Stripper's Guide

More mystery strips, today the letter G.

G. Whiskers - Geoffrey Foladeri - Press Alliance - daily strip - 1940-58 (found! by Cole Johnson in NY Post, SF Chronicle, New Hampshire's L'Avenir Nationale)
Galloping Galaxies - Lillian Bono - self-syndicated - weekly strip - 1983-84
G.R.A.B. - David Dunning, Sally Wilson - self-syndicated - weekly panel - 1978-79
Gabby Flynn - Ken Ernst - Watkins Syndicate - weekly strip - 1939
Gabe & Loki - Ross Bunch - Centurion Press - daily strip - 1972-78
The Games Afoot, The Sherlock Holmes Crime Scene Chronicle - Howard Bender, Jack Harris - Singer Media - 1996-2003 (Ray Bottorff Jr. reports that Bender says it never sold in the US, just in Europe)
Garden State Digest - Gar Schmitt - self-syndicated - weekly panel - 1969
Gargoyle And Gadget - E.B. Sullivan - National Newspaper Syndicate - daily strip - 1936-45
General Friendship - McCann & Tepper - United Feature Syndicate - Sunday strip - 1946
Generation Gap - Kennison Keene - Community & Suburban Press - weekly panel - 1971 (found! in Nashua Reporter)
Geographic Oddities - Leon A. Dickinson - Queen Features - weekly panel - 1939
George - George Wolfe - Al Smith Service - weekly panel - 1969
George And Jacques - Adrian Raeside - Miller Services - daily strip - 1979 (Charles Brubaker asked Raeside about this strip, turns out in ran only in the Toronto Star, thus doesn't qualify for Stripper's Guide indexing)
Georgi - Sharaga Caltoon - American Internation Syndicate - weekly strip - 1992-94
Geraldine - Mike Rose - Atlas Features - weekly strip - 1951-59
Geriatrix - Paul Norris, Lyle Swigart - Copley News Service - weekly panel - 1978-85 (existence verified by DD Degg in Oswego County Messenger - thanks DD!)
Gerties Gig - Suzanne Farrow - LA Times Syndicate - daily panel - 1976 (found! by Ray Bottorff Jr. in Ventura County Star, but it is a later self-syndicated version. Still looking for an LA Times version)
The Ghost Rider - Stanley Matz - self-syndicated - daily strip - 1939
Ghoulsville - Peter Garvey - Trans World News - daily panel - 1976
Giggle Gags - Cecil Danner - Paramount Syndicate - daily panel - 1938
The Gilmore Brothers' Music Scene - Douglas and Keith Gilmore - Telstar - weekly strip - 1975 Miscategorized -- was a text column feature. Thanks Ray Bottorff Jr!
Ginger - Gene McNerney Jr - Watkins Syndicate - daily strip - 1936
Ginger Blue - Al Carreno - Al Smith Service - weekly strip - 1954 Found! by JohnAdcock in Hory County News
Gino - Gene Machamer - self-syndicated - daily panel - 1982-91
Girl About Town - Melisse - United Feature Syndicate - daily panel - 1936
Glamorettes - Woody Kimbrell - General Features - daily panel - 1950
Gleeb - Paul Lowney - Copley News Service - weekly panel - 1981-85 FOUND! by D.D. Degg in Oswego County Messenger
Glombo - Glen Sherman - Humor Books Syndicate - daily strip - 1995-96
Going Down - Leonard Bruce - Leoleen-Durck Creations - daily strip - 1982-92
Going West -Frank Thomas - Al Smith Service - weekly strip - 1951-54 (aka Hossface Hank?)
Goldbrick & Company - Tom Gibb - Exmark News Service - weekly strip - 1980
The Golden Age - Robert Hoover - Dispatch Features - thrice weekly panel - 1968-74
Golden Spurs - W. O'Forest - Jones Syndicate - Sunday strip - 1940
Goo-Gags - Pat Pending - King Features Syndicate - daily panel - 1926
The Good Old Days - Walter Schwimmer - Feature Sales Syndicate - daily panel - 1938
Goodbyland - Charles Biro, George Nagle, Bob Wood - ? - Sunday strip - 1937-38
Goofy Golf - H.C. Weagant - King Features Syndicate - daily panel - 1926 (found! in Port Arthur News)
Goomer - Nacho & Ricardo - Creators Syndicate - daily and Sunday strip - 1992
Gopher Hole Gazette - Evans - Harper Features - weekly panel - 1934 (turned out to be an illustrated column and thus not eligible for SG listing)
Grace And Looie - Al Wiseman - LA Times Syndicate - daily panel - 1966,73
Gramps - Patrick Rice - American Way Features - daily strip - 1987
Grandfather Clause - Chris Wright - Creators Syndicate - daily and Sunday strip - 2000-01 FOUND! existence verified by Charles Brubaker; thanks Charles!
Grandpa Noah - Gus Edson - Chicago Tribune-NY News Syndicate - weekly strip - 1955 (verified - replaced Cousin Juniper as topper to The Gumps)
Great Little Lovers - Grace Drayton - DP Syndicate - weekly strip - 1926
Great Moments - Dick Leahy - Continental News Service - weekly strip - 1995-present
The Great Pierre - Marc Swayze - Bell Syndicate - daily strip - 1956 (DD Degg says Swayze in Alter Ego article said the strip never sold)
Green Force Five - Osvaldo Blanco, Miguel Repetto, Alfredo Grassi - King Features Syndicate - daily strip - 1985-87
Green Scene - Pat Hines - Richard Lynn Enterprises - daily panel - 1978
Greenhouse Effect - Jeff Barfoot - Paradigm-TSA - daily and Sunday strip - 1999
Greenwood - Keith M. Manzella - self-syndicated - daily and weekly strip - 1988-94
Greg-Jim Humorous Adventures - Gregory Clarke, Jim Frise - Star Newspaper Service - weekly - 1938-40 (apparently a text story series with illustration, and therefore not eligible)
Grimes the Butler - Joe Busciglio - Publishers Feature Service - weekly panel - 1946-49 (found by Ray Bottorff Jr. in a number of papers but turns out it is a syndicated ad strip -- see comments below -- oh, and it seems to have pretty much run its course in 1946-47)
Gripes And Grins - Lin Streeter - Associated Newspapers - daily panel - 1945 (found! by Ray Bottorff Jr. in Tacoma News-Tribune and a few others)
Ground Zero - Tim Haggerty - United Feature Syndicate - daily and Sunday strip - 1987 (Found! in LA Times)
Grumps - Roger Price - Manson Western Syndicate - daily panel - 1976
Guess Who - William Feld - Stuyvesant Feature Syndicate - weekly panel - 1970
Gully Foyle - Reginald and Stanley Pitt - Ledger Syndicate - Sunday strip - 1967-71 (Art Lortie and Steven Rowe both say it was never successfully sold - case closed!)
Gunther - John Roman - McNaught Syndicate - daily strip - 1980-81

