Integrative Arts 10
Artists Biographies Part 2
E.Z. Segar - Thimble Theater (Popeye)
E.C. Segar's THIMBLE THEATER comic strip
was a decade old before Popeye the Sailor joined Olive
Oyl, Castor Oyl and Ham Gravy as a regular cast member in
1929. Popeye rapidly became one of the most popular
characters of the 1930s. The success of the strip -- as
well as the series of animated cartoons produced by Max
Fleischer and the countless products bearing the salty
sailor's crusty image -- helped make Popeye's creator a
wealthy man. Tragically, in 1938 at the peak of his
success, Segar passed away. A succession of artists
continue his creation in the newspaper, film, television
and merchandising media. It is a tribute to the genius of
E.C. Segar that today, nearly half a century after the
cartoonist's death, Popeye remains one of the most
universally recognized of all comic characters. - Study Points - Lowlife strips
- Whimpy coins hamburger 1936
- Army asks permission to use name jeep for its new vehicle
-
- WALT DISNEY (1901 - 1966)
- Although he gave up drawing at an early point in his
career, Walt Disney was a visionary whose impact on the
art form cannot be overestimated. From the early silent
films he produced during the 1920s, to the design of
theme parks he devoted himself to later in his life,
Disney changed the face of American culture. His artistic
direction, choice of talented staff and technical
innovations established him as a creative genius of the
first rank. His studio's achievements in comic strips,
comic books and animated films brought new levels of
excellence to cartoon art. His 1928 creation, Mickey
Mouse, whose film voice for many years was done by the
great Disney himself, still reigns today as one of the
most recognizable personalities in the world.
Milton Caniff (1907-1988) - Terry and
the Pirates
The "Rembrandt of the Comics,"
Milton Caniff is responsible for creating two masterpieces of
graphic adventure, TERRY AND THE PIRATES in 1934 and STEVE
CANYON in 1947. His cinematic sense of composition and bold
use of light and shadow influenced generations of illustrative
comic artists, revolutionizing the style of the story strip.
Caniff's richly woven plots, exotic settings and memorable
characters also established him as one of the greatest
storytellers ever to work in the comics. An original founder of
the National Cartoonists Society and the winner of its Reuben
Award as the best cartoonist of the year in 1946 and 1971, Milton
Caniff worked until his death in 1988, a significant force in
cartooning for more than half a century.
Hal Foster (1892-1982)- Prince
Valiant
The era
of the adventure strip was underway in 1929, when Hal Foster,
already a successful commercial illustrator, was commissioned to
do the first newspaper adaptation of Edgar Rice Burrough's TARZAN.
By 1937, Foster had decided it was time to try his hand at
launching an original creation -- PRINCE VALIANT. More
ambitious than the conventional adventure strips of the time,
Foster's PRINCE VALIANT is an epic tale of Arthurian
legend, weaving history, romance and chivalry into a seamless
narrative continuity. It is considered by many to be the most
beautifully illustrated and brilliantly written comic feature of
all time. Foster went into semi-retirement in 1970; the PRINCE
VALIANT legacy has been carried on by John Cullen Murphy and
his son, Cullen.
Alex Raymond (1909 - 1956) - Flash
Gordon
One of
the most talented and versatile illustrative cartoonists ever to
work in the comic medium, Alex Raymond is credited with creating
an unprecedented four successful adventure strips -- FLASH
GORDON, JUNGLE JIM, SECRET AGENT X-9 and RIP KIRBY. From
1934, when he introduced the first three of these classic
features for King Features Syndicate, until 1956, when he died
tragically in an automobile accident, Alex Raymond refined his
elegant style and literate scripts to become one of the great
virtuosos of graphic storytelling. His most famous work, FLASH
GORDON, is still regarded as one of the best of all adventure
strips. Although many gifted artists have continued Raymond's
creation, none have equaled the master's achievements.
