Elliot Caplin
Encyclopedia
Elliott A. Caplin was a comic strip
writer best known as the co-creator (with Stan Drake
) of The Heart of Juliet Jones
. He was the younger brother of Al Capp
, creator of Li'l Abner
.
Born in New Haven, Connecticut
, Caplin graduated from Ohio State University
in 1936. Beginning in 1937, he was employed as a writer for King Features Syndicate
. He entered the comic book field as editor of True Comics for the Parents Magazine Institute. By 1940, he was an editorial director with the magazine Parents
, leaving during World War II
to serve with the Navy in the South Pacific. In the post-WWII years, he returned to Parents, continuing s an editor there until 1948.
Caplin co-created the strips Peter Scratch and Big Ben Bolt
and served as writer for strips by others, including Abbie an' Slats
, Long Sam
and Little Orphan Annie
.
He founded the comic book publisher Toby Press
, which operated from 1949 to 1955.
Caplin lived in California with his wife Ruth and their three children, Don, Joan and Toby. He died in Stockbridge, Massachusetts
in 2000.
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....
writer best known as the co-creator (with Stan Drake
Stan Drake
Stanley Albert Drake was an American cartoonist best known as the founding artist of the comic strip The Heart of Juliet Jones....
) of The Heart of Juliet Jones
The Heart of Juliet Jones
The Heart of Juliet Jones was a comic strip created by Stan Drake in 1953.The strip was a soap opera, following the prototype set by Mary Worth but elevated by Drake's exceptional artwork...
. He was the younger brother of Al Capp
Al Capp
Alfred Gerald Caplin , better known as Al Capp, was an American cartoonist and humorist best known for the satirical comic strip Li'l Abner. He also wrote the comic strips Abbie an' Slats and Long Sam...
, creator of Li'l Abner
Li'l Abner
Li'l Abner is a satirical American comic strip that appeared in many newspapers in the United States, Canada and Europe, featuring a fictional clan of hillbillies in the impoverished town of Dogpatch, Kentucky. Written and drawn by Al Capp , the strip ran for 43 years, from August 13, 1934 through...
.
Born in New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
, Caplin graduated from Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
in 1936. Beginning in 1937, he was employed as a writer for King Features Syndicate
King Features Syndicate
King Features Syndicate, a print syndication company owned by The Hearst Corporation, distributes about 150 comic strips, newspaper columns, editorial cartoons, puzzles and games to nearly 5000 newspapers worldwide...
. He entered the comic book field as editor of True Comics for the Parents Magazine Institute. By 1940, he was an editorial director with the magazine Parents
Parents (magazine)
Parents, published by Meredith Corporation, is the oldest parenting publication in the U.S. It was first published in October 1926.Its editorial focus is on the daily needs and concerns of mothers with young children. The glossy monthly features information about child health, safety, behavior,...
, leaving during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
to serve with the Navy in the South Pacific. In the post-WWII years, he returned to Parents, continuing s an editor there until 1948.
Caplin co-created the strips Peter Scratch and Big Ben Bolt
Big Ben Bolt
Big Ben Bolt was a comic strip drawn by John Cullen Murphy, written by Elliot Caplin and distributed by King Features Syndicate.Illustrator Murphy entered the Army in 1940, joining the 7th Regiment. He spent several years in the Pacific, beginning in Australia and ending in Tokyo...
and served as writer for strips by others, including Abbie an' Slats
Abbie an' Slats
Abbie an' Slats is an American comic strip which ran from July 12, 1937 to January 30, 1971, initially written by Al Capp and drawn by Raeburn Van Buren. It was distributed by United Feature Syndicate....
, Long Sam
Long Sam
Long Sam was an American comic strip created by Al Capp, writer-artist of Li'l Abner, and illustrated by Bob Lubbers. It was syndicated by United Feature Syndicate from 1954 to 1962. The strip was initially written by Capp, who soon turned the duties over to his brother, Elliot Caplin...
and Little Orphan Annie
Little Orphan Annie
Little Orphan Annie was a daily American comic strip created by Harold Gray and syndicated by Tribune Media Services. The strip took its name from the 1885 poem "Little Orphant Annie" by James Whitcomb Riley, and made its debut on August 5, 1924 in the New York Daily News...
.
He founded the comic book publisher Toby Press
Toby Press
Toby Press was an American comic-book company that published from 1949 to 1955. Founded by Elliott Caplin, brother of cartoonist Al Capp and himself an established comic strip writer, the company published reprints of Capp's Li'l Abner strip; licensed-character comics starring such film and...
, which operated from 1949 to 1955.
Theater
In the early 1970s, Caplin wrote Meegan’s Game, a play about arrested adolescence. Directed by Paul E. Davis, it had a 1974 workshop production for several weekends at the Cricket Theatre on Second Avenue in an effort to interest potential backers. The play was eventually produced in 1982.Caplin lived in California with his wife Ruth and their three children, Don, Joan and Toby. He died in Stockbridge, Massachusetts
Stockbridge, Massachusetts
Stockbridge is a town in Berkshire County in Western Massachusetts. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,947 at the 2010 census...
in 2000.