Labels: Mystery Strips

Charles H. Wellington started his syndicated cartooning career with World Color Printing in 1904. He was an excellent cartoonist from the start, his ideas were fresh and funny and best of all (from the syndicate's perspective) he was a real workhorse.

Wellington was one of the backbone menbers of WCP's staff through 1907, until the call of New York finally became too strong. His first job in the Big Apple was with the New York World, where he only managed to make a single sale. He found a much more receptive audience in the Hearst camp, though, and produced many daily-style series for them, mostly for the Evening Journal. In May 1911 Wellington produced an innocuous and short-lived strip called His Noble Son-In-Law. There were less than ten installments of the series. The idea was anything but fresh and pretty much ran the course in that short time.

The plot was already old hat. Starting in the American gilded age it had become fashionable for social climbing debutantes to marry titled beaus from Europe. In real life, and in the funnies that mirrored it, many of these dukes, earls and other assorted peers turned out to be penniless lazy neer-do-wells. Many of the titles were real, but the gents often failed to live up to their impressive names. The phenomenon became a favorite target for humorists, and His Noble Son-In-Law is one of many times the subject was mined for laughs.

The short-lived series was eminently forgettable, or at least seemed to be forgotten. Wellington went on to create other series for Hearst in 1911, then made a jump over to the New York Globe, where his work was sometimes picked up by the Associated Newspapers cooperative.

In late 1913, while apparently still working for the Globe, Wellington began a new Sunday strip for the McClure Syndicate titled Pa's Imported Son-In-Law. It was a direct descendent of the original series. The strip began on 10/19/1913, and once again Wellington didn't stick with it long. His last strip ran on 1/4/1914, after which the title was continued by uncredited cartoonists (one of which was Ed Carey). This version of the strip lasted until at least August 1914, and then was revived by McClure as Return Engagement of Pa's Son-In-Law on 4/18/1915. This version, now signed by Ed Carey, ran until 7/2/1916.

But Wellington wasn't done. He left McClure to return to the Hearst fold, and continued the series yet again, this time as That Son-In-Law of Pa's, for Hearst's Newspaper Feature Service syndicate. This series started on 12/8/1913, and a daily version was added in 1915.

This series met with good success as part of the NFS package, and Wellington stuck with it for Hearst until October 1920. But Wellington wasn't quite done switching syndicates.

