Saturday, November 12, 2005

 

The Last Week of Tim Tyler's Luck


Tim Tyler's Luck, created in 1928 by Lyman Young, was a popular feature in the 1930s. By the mid-40s papers were dropping it, and by the 60s it was rarely seen. Amazingly, though, it continued in syndication until 1996! According to rumor the strip ran in no U.S. newspapers for at least the last decade of its existence.

I no longer recall where I heard this, but the rumor was that the strip continued for so long for two reasons. First, Lyman Young was Chic Young's brother, and King Features didn't want to offend cash-cow Blondie creator Chic by dumping his brother. Second was that supposedly the strip was still propular in some foreign markets, making it (barely) profitable enough to continue production.

I tend to favor reason #1 over #2 if only because the strip was really pretty bad by the 1980s and I can't imagine any paper, foreign or not, being all that hep to run the thing. Well, judge for yourself with the last week of the strip.

Also notice the sad fact that after being in syndication for almost 70 years, the strip wasn't brought to any sort of conclusion. We end up in mid-story.

Comments:
According to Don Markstein the strip
appeared in a thrice-weekly Texas paper
until the bitter end.
http://www.toonopedia.com/timtyler.htm

I know nothing about James Robert (Bob)
Young. What are the chances that the strip ended because of ill health (or
maybe even death)?

D.D.Degg
 
Could be, could be. My reasons are more colorful though ;-)

Anyone know what the name of the TX paper is?
 
Hi. Thnx for enabling us to view the last strips of TTL. You might like to take a look at my new blog where I posted some info and scans abut the early Euro publications of TTL. Cordially
 
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