Ben...Caricature Artist in Las Vegas

www.myspace.com/cariart

and his 3 Kitty Amigos are HAPPY to SEE YOU!Mood: creative creativePosted at 4:28 AM Sep 8 view more

  • Ben...Caricature Artist in Las Vegas

  • 56 / Male
  • Downtown Las Vegas, Nevada, US
  • Last Login: 11/8/2009

150226021|56|11111|http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/8/m_9db385c9491246f1ad2ae13a69365e70.jpg

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Interests

  • General

    Art (of course), Hollywood, writing (I write movie reviews, websites, and articles), autograph collecting, food (obviously!), comic books...



    ...travel (Hawaii and the Old West are favorites), astronomy (I'm a sky watcher from WAY back), fantasy and science fiction novels, and my fabulous cats (Gray, a big, lovable Russian Blue, Pi, my sweet-tempered Calico 'Princess', and Kit, a totally insane but devoted Siamese/Gray Tabby mix)...





    ...I used to horseback ride and dance (and will, again, when food quits looking so good!), am a student of American and world history, the environment, and religion, and have a healthy respect of the opposite sex!
  • Music



    I grew up totally hooked on Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Perry Como, Nat King Cole, Big Band, and Classical (my parents wouldn't allow Rock and Roll in our house!). When I moved out, my tastes expanded, and I grooved to Elvis, the Supremes, Tina Turner, the Beatles (ALL of the 'British Invasion', actually!), the Monkees (hey, hey!), Southern Rock, and early Heavy Metal; these days, I listen to Pop, Classic Rock, Classical, New Age, Country, Showtunes, Jazz, Blues, Gospel...and I actually like balalaika and Russian folk music, good bagpipes, Japanese drums, and even gypsy music, believe it or not...but try as I might, I can't get into Hip Hop or Rap (for me, the best Soul music will ALWAYS be Classic Motown!)...

    ...and Frank Sinatra STILL rocks my world!


  • Movies

    I LOVE movies! I'm TOTALLY hooked on the 'Classics' (from "Casablanca" to swashbucklers, from "Tarzan" and "The Thin Man", to The Marx Brothers and Busby Berkeley's musicals...names like Ford, Capra, Sturges, Hawks, and Hitchcock...Colman, Flynn, Stewart, Davis, Cary Grant, Tracy and Hepburn, Gable, Alice Faye, Astaire and Rogers...Film Noir, Epics, even a good serial, like Buster Crabbe in 'Flash Gordon', or Kirk Alyn in "Superman"...and ANYTHING John Wayne appeared in!)



    But my tastes aren't restricted to Hollywood's 'Golden Age'; I have my share of favorite more recent films, as well, and I'm hooked on three films that flopped, but will live in my heart, forever; 1980's "Xanadu", which many critics consider one of the worst musicals ever made, is, for me, sheer magic, with Olivia Newton-John never more radiant, the music of ELO bouncy and hummable, and Gene Kelly (in his final dancing role), an absolute joy; forget the inept Michael Beck as the male lead, and enjoy the musical fantasy of a muse who changes two men's lives...



    ...1991's "The Rocketeer", featuring Billy Campbell as the test pilot hero, Alan Arkin, his mentor, Jennifer Connelly, channeling Bettie Page, at her sexiest, Terry O'Quinn's Howard Hughes in support, and Timothy Dalton as a thinly-veiled Nazi Errol Flynn, all set in the heady exuberance of pre-WWII Hollywood...



    ...and 1984's "The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension", with Peter Weller as the Japanese/American neurosurgeon/physicist/rock star hero, John Lithgow as a whacked-out alien-possessed scientist, and a collection of future stars in supporting roles...I admit it, I'm a 'Team Banzai' member from WAY back...and remember, "No matter where you go...There you are."



    I admire the directorial work of Christopher Nolan, Cameron Crowe, Robert Rodriguez, James Cameron, Kevin Smith, and Spielberg (of course!); the "Lord of the Rings" (God bless Peter Jackson for doing it right!), both "Star Wars" trilogies, and the 'James Bond series'...but I AVOID 'slasher' or gore films...Horror doesn't do it, for me...if I want real HORROR, I just have to look in the bathroom mirror in the morning!