The next, and last, move had Wellington jumping yet again, this time to the New York Tribune's syndicate, where the strip made its last name change, to Pa's Son-In-Law. Apparently now tired of jumping syndicates, Wellington continued the strip here for over two decades. It finally expired on 5/17/1942.

Our sample today is the very first strip from early May 1911.

Today's post is brought to you by the letter F. If you don't recall what I'm doing here, read this post. Any and all information is greatly appreciated and positive proof is rewarded as well.

Fair Game - Stephanie Piro - Chronicle Features - daily panel - 1996-98 (found! in SF Chronicle and several others, and lasted much longer in self-syndication)
Faith, Hope And Sue - Lisa Wild - Davey Associates - daily panel - 1994
Familiar Folks - Bill Nickel - Editorial Services - weekly panel - 1947
Family aka Doug Wright's Family aka Nipper - Doug Wright - Toronto Star Syndicate - weekly strip - 1980 (known in Canada, but did it appear in any US newspapers?)
Family K624 - Tim Jackson - Creative License Studio - weekly - 1999-2002
Family Popcorn - Shel Dorf, Tom Reese - self-syndicated - daily strip - 1997
The Family - Wildt - American International Syndicate - daily strip - 1991-94
Familyades - Lois Gilbert - Associated Midwest Newspaper Syndicate - daily panel - 1937-38
Famous Fighters - John Wentworth - National Newspaper Service - daily strip - 1932
Famous Monuments - Hendrick van Loon - Christy Walsh Syndicate - weekly strip - 1927 (found by Bill Mullins in Pittsburgh Press, but turns out to be drawings of famous landmarks with extensive printed discussion - not eligible for SG listing)
Famous Pastimes - Paul Sell - Leeds Features - daily panel - 1933
Fantom Of The Fair - Paul Gustavson - Watkins Syndicate - weekly strip - 1939
Farm Life - Harlan Wade - Trans World News - daily strip - 1978
Fast Lane - Harley Schwadron - Davey Associates, Copley News Service - weekly, daily panel - 1993-present
Father Victor - John T. O'Brien - National Catholic Welfare Conference - weekly strip - 1958-60 (so far found only in Catholic newspapers, still looking for it in a mainstream newspaper)
Faulty Fables - Rick Stromoski - Whitegate Features - daily - 1990-91 (Charles Brubaker contacted the creator who said "it was negotiated to be syndicated but as far as I know nothing came of it")
Faxtoons - Dan Rosandich - Great Lakes Features - weekly - 1991-92
Feedback - Doc and Rebecca Blakely - self-syndicated - weekly strip - 1987
Ffarm.com - Bob Englehart, Pat McGrath - Paradigm-TSA - daily and Sunday strip - 1999 (Found! in Hartford Courant)
The Field Family - Al Brooks - Humor Books Syndicate - weekly strip - 1993-96
The 52 Club - Rooney W. Davis - Quality Art Service - weekly panel - 1967-69
The Fighting Chaplain - Carl Pfeufer - Eric Jon Associates - weekly strip - 1955-61 (Alberto Becattini says it ran in the Catholic Weekly - not a newspaper by our definition)
Figleaves - Greg Curfman - Sandcastles Syndicate - weekly strip - 1976-79
The Final Frontier - Dawn Munson - American International Syndicate - daily panel - 1993-95
Fireman Sam - Joe Buresch - Miller Features - daily strip - 1939
The First Lady - Madeline Brogan - Tribune Media Services - daily and Sunday strip - 1993 (found! by Charles Brubaker in Victorville Daily Press. Thanks Charles!)
First World War - Laurence Stallings - Register & Tribune Syndicate - daily and Sunday strip - 1934 (found by Bill Mullins in El Paso Herald; turns out to be a photo page, so definitely not eligible for SG listing)
Fish Story - Randy Bisson - American International Syndicate - daily panel - 1988-98
A Flash Of Luck - S. M. Nemer - Thompson Service - daily panel - 1934
Fletcher Of The 4-H'ers - Joe Buresch - self-syndicated - weekly panel - 1958-86 (Alberto Becattini quotes Buresch as saying that it ran in farm publications)
