From the Dick Buchanan Files: Gag Cartoon Clichés Part 6 1945 - 1956

Here we go with another in a series exploring classic gag cartoons and classic gag cartoon clichés. This would not be possible were it not for Dick Buchanan's vast file of great old gag cartoons lodged in his Greenwich Village abode. I really love this series, and am intrigued by all of the variations on these old, familiar tropes. Please join me in thanking Dick and enjoy these golden age cartoon clichés.



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GAG CARTOON CLICHÉS
 Part Six: 1945 – 1956

 
The words cliché and stereotype both come from the French and originally were synonymous terms.  Their meanings today are distinctly different.  A cliché is something hackneyed, such as an overly familiar or commonplace phrase, theme or expression while stereotype today refers to an often unfair and untrue belief many people may have about people or things with a particular characteristic.

In the wide world of gag cartooning some clichés still remain, but gags rooted in stereotypical images have gradually disappeared over time, to be replaced by a more introspective and personal approach to humor.

Today we eschew the present and take a look at some gag cartooning cliché’s from the mid-century era. Some of these clichés are relics of the bygone past, while others are still a part of the gag cartoon world.  A new twist on an old gag is always welcome. However, some subjects such as “Reading the Will” seem to have inspired little, if any, imagination.

This is the sixth installment of GAG CARTOONS CLICHÉS chosen from the vast Dick Buchanan Cartoon Clip File . . .



BURGLARS WITH MASKS.

1. RALPH NEWMAN. American Legion Magazine  March 1947.

2. DICK CAVALLI.  1000 Jokes Magazine  November, 1955 – January 1956.

3. VIRGIL PARTCH.  Collier’s  November 10, 1945.

GREETING CARDS.

1. DICK CAVALLI. American Legion Magazine  July, 1954.

2. KATE OSANN.  Collier’s  October 14, 1950.

3. MORT WALKER. The Saturday Evening Post  November 29, 1949.

OLD CODGERS.

1. TOM HUDSON. American Legion Magazine  September, 1953.

2. HENRY BOLTINOFF.  1000 Jokes Magazine Winter, 1952.

3. CHARLES ADDAMS. True Magazine  October, 1945.

READING THE WILL.

1. MARTHA BLANCHARD.  The Saturday Evening Post  May 30, 1953.

2. SYD HOFF.  True Magazine  June, 1952.

3. W. A. VANESLOW. 1000 Jokes Magazine  Fall, 1949.

THE LINEUP.


1. BOB BARNES.  American Legion Magazine  March, 1948.

2. RONALD LINDQUIST.  The Saturday Evening Post  May 30, 1953.

3. DON TOBIN. The Saturday Evening Post  June 24, 1950.

From the Dick Buchanan Files: Gag Cartoon Clichés 1948 - 1965 Part 5

Here we are half way through our trip looking at the golden age of magazine cartooning clichés (at least for the time being).

Dick Buchanan has scoured the pages of his extensive magazine collection housed at his Greenwich Village apartment and put these together for your edification and amusement. Thanks, Dick, and take it away:

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GAG CARTOON CLICHÉS

1948 – 1965

Thanks to the miracle of fiction I spend most of my time in the past. That’s a good thing. From what I understand the present is fraught with eminent peril.

This recent foray into the comic depths of the 20th Century has been in search of gag cartoon clichés. To my surprise, I found the most popular gag cartoon cliché during the mid-century was clearly the Boss and Secretary. The ever-popular “Desert Island” gags were second.

While some clichés from the past remain in use today—cavemen, for instance, have appeared regularly over the years up to the present. Others, thankfully, are relics of the past. They will not be missed.

This collection, the 5th installment of gag cartoon clichés, concludes the current series.


SCULPTURE


1. JOHN GALLAGHER. The Saturday Evening Post January 8, 1955.

2. ED DAHLIN. For Laughing Out Loud April-June, 1959.

3. JOHN GALLAGHER. American Legion Magazine November, 1952.

SHOE SALESMEN

1. GUSTAV LUNDBERG. True Magazine October,1945.

2. IRWIN CAPLAN. True Magazine February,1949.

3. ORLANDO BUSINO. 1000 Jokes Magazine March-May, 1959.

MISSING PERSONS

1. TOM HENDERSON. Look Magazine April 28, 1959.

2. DICK CAVALLI. American Legion Magazine October, 1952.

3. GARDNER REA. True Magazine July, 1950.

HORSE COSTUMES

1. E. SIMMS CAMPBELL. Judge November, 1934.

2. IRWIN CAPLAN. The Saturday Evening Post April 18, 1953.

3. BOB BARNES. Look Magazine April 25, 1961

SCANTILY CLAD WOMEN JUMPING OUT OF A CAKE



1. REAMER KELLER. True Magazine March, 1952.

2. CHARLES PEARSON. Collier’s July 17, 1948.

3. AL ROSS. 1000 Jokes Magazine For Laughing out Loud October-December, 1958.

 

