above (from left): Brian Walker, Mort Walker, Jerry Dumas, Neal Walker
Filmmaker Dave Walker, grandson of Mort, made a short film about the creation of a Beetle Bailey daily strip – from idea to finished comic strip, with early Mort cartooning thrown in for icing.
Says Brian Walker in his introduction to the short:
Since its launch in 1950, Beetle Bailey has appeared every day in newspapers all over the world. After sixty-five years and 25,089 unique comic strips, new ideas are hard to come by for creator Mort Walker and his three sons, who make up the creative team. Fortunately, like any good military outfit, they have a regimented system and a sense of duty to get the job done. “Reveille – A Family Legacy in Comics” lifts the curtain up on the family business that produces this iconic piece of Americana.
The daily saw print on April 25, 2014.