Flight - J.H. Mason, W.D. Tipton - McNaught - daily panel - 1935 (found! by Fram in Salt Lake Tribune)
Flip Art - Al Goring - self-syndicated - weekly panel - 1975-77
Fluffhead - Jacques Boivin - Miller Services - daily panel - 1979
Flying Legion - William Winston - National Newspaper Service - daily strip - 1939-42 (Alberto Becattini says it was a topper to Skyroads - I have never seen a Skyroads Sunday)
Focus On Fact - Neville Randall - Interpress - daily strip - 1973
Fodor's Follies - Laszlo Fodor - Bell Syndicate - daily panel - 1938-39 (found! by Ray Bottorff Jr. in Paterson Evening News)
Folly's Thinkshop - Richard Jarrett - self-syndicated - weekly strip - 1979-82
A Fool There Was - Pete Keenan - International Syndicate - weekly panel - 1927-28 (found by Bill Mullins in Hamilton Evening Journal)
Footsies - Bill Shelly - Wade Allen Syndicate - daily panel - 1968 [found by Charles Brubaker in Johnson City Press-Chronicle. Thanks Charles!]
For Better Or Worse - Justin Manning - Four Corners Syndicate - weekly panel - 1968-70
For Heaven's Sake - Ruth Davis, Bob Maley - Heavenly Comics Syndicate - daily panel - 1969-72
For Pete's Sake - Robert Righetti - Danny Ball Productions - weekly panel - 1978-79
For Warped Minds Only - Ralph Hamellmann - Global Features - daily and Sunday strip - 1991-93 (known in Canada - Calgary Herald -- but no US appearances yet; oh and there it is a weekly panel)
For Women Only - Isabelle Ziegler - Carlile Crutcher Syndicate - daily strip - 1939 (found by Bill Mullins in St. Louis Star-Times; turns out to be a text column, not strip)
Fortune Kookies - Charles Glass - Chicago Tribune-NY News Syndicate - daily panel - 1973-77 (found by Bill Mullins in Fremont Argus and several other papers)
Foto Finish - Charles McKenzie - United Cartoonists Syndicate - daily - 1988
The Fourth Floor - Todd Schowalter - Plain Label Press - daily strip - 2001-03
The Fox And The Crow - Jim Davis - McClure Syndicate - daily strip - 1950
Fractured Facts - John Locke - Syndicated News Service - weekly panel - 1994-present
Francie Frills - Vic Herman - McClure Syndicate - daily panel - 1948
Freak Patents - Harvey Peake - Carlile Crutcher Syndicate - daily panel - 1936 (found by Bill Mullins in Louisville Courier-Journal, but it is an illustrated column, not eligible for SG listing)
Fred - Leonard Bruce, Charles Durck - Leoleen-Durck Creations - daily - 1983-92
Freddie Fix It - Mike Gray, Bob Hyde - Nationwide Features Syndicate - daily panel - 1949-50 [Charles Thompson supplies proof that Nationwide was a producer of advertising strips; not eligible for SG listing]
Free Zone - Winthrop Prince - Chronicle Features - weekly - 1985-90 (existence verified by author - thanks Winthrop!)
Froyd - Philippe Grabowski, Bob Keleman - Syndicated News Service - daily and Sunday strip - 1991-present
Frustration - Ray Hanson - Register & Tribune Syndicate - daily panel - 1974
Fun Bug - Howard Rands - Al Smith Service - weekly panel - 1978 (Todd Hillmer found this feature, turned out to be an activity panel, not eligible for the SG index)
Funnigrams - W.F. Peters - Publishers Feature Service - weekly panel - 1946-49 (found by Bill Mullins, but its a generic panel cartoon feature paired up with local ads, not eligible for SG)
Funny Form - Charles Barsotti - Chicago Tribune-NY News Syndicate - daily and Sunday strip - 1974 (Charles Brubaker checked with the creator, who says it was never sold or syndicated)
Funny Money - Dan Shefelman - King Features - weekly - 1991 CONFIRMED by creator (see post below)
Funny Side Up - Trent - World Feature Service - weekly strip - 1931
Funtime - Edo Anderson - Smith-Mann Syndicate - weekly strip - 1951-54
Fusebox - Greg Panneitz - Continental Features - weekly strip - 2002-present
Future Eye - John Mayo, Jerry Siegel - McClure Syndicate - daily and Sunday strip - 1953
Fuzzy - Leonard Bruce - Leoleen-Durck Creations - daily - 1983-92

