THE AUTUMN YEARS

 

ALWAYS LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE!

 

HAPPY EASTER!

 

LIVING ALONE

Being Alone

The Rabbit Hole!

Cartoonist Johnny Hart's birthday!

John Lewis Hart (February 18, 1931 – April 7, 2007) was an American cartoonist noted as the creator of the comic strips B.C. and The Wizard of Id. Brant Parker co-produced and illustrated The Wizard of Id. Hart was recognized with several awards, including the Swedish Adamson Award and five from the National Cartoonists Society. In his later years, he was known (and sometimes criticized) for incorporating Christian themes and messages into his strips. (WIKIPEDIA)

Johnny Hart's HARMON, a caveman done for Dr. Pepper ads was a forerunner to his B.C. 

Johnny Hart and Brant Parker were two of my earliest influences in the cartoon world. Their style, while very similar, differed in several ways and it was comparatively easy to recognize each other's work. 

                                                    

Their way of drawing very minimalistic images with just a few sparse lines caught my attention from the very moment I first saw their strips in the local newspaper and I must confess, I began to copy their style, carefully trying not to look exactly the same so as not to be accused of copyright infringement. 

                   

But their style can be seen in my first attempt at doing a comic book, with a character called EL MAFIOSO NICK (Mobster Nick), which ran in a few magazines before becoming a short lived comic book.    

                                         

I abandoned the Johnny Hart-Brant Parker school of cartooning and went on to develop a very different style myself although I still followed their work and never lost my admiration for them.

Of course, drawing style is one thing and the humor and ability to get a smile or a laugh in three or four panels is something else and not every cartoonist can achieve it the way Hart and Parker did. The humor in these strips was brilliant, sharp, witty and unexpected which is a testimony to their superb talent.

Their strips are still being kept alive by their respective collaborators with some degree of success but the heyday of B.C. and The Wizard of Id, rightfully belongs to the first era, when their creators were active and churning out their strips much to the acclaim of their millions of followers.

Brant Parker's WIZARD OF ID

Brant Parker

Johnny Hart

Johnny Hart passed away on April 7, 2007 and Brant Parker followed on April 15, 2007, only 8 days apart!

THE SHADOW KNOWS...AGAIN!

By the time you reach a certain age and you do not have anyone to share your life with, you realize you're chances of meeting someone are close to nil, so you accept the fact and move on with your existence...

However, the impulse is still there...and the shadow knows!

Happy New Year 2024...with Harry Harrison!

Harry Harrison was a radio personality, primarily in New York City, for over 50 years. Harrison is the only disc jockey to be a WMCA "Good Guy", a WABC "All-American", and a personality on WCBS-FM's oldies format. Harrison retired in June 2005. He was known as New York's "Morning Mayor" after having hosted morning drive time through most of his career.  In 1965, he recorded the holiday narration "May You Always", which was released as a single on Amy Records and made the Billboard Christmas singles chart that year. The recording has been a staple and airs every New Year's Eve on the radio station.

Harry Harrison died peacefully on January 28, 2020, at his home in Westwood, New Jersey, at the age of 89. 

 

This is a copy of the WCBS-FM letter that Harry sends out to those who request the lyrics. But, to truly appreciate it, you have to hear Harry read it.

THANKSGIVING DAY 2023

   

MORE TIPS FOR SENIORS

Or your iPhone, for that matter!

When you get older...you notice a few odd things!

THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING PANTS!

It is no mystery your body goes through many changes during your lifetime...but that doesn't mean you have to understand what's going on there!

Sightseeing at the Big Apple!

HAPPY EASTER 2023!

I thought the Easter Bunny came to hide the Easter Eggs but as it turns out, there's also an Easter Egg who delivers Chocolate Easter Bunnies!

But never fear...the Easter Bunny is still here!

The Mr. Magoo Cameos

 I love the cartoon character of Mister Magoo. I remember watching his antics at the movie theater and later on television. He's not the usual cartoon type of character. For one thing, he's a human. Not many human beings were featured as stars in those old classic animation shorts so it was kind of a departure.

WIKIPEDIA describes him like this: "Mr. Magoo is an elderly, wealthy, short-statured retiree who gets into a series of comical situations as a result of his extreme near-sightedness, compounded by his stubborn refusal to admit the problem".

Mr. Magoo was also featured in a series of comic books throughout the 50s and 60s,

and for a while, was even published as a syndicated comic strip. The strips were then compiled into a paperback which has been the only source I have relied upon to read them. 

Quincy Magoo was also prominently displayed in several General Electric ads:

So for me, it was only natural to include him as a cameo figure in several of my newspaper cartoons:

Even his nephew Waldo made an appearance!

Oh, Magoo! You've done it again!