Russell Johnson (cartoonist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Russell Johnson
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| Born | December 10, 1893 |
| Died | September 7, 1995 (aged 101) Gibson City, Illinois
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| Alma mater | School of the Art Institute of Chicago Dixon College and Norman School |
| Occupation | Cartoonist |
| Known for | Creator/artist of Mister Oswald |
Russell Johnson (born December 10, 1893 – died September 7, 1995) was an American cartoonist. He was famous for creating and drawing Mister Oswald. This was a comic strip that appeared every month for over 60 years! It was published in a magazine called Hardware Retailing, which was for people who owned hardware stores.
The comic strip showed a lot about American business life. It was seen through the eyes of the main character, Oscar S. Oswald. He was a well-known person in the made-up town of Dippy Center, USA. Even though the comic was mostly known by hardware store owners, a book called Forty Years With Mister Oswald was made in 1968. It collected many of the comic strips.
Contents
Russell Johnson's Early Life and Art
Russell Johnson was born on a farm near Gibson City, Illinois. He finished school at Dixon College and Norman School in 1915. After that, he left his small town for the big city of Chicago. He got a job at Montgomery Ward, a large store.
Johnson loved comic strip characters who went on sea adventures. So, during World War I, he joined the US Navy. He was a great shot from hunting when he was younger. Because of this, he became a shooting instructor instead of serving on a ship. He spent the rest of his time in the Navy on land. While in the Navy, Johnson also started drawing cartoons for a Navy newspaper called Afloat and Ashore.
Learning to Draw Comics
After the war, Johnson took night classes in Chicago. He studied at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts. His teachers included famous cartoonists like Billy DeBeck, who created Barney Google. Another teacher was Carl Ed, who created Harold Teen.
The Birth of Mister Oswald
In 1921, Johnson went back to Gibson City. He started working in his father's hardware store. Besides his regular work, he drew cartoons for the store's window displays every Tuesday. Johnson's aunt saw his drawings and helped him get cartoon jobs in local newspapers.
Soon, the editor of Hardware Retailing magazine asked him to draw cartoons for them. He started drawing for the magazine in 1925. Two years later, in October 1927, Mister Oswald was created. It first appeared as a 12-panel comic strip, like a Sunday newspaper page. It was titled "It's a Sad Store, Mates."
Other Comic Strips by Johnson
In the early 1930s, Johnson also worked for other companies. He drew strips like Bunker Bunk and the Boys (about people who sell goods to stores). He also made Sellem and Son (about salespeople). He created Adam and Steve for The Sporting Goods Dealer magazine. Plus, he drew a full-page comic every month for the Remington Arms Company.
Mister Oswald: A Look at History
The Mister Oswald comic strip is like a time capsule of American social history. It shows how one part of business, the hardware store, changed over many years. For people who miss old family-owned stores, Johnson's comic strip keeps their history alive.
Johnson knew a lot about hardware stores because he ran one himself. He also ran a shoe store! He got many ideas for his cartoons from his daily life.
Later Years and Legacy
Eventually, Johnson stopped drawing his other comic strips. He focused only on Mister Oswald. He retired from owning stores in 1963. But he kept drawing his comic strip for many more years. Finally, in 1989, when he was 95 years old, he handed the strip over to another artist, Larry Day. Russell Johnson had worked on Mister Oswald for 62 years!
Even after retiring, Johnson kept drawing. He tried to create a new comic strip about retired people, but it was never published. Russell Johnson passed away on September 7, 1995, at the age of 101.