Chester Gould (1900 - 1985)- Dick Tracy
A
two-time Reuben Award winner as the best cartoonist of the year
in 1959 and 1977, Chester Gould's classic plain-clothes
detective, Dick Tracy, first started his endless battle against
crime back in 1931. Gould retired on Christmas Day, 1977, after
46 years, 2 months and 21 days of single-minded devotion to his
creation but still worked as a consultant to the cartoonists who
continued the strip until his death in 1985. A meticulous
researcher when it came to depicting accurate police procedures
in DICK TRACY, Gould received many awards from police
departments and law enforcement agencies around the country. He
was also highly respected by his fans and peers as one of the
greatest storytellers in the history of comics.
Al Capp (1909 - 1979) - Lil’ Abner
forum of
cultural debate - starts as a lowlife strip based on Yokum family
- laziest family in the country - ultimate conservative ideology
Dogpatch, U.S.A., Sadie Hawkins Day, Kickapoo Joy Juice, Schmoos
and Kigmies are just a few of the lasting inspirations that Al
Capp contributed to American folk legend. His comic strip
creation, L'IL ABNER, which debuted in 1934, became Capp's
vehicle for lampooning the shortcomings of the human race. A
volatile and controversial personality, Capp attacked the protest
movement of the 1960s as vehemently as he denounced McCarthyism
in the 1950s, earning him enemies as well as admirers. Political
comment was only one of Al Capp's many tools, however. He also
used suspense, slapstick, satire, strong characterization and
occasional surrealism in making L'IL ABNER one of the most
hilarious and unpredictable comic strips in cartoon history.
RUBE GOLDBERG (1883 - 1970) Rube Goldberg's
Inventions
An
inspired genius, Rube Goldberg was the creator of such notable
comic features as BOOB MCNUTT, FOOLISH QUESTIONS, MIKE AND
IKE, I'M THE GUY, LALAPALOOZA and FOOLISH INVENTIONS. He was
also the founder of the National Cartoonists Society and winner
of its highest award, the Reuben -- which, naturally, was named
for him. He received the Pulitzer Prize for editorial cartooning
in 1948 and became a highly acclaimed sculptor in his later
years. A "Rube Goldberg device" is commonly defined as
a contraption that accomplishes by complex means what seemingly
could be done simply. This lasting contribution to the English
language sums up Rube Goldberg's zany comic view of the world in
which he lived.
Bill Mauldin - At the Front
1942 first Pulitzer prize winning comic strip
Walt Kelly (1913 - 1973) - Pogo
Liberal minded, Crude, ignorant animal characters in the deep
south.
Like a number of other successful newspaper cartoonists of his
day, Walt Kelly learned his craft as an animator at the Walt
Disney Studios between 1935 and 1941 and the Disney style was
always evident in his work. After a brief stint as a comic book
artist and an editorial cartoonist, Kelly launched his
masterpiece, POGO, in 1949. The strip featured a colorful
cast of furry and not-so-furry creatures who inhabited the
Okefenokee Swamp, including Pogo, Albert, Howland Owl, P.T.
Bridgeport, Beuregard, and Churchy la Femme. Out of the mouths of
these innocent animals came everything from profound musings on
the human condition to downright nonsense. The superb artistry,
satirical humor and playful language of POGO enchanted
millions of readers and even now, years after his death in 1973,
Kelly still has a loyal following.
Charles Schutz (1922 - ) - Peanuts
1948
walks the philosophical middle ground
Charles "Sparky" Schulz launched his comic strip
creation PEANUTS in 1950 with a modest list of seven
newspapers. It has since become one of the most successful
cartoon features of all time, appearing in more than 2000
newspapers. Its characters, Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy,
Schroeder, Pig Pen and of course, Snoopy, are international
superstars. Schulz has won countless awards, including the Reuben
as the best cartoonist of the year in 1955 and 1964 as well as
numbers Emmys for his PEANUTS television specials. In
spite of all the financial success and critical acclaim he has
received, Charles Schulz remains a modest man, proud of the fact
that he still writes, draws, inks and letters his beloved
creation and that PEANUTS will never be produced by other
hands.
