anthony was concerned real ads would not be in the true spirit of ''Ballyhoo'' and demanded they should fit in with the magazine's editorial policy.  What this actually resulted in was the ''Ballyhoo'' editorial staff writing the advertising dialogue, leaving very little difference between the real and spoof ads. An ad for a radio kicked off with the banner line, "Now! All the crap in the world... at your fingertips!" and ended with "...It will do everything but give you good programs and Gawd knows no set will do that" while a spoof ad merely pointed out the advantages of balanced radio. A balanced radio will stand on the window ledge so you can receive a decent signal, whilst an unbalanced radio will fall off.
''Ballyhoo'''s success led to a number of imitators (one even called itself ''Hullaballo''), and requests to use the Ballyhoo [[brand name]] to sell almost everything from [[board games]] to [[bra]]s; in 1931 the magazine inspired the [[Bally Manufacturing|Ballyhoo pinball machine]].
Sales peaked at almost two million, but started slipping towards the end of the decade when the decision was taken to close the magazine down. There were two attempts to relaunch, one in 1948, and another in 1952.  Coincidentally, this final attempt folded in 1954, the year before ''[[Mad (magazine)|Mad]]'' changed from [[comic book]] format to magazine format.
== Other publications called ''Ballyhoo'' ==
In the 1960s, the title ''Ballyhoo'' was used for a men's magazine, which also failed to set the world on fire. According to the [http://www.philsp.com/data/data028.html Magazine Data File], there was a 1950s '''British ''Ballyhoo''''', which was probably unrelated to the American magazine. According to [https://web.archive.org/web/20070205093716/http://www.philsp.com/homeville/FMI/t190.htm#A3778 The Fiction Mags Index], there was a later 1950s '''Australian ''Ballyhoo''''' humor magazine which reprinted earlier editions of the American magazine.
==Sources==
*''Ballyhoo'' magazine (various)
*''Print''. "Fish in a barrel" by Carrie McLaren. RC Publications, January–February 2000.
==External links==
*[http://www.locusmag.com/index/chklst/mg0098.htm ''Ballyhoo'' at Locusmag website]
*[http://spyhunter007.com/the_history_of_pinball.htm History of Pinball: "Ballyhoo magazine gave rise to the Ballyhoo pinball machine"]
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:1931 establishments in Australia]]
[[Category:Satirical magazines published in the United States]]
[[Category:Defunct magazines published in the United States]]
[[Category:Defunct magazines published in Australia]]
[[Category:Magazines established in 1931]]
[[Category:Magazines disestablished in 1939]]