Bruce Tinsley
Encyclopedia
Edward Bruce Tinsley IV (born 1958) is an American
cartoonist
, best known for his politically conservative comic strip
Mallard Fillmore
.
. He is a graduate of Bellarmine University
with a degree in political science
. While in High School, he won a cartoon contest sponsored by Louisville's Voice Newspaper chain, and began working as an editorial cartoonist
at age 16. He attended the University of Missouri
in Columbia, Missouri
, studying journalism, and then worked for The Daily Progress
as an editorial cartoonist. He quickly established himself in Virginia
, winning three Virginia Press Association Awards for Best Editorial Cartoon.
. (Kennedy would later rise to editor-in-chief at King Features before his death in 2007.) While developing Mallard Fillmore for potential syndication under Kennedy's direction, Tinsley won a Reader's Digest
Fellowship to Indiana University
School of Journalism, and attended graduate school at Indiana University
. Mallard Fillmore launched in 1994 and is still published today. Two collections were released early in the series' run, Mallard Fillmore and Mallard Fillmore On the Stump, but none have been produced since 1996.
In 1996, the Denver Post cancelled Mallard Fillmore, claiming it was "mean-spirited." After being deluged with letters from readers, the paper reinstated the strip with a front page story covering the comic's reinstatement, saying simply, "we were wrong." Mallard Fillmore still appears in the Denver Post. When the editorial page editor who had originally cancelled the comic strip died, Tinsley was asked to contribute artwork as part of her memorial service.
Tinsley was named the 1998 Conservative Journalist of the Year at the 1998 Conservative Political Action Conference
(CPAC) in Washington, D.C.
.
On December 4, 2006, Tinsley was arrested for DUI with a blood alcohol level of 0.14, just below twice the legal limit in Indiana, according to the Bartholomew County Sheriff's Department. He posted $755 bond, and was set to appear in trial on January 3, 2007.[2]. He was quoted at the time in local Columbus paper as stating that his arrest was by an officer about whom Tinsley had complained, because of the officer's behavior several years ago. Tinsley later lampooned Judge Roderick McGillivray in his nationally syndicated comic strip on November 4, 2008, encouraging voters to cross party lines and vote for the best candidate in any election (McGillivray is Republican). Despite Columbus going in favor of McCain in the presidential election, McGillivray lost the election to his Democratic opponent, Kathleen (Kitty) Coriden.
In 2008, the Muskegon Chronicle
replaced Mallard Fillmore with the comparably conservative strip Prickly City
but soon reinstated it, prompting editor Paul Keep to write: "It's not crow I'm tasting today, It's DUCK."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
cartoonist
Cartoonist
A cartoonist is a person who specializes in drawing cartoons. This work is usually humorous, mainly created for entertainment, political commentary or advertising...
, best known for his politically conservative comic strip
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....
Mallard Fillmore
Mallard Fillmore
Mallard Fillmore is a comic strip written and illustrated by Bruce Tinsley that has been syndicated by King Features Syndicate since May 30, 1994. The strip follows the exploits of its title character, an anthropomorphic green-plumaged duck who works as a politically conservative reporter at...
.
Early life and education
Tinsley was born in Louisville, KentuckyLouisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
. He is a graduate of Bellarmine University
Bellarmine University
Bellarmine University is an independent, private, Catholic university in Louisville, Kentucky. The liberal arts institution opened on October 3, 1950, as Bellarmine College, established by Archbishop John A. Floersh of the Archdiocese of Louisville and named after the Cardinal Saint Robert...
with a degree in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
. While in High School, he won a cartoon contest sponsored by Louisville's Voice Newspaper chain, and began working as an editorial cartoonist
Editorial cartoonist
An editorial cartoonist, also known as a political cartoonist, is an artist who draws editorial cartoons that contain some level of political or social commentary....
at age 16. He attended the University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
in Columbia, Missouri
Columbia, Missouri
Columbia is the fifth-largest city in Missouri, and the largest city in Mid-Missouri. With a population of 108,500 as of the 2010 Census, it is the principal municipality of the Columbia Metropolitan Area, a region of 164,283 residents. The city serves as the county seat of Boone County and as the...
, studying journalism, and then worked for The Daily Progress
The Daily Progress
The Daily Progress is the sole daily newspaper in the vicinity of Charlottesville, Virginia. It has been published continuously since 1892. According to the newspaper history published in the 75th anniversary edition in September, 1967, the paper was founded by James Lindsay...
as an editorial cartoonist. He quickly established himself in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, winning three Virginia Press Association Awards for Best Editorial Cartoon.
Career
Jay Kennedy, a comics editor working for King Features, saw Mallard Fillmore in the Washington Times and contacted Tinsley, as Kennedy had been looking for the conservative response to DoonesburyDoonesbury
Doonesbury is a comic strip by American cartoonist Garry Trudeau, that chronicles the adventures and lives of an array of characters of various ages, professions, and backgrounds, from the President of the United States to the title character, Michael Doonesbury, who has progressed from a college...
. (Kennedy would later rise to editor-in-chief at King Features before his death in 2007.) While developing Mallard Fillmore for potential syndication under Kennedy's direction, Tinsley won a 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...
Fellowship to Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
School of Journalism, and attended graduate school at Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
. Mallard Fillmore launched in 1994 and is still published today. Two collections were released early in the series' run, Mallard Fillmore and Mallard Fillmore On the Stump, but none have been produced since 1996.
In 1996, the Denver Post cancelled Mallard Fillmore, claiming it was "mean-spirited." After being deluged with letters from readers, the paper reinstated the strip with a front page story covering the comic's reinstatement, saying simply, "we were wrong." Mallard Fillmore still appears in the Denver Post. When the editorial page editor who had originally cancelled the comic strip died, Tinsley was asked to contribute artwork as part of her memorial service.
Tinsley was named the 1998 Conservative Journalist of the Year at the 1998 Conservative Political Action Conference
Conservative Political Action Conference
The Conservative Political Action Conference is an annual political conference attended by conservative activists and elected officials from across the United States....
(CPAC) in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
.
On December 4, 2006, Tinsley was arrested for DUI with a blood alcohol level of 0.14, just below twice the legal limit in Indiana, according to the Bartholomew County Sheriff's Department. He posted $755 bond, and was set to appear in trial on January 3, 2007.[2]. He was quoted at the time in local Columbus paper as stating that his arrest was by an officer about whom Tinsley had complained, because of the officer's behavior several years ago. Tinsley later lampooned Judge Roderick McGillivray in his nationally syndicated comic strip on November 4, 2008, encouraging voters to cross party lines and vote for the best candidate in any election (McGillivray is Republican). Despite Columbus going in favor of McCain in the presidential election, McGillivray lost the election to his Democratic opponent, Kathleen (Kitty) Coriden.
In 2008, the Muskegon Chronicle
Muskegon Chronicle
The Muskegon Chronicle is a daily newspaper in Muskegon, Michigan owned by Booth newspapers. It started publication in the early-to-mid-19th century. In May 2007, the paper celebrated 150 years. Click the Muskegon Chronicle on Mlive.com link below and look for 150 years in right column under...
replaced Mallard Fillmore with the comparably conservative strip Prickly City
Prickly City
Prickly City is a daily comic strip drawn by Scott Stantis, the editorial cartoonist for the Chicago Tribune, and distributed through United Features Syndicate. The cartoon follows the adventures of Carmen, a young Hispanic girl in pigtails, and a coyote pup named Winslow...
but soon reinstated it, prompting editor Paul Keep to write: "It's not crow I'm tasting today, It's DUCK."
External links
- About the comic:"Mallard Fillmore" at King Features.com