Dik Browne (1917 - 1989) HAGAR
THE HORRIBLE / HI & LOIS
Affectionately known by his peers in the profession as the
"cartoonist's cartoonist," Dik Browne was universally
loved by his family, friends and fans as a gentle, wise and
generous soul. After gaining experience in the 1940s as a
magazine and advertising illustrator, Dik broke into the comics
field when he teamed up with Mort Walker on his then-new
creation, HI & LOIS, in 1954. In 1973, he launched his own
strip, HAGAR THE HORRIBLE, which skyrocketed in popularity in a
few short years and is now one of the top features in the
business. Dik won the Reuben Award from the National Cartoonists
Society as the best cartoonist of the year in 1962 and 1973, the
only comic strip artist ever honored for his work on two
different features. HAGAR has been continued by Dik's son, Chris,
while his other son, Chance, draws HI & LOIS, which is
written by Mort Walker's sons, Brian and Greg.
Gary Trudeau Doonesberry
Garry Trudeau was raised in
Saranac lake, NY and attended Yale University, where he received
both his B.A. and M.F.A. He launched his comic strip Doonesbury
in 1970, and five years later won the first Pulitzer Prize ever
awarded to a comic strip artist. Doonesbury currently appears in
more than 1,400 papers daily and Sunday in the United States and
abroad. Trudeau's work has been collected in more than 60
hardcover, trade paperback and mass paperback editions, which
have cumulatively sold more than 7 million copies worldwide. He
has contributed articles to publications such as Harper's,
Rolling Stone, New York and The New Republic, and he is currently
an occasional columnist for the op-ed page of The New York Times.
In 1977, Trudeau working with John and Faith Hubley, wrote and
co-directed his animated film, A Doonesbury Special, for NBC. The
film was nominated for an Academy Award and received the Special
Jury Prize a the Cannes Film Festival.
In 1983, collaborating with composer Elizabeth Swados, Trudeau
wrote the book and lyrics for Doonesbury: A Musical Comedy, for
Broadway, for which he was nominated for two Drama Desk Awards. A
second collaboration with Swados, Rap Master Ronnie, a political
revue, was an Off-Broadway hit in 1984, and updated regional
productions ran continuously until 1988, when it was adapted for
TV as an HBO special.
In 1988, Trudeau wrote and co-produced with director Robert
Altman the critically praised HBO series Tanner '88 which
received several awards, including Best Television Series at the
Cannes Television Festival and British Academy Award for Best
Foreign Television Program.
Trudeau has received honorary doctorates from Yale, Colgate,
Williams, Smith, Duke and 15 other universities. He currently
resides in New York City with his wife, Jane Pauley, and their
three children.
Doonesbury is in 1,400 newspapers.
Doonesberry
Home Page
Cathy Guisewite Cathy
Cathy Guisewite is the
creator of the comic strip, Cathy, which will celebrate its 20th
anniversary in syndication November 22, 1996. The strip
chronicles the trials, tribulations and inherent humor in the
life of America's favorite single career woman, and appears in
more than 1,400 newspapers worldwide.
Cathy products ranging from stationery items to sleepwear are
found in gift, card and department stores nationwide. There are
more than 30 collections of Cathy cartoons in print; the most
recent, Understanding the "Why" Chromosome, was
published by Andrews and McMeel in the fall of 1995.
Guisewite is the recipient of numerous awards, including the
prestigious Reuben Award for "Outstanding Cartoonist of the
Year" by the National Cartoonists Society in 1993. The strip
has also been nominated for "Best Comic Strip" on
numerous occasions. In 1987, Guisewite received an Emmy for
"Outstanding Animated Program" for her first animated
special, "Cathy," which aired on CBS. Two more animated
specials have been broadcast in the U.S., "Cathy's Last
Resort" and "Cathy's Valentine," both receiving
high acclaim from critics. Guisewite has received several
honorary degrees as well.
Born in Dayton, Ohio, Guisewite attended the University of
Michigan in Ann Arbor, and received a B.A. in English in 1972.
After graduating, she went into advertising as a writer for
Campbell-Ewald Advertising (1972-73) and Norman Prady Ltd.
(1973-74). As a vice president, she left W.B. Doner & Co.
Advertising in 1977.
