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"In Memoriam: January, 2018"
8 years ago
Because I am in my sixties, I grew up remembering a lot of people in one capacity or another. Whether I had met them in person, or was familiar with their work (via some medium), each person was committed to my memory...
So, when I'd learned about the passing of several unique individuals this past week, it was too overwhelming for me to ignore them, and I'd like to share individual remembrances of each one...
Yesterday, I'd learned of the death of cartoon voice actor Doug Young, who was best known as 'Doggie Daddy' in all those classic Hanna-Barbera "Augie Doggie & Doggie Daddy" shorts in the 1960s. Doing a mock Jimmy Durante impression, 'Doggie Daddy' tries to put up with a lot of the antics of his son (voiced by Daws Butler) in each cartoon. Doug was 93...
When I'd joined the 'funny animal' APAzine "Rowrbrazzle" in 1989, I began to make friends with a lot of talented anthroartists. One of them was Marc Tucker, whose characters had a slightly abstract look about them - differentiating themselves from other contributor's animal characters. He was nice enough to even contribute his talents to one of my "Artist's Jams" from an anniversary issue. Current "Rowrbrazzle" editor Edd Vick informed current members and alumni alike about Tucker's death (via "Facebook") a few days ago.
During the 1980s and early 1990s, I used to visit IMCA - the International Museum of Cartoon Art - situated in a castle-shaped building in Rye, New York. There, I used to see a variety of artwork from comic strips, comic books, and animated films. (Even the walls of its restrooms were adorned with the graffiti from countless cartoonists from around the world.) I was going to miss this unique museum, when I'd moved to Pennsylvania in 1992...
Then, when I'd relocated a second time - from Pennsylvania to Florida - in 1994, I was unaware about one of the tourist attractions that was coming to the 'Sunshine State', a year later...
I had learned about IMCA's relocation to Mizner Park (and open-air mall) in Boca Raton. A large building was under construction at the south end of Mizner Park, and I knew that it was going to be something special, when I saw more cartoonist graffiti on the fence surrounding the construction site!
I'd forgotten the circumstances that led to my becoming an IMCA 'volunteer worker' - in a makeshift gift shop (next to the museum) - suffice it to say, 1995 was the most memorable year of my life, as I got to meet a number of professional artists during the annual National Cartoonists' Society convention (who'd visited said gift shop).
One year later, long after the museum officially opened, a special ceremony was held at City Hall, where each of the 'volunteer workers' got their picture taken with IMCA founder Mort Walker (artist/creator of "Beetle Bailey" and other comic strips).
Sadly, IMCA didn't draw in the huge crowds that Mr. Walker expected, and its closed its doors at the turn of the 21st Century. But, as loyal fan of his work, I'd continued to keep in touch with Mort: first, via 'snail-mail', and later via his "Facebook" wall.
On Saturday, January 27, 2018, I had learned of Mr. Walker's death (by pneumonia) in his Connecticut home. He was 94. (Ironically, my brother Glenn and I were driving through Boca Raton that day, passing by the museum building [now renovated into an office-and-store complex] and City Hall [where I got my photo-op taken with him]. Had I'd known about his passing, I would've asked Glenn to park his car and take a walk around the area, for nostalgia's sake...)
In the early 1970s, I took an interest in the National Lampoon - reading its raunchy (yet funny) articles and laughing at its many cartoons. In one particular issue, there was an Eva-Tone soundsheet (a flexible plastic record that's playable on most turntables), promoting a comedy album entitled "First Rush", performed by a New York-based stand-up comic named Chris Rush. Playing the soundsheet on my stereo, I was in hysterics, from start to finish (even though there was only seven minutes of sample material).
"Everyone watches television... Ray Charles watches television... He does. He watches Jose Feliciano..."
I eventually bought the album, and completely lost it - hearing the uncensored parts - as Rush rapped about religion, drugs, sex, and other topical subjects...
"The great sperm whale has the largest reproductive organ of any mammal on Earth... It looks like me, wearing a turtleneck sweater!"
Inevitably, I got to attend a few live performances of Chris Rush at several New York clubs: The Bottom Line in lower Manhattan, and Governors in Levittown. After each performance, I got him to autograph one of his albums...
"On 'Star Trek', Kirk was hot. He was intergalactic Bo Diddley. That S.O.B. got laid on every planet in the galaxy. And he had a great 'make-out line': 'Fuck me. It'll save the world'!"
The last time I saw Rush perform was at Governors in 1991. I was already cracking up audibly, when he singled me out and said, "You're getting 'laugh-face', aren't you? Just take a novacaine enema... It will sober you up!" Next thing I knew, I was on the floor!
I'd managed to keep in touch with Chris Rush over the last few years - via "Facebook" - until a few days ago, when I'd learned through one of his associates that he'd passed away (at 72 years of age)...
I'd always promised myself that if I wanted to commit suicide, all I had to do was go to a Chris Rush performance, and hope that I'd (literally) 'die laughing'. *Sigh* My morbid life goes on...
"At Catholic school, I was taught by a very strict, black-belt, Dominican nun... Sister Mary Himmel... She had rosary beads with a sidecar... There were no discipline problems in her class. If you caused any mischief, she'd point at you, look straight up, say 'Him!', and your eye would fall out! So, you didn't mess around with her!"
And this was only January... Hail and farewell, one and all...
