Ink-Slinger Profiles by Alex Jay: Bud Thompson

Bernard Horace “Bud” Thompson was born on May 24, 1905, in Birmingham, England, according to his World War II draft card. At some point Thompson and his parents, Bert and Mabel, sailed to Canada. A July 1911 passenger list said they where at the port of Montreal seeking admission into the United States to travel to Minneapolis, Minnesota. In Minneapolis they became naturalized citizens. 

The 1920 U.S. Federal Census recorded the Thompson family in Minneapolis at 1336 Russell Avenue. Thompson’s father operated a barber shop. 

Thompson studied at the Minneapolis Art Institute. Thompson graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1928. He was a member of the fraternity Pi Alpha and the art editor of Ski-U-Mah, the school’s humor magazine. 

The 1928 Minneapolis city directory listed commercial artist Thompson at 111 West 34th Street.

On March 6, 1928 Thompson married Evelyn Sybil Syverson as recorded in the Minnesota marriage records at Ancestry.com.

In the 1930 census Thompson and his wife had a nine-month-old son. Also living with them was Thompson’s father-in-law, sister-in-law and a cousin. Thompson’s house was valued at seven-thousand dollars. His occupation was an artist for publications.

In 1919 Wilford “Capt. Billy” Hamilton Fawcett began his publishing empire in Robbinsdale, Minnesota. In 1931 Fawcett Publications moved to Minneapolis. 

Lambiek Comiclopedia said Thompson used the pen name Bruno Thompson on the series Screen Oddities which was written by Roscoe Fawcett, the youngest son of “Capt. Billy” Fawcett. The series’ name changed, on March 21, 1938, to Star Flashes and Thompson used the pen name Charles Bruno. American Newspaper Comics (2012) said the Bell Syndicate series ran from November 30, 1931 to March 13, 1943. The Evening Star carried Screen Oddities and Star Flashes. 

According to the 1940 census Thompson resided in Los Angeles, California at 6161 Whittsett. He and his wife had two sons and daughter. The household included his father-in-law. Thompson was a freelance artist.

On October 16, 1940, Thompson signed his World War II draft card. His address was 6161 Whittsett, North Hollywood, California. Thompson, a self-employed newspaper artist, was described as six feet one inch, 205 pounds, with hazel eyes and brown hair.

At some point Thompson moved to Greenwich, Connecticut. He may have gone there because Roscoe Fawcett had lived there in the early 1930s. A 1947 Greenwich directory said Thompson lived at 19 Woodland Drive and was a commercial artist working for “FP Inc” which stood for Fawcett Publications, Inc. In 1935 Fawcett Publications moved its headquarters to New York City and eventually published Captain Marvel and related comic books. Who’s Who of American Comic Books 1928–1999 said Thompson drew Captain Marvel Jr. from 1945 to 1953. Thompson was profiled in Alter Ego #64, January 2007; see the last two pages of the preview.

Thompson illustrated the 1947 book, Bar Nothing Ranch. 

The 1956 Greenwich directory said Thompson was an artist in Westport, Connecticut. The following year he was an art instructor in Westport. In 1960 and 1961 the directories listed him as a cartoonist. 

Thompson passed away in May 1980, in Chatham, Georgia. The Savannah, Georgia Cemetery Burial Lot Card, at Ancestry.com, said he died on May 8. The Georgia Death Index said he died on May 9. Thompson was laid to rest at Greenwich Cemetery.