Photo credit: www.yahoo.com
Francis Charles “Frank” Cicero, a significant figure in the printing industry and co-owner of a family-run poster business known for its vibrant designs, passed away due to heart disease on March 7 at his home in Mays Chapel. He was 80 years old.
Cicero’s company, Globe Poster Printing, gained prominence for producing eye-catching placards that became a staple in the advertising of R&B artists. The vivid posters for the Motown Revue prominently featured legends like the Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Martha and the Vandellas, and the Four Tops. These creations were effectively used as a cost-efficient method to promote performances, often plastered on telephone poles and empty buildings to generate buzz.
“Tina Turner regularly called us to place her orders,” recalled his brother Robert J. Cicero Sr. “For many artists just starting out, our posters provided an affordable advertising solution.”
Born in Baltimore and raised in Parkville, Frank Cicero was the son of Joseph J. Cicero, who acquired Globe Poster in 1975, and his wife Marie. He completed his early education at St. Ambrose and Immaculate Heart of Mary schools before graduating from Towson Catholic High School in 1962. He later earned a degree in psychology from the University of Baltimore.
Following a brief stint in his father’s business during the early 1960s, Cicero worked for the Baltimore City Department of Social Services, where he met his future spouse, Debra “Debbie” Rice. The couple wed in 1975.
That same year, Cicero joined his family’s printing operation, which had transitioned from South Hanover Street to the Candler Building on Byrd Street in South Baltimore and eventually to Highlandtown.
“Frank was the definition of friendliness and helpfulness at the front counter,” shared Milton A. Dugger Jr., a longtime customer. “In African American communities, his posters had a significant impact. Without one, an event would often go unnoticed. His work infused energy into local happenings.”
While widely recognized for their entertainment-related work, Globe Poster also served political and community functions. The firm created promotional materials for candidates like city council members and various local events, including summer street carnivals. Notably, former Baltimore Orioles owner Peter G. Angelos leveraged their services during his city council campaign in the 1960s, as did politician Spiro T. Agnew.
The striking colors and bold designs associated with artists such as James Brown, Aretha Franklin, B.B. King, and Bobby “Blue” Bland distinguished their work in the industry.
“Most of our business came from outside Baltimore,” Robert clarified. “We had strong ties with clubs in Washington, D.C., serving the ‘Go-Go’ funk scene, as well as hip-hop artists and rhythm and blues musicians from cities like Kansas City, St. Louis, Louisiana, and Texas. We provided the most economical advertising solution available.”
The firm operated with a minimum order of 50 posters; however, for larger events such as the Motown Revue, they would print up to 5,000 posters with blank venue spaces to be filled in as needed. At their peak, Globe Poster could run eight printing presses for four hours daily.
Their work has been recognized in esteemed institutions, with posters displayed in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt Design Museum, the Corcoran Gallery of Art, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Related Articles
During his tenure, Cicero personally designed numerous posters from the mid-1970s until the business’s closure in 2010, after which the family donated Globe’s printing materials to the Maryland Institute College of Art.
An avid learner of Baltimore history, Mr. Cicero was also a member of the Baltimore Streetcar Museum and was passionate about Italian cooking, often preparing meatballs, pasta, and cookies.
“He had a joyful childhood filled with laughter,” reflected his daughter, Sarah Cicero. “He had a knack for teasing and maintained friendships that he cultivated during his youth till this day.”
Frank Cicero is survived by his wife of over 49 years, Debra “Debbie” Rice Cicero, a former social worker who was also involved in the family business; three daughters, Sarah, Julia, and Mary Cicero, all residing in Baltimore County; a brother, Robert J. Cicero Sr. of Cockeysville; and six grandchildren.
A Mass in his honor took place on March 15 at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Towson.
Source
www.yahoo.com