Ink-Slinger Profiles: Greeley Hall

Greeley W. Hall was born in Arkansas on February 15, 1924, according to the 1930 U.S. Federal Census and the Social Security Death Index. In the census, he was the second of three children born to William and Erma. They lived in Little Rock, Arkansas at 1011 Dennison. His father was a supervisor in the insurance industry.

According to the U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, Hall enlisted on September 24, 1943 in Little Rock. He had four years of high school and was single without dependents. The State Press (Arkansas) announced his new comic strip on February 14, 1947.

Cartoonist

Greeley Hall, brilliant young cartoonist of the city, and Tik-Tok of the State Press, is pictured above at his drawing board in the office of the State Press. Hall is the creator of several comic strips, his latest being the dynamic Larry Labate to be seen in future issues of this paper. He served with the largest all-Negro Air Force at Godman Field, Ky., under command of Col. B.O. Davis, Jr., and was art editor of the base publication, The Godman Field Beacon. Hall drew Shorterbilt Jones for the State Press before entering service which later became a feature in the Godman Field Beacon. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. W.T. Hall of 520 East 20th Street.

The strip appeared fives times, beginning on February 28 and then ending on April 4, 1947. Ten years later the State Press published this item on July 19, 1957:

Mr. and Mrs. Greeley Hall and Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Hall and their three sons are visiting their parents, Mr. and Mrs. W.T. Hall, 520 East 20th st. Greeley Hall is a former cartoonist of the State Press. He is now employed with the Navy department of Washington, D.C. as an artist. He is a graduate from Dunbar hi school and junior college. Calvin Hall is an accountant with the Veterans Insurance in Washington, D.C.

The Bureau of Ships Journal (1961) of the U.S. Navy Department listed Hall as a staff designer. He held the same position on the publication, Naval Ship Systems Command Technical News (1963-1965), of the U.S. Naval Ship Systems Command.

According to the Social Security Death Index, Hall passed away on February 1, 2006 in Washington, D.C. The U.S. Veterans Gravesites, at Ancestry.com, recorded him as a corporal in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II. He was buried at Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery in Little Rock, Arkansas.