  • Television



    I don't watch much TV, these days, besides TCM...Growing up, I loved "The Adventures of Superman", "The Rogues" (you need a good memory to remember that one!), "The Man from U.N.C.L.E.", "The Wild, Wild West", classic "Star Trek", "The Prisoner", "The Avengers", and "Here Come the Brides"...



    Later (in no particular order), "Stargate SG-1", "Babylon Five", the original "Battlestar Galactica", BBC's "Sharpe" Saga, "Charmed", "The Lost World", and "The A-Team"...



    I do try to catch "Smallville" when I can, as well as "Leverage", "Bones", "Eureka", and "The Closer"...Where HAVE all the good shows gone???



  • Books

    "The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt", "Theodore Rex"...



    ..."By Myself and Then Some", "Lincoln", "The Adam Strange Archives, Vol 1-2", "Knife of Dreams", "The Story of Mankind", "'Tis Herself", "Bing Crosby: A Pocketful of Dreams, The Early Years (1903-1940)"...



    ..."Jean Arthur: The Actress Nobody Knew", The 'Amber' novels, ..anything.. by Robert Heinlein, Edgar Rice Burroughs, or Mark Twain...

  • Heroes

    Ronald Reagan, Robert Kennedy, Theodore Roosevelt, Norman Rockwell, Albert Schweitzer, Jimmy Carter, Christopher Reeve, Audrey Hepburn, Albert Einstein, C.S. Lewis, Billy Graham...and America's Armed Forces, firefighters, and law enforcement officers, natch!



Details

  • Status: Single
  • Here for: Friends
  • Hometown: Las Vegas, at Present
  • Orientation: Straight
  • Body type: 6' 1" / More to love!
  • Ethnicity: White / Caucasian
  • Religion: Christian - other
  • Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius
  • Children: Undecided
  • Smoke / Drink: Yes / Yes
  • Education: College graduate
  • Occupation: Caricaturist/Artist/Writer

Schools

  • Corcoran College Of Art And Design

    • Washington, DC
    • Graduated: 1986
    • Student status: Alumni
    • Degree: Bachelor's Degree
    • Major: Fine Art
    • Minor: Hellraising
    • Clubs: Newspaper
    1982 to 1986
  • University Maryland

    • College Park, MD
    • Graduated: N/A
    • Student status: Alumni
    • Degree: None
    • Major: Art
    • Minor: Radio, Television, and Film
    • Clubs: School Newspaper
    1981 to 1982
  • Los Angeles City College

    • Los Angeles,CA
    • Graduated: N/A
    • Student status: Alumni
    • Major: Art (Overseas Campus/Thailand)
    • Minor: Dating Drawing Class Models
    1975 to 1975
  • Montgomery College

    • Rockville, MD
    • Graduated: N/A
    • Degree: None
    • Major: Art
    • Minor: Avoiding the Draft
    • Clubs: School Newspaper
    1971 to 1971
  • Wheaton High

    • Silver Spring, MD
    • Graduated: 1971
    • Student status: Alumni
    • Degree: High School Diploma
    • Major: Survival
    • Minor: Football
    • Clubs: Every club Wheaton offered!
    1968 to 1971

Companies

  • Caricatures by Ben Burgraff

    • Las Vegas, NV US
    • Artist
    1959 - Present

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Blurbs

About me:



I've been a pretty lucky guy! I've drawn caricatures around the world, from the heart of Manhattan, to a swank resort in the Dominican Republic, to a tiny village near the Thai/Laotian border; drifted down the Mississippi on a steamboat, tackled narrow Italian streets on a Vespa, nearly wrecked a sailboat in Florida, galloped a horse through Bavarian forests, even took a turn on a camel in Morocco and an elephant in Thailand; partied with fashion models in Miami Beach and L.A., and preached at a small church in northern California; drew for three Presidents and at inner city shelters; got wasted at Amsterdam's notorious 'Milky Way', and explored Scotland's Loch Ness for Nessie; served as an Air Force Rescue controller during the evacuation of Saigon, and hitchhiked through Spain; worked at a South Carolina Blockbuster Video, for five years, and a Maryland 'McDonald's' for five DAYS; celebrated my fiftieth birthday with my first taste of sushi (I liked it), and my first biplane flight (I liked that, even more!); I even took a shot at stand-up comedy, once upon a time, and DIDN'T get booed off the stage...and I've discovered my autograph is actually worth 6 EUROS on ebay...so I guess I've become a celebrity, of sorts!


