Today We Celebrate the Birthday of...

It's the birthday of cartoonist Charles Schulz (books by this author), born in Minneapolis, Minnesota (1922). His parents left school after third grade, and his father was a barber who supported the family on 35 cent haircuts. Every Sunday, Schulz and his father read the "funny pages" together, and the boy hoped to become a cartoonist someday. But he had a tough time in school — he felt picked on by teachers and other students. He was smart enough to skip ahead a couple of grades, but that only made it worse. He wished someone would recognize his artistic talent, but his cartoons weren't even accepted by the high school yearbook.

After high school, he was drafted into the Army; his mother died of cancer a couple of days before he left. When he came home, he moved in with his father in the apartment above the barbershop. He got a job teaching at Art Instruction, a correspondence course for cartooning that he had taken as a high schooler. There he fell in love with a red-haired woman named Donna Mae Johnson, who worked in the accounting department. They dated for a while, but when he asked her to marry him, she turned him down and soon after married someone else. Schulz was devastated, and remained bitter about it for the rest of his life. He said: "I can think of no more emotionally damaging loss than to be turned down by someone whom you love very much. A person who not only turns you down, but almost immediately will marry the victor. What a bitter blow that is."

Schulz started publishing a cartoon strip called L'il Folks in the local paper, the St. Paul Pioneer Press, but they dropped it after a couple of years. Schulz sent some of his favorite L'il Folks cartoons to the United Features Syndicate, and in 1950, the first Peanuts strip appeared in nine national newspapers, including The New York Times and The Boston Globe. The first strip introduced Charlie Brown, and Snoopy made an appearance two days later. The rest of the Peanuts characters were added slowly over the years: Linus, Lucy, Schroeder, Pig Pen, Peppermint Patty, and many more. Throughout the years, the object of Charlie Brown's unrequited love is known simply as The Little Red-Haired Girl.

Peanuts was eventually syndicated in more than 2,500 newspapers worldwide, and there were more than 300 million Peanuts books sold, as well as 40 TV specials, four movies, and a Broadway play.

Charles Schulz said: "My whole life has been one of rejection. Women. Dogs. Comic strips."

— Courtesy THE WRITER'S ALMANAC

Got a photo with your favorite PEANUTS character?

The Charles M. Schulz Museum is requesting digital photos of people taken with their beloved Peanuts dolls, products, memorabilia, clothing, etc. for our upcoming exhibit Useable Loveable Peanuts (December 15, 2012-April 28, 2013). Scanned photos taken between the dates of 1950s-1985 are desired. Pictures can only be received in digital format via email. Please do not send originals. Send your digital pictures to exhibitproduction@schulzmuseum.org

Digital photos will be exhibited in Useable Loveable Peanuts only! Photos will not be reproduced for commercial use. By sending in a photo you are accepting these terms of display.

This will help our friends at the Charles M. Schulz Museum. Thanks gang.

— ME

Fall Meeting 2012... it was GREAT!

As the autumn of 2012 roars ahead into full color, the North Central Chapter turns over a new leaf and prepares to close out the year with a mile-stone chapter meeting in that town that we like to call the best-kept-secret of the Plains, Sioux Falls, SD. Why, it was only last year when Paul Fell, chapter treasurer, and I were driving southward toward Kansas City for a Toonfest planning meeting, when he turned to me and said, “Why don’t you ask [Ann] Telnaes to be our guest speaker for the fall meeting?”
“But Paul, that’s nearly a year away. What’s the rush?” I replied.

Knowing how these things go, I sent an email to Ann, seeing her schedule might permit a trip to the Midwest in October and would she be obliging. To my delight and surprise, she agreed.

Once that hurtle was cleared, I contacted our point man, er, person in South Dakota, the one and only Ken Alvine. He said not to worry; he’d get right on it. Despite his mild-mannered demeanor, Ken can really hustle when the demands are high. This time he really out did himself. He had about 90% of the meeting planned and locked in before we had the judging meeting for the Reuben Awards in February.

The theme of the meeting, and we have themes so rarely, was “The Art of Editorial Cartoons in An Election Year.” The schedule included a panel discussion at the downtown public library which featured Patrick Lalley, editor of the Sioux Falls Argus Leader newspaper; Paul Fell, syndicated editorial cartoonist; Ed Fischer, editorial cartoonist formerly with the Omaha World Herald; and Jeff Koterba, editorial cartoonist for the Omaha World Herald and author. Later a welcome and reception were held at the new art gallery at Augustana College. Once we’d been fed and made welcome, Ann Telnaes, Pulitzer Prize winner and editorial cartoonist for the Washington Post was joined on stage with Joel Johnson, professor of Political Science at Augustana College to discuss Ann’s work, her new app, and then Q&A from the audience.

Then it was off to Jackie Dusseau Beilke and BrianBeilke’s house for an evening of relaxation, lively chats, and light dining and refreshments with the gang. Man, do those Beilke’s know how to party! Hell, they even remodeled part of the house for us… a-hem!