From the Dick Buchanan Files: Gag Cartoon Clichés 1948 - 1965 Part 4

This is part 4 of a series exploring magazine cartoon clichés assembled by the one and only Dick Buchanan who harbors many magazines from the post-war "golden age of magazine cartooning" era, and is our guide in this incredible journey.


Take it away Dick, and thanks!


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GAG CARTOON CLICHÉS
1948 – 1965


Here some more gag cartoon clichés, part our seemingly never ending look at the gag cartoon world of the mid-20th Century. Illustrated by the cartoonists who made America laugh.


AFTER DINNER SPEAKERS


1. VAHAN SHIRVANIAN. For Laughing Out Loud October-December, 1958.

2. JOHN DEMPSEY. A Million Laughs Magazine May, 1966.

3. JERRY MARCUS. The Saturday Evening Post April 27, 1957.

MEN IN TRACTION


1. ORLANDO BUSINO. 1000 Jokes Magazine March-May,1957.

2. JOE ZEIS. The Saturday Evening Post April 27, 1958.

3. PETER PAUL PORGES. American Legion Magazine December, 1958.

ON THE WITNESS STAND


1. SALO ROTH. The Saturday Evening Post June 17, 1961.

2. BILL YATES. American Legion Magazine September, 1958.

3. HERB WILLIAMS. True Magazine October, 1948

THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE


1. TOM HENDERSON. American Legion Magazine April, 1956.

2. GUY MONTONE. True Magazine April, 1960.

3. MISCHA RICHTER. Look Magazine December 8, 1961.

PANHANDLERS


1. DANA FRADON. True Magazine November, 1949.

2. GARDNER REA. 1000 Jokes Magazine December-February, 1965.

3. LEE LORENZ. Look Magazine May 10, 1960.

From the Dick Buchanan Files: Gag Cartoon Clichés 1949 - 1965 Part 3

And the clichés continue. This is the third installment of classic gag cartoon clichés, all collected and annotated by my hard-working cartoon loving friend Dick Buchanan. It's fair to say that the pretty much all of these cartoons have not seen the light of day since their initial publication. And there are some doozies here.

Thank you, Dick, and take it away:

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GAG CARTOON CLICHÉS
1949 – 1965

Here some more gag cartoon clichés from the 1940’s and 1950’s that give us a glimpse of everyday life of Americans as portrayed by the great and near great cartoonists during the era of the great magazines of the day.

Some of these clichés have appeared on many lists of cartoon clichés while others are ones I found to be prevalent during the course of my usual haphazard research. Keep in mind yours truly actually lived during those “good old days” and it wasn’t always pretty. But it was often pretty funny, at least on the surface.


ORDERING IN A RESTAURANT

1. GUSTAV LUNDBERG. Collier’s December 9, 1950.

2. CLYDE LAMB. The Saturday Evening Post April 18, 1953.

3. WILLIAM O’BRIEN. American Legion Magazine June, 1954.

ASKING THE BOSS FOR A RAISE.


1. LEW FOLLETTE. American Legion Magazine December, 1953.

2. HERB WILLIAMS. American Magazine March, 1949.

3. GEORGE la MENDOLA (George Dole). Liberty Magazine April 1949.

COMPLAINT DEPARTMENT.


1. JOSEPH G. FARRIS. Collier’s August 20, 1954.

2. TOM HUDSON. For laughing Out Loud October-December, 1957.

3. AL KAUFMAN. Look Magazine March 28, 1961.

ALIENS ON VISIT EARTH.


1. BOB BARNES. BALLYHOO Fall, 1953.

2. MORT TEMES. True Magazine August, 1955.

3. VAHAN SHIRVANIAN. 1000 Jokes Magazine December-February, 1965.

ALIENS ON THEIR HOME PLANET.


1. JOHN BAILEY. Ballyhoo Fall, 1953.

2. J. B (BUD) HANDELSMAN. Look Magazine February 12, 1963.

3. JOHN NORMENT. BALLYHOO Fall, 1953.