A modern tycoon of astrology who used the pseudonym Zolar. Born in Chicago, King became an actor, stockbroker, and eventually part owner of a radio station in Los Angeles. The station had an astrologer named Kobar as general manager, and King was impressed with his financial success. In the same week that Kobar left the station to go to Hollywood, another astrologer demonstrated a dime-in-the-slot horoscope machine to King. The two men went into partnership in the Astrolograph Company, putting the machines in movie theaters.
King later conceived the idea of making horoscopes for chain stores and established a highly successful business. It was then that he took the pseudonym Zolar, derived from the word zodiac with echoes of "Kobar." He later sold approximately 100 million horoscopes and published a variety of popular books on astrology and occultism.
King died January 16, 1976.
Sources:
Zolar [Bruce King]. Black Magic. New York: Arco Publishing, 1972.
——. Dreams and Your Horoscope. New York: Zolar Publishing, 1970.
——. The Encyclopedia of Ancient and Forbidden Knowledge. Los Angeles: Nash, 1970.
——. Fortune Telling with Cards, Palmistry. New York: Arco Publishing, 1973.
——. History of Astrology. New York: Arco Publishing, 1972.
——. It's All in the Stars. New York: Zolar Publishing, 1962.
——. Nature's Mysteries. New York: Arco Publishing, 1972.
——. Sex and the Zodiac. New York: Zolar Publishing, 1971.
