Ad Lib
Ad Lib is a display typeface designed in 1961 by Freeman Craw for American Type Founders. The typeface was allegedly inspired by Harold Adler's design for the 1958 film Bonjour Tristesse. Filmotype also designed a narrow variant, Filmotype Pioneer and a wider variant, Filmotype Moose.
Also recorded as Adlib
Ad Lib

Esinconis · CC0
- Name
- Ad Lib
- Period
- 1961
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In this article
Overview
Overview
Originally released with two variants for many characters, the digital versions seen today offer only one variant.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Ad Lib • Style — Display • Releasedate — 1961 • Foundries — Bitstream Inc. • Creator — Freeman Craw • Foundry — ATF • Based On — the work of title designer and calligrapher Harold Adler
Licensing
Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Ad Lib (typeface), revision 1361850802 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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