Charles Buckles Falls, also known as C. B. Falls, was an American artist, most known for his illustrations and writings. He is the author and illustrator of several books, including The ABC Book. He is also known for his World War I poster advertisements, such as Books Wanted.
Charles Buckles Falls was born on December 10, 1874, in Fort Wayne, Indiana. In his early twenties he moved to Chicago, where he began his career as an architect's assistant and as a sketch artist for the Chicago Tribune. While working as an architect's assistant, he taught himself how to draft and ultimately became a freelance artist. Unhappy with his salary, Falls left the Chicago Tribune and moved to New York City around 1900. While in New York, he struggled to find work until he met the artist and author Joseph Pennell.
Falls illustrated many different books for various authors, as well as various magazines and posters. During World War I, he was a member of the Society of Illustrators, with whom he produced war propaganda for the Committee on Public Information's Division of Pictorial Publicity.
While he is most commonly known for his illustrations of posters and books, Falls was also involved in many different art forms. He designed fabrics, furniture, and even trade bindings. He was also involved in stage design, helping to design scenery and costumes for the American Society of Illustrators, as well as the Palace Theatre and Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York. In 1914, Falls wrote, directed, and starred in a play called "Perfectly Happy" that performed at the Berkeley Theatre.
Falls also created designs and illustrations for various magazines, including Vogue, Redbook, Collier's, and Everybody's magazines, as well as various companies such as Dodd, Meade, & Co., Edison & Co., and Marshall Field & Co..