Mort Walker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mort Walker |
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Walker in April 2016
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| Born | Addison Morton Walker September 3, 1923 El Dorado, Kansas, U.S. |
| Died | January 27, 2018 (aged 94) Stamford, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Area(s) | Cartoonist, Writer, Artist |
| Pseudonym(s) | Addison |
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Notable works
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| Awards | full list |
| Spouse(s) |
Jean Suffill
(m. 1949; div. 1985)Catherine Prentice
(m. 1985) |
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| Military career | |
| Service/ |
U.S. Army |
| Years of service | 1943–1947 |
| Rank | First lieutenant |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Mort Walker (born September 3, 1923 – died January 27, 2018) was an American comic strip writer. He is famous for creating the newspaper comic strips Beetle Bailey in 1950 and Hi and Lois in 1954. Sometimes, he signed his work with the name Addison.
Contents
Early Life and Creative Beginnings
Mort Walker was born in El Dorado, Kansas. His family later moved to Kansas City, Missouri. His father was an architect, and his mother was a newspaper illustrator. Mort had a talent for drawing from a young age.
First Cartoons and High School
Mort drew for his student newspaper in elementary school. He sold his first cartoon at age 12. By 14, he regularly sold cartoons to magazines. When he was 15, he drew a comic strip called The Lime Juicers. He also worked as an artist for a publisher. At 18, he became a chief designer for Hallmark Brothers. He helped change their cards from cute bears to funny cartoons, which soldiers liked.
College Years and The Shack
After high school, Mort attended Kansas City Junior College. He then went to the University of Missouri. A famous burger place called The Shack was near the university. Mort often visited it, and it even appeared in his Beetle Bailey cartoons. Today, a replica of The Shack stands at the university. There is also a life-sized bronze statue of Beetle Bailey there.
Military Service in World War II
In 1943, Mort Walker joined the United States Army. He served in Italy during World War II. He was an intelligence officer and managed a camp for German prisoners of war. After the war, he was in charge of an Italian guard company. He left the army in 1947 as a first lieutenant. In 1948, he graduated from the University of Missouri.
Creating Famous Comic Strips
After college, Mort moved to New York to become a cartoonist. He started with a one-panel series called Spider for The Saturday Evening Post. It was about a lazy college student.
From Spider to Beetle Bailey
Mort realized he could earn more money with a multi-panel comic strip. So, Spider changed into Beetle Bailey. This comic strip became very popular. It was printed in 1,800 newspapers in over 50 countries. About 200 million people read it every day.
Other Popular Comics
In 1954, Mort Walker worked with Dik Browne to create Hi and Lois. This strip was a spin-off from Beetle Bailey, as Lois is Beetle's sister. Mort also created other comic strips. These include Boner's Ark, Mrs. Fitz's Flats, and Sam and Silo.
Museum of Cartoon Art
In 1974, Mort Walker opened the Museum of Cartoon Art. This was the first museum dedicated to the art of comics. It moved to different locations over the years, ending up in Boca Raton, Florida.
Books and Publications
Mort Walker wrote many books. He collected his comic strips into 92 Beetle Bailey paperbacks and 35 Hi and Lois paperbacks. He also wrote his autobiography, Mort Walker's Scrapbook.
The Lexicon of Comicana
In 1980, he wrote The Lexicon of Comicana. This book was a funny look at the special drawings cartoonists use. In it, he made popular a vocabulary called Symbolia. This includes symbols like "sweat marks" for nervousness or "speed lines" for fast movement.
The Best of Times Magazine
In 2006, Mort launched a free magazine called The Best of Times. It featured artwork, puzzles, cartoons, and articles. His son, Neal Walker, was the editor.
Exhibitions and Recognition
In September 2000, the University of Missouri held an exhibition. It celebrated Beetle Bailey's 50th anniversary. The exhibition showed original comic strips and posters.
Awards and Honors
Mort Walker received many awards for his work.
- In 1974, he founded the National Cartoon Museum.
- In 1989, he was added to the Museum of Cartoon Art Hall of Fame.
- He won the Reuben Award in 1953 for Beetle Bailey.
- He also received the National Cartoonists Society's Humor Strip Award in 1966 and 1969.
- In 2000, the United States Army gave him the Decoration for Distinguished Civilian Service.
- He received the Sparky Award for lifetime achievement in 2010.
- In 2017, he was honored at Yankee Stadium for his service in World War II.
Personal Life
Mort Walker married Jean Suffill in 1949. They had seven children together. Their marriage ended in 1985. He then married Catherine Prentice in 1985. Mort had three stepchildren through Catherine. Mort's sons, Brian and Greg Walker, continue to produce the Hi and Lois comic strip today.
Mort Walker passed away from complications of pneumonia on January 27, 2018. He was 94 years old.
See also
In Spanish: Mort Walker para niños
