(from FrankKalan.com)
A Harlequin Legend
Artist Frank Kalan was one of Harlequin’s biggest cover illustrators. He was a prolific artist, producing two covers a month at his peak.
Life and Early Work
Frank Kalan was born in Ely, Minnesota, in 1922. He decided to pursue illustration in Chicago where he studied at the American Academy of Art. Soon after, he got his professional start working as an apprentice to the legendary pinup artist, Al Buell.
Like most men of his generation, Kalan served in World War II. Upon his return to Chicago, he worked for a variety of clients including the Saturday Evening Post, Colliers, Brown & Bigelow, and Playboy, under the direction of another noted artist, Art Paul.
After a short stint in Atlanta, Frank moved to NYC where he worked in the advertising field for Fredman/Chaite Studios.
Among his colleagues were Frank McCarthy, Robert McGinnis, Bob Peak, and Jack Thurston. Clients included Chesterfield Cigarettes, Norelco, and Coca-Cola, for which he did several projects among them a series of paintings exhibited at the 1964 – 65 World’s Fair in Flushing Queens, New York.
Book Cover Artist
Eventually, Kalan branched into book cover paintings that he would produce in oils. Like many other illustrators of romance covers, he started in pulp genres.
His early clients in romance included Pyramid Books, Avon Publishers, and Ballantine. Contrary to his later, more “wholesome” images he would create, these were true bodice ripper clinch covers.
In the mid-’70s one of the art directors at Harlequin was looking for additional artists, and fellow cover artist Lenny Goldberg, a friend of his, introduced Kalan into the fold.
He would spend the next three decades producing romance novel cover art for Harlequin Enterprises.
Kalan’s covers would have a wholesome aura around them, as he mostly produced work for the Harlequin Romance line which was low on the sensuality scale. His art placed the hero and heroine center stage, and his soft brush strokes made for a memorable style.
Frank Kalan passed away in 2003.
The Legend Lives On
His family keeps his name and memory alive through a treasured collection of his artwork.
In 2017, they donated 130 covers and supporting materials to the Browne Popular Culture Library at BGSU in Ohio, which is now called The Frank Kalan Romance Cover Art Collection.
Frank Kalan Covers
The chart below lists just some of the many covers that Kalan illustrated for Harlequin. (List courtesy of Bowling Green State University )
| Title | Author | Year |
|---|---|---|
| A Husband Made in Texas | Carter, Rosemary | 1997 |
| A Killing in Quail County | Cole, Jameson | 1997 |
| A Lake in Kyoto | Lewty, Marjorie | 1985 |
| A Man Untamed | Arthur, Katherine | 1990 |
| A Most Determined Bachelor | Macgregor, Miriam | 1998 |
| A Place Called Rambulara | Way, Margaret | 1984 |
| A Rooted Sorrow | West, Nicola | 1985 |
| A Second Loving | Jameson, Claudia | 1989 |
| A Time To Grow | Jameson, Claudia | 1985 |
| A Warning of Magic | Kingston, Kate | 1993 |
| Always Christmas | Rutland, Eva | 1992 |
| Amaryllis Dreaming | Harvey, Samantha | 1985 |
| Bittersweet Honeymoon | Lewty, Marjorie | 1988 |
| Bluebells On The Hill | McMahon, Barbara | 1986 |
| Breaking the Ice | Gregory, Kay | 1990 |
| Brides for Brothers | Macomber, Debbie | 1985 |
| Call Back The Past | MacLeod, Jean | 1988 |
| Call of the Mountain | MacGregor, Miriam | 1986 |
| Charlie’s Dad | Scott, Alexandra | 1997 |
| Christmas Angel | Beverly, Jo | 1993 |
| Colours of Love | Henaghan, Rosalie | 1993 |
| Contrasts | Kirby, Rowan | 1986 |
| Daddy’s Little Helper | Macomber, Debbie | 1995 |
| Deck The Halls | Allison, Heather | 1990 |
| Denial of Love | Kemp, Shirley | 1992 |
| Desert Rose | May, Wynne | 1993 |
| Distant Shadows | York, Alison | 1992 |
| Every Kind of Heaven | Campbell, Bethany | 1991 |
| Family Secrets | Michaels, Leigh | 1994 |
| Fiance for Christmas | George, Catherine | 1998 |
| Firm Commitment | Denton, Kate | 1991 |
| Flirtation River | Campbell, Bethany | 1988 |
| Force Field | Donnelly, Jane | 1986 |
| Foreign Affair | Rutland, Eva | 1992 |
| Forgive And Forget | Sinclair, Tracy | 1987 |
| Found: One Father | Waverly, Shannon | 1996 |
| From This Day Forward | Marton, Sandra | 1985 |