Labels: Mystery Strips

7/9/1939
Cartoonist Crosby's Wife Wins Divorce
Creator of Skippy is Ordered to Pay Her $14,500, Cede Lands

Agnes Dale Crosby, wife of Percy Leo Crosby, creator of the comic strip character "Skippy," yesterday was granted a temporary divorce from her artist husband in Fairfax County Circuit Court by Judge Waletr T. McCarthy. Charges of cruelty were brought by Mrs. Crosby against her husband.

Judge McCarthy ordered Crosby to pay $14,500 annually to his divorced wife. He also ordered the transfer of two tracts of land in Fairfax County and 1,400 acres in Loudoun County to Mrs. Crosby. Under the court order, Mrs. Crosby retains custody of the four children, Percy, 9; Barbara Dale, 7; Joan Caroline, 6 and Carol, 5.

While artist Crosby is given the privilege of visiting his children, the court decree contains an injunction restraining him from interfering with his wife or children or seeking to gain control.

In her petition Mrs. Crosby charged that her husband had on several occasion assaulted her. An indenture was made between the couple on May 11 providing for a lump-sum payment of $15,000 by Crosby to his wife. They were married in New York City on April 4, 1929.


8/15/1937
Many Actors Got Start on Newspapers

The newspaper business, which has contributed heavily in personnel to practically all professions, has given a large number of actors to motion pictures, a survey of Hollywood revealed recently.

Four cartoonists, 10 reporters, and advertising and circulation department representatives have been graduated into the ranks of the film stars, among other employees of newspapers.

Gary Cooper, currently in "Souls at Sea," was at one time a newspaper cartoonist, and the story concerning the firing of John Barrymore, another artist, by the late Arthur Brisbane, is now historical. Leo Carrillo, now in "Hotel Haywire," was a cartoonist in San Francisco, and Keye Luke, Chinese character actor, is famous for his newspaper and magazine drawings.

[article continues discussing non-cartoonists...]

2/16/1934
Police Guarding 'Ding,' Noted Cartoonist, From Kidnapers

Des Moines, Feb. 15 - State police tonight guarded Jay N. Darling ("Ding"), nationally known newspaper cartoonist and sportsman, against reports that he was next on gangdom's list of intended kidnap victims.

Secrecy veiled investigation by State and Federal officers, but Federal Agent O.C. Dewey announced that evidence of a carefully planned plot to abduct Darling had been discovered.

In their efforts to provide every safeguard, the officers kept the cartoonist's whereabouts secret.

The purported plot was discovered while Darling was returning from Washington, where he attended a conference of President Roosevelt's wild life conservation committee.

A telegram, signed with a fictitious name, asked Darling when he would arrive in Chicago and where he would stay. Officers indicated they had traced the telegram to a supposed Chicago gangster.

Federal agents guarded Darling while he stopped in Chicago and escorted him to the Iowa border, where State officers joined him. Since his return to Des Moines last Wednesday, the State agents have been with him constantly.

A farmhouse near Creston, in southwest Iowa, figured in the purported plot, the officers believed. The farmhouse, definite location of which has not been determined, also was mentioned as the possible hideaway of the Edward G. Bremer kidnapers.

The officers indicated their belief that a definite ransom demand for Darling's release had been fixed in event the kidnaping was effected.

The announcement of the supposed plot was amde, Dewey indicated, in the hope that publicity might serve as a warning and discourage attempt to carry out the abduction.

Darling, widely known for his cartoons in newspapers and magazines, also is prominent for his work in conservation of the Nation's wild life and his broad acquaintance in political fields.

2/25/1932
Ripley, Cartoonist, Faces $500,000 Balm Suit

New York, Feb. 24 - Robert L. Ripley, the cartoonist of "Believe It Or Not" fame, is being sued for $500,000 for alleged breach of promise of marriage by Marion Ohnick, 37, a prima donna, who formerly appeared with the San Carlo Opera Company in the title role of "Madame Butterfly."

Miss Ohnick, who also is known as Haru Onuki, of Long Beach, Calif., has been appearing recently on a vaudeville circuit, her attorny, Abraham Greenberg, said.

Labels: News of Yore

6/16/35
Gaar Williams, 54, Cartoonist, Dies

Chicago, June 15 - Gaar Williams, 54, veteran newspaper cartoonist, who drew whimsical studies of "Just Plain Folks," died today in Passavant Hospital after being stricken with a cerebral hemorrhage.

He died four hours after being stricken as he sat in his automobile on Michigan Boulevard with his wife and Miss Blanche Stillson, of Indianapolis. Funeral arrangements awaited word from the artist's mother in Richmond, Ind.

Williams was the creator of the comic strip "A Strain On The Family Tie" and "Zipper," the comic dog. Formerly a political cartoonist for the Chicago Daily News and the Indianapolis News, he reached the height of his popularity with his "Silky" comic strips of later years.

He turned to comic drawing after joining the staff of the Chicago Tribune in 1921.

11/25/34
C.R. Macauley Dies; Newspaper Cartoonist

New York, Nov. 24 - Charles R. Macauley, 54 years old, a well-known newspaper cartoonist, died today at St. Vincent's Hospital from a cardiac ailment growing out of an attack of pneumonia.

