B. Kliban

Bernard Kliban died at UCSF Medical Center aged 55 of a pulmonary embolism; he had undergone heart surgery there two weeks previously. He was survived by his second wife, Judith Kamman Kliban (who married actor Bill Bixby shortly before Bixby's death in 1993); brother, Ken, of New York City; and two daughters: Kalia, from his first marriage; and Sarah, from another relationship.

Kliban drew the album cover for the David Bromberg Band's 1977 LP Reckless Abandon.

Born in Norwalk, Connecticut, Kliban studied at the Pratt Institute and Cooper Union but "flunked out". He spent time painting and traveling in Europe before moving to California, where he lived in the North Beach section of San Francisco. He did freelance advertising illustration, drawing ads, logos and annual reports. His first wife, Mary Kathleen Brown, was a noted cartoonist in her own right as M. K. Brown and chose many of the cartoons that appeared in his publications. It was while living in North Beach that "Hap" (for his birthday, "Happy New Year") began to draw cartoons for Playboy magazine. The income from Playboy provided financial security that enabled him in 1967 to move Brown and his daughter Kalia to the suburb of Fairfax, Marin County.

In 1962, Kliban became a Playboy cartoonist, contributing cartoons until his death. Michelle Urry, Playboy's cartoon editor, visiting his studio, reviewed his drawings, mostly cats. She thought they should be compiled into a book, introduced him to an agent, who found a publisher, resulting in the 1975 book Cat. This led to several other books of cartoons ending with Advanced Cartooning in 1993. Since Cat, his cartoons have adorned many products including stickers, calendars, mugs, and t-shirts.

Bernard "Hap" Kliban (January 1, 1935 – August 12, 1990) was an American cartoonist.