Legendary Illustrator Roger Kastel Passes, Aged 92

TV & Film

Nov 21

Artistic icon and pop culture legend Roger Kastel passed away on November 8, 2023, in Worcester County, Massachusetts. This news was confirmed in a special post on the front page of his website; the cause of death was not specified in the confirmation post. He was 92.

Kastel was born on June 11, 1931, in White Plains, New York. He practiced honing his art skills early on, studying at Manhattan’s Arts Students League fresh out of high school. Kastel served in the Navy for several years during the Korean War; after returning home, the artist pursued his craft professionally while continuing his education with the Arts Students League.

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Jaws and The Empire Strikes Back posters — Image Source: *Roger Kastel*

One of Kastel’s most well-known works is a paperback book cover for JAWS by Peter Benchley. This cover went on to be used by Universal Studios for the poster of the movie adaptation. He later made a poster for Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, reminiscent of the 1967 re-release poster for Gone with the Wind (1939).

Kastel’s work included a hefty number of other novel covers as well. Some of his credits include H.G. Wells’ The Invisible Man, John Steinbeck’s East of Eden, Adrian Conan Doyle and John Dickson Carr’s The Exploits of Sherlock Holmes, and Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis. The impact and reach of Kastel’s work are vast and will continue to inspire for years to come.

Kastel is survived by his wife, Grace Kastel, his daughter Beth Krebs, son Matthew Kastel, their respective partners and children, a great-grandson, and several nieces, great-nephews, and great-nieces. The family asks people to make donations to The Artists’ Fellowship, Inc., instead of giving flowers or anything of the sort. The Artists’ Fellowship, Inc. is a “private charitable foundation that financially assists professional visual artists and their families in times of emergency, disability or bereavement,” according to their listed mission. Their website can be found here. Remember to be respectful in this time of grieving. Our deepest condolences go to his family and friends in this difficult time.

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