Belvedere (comic strip)
Encyclopedia
Belvedere is a single panel comic strip
created by George Webster Crenshaw which ran from 1962 to 1995. The star of the strip is a white dog
with black spots. The classic strips are still distributed by Johansen International Features.
, and Chi-Chi, a talking bird
. Belvedere never talks, but he is very intelligent and somehow makes his thoughts and desires known. He is very spoiled and causes lots of problems for his family, the dogcatcher, and the butcher
. Belvedere also makes trouble for the local museum (which displays dinosaur
bones), and the veterinarian
.
Al Wiseman, who co-wrote the Dennis the Menace
comic book based on the daily comic strip (on which Crenshaw worked at one time), also contributed to the Belvedere strip.
Crenshaw used the pseudonym Nat Greenwood on some books, including Belvedere (1965) and Belvedere: A Pooch Full of Tricks (1975).
for Walt Disney
, having worked on Fantasia
, Pinocchio
, and Donald Duck
cartoons, as well as MGM Tom and Jerry
shorts and Speaking of Animals for Paramount
.
Crenshaw created the comic strips The Muffins (1956), Gumdrop (1960s), Nubbin (1958–1969), McGirk's Works (1959), Simpkins (1971) and Nerdly in addition to Belvedere. His work has appeared in such publications as The National Enquirer
, The New Yorker
, Woman's World
and Reader's Digest
. As a comic book
artist, he drew Woody Woodpecker
, Bugs Bunny
and Disney characters.
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
created by George Webster Crenshaw which ran from 1962 to 1995. The star of the strip is a white dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
with black spots. The classic strips are still distributed by Johansen International Features.
Characters and story
Belvedere is one of three pets who belong to a married couple with no children. The others are Jezebel, a catCat
The cat , also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felids and felines, is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and for its ability to hunt vermin and household pests...
, and Chi-Chi, a talking bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
. Belvedere never talks, but he is very intelligent and somehow makes his thoughts and desires known. He is very spoiled and causes lots of problems for his family, the dogcatcher, and the butcher
Butcher
A butcher is a person who may slaughter animals, dress their flesh, sell their meat or any combination of these three tasks. They may prepare standard cuts of meat, poultry, fish and shellfish for sale in retail or wholesale food establishments...
. Belvedere also makes trouble for the local museum (which displays dinosaur
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
bones), and the veterinarian
Veterinarian
A veterinary physician, colloquially called a vet, shortened from veterinarian or veterinary surgeon , is a professional who treats disease, disorder and injury in animals....
.
Al Wiseman, who co-wrote the Dennis the Menace
Dennis the Menace (U.S.)
Dennis the Menace is a daily syndicated newspaper comic strip originally created, written and illustrated by Hank Ketcham. It debuted on March 12, 1951 in 16 newspapers and was originally distributed by Post-Hall Syndicate...
comic book based on the daily comic strip (on which Crenshaw worked at one time), also contributed to the Belvedere strip.
Books
Crenshaw's books include Belvedere & Friend (1982), All Dogs Must Be on Leash (1982), The Odds Are (1982), Now Just One Minute! (1983) Don't Push Your Luck (1984), Purpose of Loan: One Carload of Crunchie-Munchies, Hot Dog! (1987), Flapjacks (1990), Beware ... Obedience School Dropout (1991), How Was That for a Karate Chop? (1991), I Said I'm Not Ready to Get Up Yet (1991), Next Time I'll Pack the Food (1991) and Bone Pie (1992).Crenshaw used the pseudonym Nat Greenwood on some books, including Belvedere (1965) and Belvedere: A Pooch Full of Tricks (1975).
George Crenshaw
George Webster Crenshaw (October 1913 - September 6, 2007) went to UCLA and Harvard. He was an animatorAnimator
An animator is an artist who creates multiple images that give an illusion of movement called animation when displayed in rapid sequence; the images are called frames and key frames. Animators can work in a variety of fields including film, television, video games, and the internet. Usually, an...
for Walt Disney
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
, having worked on Fantasia
Fantasia (film)
Fantasia is a 1940 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and released by Walt Disney Productions. The third feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, the film consists of eight animated segments set to pieces of classical music conducted by Leopold Stokowski, seven of which are...
, Pinocchio
Pinocchio (1940 film)
Pinocchio is a 1940 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and based on the story The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi. It is the second film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics, and it was made after the success of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and was released to theaters by...
, and Donald Duck
Donald Duck
Donald Fauntleroy Duck is a cartoon character created in 1934 at Walt Disney Productions and licensed by The Walt Disney Company. Donald is an anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a sailor suit with a cap and a black or red bow tie. Donald is most...
cartoons, as well as MGM Tom and Jerry
Tom and Jerry
Tom and Jerry are the cat and mouse cartoon characters that were evolved starting in 1939.Tom and Jerry also may refer to:Cartoon works featuring the cat and mouse so named:* The Tom and Jerry Show...
shorts and Speaking of Animals for Paramount
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
.
Crenshaw created the comic strips The Muffins (1956), Gumdrop (1960s), Nubbin (1958–1969), McGirk's Works (1959), Simpkins (1971) and Nerdly in addition to Belvedere. His work has appeared in such publications as The National Enquirer
The National Enquirer
The National Enquirer is an American supermarket tabloid now published by American Media Inc . Founded in 1926, the tabloid has gone through a variety of changes over the years....
, The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
, Woman's World
Woman's World
Woman's World is an American supermarket weekly magazine with a circulation of 1.6 million readers. Generally marketed with other tabloid papers, it concentrates on short stories about popular woman-focused subjects such as weight loss , relationship advice and cooking, though also...
and Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest is a general interest family magazine, published ten times annually. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, its headquarters is now in New York City. It was founded in 1922, by DeWitt Wallace and Lila Bell Wallace...
. As a comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
artist, he drew Woody Woodpecker
Woody Woodpecker
Woody Woodpecker is an animated cartoon character, an anthropomorphic acorn woodpecker who appeared in theatrical short films produced by the Walter Lantz animation studio and distributed by Universal Pictures...
, Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny is a animated character created in 1938 at Leon Schlesinger Productions, later Warner Bros. Cartoons. Bugs is an anthropomorphic gray rabbit and is famous for his flippant, insouciant personality and his portrayal as a trickster. He has primarily appeared in animated cartoons, most...
and Disney characters.