Mel Casson
Encyclopedia
Mel Casson was an American
cartoonist
with a 50-year career. He is primarily remembered for his work on the daily comic strips Sparky, Angel, Mixed Singles/Boomer and Redeye
, plus numerous magazine cartoons.
Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Casson was encouraged by his father to pursue a career in art. He received a scholarship to the Art Students League of New York
. Casson signed a cartooning contract with The Saturday Evening Post
at age 17, and his artwork began to appear regularly in The Saturday Evening Post, Esquire
, The New York Times
, Ladies' Home Journal
and other major magazines.
service and made the Normandy Landing on D-Day
. His commander was killed instantly upon reaching Omaha Beach
, leaving Casson to lead the attack. He successfully led his men through the assault without further casualties and went on to participate in other battles, earning the rank of Captain and decorated with five battle stars: two Bronze stars, the Croix de guerre
and two Purple Heart
s.
Syndicate. He was recalled to active military duty in 1952 for service in the Korean War
. After a 1953 honorable discharge, he was back at the drawing board for the Publisher/Chicago Sun-Times
Syndicate (1953-66) with the children’s strips Sparky and Angel.
He co-created It’s Me, Dilly with Alfred James (pseudonym for Alfred Andriola
of Kerry Drake
) and worked on the strip from 1958 to 1962. In the 1970s, Casson collaborated with William F. Brown on the comic strip Mixed Singles, later renamed Boomer. It was marketed by United Feature Syndicate until 1981. In 1988, when cartoonist Gordon Bess
found himself unable to continue his internationally known Redeye
daily comic for King Features Syndicate
, he handed it over to a collaboration of Casson as illustrator and Bill Yates
as writer. When Yates himself became ill in 1999, Casson took over both writing and art for the strip, a role he continued until his death in 2008.
Mel Casson was married to Mary Lee Culver Casson, an opera
singer and actress, from 1965 to his death. He had one daughter, Culver. He lived in Westport, Connecticut
nearly all of his married life.
, the Whole Kids Catalogue and the Guinness Record Keeper. He did occasional television work, notably writing for and producing the television shows Draw Me a Laugh and You Be the Judge.
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...
with a 50-year career. He is primarily remembered for his work on the daily comic strips Sparky, Angel, Mixed Singles/Boomer and Redeye
Redeye (comics)
Redeye was a comic strip created by cartoonist Gordon Bess that was syndicated by King Features Syndicate to more than 100 newspapers. The strip debuted on September 11, 1967.-Characters and story:...
, plus numerous magazine cartoons.
Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Casson was encouraged by his father to pursue a career in art. He received a scholarship to the Art Students League of New York
Art Students League of New York
The Art Students League of New York is an art school located on West 57th Street in New York City. The League has historically been known for its broad appeal to both amateurs and professional artists, and has maintained for over 130 years a tradition of offering reasonably priced classes on a...
. Casson signed a cartooning contract with The Saturday Evening Post
The Saturday Evening Post
The Saturday Evening Post is a bimonthly American magazine. It was published weekly under this title from 1897 until 1969, and quarterly and then bimonthly from 1971.-History:...
at age 17, and his artwork began to appear regularly in The Saturday Evening Post, Esquire
Esquire (magazine)
Esquire is a men's magazine, published in the U.S. by the Hearst Corporation. Founded in 1932, it flourished during the Great Depression under the guidance of founder and editor Arnold Gingrich.-History:...
, The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, Ladies' Home Journal
Ladies' Home Journal
Ladies' Home Journal is an American magazine which first appeared on February 16, 1883, and eventually became one of the leading women's magazines of the 20th century in the United States...
and other major magazines.
WWII
He enlisted in the infantry for World War IIWorld 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...
service and made the Normandy Landing on D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
. His commander was killed instantly upon reaching Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach is the code name for one of the five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during World War II...
, leaving Casson to lead the attack. He successfully led his men through the assault without further casualties and went on to participate in other battles, earning the rank of Captain and decorated with five battle stars: two Bronze stars, the Croix de guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
and two Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
s.
Comic strips
After WWII, he returned to cartooning, drawing the comic strip Jeff Crockett from 1948 to 1952 for the New York Herald TribuneNew York Herald Tribune
The New York Herald Tribune was a daily newspaper created in 1924 when the New York Tribune acquired the New York Herald.Other predecessors, which had earlier merged into the New York Tribune, included the original The New Yorker newsweekly , and the Whig Party's Log Cabin.The paper was home to...
Syndicate. He was recalled to active military duty in 1952 for service in the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. After a 1953 honorable discharge, he was back at the drawing board for the Publisher/Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
Syndicate (1953-66) with the children’s strips Sparky and Angel.
He co-created It’s Me, Dilly with Alfred James (pseudonym for Alfred Andriola
Alfred Andriola
Alfred James Andriola was an American cartoonist best known for the comic strip Kerry Drake, for which he won a Reuben Award in 1970. His work sometimes appeared under the pseudonym Alfred James....
of Kerry Drake
Kerry Drake
Kerry Drake is the title of a comic strip created for Publishers Syndicate by Alfred Andriola as artist and Allen Saunders as uncredited writer...
) and worked on the strip from 1958 to 1962. In the 1970s, Casson collaborated with William F. Brown on the comic strip Mixed Singles, later renamed Boomer. It was marketed by United Feature Syndicate until 1981. In 1988, when cartoonist Gordon Bess
Gordon Bess
Gordon Bess was an American cartoonist, best known for the comic strip Redeye.Born in Richfield, Utah, Bess began his career as a cartoonist after he joined the United States Marine Corps in 1947...
found himself unable to continue his internationally known Redeye
Redeye (comics)
Redeye was a comic strip created by cartoonist Gordon Bess that was syndicated by King Features Syndicate to more than 100 newspapers. The strip debuted on September 11, 1967.-Characters and story:...
daily comic 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 handed it over to a collaboration of Casson as illustrator and Bill Yates
Bill Yates
Floyd Buford Yates , better known as Bill Yates, was a cartoonist who drew gag cartoons and comic strips before assuming the position of comic strip editor for King Features Syndicate in 1978.Yates learned to cartoon by taking the W. L...
as writer. When Yates himself became ill in 1999, Casson took over both writing and art for the strip, a role he continued until his death in 2008.
Mel Casson was married to Mary Lee Culver Casson, an opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
singer and actress, from 1965 to his death. He had one daughter, Culver. He lived in Westport, Connecticut
Westport, Connecticut
-Neighborhoods:* Saugatuck – around the Westport railroad station near the southwestern corner of the town – a built-up area with some restaurants, stores and offices....
nearly all of his married life.
Books
Casson had five cartoon books published, including the anthology Ever Since Adam and Eve for McGraw-HillMcGraw-Hill
The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., is a publicly traded corporation headquartered in Rockefeller Center in New York City. Its primary areas of business are financial, education, publishing, broadcasting, and business services...
, the Whole Kids Catalogue and the Guinness Record Keeper. He did occasional television work, notably writing for and producing the television shows Draw Me a Laugh and You Be the Judge.