Cathy is a member of the National Cartoonists Society, NOW,
and Hollywood Women's Political Committee. She is included in
Who's Who in America, Who's Who of American Women, Who's Who in
American Journalism, and The International Authors' and Writers'
Who's Who.
Read
about the characters
- William B. Watterson II (b.1958) Calvin
& Hobbes
William B. Watterson II was born on
July 5, 1958, in Washington, D.C. He moved at age 6 to
Chagrin Falls, Ohio. He was educated at Kenyon College in
Gambier (1976-1980), where he received a B.A. in
Political Science. Watterson is married, with Melissa,
but he doesn't have any children.
When Watterson read his first comic, he knew that he
wanted to be a cartoonist. 'Calvin and Hobbes' was not
his first strip; he has been drawing comics almost his
whole life. At high-school he drew comics for the school
newspaper and when he attended college, he drew for the
'Kenyon Collegian'. After college he got a job as
political cartoonist by the Cincinnati Post, but was
fired within a couple of months. After that he made
several comics, but they were all rejected by the
newspaper syndicates. Finally he got to the top with
Calvin and Hobbes, which appears in over 2,300 newspapers
worldwide, And there are now more than 23 million Calvin
books in print. But success can hardly be said to have
gone to Watterson's head. He lives quietly in Hudson,
Ohio. He declines fabulous wealth by refusing to
merchandise his characters. - "Besides being well drawn and well written, 'Calvin
and Hobbes' is unusual," says NCS president Mell
Lazerus. "It captured everybody's interest
overnight."
- In a letter to newspaper editors announcing his
retirement, Watterson stated: "This is not a recent
or easy decision, and I leave with some sadness. My
interests have shifted, however, and I believe I've done
what I can do within the constraints of daily deadlines
and small panels. I am eager to work at a more thoughtful
pace, with fewer artistic compromises. I have not yet
decided on future projects, but my relationship with
Universal Press Syndicate will continue."
- Watterson was nominated for the 1992 Reuben Award for
"Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year" by the
National Cartoonists Society, and won the 1986 and 1988
Reuben Awards. In 1986, he was the youngest recipient to
ever win the award.
-
- Here is Watterson's own biographical account, as supplied
by the man himself.
Bill Watterson squandered a rather unremarkable childhood
reading the comics in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. By the time he
graduated from high school, his own primitive cartoons
had appeared in the school newspaper and yearbook, and
not a few stall doors of various boys' rooms.
- At Kenyon College, fellow delinquents encouraged
Watterson to pursue political cartooning. Watterson's
chronicles of the Carter years proved to be amongst his
most humorous work ever, the insights into foreign policy
being especially laughable. In an effort to remedy this,
Watterson majored in political science and, thanks to a
friend with access to the school's computer, Watterson
earned a degree in 1980. A major Cincinnati daily
immediately offered him a job as editorial cartoonist,
but within a matter of months, the editor returned from
the sanitarium and Watterson was fired. Disillusioned,
Watterson turned to comic strips. The next few years were
not proud ones, and only a well-tuned, used Fiat kept
Watterson from the law's grasp. Rejection slips and debts
piled up, and eventually his parents sold him into
slavery as a lay-out artist for a sleazy tabloid shopper.
There, in the dank and windowless basement of a
convenience store, submitting to the idiot whims of a
maniacal tyrant, Watterson developed that carefree,
happy-go-lucky view of life that so permeates all his
cartoons.
- Tidbits:
- He looks somewhat like the father character, judging from
the few photos of him available.
His favorite strips: Charles Schulz's "Peanuts"
featuring Charlie Brown and Snoopy. He also likes
old-time strips "Krazy Kat" and
"Pogo."
He rarely appears in public.
He almost never gives interviews. --"Privacy is very
important to him," says Lazerus. "He doesn't
belong to the National Cartoonists Society. I've met him
only once - briefly."
"Calvin's energy is unhindered by common
sense," he once said. "His parents sometimes
wish they'd gotten a dog instead."
-
- Visit
the most informative C&H page on the net!
-
- For a sample of the evil merchandising empire created by
a cartoonist interested in only the bottom line, follow
this link to the shameless and vile Garfield.com site.
- Scott Adams - Dilbert