| Frozen Enchantment | Steele, Jessica | 1989 |
| Fully Involved | Winters, Rebecca | 1990 |
| Greek Island Magic | Bevan, Gloria | 1984 |
| He Was The Stranger | Strutt, Sheila | 1986 |
| Heart of Marble | Dawson, Helena | 1988 |
| Hijacked Honeymoon | Lennox, Marion | 1997 |
| Hitched: A Ranch, a Ring and Everything | Daniels, Val | 1996 |
| Home For Christmas | James, Ellen | 1993 |
| House of Mirrors | Whittal, Yvonne | 1983 |
| Impossible Inheritance | Murray, Annabel | 1990 |
| In Pursuit of Love | Bauling, Jayne | 1995 |
| Island of Love | Hammond, Rosemary | 1992 |
| Ivy’s League | Allison, Heather | 1993 |
| Jungle Antagonist | Gair, Diana | 1982 |
| Lake Haupiri Moon | Moore, Mary | 1983 |
| Last Chance Marriage | Gibson, Rosemary | 1997 |
| Legacy of Shadows | Lennox, Marion | 1994 |
| Living Next Door to Alex | George, Catherine | 1996 |
| Love Comes Stealing | Scott, Alexandra | 1983 |
| Love Is the Answer | Hammond, Rosemary | 1993 |
| Love or Money | Hart, Virginia | 1991 |
| Love’s Harbor | James, Ellen | 1991 |
| Maelstrom | Cooper, Ann | 1984 |
| Mail-Order Bridegroom | Leclaire, Day | 1994 |
| Man of Stone | Roding, Frances | 1987 |
| Master of Namangilla | Daveson, Mons | 1990 |
| Moreton’s Kingdom | MacLeod, Jean | 1982 |
| New Discovery | Ayre, Jessica | 1984 |
| New Lease on Love | Waverly, Shannon | 1991 |
| Night Of The Spring Moon | Hart, Virginia | 1987 |
| No Going Back | Howard, Stephanie | 1993 |
| No Love in Return | Barnes, Elizabeth | 1989 |
| No Ties | Gibson, Rosemary | 1995 |
| Not Part of the Bargain | Fox, Susan | 1989 |
| Once for All Time | Neels, Betty | 1984 |
| Once Upon A Wedding | Riggs, Paula Detmer | 1993 |
| One Reckless Moment | Allan, Jeanne | 1988 |
| Only A Woman | Campbell, Bethany | 1988 |
| Only My Dreams | Kirby, Rowan | 1987 |
| Outback Bride | Hart, Jessica | 1996 |
| Passion’s Vine | Graham, Elizabeth | 1985 |
| Place For The Heart | Leigh, Catherine | 1989 |
| Playing for Keeps | Hammond, Rosemary | 1994 |
| Preview of Paradise | Sinclair, Tracy | 1986 |
| Ready for Romance | Macomber, Debbie | 1993 |
| Red Hot Pepper | Denny, Roz | 1990 |
| Ride a Wild Horse | Donnelly, Jane | 1985 |
| Rites of Love | Winters, Rebecca | 1990 |
| Road to Love | Arthur, Katherine | 1986 |
| Season of Forgetfulness | Summers, Essie | 1983 |
| Secret Fire | Winspear, Violet | 1984 |
| Secret Wedding | Richmond, Emma | 1996 |
| Send in the Clown | Knoll, Patricia | 1989 |
| Send Me No Flowers | Arthur, Katherine | 1987 |
| Separate Lives | Jantz, Caroline | 1986 |
| Shadow of a Tiger | Donnelly, Jane | 1993 |
| Sight of a Stranger | Field, Sandra | 1981 |
| Silver Bells | Daniels, Val | 1990 |
| Stone Angel | Brooks, Helen | 1992 |
| Strictly Business | Michaels, Leigh | 1986 |
| Sweet Vixen | Napier, Susan | 1983 |
| Taming a Husband | Wallington, Vivienne | 1996 |
| Tarik’s Mountain | Janes, Dana | 1987 |
| Temporary Arrangement | Waverly, Shannon | 1993 |
| Temporary Paragon | Goldrick, Emma | 1986 |
| That Man From Texas | Wilder, Quinn | 1985 |
| The Apollo Man | MacLeod, Jean | 1987 |
| The Chain of Destiny | Neels, Betty | 1988 |
| The Cinderella Coach | Denny, Roz | 1992 |
| The Diamond Trap | Campbell, Bethany | 1988 |
| The Games People Play | Hadley, Liza | 1989 |
| The Heron Quest | Lamb, Charlotte | 1986 |
| The Long Way Home | Campbell, Bethany | 1987 |
| The Matchmaking Department | McKeone, Dixie | 1985 |
| The Only Solution | Michaels, Leigh | 1994 |
| The Passion and The Pain | Absalom, Stacy | 1984 |
| The Real Fantasy | Anderson, Caroline | 1996 |
| The Santa Sleuth | Allison, Heather | 1993 |
| The Singing Tree | Weale, Anne | 1992 |
| The Tiger’s Cage | Way, Margaret | 1996 |
| The Turn of the Tide | Day, Samantha | 1984 |
| Tidal Wave | MacLeod, Jean | 1990 |
| Trouble in Paradise | Green, Grace | 1996 |
| Turquoise Heart | James, Ellen | 1990 |
| Valley of Gentians | Rome, Margaret | 1982 |
| Verdict: Parenthood | McBride, Julie | 1997 |
| Walk Into Tomorrow | Carter, Rosemary | 1985 |
| Web of Fate | Dawson, Helena | 1991 |
| Wild For To Hold | Murray, Annabel | 1985 |
| Wildtrack | West, Nicola | 1983 |
| Winter Stranger, Summer Lover | McMahon, Barbara | 1986 |
| Winter Sunlight | Alexander, Susan | 1986 |