After breakfast we had our Chapter meeting, for NCS members only. How Fell got in, I’ll never know. I’d tell you what we discussed but it falls under the category of Double Top Secret. Those of us with things to sell could be found at Zanbroz Bookstore, just a couple blocks from our hotel. Books, posters, and left over beer bottles were autographed for the buying public.

Then lunch!!! Ken had made arrangements for an incredible lunch for all of us at Minervas restaurant, Sioux Falls’ answer to fine dining. And believe me, it was soooo fine! The second best cup of coffee I’ve ever had, and I’ve had many from Honolulu to Austria. If you’re ever in Sioux Falls, plan on a meal at Minervas.

After lunch it was back to the downtown public library for presentations by Dave Carpenter who told us of his years of success as a contributing cartoonist to various well-known magazines. Then it was Kelly McNutt’s turn at bat. He gave a presentation on his incredible animation work.

Once the presentations were completed it was off to the home of Chris and Carroll Browne for a let-your-hair-down kind of evening and an incredible dinner!

I don’t know how we’re going to top this chapter meeting. Those who made the effort to put it all together did one helluva job! Thank you, one and all.

A great time was had by all...

It was a night to be remembered. The North Central Chapter's Fall 2012 meeting reached its zenith with an incredible party at the home of Chris and Carroll Browne. As always, the Browne's always make their guests feel right at home and this night was no exception. Thank you Chris and Carroll.

WELCOME NCS NORTH CENTRAL CARTOONISTS TO SIOUX FALLS! YEE HA!!

Sioux Falls is right around the corner!

You got Ken's email (Sept 4) about the hotel reservations... right?
Here's the reminder that the Holiday Inn City Center (where we'll be meeting) needs your reservation by Sept 11 (TUESDAY) if you want the $94 per night room rate. Don't wait! Call them NOW if you don't have your room — 605-339-2000 and be sure to mention "National Cartoonist Society."

If you need any other additional info, contact Ken Alvine at smoments7@aol.com or by phone at 605-366-9434 or his cell at 605-310-0780. He's the go-to-guy on this.
Also, for those who are attending would you please send Ken one of your drawing that he can have copied off. You can use this art to autograph instead of doing a new drawing for all the request you will receive for a drawing and autograph.

If you are planning on attending Ken would appreciate it if you would let him know.
It is going to be a great meeting.

Thank you.

Fell's 15 minutes of fame!

Our very own Paul Fell can now retire a happy man... in today's (August 26, 2012) edition of the NEW YORK TIMES, the SUNDAY New York Times, Kate Murphy's piece on Randy Moody, co-chairman of Republicans for Planned Parenthood made mention of our fellow North Central Chapter member, Paul Fell.
When you see Paul at the Disney Toonfest next month, or at the Fall chapter meeting in October, be sure to ask him for his autograph.

ME

Syd Hoff website

I received an email from Syd Hoff's niece, Carol Edmonston, yesterday. It reads like this:

I’m thrilled to let you know that www.SydHoff.org has just been updated and expanded in anticipation of Syd Hoff’s September 4th centennial. The site now includes a rich selection of his cartoons from a multitude of national publications – cartoons which still have relevance in today’s world. Other additions include many Ad Commissions, Mystery Short Stories he wrote, his life Time-Line, and a Kids Page featuring the “how to’s” of cartooning using letters and numbers. It also includes a new section dedicated to cartoons he drew under his alias, A. Redfield, for left-wing publications during the 1930s, along with a PDF down-loadable chapter- “Syd Hoff – A.Redfield…Two Sides of the Same Coin.”

It is my intention to honor Syd’s legacy by having this website become a ‘living’ book - easy to update and expand – and one that anyone can locate. Please pass the word along to others and help me celebrate one of our country’s most prolific cartoonists and beloved children’s authors.

Warmly,

Carol…. Syd’s niece

www.SydHoff.org

www.ARedfield.com

Stop Mickey Mousing around...

TIMES A-WASTIN'

It's been a month, that's 30-days in cartoonist speak, and Paul's getting wild. We need examples of your incredible artwork for the Disney Toonfest and we need it now! Come on gang, it's not that tough. You've done it before. The Toonfest needs our support.
So far only five members have sent art. You have the details of what we're looking for.

This time it's even easier. Just EMAIL 2 or 3 electronic files to Paul Fell at pfell@neb.rr.com (or me, medholm1@mac.com) that we can print off (color or black and white; 300 dpi would be preferred) or PACK UP 2 or 3 originals (matted or mounted, please) and get them off to the Toonfest office.

Disney Toonfest
207 Main Street USA
Marceline MO 64658
USA

ART ENCLOSED/DO NOT FOLD

And, as always, the Toonfest will pay to return all mailed artwork (back to you).

An infestation at the Comic-Con

It took a while, but the UNDERCOVER COCKROACH comic book is now printed and made its debut at the 2012 Comic-Con International last weekend. No, I didn't go this year. Shea Butler took a stack of the comic books with her to San Diego and made the rounds. She sent me my copies along with a new t-shirt and one of the super-size bags from the Con. She's so sweet. :-)
Now we'll see if the comic leads to an animated series or a series of animated shorts.
Thanks Shea and Cheryl for the opportunity to create this book. It's been a ton of fun!