The Internet gave me a new world to explore, and as I've gotten older, chubbier, and less active, I've become more and more creative online, building over 40 sites about my life and work as a Caricaturist, Superman, John Wayne, James Bond Movies, even about my Cats...but I still have an 'itch' to meet new people, and experience different cultures! Myspace serves this purpose, as well as providing a means of passing along where I'll be appearing to do my caricature thing, displaying my latest artwork, offering a forum to comment on the world around me, and having a blast, in general!


I've been a working artist since the middle of the LAST century (I'll NEVER claim to be 18!), have been writing Movie and Television Reviews for nearly thirty years for various newspapers and the 'Net, and collect Autographed Pictures of celebrities. I hate hypocrites, people who live off of others, ..ANYONE.. who abuses women, children, or animals, temperatures below 50 degrees, 'mornings after', gangsta rap, and the necessity to get dressed in the morning!



Looking like Burl Ives hasn't helped my love life, but I make a helluva party guest!

A SLIDESHOW OF MY TV/MOVIE ARTWORK!


..

Who I'd like to meet:

John Wayne (oops, too late!), Sean Connery and Russell Crowe (for a beer), Salma Hayek, Marisa Tomei, and Penelope Ann Miller (NOT for a beer)...

Seriously, I welcome artists, actors, activists, bands, builders, babyboomers, cowboys, cat lovers, creators, dreamers, doctors, daredevils, engineers, entertainers, entrepreneurs, firefighters, freemasons, fantasy lovers, gardeners, golfers, groupies, heavenly messengers, homemakers, Heinlein fans, inventors, industrialists, individualists, janitors, Justices, jousters, Kings, kritters, kangaroos, lovers, legends, leprechauns, missionaries, miners, mystics, nuns, naturalists, nudists, opera singers, organizers, organists, politicians, policemen, poets, quiet people, Quakers, quizzical souls, romantics, revolutionaries, rich people (LOTS of THEM!), sci-fi fans, shamans, schoolteachers, troubadours, teamsters, test pilots, U.N.C.L.E. agents, uninhibited souls, underwear models, virgins, Victorians, visionaries, women (God bless 'em), wits, wine lovers, X-Men fans, Xanadu residents, Xena-types, Yellowstone hikers, the young-at-heart, Yankees, zoologists, zipper-pullers, Zorro-style swashbucklers...and anybody else I may have left out!

All I ask is that you DO NOT request to be my Friend expecting romance (I didn't join MySpace for an Internet Love Connection), if you are simply trying to use my site to promote some private agenda, or if your ambition is to set some kind of record for 'Most Friends'..."I am not a number, I'm a FREE MAN!"



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Contact Box Generated from http://myspacesupport.com
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Calendar

Comments

Displaying 25 of 1695 comments
  • Nov 7 2009 11:43 PM

    .. dropping by to wish you a relaxing weekend and a great week to follow.


    Butterfly MySpace Comments and Graphics

  • Nov 6 2009 5:24 AM

    Thank you Ben...Caricature Artist in Las Vegas for supporting
    "Imagine " Art Magazine.
    http://www.soulfulpen.com
  • Nov 6 2009 5:24 AM

    Your page is completely...fabulously...awesome...the artwork...amazing as ever...love Xanadu too...how can you not???
    Hope you're doing well in Vegas...and thanks for some great movie tips...take care my friend:))))
  • Nov 6 2009 1:24 AM

    Great Profile shot Ben.  I just knew you were one of the "boys"!  The "missing link", heh?  Hope you have a fantastic weekend my dear friend.  Laine
  • Nov 5 2009 6:36 AM

    It is a pleasure to welcome you to my new page.  Thank you for your friendship.
  • Nov 2 2009 4:09 PM

    I so love those pics of us! Your facial expression in the one is priceless! Sure wish I was as skinny now! Thank you for the birthday wish! Big hugs and kisses to you!
  • Nov 1 2009 4:45 PM

    Happy November To A Grand Man and A Terrific Artist!

