Dorothea Warren got her start drawing Reddy Kilowatt and ultimately became one of the twentieth century’s top illustrators
Reddy Kilowatt, our industry’s adorable mascot for ninety years, appears in a different spot in every issue of Public Utilities Fortnightly.
Many of you know Reddy was developed and promoted by Ash Collins, Sr. Collins had been a manager at Alabama Power. He felt our industry needed to engage the public more positively.
Alabama Power copyrighted Collins’ cartoon in 1926. Then, the Edison Electric Institute was founded in 1933. Collins left Alabama Power and joined EEI.
Collins devoted the remainder of his career to popularizing the little man with the light bulb nose and wall socket ears.
He had a young artist and family friend redraw the “electrical servant” for the 1933 trademark. This young women, who went on to become one of the top illustrators of the twentieth century, was Dorothea Warren.
She was just nineteen years of age. In the depths of the Depression. Warren used her pay for drawing Reddy to move to New York City.
At first, she drew pictures of children getting haircuts. Soon Warren was illustrating the top ads such as for Heinz, Arrow Shirts and Ivory Soap. And the top magazines such as the Saturday Evening Post, Esquire and Colliers.
Her big break came in 1946. Dr. Benjamin Spock revolutionized parenting by publishing “The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care.” Illustrated by Warren. Spock’s bestseller, that eventually sold fifty million copies, emphasized flexibility over rigidity and affection over toughness.
From drawing Reddy Kilowatt to drawing Dr. Spock’s babies. Dorothea Warren certainly left her mark on our world.
As the magazine for commentary, opinion and debate on, and history of, utility regulation and policy since 1928, Public Utilities Fortnightly.
