George Fisher (cartoonist) facts for kids

George Fisher (born April 8, 1923 – died December 15, 2003) was a famous American cartoonist who drew pictures about politics. He was known for his clever and funny drawings that often made people think about important issues.

Early Life and First Cartoons

George Fisher was born on April 8, 1923, near Searcy, Arkansas. His father, Charles W. Fisher, built homes and owned businesses. George's mother passed away when he was only five years old. His father encouraged George's artistic talent and suggested he draw about political topics.

George's first cartoon was published in 1944. It made fun of Arkansas governor Homer Martin Adkins for taking credit for factories built during wartime in Arkansas.

Joining the Army and War Service

After attending Beebe College for a year, Fisher joined the United States Army on June 6, 1943. He was part of the 417th Infantry, 76th Division. He trained in California and Wisconsin before fighting in Europe. He was involved in battles in the Argonne Forest, Rhineland, and Central Europe.

Fisher reached the rank of Staff Sergeant and received a Bronze Star Medal for his brave service. He fought as an infantryman in the Battle of the Bulge, which was a very important battle in World War II. While in the army, Fisher kept a daily cartoon diary of his experiences. He also drew cartoons for his regiment's newspaper.

Meeting Rosemary Snook

While stationed in Bournemouth, England, Fisher met an artist named Rosemary Snook. After the war, they got married. Fisher started a fun tradition: he would hide his wife's nickname, "Snooky," in most of his cartoons. Finding the hidden "Snooky" became a favorite game for people who read his cartoons regularly!

Becoming a Cartoonist

After the war, Fisher returned to West Memphis, Arkansas. He began drawing cartoons for the West Memphis News. This newspaper was run by other soldiers who had returned from the war. They wanted to challenge the powerful political machine that controlled local and statewide politics at the time. Fisher worked there until the newspaper had to close down.

Fisher then moved to Little Rock, Arkansas. He started doing commercial art for the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company. When television became popular, Fisher and his wife got a job at the local ABC TV station, KATV. They created a puppet show called Phydeaux and His Friends. This show was special because it used puppets to make political satire, which means it made fun of political events and people in a clever way. Even important political figures, like Governor Orval Faubus, appeared on the show!

Fisher later convinced the North Little Rock Times, a weekly newspaper, to publish his political cartoons. Soon, other newspapers started reprinting his cartoons in their Sunday editions.

Working for the Arkansas Gazette

In 1972, Fisher began drawing cartoons twice a week for the statewide Arkansas Gazette newspaper. By 1976, he became the newspaper's official cartoonist. Fisher became very popular in Arkansas and was seen as an important part of the state's culture.

Fisher's work was not published all over the country because he preferred to focus mostly on events in his home state of Arkansas. However, many of his cartoons were still reprinted in newspapers across the nation.

Later Life and Legacy

George Fisher passed away from a Heart Attack on December 15, 2003, at his home. He had just finished drawing a Christmas cartoon for the Arkansas Times.

His wife, Rosemary, had died in 1983. But Fisher continued to hide her nickname, "Snooky," in his cartoons as a special way to remember and honor her.

One of Fisher's most famous cartoons in Arkansas showed Governor Orval Faubus speaking to the Arkansas legislature. In the drawing, everyone in the room, even the mice and statues, had Governor Faubus's face! This cartoon cleverly showed how much power the governor had.

His most famous cartoon that was reprinted nationally was about the sad Space Shuttle Challenger disaster.

George Fisher's work has been included in several collections of cartoons. He is remembered as one of the great cartoonists of the 20th century. He was buried at Beebe Cemetery in Beebe, Arkansas.

This article is originated from Internet-Encyclopedia, December 22, 2003.