Bud Fisher facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bud Fisher |
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Fisher in 1915
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| Born | Harry Conway Fisher April 3, 1885 Chicago, Illinois |
| Died | September 7, 1954 (aged 69) New York City |
| Nationality | American |
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Notable works
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Mutt and Jeff |
| Spouse(s) |
Pauline Margaret Welch
(m. 1912; div. 1917)Aedita de Beaumont
(m. 1925; separated 1925) |
Harry Conway "Bud" Fisher (April 3, 1885 – September 7, 1954) was a famous American cartoonist. He created Mutt and Jeff, which was the first really successful daily comic strip in the United States. His work changed how comic strips were made and enjoyed by people every day.
Bud Fisher's Early Life
Bud Fisher was born in Chicago, Illinois. His father was a merchant. After finishing high school, Fisher studied for three years at the University of Chicago.
He first tried a career in prizefighting, which is a type of boxing. Then, he started painting funny signs for shop windows. Soon, he began working at the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper. There, he quickly became a cartoonist.
On November 15, 1907, Fisher introduced his comic strip called A. Mutt. This strip later became known as Mutt and Jeff. It first appeared on the sports pages of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Before this, newspaper cartoons usually appeared as just one picture. Bud Fisher had a new idea. He told a funny story or "gag" using a series of pictures, or panels. This made his comic strip the first successful one in America to use this multi-panel format. This new way of drawing comics became very popular and is still used today.
The Famous Mutt and Jeff Comic Strip
The Mutt and Jeff comic strip became incredibly popular. Bud Fisher was able to get the copyright for his characters. This meant he owned the rights to them.
Because of its success, William Randolph Hearst offered Fisher a deal. Hearst owned the San Francisco Examiner and many other newspapers. Moving to Hearst's newspaper chain helped Mutt and Jeff reach many new readers all across the United States.
In 1911, a company called Nestor Studios started making Mutt and Jeff short film comedies. Fisher soon realized he could earn more money by making the films himself. So, in 1913, he started his own company, the Bud Fisher Film Corporation.
His company made many Mutt and Jeff short films. Between 1916 and 1926, they created 277 more films. Bud Fisher was often credited as the writer, animator, and director for these films. However, much of the animation was done by other talented artists like Raoul Barré and Charles Bowers. Many of the film plots were based on popular stories and fairy tales.
Mutt and Jeff was also published in comic books. All the money from his comic strip, films, and comic books made Bud Fisher a very rich man.
In 1932, Fisher allowed another cartoonist, Al Smith, to draw the strip. Smith drew Mutt and Jeff for 48 years under Fisher's guidance. After Fisher passed away in 1954, Smith continued to draw the strip until 1980. Then, George Breisacher took over for the final two years of the comic strip.
Bud Fisher's Life Outside Comics
On April 20, 1912, Bud Fisher married Pauline Margaret Welch. She was an actress. They later divorced in 1917.
On October 25, 1925, Fisher married Aedita de Beaumont. They separated after only four weeks but never officially divorced. After Fisher's death, the ownership of the Mutt and Jeff strip went to Aedita de Beaumont. When she died in 1985, her son from an earlier marriage, Pierre de Beaumont, inherited the rights.
Bud Fisher also loved Thoroughbred racehorses. He owned many of them. In 1924, his horse Nellie Morse won the Preakness Stakes. This was a very big achievement, as she was only the fourth female horse to win that race. In the same year, his horse Mr. Mutt finished second in the Belmont Stakes.
Bud Fisher passed away on September 7, 1954, at the age of 69. He died from cancer in New York City. He was buried in the Woodlawn Cemetery in The Bronx, New York City.