    Every good wish,

    Johnny
  • Oct 31 2009 7:04 PM

    BEWARE OF WITCHES AND GOBLINS
    " THE MAN SAID SO "

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  • Oct 31 2009 7:04 PM

    MyHotComments.com

  • Oct 31 2009 10:22 AM

    Hi my dear friend, it's that fun time of year again.

    Happy Halloween MySpace Comments and Graphics..

  • Oct 31 2009 10:22 AM

    Hello my sweet friend.  I hope you are doing well and are looking forward to a very special weekend.  The weather has turned a might bit chilly down here, if the same up there in Vegas...stay warm!  Hugs, Laine
  • Oct 31 2009 10:22 AM

    Photobucket
     ~WISHING YOU A FUN HALLOWEEN WEEK-END..MAY ALL YOUR "TRICKS" BRING YOU SOME LUCIOUS "TREATS"~
  • Oct 29 2009 6:23 PM

    ^v^Hello-Ben^v^

    Happy Hallows Eve from The Hellraiser

    "HaveFun & TakeCare"
    ^H^v--v
  • Oct 29 2009 5:49 AM


    I want to thank you for allowing me as Red Skelton to be a part of your myspace life.

    Fall is here and the holidays are approaching. They can be stressful so I'm giving you a gift of laughter.

    If by chance you are in Las Vegas or plan on visiting us this season, I would be honored to meet you.

    I perform every Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday night 9pm inside the Royal Resort Hotel showroom located 99 Convention Center Drive (basically corner of Las Vegas Blvd and Convention Center Drive)

    The name of the show is Larry G Jones ~Man of 1002 Voices Show.

    I'm the opening act as Red Skelton.
    If you get the chance please stop by and say HI.
    If you want to see the show here is a discount code for you.





    I wish you continued success in all you do.

    "Goodnight now and may God bless"


    Brian Hoffman~Red Skelton Impersonator.


    If you get a chance click here check out my new web site I'm working on.

    Brian Hoffman's Remembering Red - A Tribute to Red Skelton

  • Oct 28 2009 5:18 AM

    Have A Refreshing Drink...

    Enjoy Some Good Music...

    Move And Shake And Howl At The Moon...

    And Above All Have A Safe And Most...
  • Oct 28 2009 1:45 AM


    Happy Halloween Big Ben!


    Here's a few of the gruesome ghoulish goblins of Halloweens gone bye! Hope you're enjoying these spectacular fall days, cuz winters a'comin! (thanx for the ADD!)


















  • Oct 27 2009 5:20 AM

    1500th friend!  WOW, that really makes her special.  Welcome Ben, and thanks for accepting my invitation to be friends with this absolutely beautiful woman.  Yes, she is indeed a film legend, and one who needs to be remembered in a special way.  She is the female Energizer Bunny of the 21st Century!!!  Laine
  • Oct 24 2009 3:37 PM




    Hi Ben,

    It's been awhile.  I can't believe Halloween is right around the corner.  Hoping you have a great weekend!

    Sharon 
  • Oct 23 2009 9:38 PM

    Welcome my friend and thank you for your loving friendship toward this very special man, who has given his life to the entertainment world.  At age 97, he keeps going like the Energizer Bunny.  For Art, I send you his love.  Laine
  • Oct 21 2009 10:50 PM

    It's simply amazing that we've been doing these videos for a year now. Over the past year we've completed two volumes of videos. Sit back and enjoy my favorite ten moments from the past year.



    Keep en eye open for the start of Vol. 3. We have a ton of videos from the Big Apple Con in NY, a new series called Variant Edition, and favorites like SUPERSTARS.


    www.newceediddyholla.com
  • Oct 21 2009 1:39 AM

    Mastom's Rule of Questing #2
  • Oct 19 2009 5:37 PM

    I TOTALLY LOVE YOUR WORK
    HAVE A NICE WEEK

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  • Oct 18 2009 10:17 AM

    Enjoy your Sunday my dear friend.

    Flowers and Roses MySpace Comments and Graphics..

  • Oct 14 2009 5:20 AM

    WISHING YOU A GREAT NEW WEEK !!