Mr. Macauley served for several years as a cartoonist on the old New York World. He also worked on the Brooklyn Eagle and the New York Daily Mirror. He is credited with originating "The Big Stick" President Theodore Roosevelt was so often pictured as carrying.


12/1/33
Cartoonist Bronstrup Dies

San Francisco, Nov. 30 - C.A. Bronstrup, political cartoonist and a member of the San Francisco Chronicle 20 years, died today from a heart ailment.

1/27/30
Cartoonist Killed in Auto Crash

Cleveland, Jan. 26 - Irving S. Knickerbocker, staff artist for the Newspaper Enterprise Association here and known in the cartoon world as "Nick" [actually Knick - ed] was killed in an automobile accident here today. His car struck another car and glanced off into a telephone pole.

10/21/31
William A. Rogers, Cartoonist, Dead

William A. Rogers, 77, noted cartoonist, died at his home at 3331 P street northwest, early yesterday after an illness of less than a week. He was formerly on the staff of the Washington Post.

Mr. Rogers was born in Springfield, Ohio, May 23, 1854. In 1873 he began his career in New York City as an illustrator and cartoonist for the Daily Graphic. He was later on the staff of Harper's Weekly, Harper's Magazine, Life, St. Nicholas, Century, the New York Herald and the Washington Post. He came to Washington in 1923.

Among his personal friends Mr. Rogers numbered President Theodore Roosevelt, President Grover Cleveland and Jules Jusserand, former French ambassador to the United States. It was at the suggestion of the latter that he was made a chevalier in the French Legion of Honor for a cartoon published in the New York Herald during the World War.

Mr. Rogers is survived by a daughter, Mrs. W.W. Buckley, of Washington, and a son, Harry A. Rogers, of Wilton, Conn. Funeral services will be conducted in Springfield, Ohio, tomorrow afternoon.

Labels: News of Yore

Here's a group of cartoonist death notices, all gleaned from the Washington Post.

12/31/39
Walter Blackman, Cartoonist, Dies

Cleveland, Dec.29 - Walter W. Blackman, 65, for 21 years political cartoonist for the Birmingham, Ala., Age-Herald, died today at his home in Willowick, Ohio, east of here. He was a member of the Gridiron Club and the National Press Club of Washington.

Originator of one of the first animated motion picture cartoons, he used the idea in connection with the Government's Liberty Loan campaigns. Years ago he obtained a patent on a process for making motion pictures in natural color. While a cartoonist for the Birmingham Age-Herald he was sent by his paper to campaign on political issues.

11/23/39
"Jerry on the Job"Artist Dies at 49

New York, Nov.22 - Walter C. Hoban, 49, widely known comic artist and cartoonist, died last night after a two-month illness. He was with King Features Syndicate for more than 20 years. He was best known perhaps for his comic strip "Jerry on the Job."

8/15/39
Powers, Noted Cartoonist, Dies

New York, Aug.14 - T.E. Powers, 69, noted political cartoonist of the Hearst newspapers for more than 40 years, died today after a two-year illness.

One of the earliest political caricaturists of modern journalism, Powers was the favorite political cartoonist of President Theodore Roosevelt.

Powers retired several years ago due to ill health.

9/11/39
Bob Edgren, Sports Cartoonist, Dies

Carmel, Calif., Sept. 10 - Bob Edgren, 65, famous sports editor and cartoonist, died here last night after a series of heart attacks.

Edgren for many years was sports editor of the old New York World.

Surviving are his wife, a son and three sisters.

1/10/39
Joseph McGurk Dies

Philadelphia, Jan. 9 - Joseph W. McGurk, 52, illustrator and one-time sports cartoonist, died last night.

3/7/38
McDougall, 80, First Cartoonist in U.S., Suicide
White House Writer in Days of First Roosevelt Shoots Self

Waterford, Conn., March 6 - Walt McDougall, 80, dean of American cartoonists, author and humorist, was found dead today on a couch in his Fern Lane farmhouse.

Dr. Frank Dunn, medical examiner, said McDougall's right hand clutched an old-fashioned "horse pistol" and that his death was suicide.

McDougall, generally regarded as the first American [daily newspaper] cartoonist, contributed to the old New York World and to the Philadelphia North American. He also did strips for the McClure Syndicate and nationally known magazines.

Among his better known ones were "Absent Minded Abner," "Fatty Felix," "Hank The Hermit," "Teddy In Africa" and the Rambillaux Series.

His cartoon "The Feast of Belshazzar" was credited with helping to elect Grover Cleveland president.

McDougall was once rebuked by the Supreme Court of the United States for drawing a cartoon showing justices of the high court chewing tobacco behind the bench.

