Tuesday, June 05, 2018
Ink-Slinger Profiles by Alex Jay: Linda Walter
Information about Linda Walter is scarce. What is known about her comes from several newspaper and magazine mentions.
Two 1942 issues of New Horizons named her.
Page 42: Most appropriate reference was a cartoon drawn for The Saturday Evening Post by Linda Walter, whose caption pointed up the air-mindedness of the younger generation (see cut).Linda and her husband Jerry were Woodstock, New York residents. Linda was mentioned and pictured in the Kingston Daily Freeman (New York), July 16, 1947, “…Linda Walter, Woodstock, who, with her husband, Jerry Walter produces the widely-distributed cartoon series, Susie Q. Smith…”
Page 70: Last month on page 10, New Horizons proudly displayed Linda Walter’s becoming cartoon reprinted from one of the Saturday Evening Post's April, ’42 issues. The cartoon depicted three youthful figures, one of whom is saying to the others: “Mayflower—Phooey…our uncle came over on the Clipper!”
The Kingston Daily Freeman, June 23, 1948, reported the opening at the Woodstock Playhouse and said “The group exhibition by Woodstock’s cartoonists created much interest. Those represented in the in the lobby of the Playhouse are John H. Streibel, creator of the Dixie Dugan strip. Carl Hubbell, Jerry and Linda Walter; Jay Allan. David B. Huffine, and Edmund Good. Good formerly did Scorchy Smith, the Associated Press strip, but is now known for Breeze Lawson in the Sky Sheriff.”
The Kingston Daily Freeman, June 11, 1951, noted “Expressions of appreciation were given to Mrs. Linda Walter, who has been teaching dancing and ballroom deportment at the school…”
The Kingston Daily Freeman, September 26, 1951, said “At the recent annual meeting of the Woodstock Guild of Craftsmen the following officers for the coming year were elected: …Anita Stallforth and Linda Walter, house committee…”
The Kingston Daily Freeman, December 20, 1951, publicized the upcoming exhibit.
Illustrators’ Exhibit Is Scheduled FridayThe Kingston Daily Freeman, August 18, 1954, reported the benefit for the Woodstock Recreation Field. One paragraph included the following.
Woodstock, Dec. 20—An Illustrators’ Exhibit will open Friday, Dec. 21, at the S S Sea Horse, with a reception from 6 to 8 p. m. Hot hors d’oeuvres will be served by C. J. McCarthy. The paintings, drawings and sketches of the following illustrators will be shown: Ethel Adams, Jay Allen, Charles W. Chambers, Heine Drucklieb, Harvey Emerich, Anton Otto Fischer, George Green, Gerald Green, Karl Hubbell. Dave Huffine, William H. MacReady, C. J. McCarthy, John McClellan, Joseph Morgan, John Pike, Pamela Ravenel, John Striebel, Dudley G. Summers, Harry Temple, Mark Von Arenberg and Jerry and Linda Walter.
Silk Screen TagsThe Evening News (North Tonawanda, New York), July 3, 1953, announced the addition of Susie Q. Smith to its comics page and said about the creators:
A colorful feature of the carnival will be the silk screened admission tags, designed by 18 famous artists, autographed and available for 25 cents apiece. Each one a collector’s item, entire sets may be purchased. The artists who are now working on the tags are as follows: James Turnbull, Howard Mandel, John Pike, Edmond Good, Karl [sic] Hubbell, Anton Refregier, Linda Walter, Dave Hufflne, Ethel Magafan, Edward Chavez, Miska Petersham, Lucil Blanch, Phoebe Towbin, Marianne Appel Mecklem, Reginald Wilson, Jay Allen, Edward L. Chase and John Striebel.
Jerry and Linda Walter are an attractive young couple who can pinch-hit for each other in turning out the feature. Jerry normally dreams up the gags and Linda does the art work, but they can switch about when the occasion demands.
Married shortly before Pearl Harbor, the Walters worked for an advertising agency before Mr. Walters [sic] became a navigator for the Atlantic Transport Command. After the war, they dreamed up Susie and have had a highly popular gal on their hands ever since.
Jerry and Linda working on Susie Q. Smith
American Newspaper Comics (2012) said Linda and Jerry (under the name Frank Walter) also created Jellybean Jones for King Features Syndicate and The Lively Ones for Newsday Specials.
The Times-Union, (Albany, New York), December 8, 2017, published the article “Woodstock Artists Cemetery good place to ponder art's power” which said in part, “…Look over there—the gravestone for Ethel Magafan Currie, American landscape painter. And there—actor Joseph Leon, Dr. Blackstock from "Sophie's Choice." And another—poet and cartoonist Linda Walter, who created “Susie Q. Smith” with her husband, Jerry….”
The Social Security Death has a “Linda Walter” who was born January 18, 1918 and died March 28, 2009. Her last known residence was Lake Hill, Ulster County, New York, which is about fives miles/8 kilometers west of Woodstock.
—Alex Jay
Labels: Ink-Slinger Profiles
Comments:
There is a substantial biography of cartoonist Linda Walter, along with her husband Jerry Waller in Mel Heiner's Famous Artists & Writers of King Features Syndicate (1949).
Linda Walter finally gets her final resting place:
https://www.dailycartoonist.com/index.php/2023/07/01/cartoonist-gets-her-final-resting-place/
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https://www.dailycartoonist.com/index.php/2023/07/01/cartoonist-gets-her-final-resting-place/
