Comic strip and magazine cartoonist Bob Weber, Sr. has passed away.
Robert P. (Bob) Weber, Sr.
June 26, 1934 – October 17, 2020
It is being reported on social media that Bob Weber has passed away:
Just heard that gag cartoonist and longtime King Features’ Moose and Molly comic strip artist Bob Weber, Sr. passed away in his sleep last night. He was 86.
From the funeral home obituary:
Bob Weber, Sr., creator of Moose & Molly and co-creator of Slylock Fox & Comics for Kids, lived what he loved doing best for 55 years as a Syndicated Cartoonist. On Saturday, October 17th, 2020 after 86 years, 3 months, and 21 days on Earth, Bob passed peacefully from this life into the arms of Jesus where he is now eternally resting.
There will be no services scheduled at this time.
Bob began his cartooning career as a magazine cartoonist in 1953.
He became a successful magazine cartoonist, and by 1959 it was his full-time job. His gag cartoons appeared in most of the magazines of the day: Saturday Evening Post, True, American Legion, McCall’s, Argosy, Look, 1000 Jokes, and many others.
Helping to become full-time in 1959 was becoming assistant and gag writer for Dick Cavalli’s Morty Meekle (Winthrop) in that year. Bob continued with Cavalli for five years, still contributing magazine cartoons, and writing gags for other cartoonists and comic strips (e.g.: Barney Google and Snuffy Smith and “many other top strips”).
That mostly ended when King Features Syndicate took on Bob’s Moose comic strip in 1965.
King Features knew Bob well as a regular contributor to their Laff-A-Day panel.
Laff-A-Day © King Features Syndicate
A sense of humor second to none and a clean, pleasing big-foot/bulbous nose cartooning style, it was inevitable that Bob and Moose would be a success.
Moose/Moose and Molly © King Features Syndicate
Moose/Moose Miller/Moose and Molly would run for 55 years, from 1965 to 2020.
Bob retired Moose earlier this year.
Bob continued to assist his son, Bob Weber, Jr. on Slylock Fox and Comics For Kids as he had for decades (as son had assisted father on Moose for decades).
Slylock Fox and Comics for Kids © King Features Syndicate
Five years ago Comics Kingdom and Mark Johnson celebrated 50 years of Moose.
The opening photo and magazine cartoons from Mike Lynch’s blog tagged Bob Weber.
More on Bob from Richard Marschall and the Yesterday’s Papers site.
I expect both friends of Bob will have remembrances soon.
We mourn the loss of a funny and good man, and send condolences to his family.
I was so sorry to hear of the passing of Bob, yesterday. Years ago I interviewed him on radio and we became great friends over the years. If there’s anything good about the “pandemic” we’ve had, it’s been that I’ve had opportunity to speak with him a number of times throughout this year. The last time was on Oct. 2nd.
He’d usually always start a personal story off by saying, “If I’ve told you this before, please stop me.” But I SWEAR that RARELY did I need do that. He was an unbelievable story teller and incredible stories at that! Whether it was someone famous that he once knew or a very humorous anecdote of something from his past. WOW! He truly was the Forrest Gump of all cartoonists and it was my honor to know him.
I’m going to forever miss our conversations however long I remain on this planet but I know we’ll share them again in Heaven one day.
The funeral home obituary has appeared; unfortunately they are using a cartoon from The New Yorker memorial of their Robert Weber who passed in 2016. Hoping they change it soon.
https://sellarsfuneralservices.com/tribute/details/9504/Bob-Weber-Sr/obituary.html