He was a personal friend of the late Theodore Roosevelt and covered the White House as a newspaperman in his Presidential regime.

10/17/37
Will Chapin Dies

Hollywood, Calif., Oct. 15 - Will E. Chapin, 80, cartoonist and writer, died at his home here yesterday.

8/28/37
Frederick Opper Dies at 80; Happy Hooligan's Creator

New Rochelle, N.Y., Aug. 27 - Heart disease brought death today to Frederick Burr Opper, 80, creator of Happy Hooligan, Alphonse and Gaston, and other comic strip characters read around the world.

He was forced by failing eyesight a few years ago to retire from active work for newspapers with which he had been connected since 1899.

Born in Madison, Ohio, the son of an Austro-Hungarian immigrant, Opper left school at 14 to work on the Madison Gazette, a weekly newspaper. A year later he went to New York.

When he submitted some of his sketches to magazines they were promptly purchased. Then Col. Frank Leslie hired him as a staff artist for Leslie's weekly. Three years later he went to Puck, with which he remained until engaged for the New York Journal.

With the rise of the syndicate system, his cartoons were circulated throughout the world.

In 1900 he created the tramp with the tin hat, Happy Hooligan, best known of his characters.

Opper for many years was an outstanding political cartoonist, during the McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt campaigns. His "Willie and Teddy" series had the nation roaring.

12/28/36
Cartoonist Weed Dies of Pneumonia

New York, Dec. 27 - Clive Weed, artist and political cartoonist, died today in a hospital here of pneumonia. He was 52.

Weed studied art at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, where he was a favorite pupil of the late Thomas Pollock Anshutz, instructor of many noted American artists.

In 1910 he joined the staff of the Philadelphia Record, and a year later went to the Philadelphia Press, where his chief work was illustrating news stories. He joined the New York Evening Sun in 1912, and one of his first assignments was to sketch the survivors of the Titanic disaster.

He became political cartoonist for the old New York Tribune, the Philadelphia Public Ledger, and editorial cartoonist for the magazine Judge. His drawings also appeared in Colliers, the American Magazine, Leslie's and Life.

Weed returned to newspaper work in 1927 as cartoonist for the New York Evening World, and once the last edition of that paper was published he had been with the King Features Syndicate.


7/5/36
Charles C. Reese, Cartoonist, Dead

Glendale, Calif., July 4 - Charles Chandler Reese, 74, newspaper illustrator and cartoonist, died at a hospital yesterday of the infirmities of age.

His career included prominent posts of New York, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia newspapers. During the Spanish-American war his sketches on the field of action in Cuba appeared in the New York World, drawing wide attention.

Reese claimed to have been the first artist to have a picture reproduced as a double-truck, or two-page, illustration in a newspaper.

Born in Pittsburgh, Reese lived in the East until he came here six years ago. He was prominent in the Elks and was past exalted ruler of lodges at Hackensack, N.J., and Staten Island, N.Y.


10/21/35
Creator of 'Gumps' Is Killed in Crash
Sidney Smith Had Been on Outing Celebrating New Contract
Chicago, Ill., Oct. 20 - Sidney Smith, 58, creator of "The Gumps," one of the most popular of all newspaper cartoons, was killed at 3:45 a.m. today in an automobile collision near Harvard, Ill., a few miles from the Wisconsin boundary.

Smith, at the time of the accident, was alone. The previous afternoon he had been on a gay outing at Lake Geneva, Wisc., in celebration of a three-year extension of his $150,000-a-year newspaper syndicate contract.

He had gone from his home in Chicago to the Wisconsin resort to meet with syndicate officials and sign the contract extension. He then invited the syndicate men to spend Sunday at his nearby 2,200 acre Shirland farm.

When they preferred to return to Chicago Smith drove them to the city, then started back toward the farm. It was late at night. To break the long, solitary drive, the cartoonist stopped at the Bubbling-Over Tavern, 6 miles south of the point where he met his death.

At the roadhouse Smith entertained the patrons by drawing pictures of the cartoon characters he made famous throughout the world. About 3:30 a.m. he started on the last lap of his journey.

He was driving a small sedan. Another sedan, headed south and driven by Wendell Martin, of Waukesha, Ill., collided with Smith's car. Although there were no witnesses it is believed the two machines met almost on the center line of the highway. Smith's car was whirled around, thrown off the road and against a telephone pole. The top of the cartoonist's head was crushed in. Marlin suffered a broken hip, fractured jaw, and other injuries.

Smith's body was brought to a Chicago undertaking parlor and from there will be taken to his Chicago residence, 1500 Lake Shore Drive. Funeral services will be held at his home Wednesday. Internment will be in Rose Hill Cemetary here.