So, when I'd learned about the passing of several unique individuals this past week, it was too overwhelming for me to ignore them, and I'd like to share individual remembrances of each one...
- - - - - - - - - - Yesterday, I'd learned of the death of cartoon voice actor Doug Young, who was best known as 'Doggie Daddy' in all those classic Hanna-Barbera "Augie Doggie & Doggie Daddy" shorts in the 1960s. Doing a mock Jimmy Durante impression, 'Doggie Daddy' tries to put up with a lot of the antics of his son (voiced by Daws Butler) in each cartoon. Doug was 93...
- - - - - - - - - - When I'd joined the 'funny animal' APAzine "Rowrbrazzle" in 1989, I began to make friends with a lot of talented anthroartists. One of them was Marc Tucker, whose characters had a slightly abstract look about them - differentiating themselves from other contributor's animal characters. He was nice enough to even contribute his talents to one of my "Artist's Jams" from an anniversary issue. Current "Rowrbrazzle" editor Edd Vick informed current members and alumni alike about Tucker's death (via "Facebook") a few days ago.
- - - - - - - - - - During the 1980s and early 1990s, I used to visit IMCA - the International Museum of Cartoon Art - situated in a castle-shaped building in Rye, New York. There, I used to see a variety of artwork from comic strips, comic books, and animated films. (Even the walls of its restrooms were adorned with the graffiti from countless cartoonists from around the world.) I was going to miss this unique museum, when I'd moved to Pennsylvania in 1992...
Then, when I'd relocated a second time - from Pennsylvania to Florida - in 1994, I was unaware about one of the tourist attractions that was coming to the 'Sunshine State', a year later...
I had learned about IMCA's relocation to Mizner Park (and open-air mall) in Boca Raton. A large building was under construction at the south end of Mizner Park, and I knew that it was going to be something special, when I saw more cartoonist graffiti on the fence surrounding the construction site!
I'd forgotten the circumstances that led to my becoming an IMCA 'volunteer worker' - in a makeshift gift shop (next to the museum) - suffice it to say, 1995 was the most memorable year of my life, as I got to meet a number of professional artists during the annual National Cartoonists' Society convention (who'd visited said gift shop).
One year later, long after the museum officially opened, a special ceremony was held at City Hall, where each of the 'volunteer workers' got their picture taken with IMCA founder Mort Walker (artist/creator of "Beetle Bailey" and other comic strips).
Sadly, IMCA didn't draw in the huge crowds that Mr. Walker expected, and its closed its doors at the turn of the 21st Century. But, as loyal fan of his work, I'd continued to keep in touch with Mort: first, via 'snail-mail', and later via his "Facebook" wall.
On Saturday, January 27, 2018, I had learned of Mr. Walker's death (by pneumonia) in his Connecticut home. He was 94. (Ironically, my brother Glenn and I were driving through Boca Raton that day, passing by the museum building [now renovated into an office-and-store complex] and City Hall [where I got my photo-op taken with him]. Had I'd known about his passing, I would've asked Glenn to park his car and take a walk around the area, for nostalgia's sake...)
- - - - - - - - - - In the early 1970s, I took an interest in the National Lampoon - reading its raunchy (yet funny) articles and laughing at its many cartoons. In one particular issue, there was an Eva-Tone soundsheet (a flexible plastic record that's playable on most turntables), promoting a comedy album entitled "First Rush", performed by a New York-based stand-up comic named Chris Rush. Playing the soundsheet on my stereo, I was in hysterics, from start to finish (even though there was only seven minutes of sample material).
"Everyone watches television... Ray Charles watches television... He does. He watches Jose Feliciano..."
I eventually bought the album, and completely lost it - hearing the uncensored parts - as Rush rapped about religion, drugs, sex, and other topical subjects...
"The great sperm whale has the largest reproductive organ of any mammal on Earth... It looks like me, wearing a turtleneck sweater!"
Inevitably, I got to attend a few live performances of Chris Rush at several New York clubs: The Bottom Line in lower Manhattan, and Governors in Levittown. After each performance, I got him to autograph one of his albums...
"On 'Star Trek', Kirk was hot. He was intergalactic Bo Diddley. That S.O.B. got laid on every planet in the galaxy. And he had a great 'make-out line': 'Fuck me. It'll save the world'!"
The last time I saw Rush perform was at Governors in 1991. I was already cracking up audibly, when he singled me out and said, "You're getting 'laugh-face', aren't you? Just take a novacaine enema... It will sober you up!" Next thing I knew, I was on the floor!
I'd managed to keep in touch with Chris Rush over the last few years - via "Facebook" - until a few days ago, when I'd learned through one of his associates that he'd passed away (at 72 years of age)...
I'd always promised myself that if I wanted to commit suicide, all I had to do was go to a Chris Rush performance, and hope that I'd (literally) 'die laughing'. *Sigh* My morbid life goes on...
"At Catholic school, I was taught by a very strict, black-belt, Dominican nun... Sister Mary Himmel... She had rosary beads with a sidecar... There were no discipline problems in her class. If you caused any mischief, she'd point at you, look straight up, say 'Him!', and your eye would fall out! So, you didn't mess around with her!"
- - - - - - - - - - And this was only January... Hail and farewell, one and all...
Mort Walker drew the talking animal comic strip Boner's Ark (clean family oriented humor despite the title) under his real first name Addison.