Master of the Hat

Slayton Underhill (1913-2002) was an "under the radar" commercial illustrator perhaps best known for his portraits and his Stetson contract featuring Hollywood celebrities. It earned him the moniker, "Master of the Hat," something the more famous Norman Rockwell would never achieve.

Underhill's early works appeared in the Saturday Evening Post, Redbook, Collier's and Life. Two of his portraits were chosen for the covers of Time magazine. The artist was also behind advertising campaigns for Viceroy cigarettes and Lincoln and Mercury automobiles. The clever 1948 ad above suggests there are (at least) two Bing Crosbys depending on his choice of hat, like the brown "Flagship" echoing the American Airlines Flagship airliners in the background. Across the bottom (L-R) are Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Bob Hope, David Niven, and Dana Andrews.