Frank J. Markey

Frank Jay Markey, originally an executive with the McNaught Syndicate, formed his own syndicatet in 1936 to distribute his own column, eventually adding comic strips as well. The company's first strip was Rube Goldberg's Lala Palooza followed by Bill Walsh and Ed Wheelan's Big Top. In 1937 he partnered with two other syndicates as well as with Everett M. "Busy" Arnold, to provide material for Arnold's Feature Funnies. In 1940, Markey and the McNaught Syndicate made a similar partnership with artist/editor Vin Sullivan to form Columbia Comics.