Survivors are his wife, a son, Robert Sidney Smith, 25, of Phoenix, Ariz., and a daughter, Mrs. Gladys Lucknow, of Lauderdale, Wis.

Smith's first wife, Gentraude Craddock, of Pittsburgh, died in 1924. His second marriage took place in 1926.

Preferred To Draw
Sidney Smith was born in Bloomington, Ill., on February 13, 1877, the son of Dr. T.H. and Mrs. Francis A. Shafer Smith. His father was a dentist and wanted the son to follow him in his profession. But Sidney, from boyhood, showed an inclination to spend most of his time bending over a drawing board. When he was 18 he was drawing for the Bloomington Sunday Eye.

From Bloomington he went to Indianapolis, where he joined the staff, first of the News, then of the Press. Later he went to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Pittsburgh Post, the Pittsburgh Press, the Indianapolis Sentinel and the Toledo News Bee. But his drawings for all these papers were centered around a human goat called "Old Doc Yak."

Not until 1917, when he was on the art staff of the Chicago Tribune, did Smith conceive the now-famous Gump family. Between the birth of Andy and the burial of Old Doc Yak, several other series, including "The Bunk of a Busy Brain," "Self-Made Heroes" and "Light Occupations" wandered across the cartoonist's drawing board.

Won World Recognition
But it was with the Gumps -- Andy, Min, Chester, Uncle Bim -- that Sidney Smith won world recognition. The strip has been published throughout the United States, in Canada, Europe, Hawaii and Australia.

In keeping up the daily and Sunday production the cartoonist was forced to build up a staff of artists and idea men.

It was on March 15, 1922, that Smith signed the first $1,000,000 contract ever given a comic strip artist. The agreement was to cover a 10-year period and as a bonus, the creator of the Gump strip was given a Rolls Royce.

At the time of the artist's death the comic was drawn three months in advance. His staff hopes to continue the adventures of the Gump household.

7/19/35
Mother of McManus, Noted Cartoonist, Dies

Hollywood, July 18 - Mrs. George McManus, 82, mother of George McManus, cartoonist, died here today.

Born in Limerick, Ireland, she came to the United States when she was a small girl. Her first home was in St. Louis, but she went to New York after her marriage to George McManus, Sr., stage actor. She came here a year and a half ago. She is survived by one other son, Charles McManus, of New York. George lives here.

Labels: News of Yore

A double dose of mystery strips this weekend. Will you be the hero who can supply proof that any of these ran in U.S. newspapers?

Today's post is brought to you by the letter E. If you don't recall what I'm doing here, read this post. Any and all information is greatly appreciated and positive proof is rewarded as well.

E-String - uncredited - Syndicate X - twice weekly - 1995
E-Trivia - Rick Broadhead - United Feature Syndicate - twice weekly - 2000 (found! in Columbus Republic)
Eaglefeathers - Chet Dippel - Community Features - weekly panel - 1980-81
Eb And Flo - Guy Parker - Kirk Syndicate - daily and Sunday strip - 1945-47
Edge - L.J. Kopf - Morrisseau Syndicate - unknown - 1982-83 (supposedly ran for many years in Vermont's Vanguard Press, but still looking for appearance in mainstream newspaper)
Effie Spunk - F.O. Alexander - Ledger Syndicate - daily strip - 1935
Elmer Dimbulb - Walt Williams - Matz Unique Features - daily strip - 1934
Elmer Jones - Stanley Matz - Miller Features - daily strip - 1940
Elmer In Europe - Peter Probyn - London International Press - weekly panel - 1959-60
Elmer's Fixit Shop - Art Huhta - Register & Tribune Syndicate - Sunday strip - 1947-49
Endearing Species - Dean Norman - Environment Cartoon Features - weekly panel - 1993-2002
Ernie - Bill O'Brian - Hayden-Kennedy Syndicate - daily strip - 1950
Et Tu - Dan Harper - LA Times Syndicate - daily and Sunday strip - 1975-76 (found! by Darryl Heine running in Chicago Tribune)
Ever Notice? - Keith Manzella - Newspaper Features - daily strip - 1988-94
Everybody's Business - Matt Tolbert, Ken Roberts - Copley News Service - weekly strip - 1992-present
Everybody's World - Claire and Frank Ford - Chicago Tribune-NY News Syndicate - Sunday strip - 1973
Excursions - Rick Geary - Copley News Service - weekly strip - 1986-93
Extenuating Circumstances - David Watkins - Suzerain Group - daily panel - 1992
The Eyes Have It - Al Goring - self-syndicated - weekly panel - 1975-77