Mort Walker

• Born 1923-09-03 · Died 2018-01-27

Mort Walker was an American comic strip writer, best known for creating the newspaper comic strips Beetle Bailey in 1950 and Hi and Lois in 1954. Editorial cartoons for Scarritt Scout, a mimeographed grade school newspaper, 1933. At age of 11, Walker makes his first cartoon sale to Child Life (Rand McNally) for one dollar, 1934. Walker enters and wins a national oil painting contest for ten dollars with a certificate of merit, 1940. Chief editorial designer, Hall Brothers (Hallmark Cards), 1941-1942. Drafted into United States Army, 1942. Discharged as First Lieutenant in 1946. Walker's experience in the Army served as inspiration for Beetle Bailey. Editor-in-Chief for Missouri Showme Magazine from the University of Missouri, 1946-1948. As part of a University of Missouri experiment, one of Walker's cartoons becomes the first to be transmitted via fax, 1947. Submits, with friend David Hornaday, a teenager comic strip to syndicates, but does not sell, 1947. Hired by Dell as an editor, working as editor-in-chief on [1000 Jokes](app://series/49576), Hollywood's Family Album (Dell, 1948 series), Film Fun (Dell, ? series), and assistant editor on Western Stars (Dell, 1948 series), and Sport (Dell, 1946 series), 1948. 1949 married Jean Suffill, had seven children, later divorced. Submits cartoons regularly to magazines, including one based off his friend David Hornaday, around a character named Spider to the Saturday Evening Post. The Post declines to make it a regular feature, and Walker reworks it into Beetle Bailey, 1950. Last comic strip to be personally approved by William Randolph Hearst, Beetle Bailey appears in twelve newspapers on September 4, 1950. The Korean War causes a change in direction of Beetle Bailey, as the titular character leaves college to join the army, 1951. Works with cartoonist [Dik Browne](app://creator/3400) to create the comic strip Hi and Lois, 1954. Creates comic strip Mrs. Fritz's Flats, 1957. Works with cartoonist [Jerry Dumas](app://creator/6335) to create the comic strip Sam's Strip, 1961. Creates with Dumas the spinoff strip, Sam and Silo, eventually passing it onto Jerry Dumas, 1977. Fifty animated Beetle Bailey cartoons produced by Paramount Pictures, Walker writes two cartoons, 1962. Walker creates comic strip Boner's Ark, eventually passing it onto cartoonist [Frank Johnson](app://creator/4400). August 24, 1985 married Catherine Carty, had three step-children. He was the founder of the Museum of Cartoon Art, 1974. Comic strip and comic strip syndication: Lime Juicers (Limejuicers) daily for the Kansas City Journal (Kansas City, Missouri), 1936, for one year. Submitted gag for the Li'l Abner topper, Advice fo' Chillun (United Feature Syndicate), published Sunday, October 24, 1937. Submitted strip Wake of the Wanderer to a syndicate but was rejected, 1938. Sunshine and Shadow comic strip for the American Dairy Review (Watt Publishing Company), 1939-1940. Beetle Bailey daily and Sunday (King Features Syndicate), 1950-2018 (writer throughout entire run; penciler, and inker through most of the run). Betty Boop and Friends daily (King Features Syndicate), 1984-1988 (writer). Boner’s Ark daily and Sunday (King Features Syndicate), 1968-1984 (writer). The Evermores daily and Sunday (King Features Syndicate), 1982-1985 (writer). Gamin and Patches daily and Sunday (United Feature Syndicate), 1987-1988 (writer). Hi and Lois daily and Sunday (King Features Syndicate), 1954-1990 (writer). Mrs. Fitz’s Flats daily (King Features Syndicate), 1957-1972 (writer). Sam and Silo daily and Sunday (King Features Syndicate), 1977-1981 (writer). Sam’s Strip daily (King Features Syndicate), 1961-1963 (writer).