# Rube Goldberg

> American cartoonist (1883–1970)

**Wikidata**: [Q505850](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q505850)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rube_Goldberg)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/rube-goldberg

## Summary
Rube Goldberg was an American cartoonist, inventor, and writer best known for creating elaborate, humorous machines that perform simple tasks through unnecessarily complex steps. Born in 1883, he became a cultural icon for his satirical cartoons and the namesake of "Rube Goldberg machines," which symbolize creative problem-solving and absurdity. His work spanned journalism, sculpture, and screenwriting, leaving a lasting legacy in engineering education and popular culture.

## Biography
- **Born**: July 4, 1883  
- **Nationality**: United States  
- **Education**: University of California, Berkeley (studied engineering, later shifted to journalism)  
- **Known for**: Rube Goldberg machines, editorial cartoons, and the Reuben Award  
- **Employer(s)**: *San Francisco Chronicle*, *San Francisco Evening Bulletin*, *New York Evening Mail*, *The Sun*, *New York Journal-American*  
- **Field(s)**: Cartooning, journalism, invention, sculpture  

## Contributions
- **Rube Goldberg Machines**: Designed over 2,000 cartoons depicting overly complicated contraptions (1914–1964), popularizing the concept of "Rube Goldberg" as a cultural metaphor.  
- **Editorial Cartoons**: Published satirical works in major newspapers, addressing political and social issues of the early 20th century.  
- **Reuben Award**: Received the inaugural award from the National Cartoonists Society (1946) for excellence in cartooning.  
- **Publications**: Authored *The Invention of Lying* (1930) and *How to Keep Your Husband Happy* (1963).  
- **Sculpture**: Created kinetic art installations, blending humor and engineering.  

## FAQs
**What is Rube Goldberg best known for?**  
He is renowned for his cartoon depictions of absurdly complex machines and the term "Rube Goldberg machine," which entered the lexicon to describe unnecessarily elaborate solutions.  

**Where did Rube Goldberg work?**  
He was employed by prominent newspapers, including the *San Francisco Chronicle*, *New York Evening Mail*, and *New York Journal-American*, and contributed to magazines like *Esquire*.  

**What awards did Rube Goldberg receive?**  
He won the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning (unspecified year in sources) and the inaugural Reuben Award (1946) from the National Cartoonists Society.  

**How did Rube Goldberg influence engineering?**  
His machines inspired physics education and competitions, such as the annual Rube Goldberg Machine Contest (founded in 1984), which challenges students to design creative, convoluted devices.  

## Why They Matter
Rube Goldberg’s legacy extends beyond humor; his machines became a teaching tool for physics and engineering principles, emphasizing creativity and critical thinking. His satirical cartoons provided social commentary, and his term "Rube Goldberg" remains a cultural reference for overcomplication. Without his work, engineering education and pop culture would lack a key symbol of ingenuity and absurdity, influencing fields from robotics to comedy.

## Notable For
- **Cultural Icon**: The term "Rube Goldberg machine" is widely recognized, featured in films (*The Great Dictator*), TV (*The Simpsons*), and competitions.  
- **Awards**: Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning and Reuben Award.  
- **Interdisciplinary Impact**: Bridged art, engineering, and comedy, inspiring educational contests and kinetic sculpture.  
- **Longevity**: Active career spanning over 50 years (1910s–1960s).  
- **Diverse Career**: Worked as a journalist, screenwriter, sculptor, and illustrator.  

## Body

### Early Life and Education
Born on July 4, 1883, in San Francisco, California, Goldberg studied engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, but shifted to journalism after graduating in 1904. His early career included reporting on crime and politics for local newspapers.

### Career
- **Journalism**: Began as a reporter for the *San Francisco Chronicle* (1904) and later worked for the *San Francisco Evening Bulletin*.  
- **Cartooning**: Gained fame for his satirical cartoons in the *New York Evening Mail* (1910s), critiquing societal norms and politics.  
- **Inventions**: His cartoon machines, though fictional, were detailed enough to inspire real-world replicas, blending humor with mechanical logic.  
- **Awards**: Received the Reuben Award (1946) and a Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning (exact year unspecified).  

### Legacy
- **Education**: The Rube Goldberg Machine Contest, launched in 1984, challenges students to build elaborate devices, teaching STEM principles through creativity.  
- **Pop Culture**: His machines appear in films, TV shows, and advertisements, symbolizing both innovation and folly.  
- **Artistic Influence**: Inspired kinetic artists like Jean Tinguely and cartoonists such as Al Jaffee.  

### Affiliations
- **Newspapers**: Contributed to *The Sun* and *New York Journal-American*.  
- **Organizations**: Member of the National Cartoonists Society.  

### Works
- **Notable Cartoons**: "The Invention of Lying" (1930), a satirical take on human deception.  
- **Sculptures**: Created interactive installations for exhibitions, merging art and engineering.  

### Death and Posthumous Recognition
Goldberg died on December 7, 1970, leaving behind a legacy that permeates education, comedy, and engineering. His machines remain a staple in physics classrooms and pop culture, ensuring his relevance decades after his death.

## References

1. Library of Congress Authorities
2. Integrated Authority File
3. Virtual International Authority File
4. BnF authorities
5. Union List of Artist Names. 2021
6. Find a Grave
7. [Source](https://www.nationalcartoonists.com/awards/)
8. [Source](https://www.comic-con.org/awards/eisner-award-recipients-2010-present)
9. International Standard Name Identifier
10. CiNii Research
11. [Source](https://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/tf7b69n96m/entire_text/)
12. Encyclopædia Britannica Online
13. SNAC
14. Comiclopedia
15. Internet Speculative Fiction Database
16. BD Gest'
17. Le Delarge
18. Artists of the World Online
19. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
20. [Source](https://mix-n-match.toolforge.org/#/entry/115943305)
21. [Source](https://cartoons.osu.edu/biographical-files/)
22. Quora
23. The Movie Database
24. Smithsonian American Art Museum person/institution ID
25. [Source](https://library.si.edu/art-and-artist-files)
26. [Source](https://library.nga.gov/permalink/01NGA_INST/1cl1g8d/alma991346043504896)