Stoo Hample facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Stoo Hample
|
|
|---|---|
Hample drawing in 1948. The photo was retouched to include the cartoon image of himself at a later date.
|
|
| Born | January 6, 1926 Binghamton, New York |
| Died | September 19, 2010 (aged 84) New York City, New York |
| Occupation | Writer, illustrator |
| Nationality | American |
| Genre | Children's books, humor, theater |
| Years active | 1946–2010 |
| Notable works | The Silly Book, "Children's Letters to God" |
Stuart E. Hample (born January 6, 1926 – died September 19, 2010), also known as Stoo Hample, was an American writer, artist, and performer. He wrote books for kids, plays, and drew comic strips. He was famous for books like Children's Letters to God and The Silly Book. He also created the comic strip Inside Woody Allen. Sometimes he used the names Joe Marthen or Turner Brown, Jr.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Stoo Hample loved drawing from a very young age. He started drawing even before kindergarten. When he was 17, he joined the United States Navy. He served in the Submarine Service during World War II. After the war, he went to college. He studied English and drama at the University at Buffalo. He graduated in 1950.
Stoo Hample's Career
Stoo Hample had a very creative career. He worked in many different areas.
Early Performances
In 1946, Stoo Hample started performing. He was a "musical cartoonist." He drew pictures in time with music. He performed with symphony orchestras at concerts for kids and families.
In 1948, he worked on TV shows in Buffalo, New York. He wrote and starred in a comedy show called Cartoon Capers. He also had a children's show called Junior Jamboree. Later, he was sometimes a guest host on the NBC show Birthday House. In the 1950s, he appeared often on the CBS-TV children's show Captain Kangaroo. On that show, he was known as "Mister Artist."
Comic Strips and Books
In the mid-1950s, he worked as an assistant to another cartoonist, Al Capp. Later, he created his own popular comic strip called Inside Woody Allen. He also had another comic strip called Rich and Famous. Because he had two comic strips at once, he used a different name, Joe Marthen, for a short time.
Stoo Hample wrote many books, especially for children. Two of his most famous books are The Silly Book and Children's Letters to God. The Children's Letters to God books were co-edited with Eric Marshall. These books share funny and thoughtful letters that real children wrote to God.
He also wrote plays and musicals. One of his plays, Alms for the Middle Class, was performed in two different theaters at the same time. Before he passed away, he was working on a play about the radio comedian Fred Allen.
Stoo Hample's Works
Stoo Hample created many different types of works.
Books by Stoo Hample
- The Silly Book (1961)
- Mr. Nobody & the Umbrella Bug (1962)
- Doodles the Deer-Horse (1963)
- Children's Letters to God (1966)
- More Children's Letters to God (1967)
- Blood for Holly Warner (1967)
- My Darling Mao (1968)
- Black Is (1969) (under the name Turner Brown, Jr.)
- God is a Good Friend to Have (1969)
- Stu Hample's Silly Joke Book (1978)
- Non-Being & Somethingness (1978)
- Hugging, Hitting & Other Family Matters (1979)
- Yet Another Big, Fat, Funny Silly Book (1980)
- Children's Letters to God (1991)
- Dear Mr. President (1993)
- Grandma, Grandpa & Me (1997)
- Me & My Dad (1999)
- My Mom's the Best Mom (2000)
- All the Sincerity in Hollywood (2001)
- You Stink! I Love You (2003)
- Happy Cat Day (2004)
- I Will Kiss You: Lots & Lots & Lots (2006)
- Stoo Hample's Book of Bad Manners (2006)
- Dread & Superficiality: Woody Allen as Comic Strip (2009)
- The Silly Book With CD (2010)
Plays by Stoo Hample
- Alms for the Middle Class
- Paint the Icebergs
- The Most Trusted Man in America
- All the Sincerity in Hollywood
Musicals by Stoo Hample
- The Fig Leaves Are Falling
- The Selling of the President
- Children's Letters to God
Television Shows by Stoo Hample
- Children's Letters to God (NBC Special)
- The Great Radio Comedians (PBS Special)
- Kate & Allie (CBS)
- That Girl in Wonderland (ABC - animated pilot)
- Festival of Family Classics: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (ABC - animated)
Comic Strips by Stoo Hample
- Inside Woody Allen
- Rich & Famous
- Children's Letters to God
Magazine Work by Stoo Hample
- Weekly humor page in New York Magazine called "The Apple" (1968)
- Weekly humor page in New Times Magazine called "Fellow Citizens" (1969)
- Monthly cartoon page in Cat Fancy Magazine called "Tiger's Tales" (2006)
