Mark Stokes has posted what he is calling a rare photo of a collection of cartoonist celebrating Beetle Bailey creator Mort Walker’s 40th birthday. Photo was taken September 3, 1963 and includes: Jack Tippit, Bill Yates, Frank Roberge, Tony DiPreta, John Cullen Murphy, Gill Fox, Dik Browne; Bud Jones, Frank Johnson, Orlando Busino, Jerry Dumas, Mort, Jerry Marcus, Dick Cavalli, Bob Weber, and Pulitzer winning editorial cartoonist, John Fischetti.
Every one of them wearing a tie and/or coat! I’ve been to quite a number of gatherings of cartoonists in recent years, and I can count on one hand the number of cartoonists I’ve seen wearing a tie. Except during the Reuben award banquet, and even then there are always guys who manage to avoid wearing one. At least today’s cartoonists have, by and large, carried on the tradition of alcoholic beverage consumption. ;0)
Too bad some cartoonists, including Walt Kelly, Chic Young, V.T. Hamlin, and ultimately Charles Schulz, were snubbed out of Mort Walker’s 40th. birthday and the pic.
Nice spot John. I watch the old B&W footage from baseball games and wish more people dressed up.
Darryl, I don’t think there was any kind of snub at all. It was simply a birthday party, and every one of the cartoonists in the photo lived in Connecticut, as did Mort. Sparky was in California, Chic Young in Florida. Hamlin never lived in the area. Kelly I believe was in NYC, but to broadly imply there was a snub doesn’t ring true.
And Sparky wouldn’t fly! … @1, John, my Dad wore a tie and jacket to work everyday when I was young … those guys were great!
in 1963…I was just starting to draw cartoons..I was in my diaper though…