Ink-Slinger Profiles: Bud Counihan

Daniel Francis "Bud" Counihan was born in Connecticut, January 10, 1887, according to his World War I draft card at Ancestry.com. In the 1900 U.S. Federal Census, he was the second of nine children born to Daniel and Anastasia. They lived in Norwich, Connecticut at 51 Oakridge Street. His father was an iron moulder.

Counihan was recorded as a newspaper cartoonist in the 1910 census. He was part of his father's household in Norwich at 55 Oakridge Street. In 1913 his strip Hinky Dee was published in the Trenton Evening Times from May 12 to October 13 (Allan pipes up: it is unclear who syndicated this strip, but it was syndicated; I have a run in the Pittsburgh Post for instance; at one time my guess was the Chicago Record-Herald or the Philadelphia Record, but I never found it in those papers). The Bridgeport Post (Connecticut) published, on January 6, 1972, the Associated Press obituary which said, "…Counihan began his career in Norwich, Conn., as a sports cartoonist and came to Providence round the turn of the century. He later worked at the Washington, D.C., Star and joined the staff of the New York World in 1915 [sic; 1914--Allan]. He remained with the New York World until that paper ceased publication about 1935 [sic; he left in 1928--Allan]. Over 400 of his New York Evening World comic strips and sports cartoons (1915–1922) can be viewed at Chronicling America.

He signed his World War I draft card on June 5, 1917. He lived in Brooklyn, at 580 22nd Street, with his wife and two children. His occupation was newspaper cartoonist for the New York World. His description was tall, slender, with blue eyes and brown hair.

Counihan has not been found in the 1920 census. A 1922 photo of him with other cartoonists is here. His strip Little Napoleon began in 1923. It was followed by Pinhead Dooley in 1928.

Trenton Evening Times, 5/12/1913

At Ancestry.com his name was transcribed as "Durell F Counchan" in the 1930 census. He lived in Brooklyn at 1860 East 19th Street. His wife, Margaret, and two daughters, Anita and Francine, were all born in Washington, D.C. The success of the early 1930s Betty Boop animated cartoons, was followed, in 1934, by the King Features comic strip by Counihan and Hal Seeger, according to Wikipedia. During this time, Counihan's oldest daughter, Anita, a model and actress, may have been better known than her father. Counihan passed away January 5, 1972, in Wakefield, Rhode Island, according to the Social Security Death Index.