Oaky Doaks
Encyclopedia
Oaky Doaks was a popular newspaper comic strip distributed by AP Newsfeatures
for more than 25 years. lt was illustrated by veteran magazine cartoonist Ralph Fuller
and scripted by AP Newsfeatures comics editor William McCleery.
, the strip was set in medieval times. Neither a prince nor a knight, Oaky Doaks was merely a muscle-headed farm boy who constructed his suit of armor from the tin roof of a shed. Setting out on his father's plow horse, Nellie, Oaky Doaks rode into a series of misadventures. Scoop described the strip's hero:
, PM
and Ladies' Home Journal
. He also was a special projects editor at Princeton University
, and he wrote more than 15 plays, with two of his comedies playing on Broadway during the mid-1940s, followed by teleplays for The Philco Television Playhouse
and other live television series of the 1950s. His children's book, Wolf Story, was illustrated by Warren Chappell. A Nebraska native, McCleery died January 16, 2000 in Princeton, New Jersey
.
Born in Michigan in 1890, Ralph Fuller was 16 when he sold his first cartoon to Life for $8. He studied at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts and went to work as a staff artist for the Chicago Daily News
. For years he contributed cartoons to Puck
, Judge, Collier's
, Harper's
, Liberty, Ballyhoo
, College Humor and The New Yorker
. He had his own feature, Fuller Humor, in Judge during the 1920s. He moved to New York, began Oaky Doaks and eventually took over the writing as well as the art. In later years he drew Oaky Doaks from his home in Tenafly, New Jersey
.
Comics historian Maurice Horn commented, "Oaky Doaks was a solid entry--genuinely funny, superbly drawn and well written." AP carried a set number of comic strips, so when the Oaky Doaks daily debuted on June 17, 1935, it replaced Harold Detje's Be Scientific with Ol' Doc Dabble which ran from June 6, 1932 until June 15, 1935. The Sunday Oaky Doaks, which began in 1942, was initially drawn by Bill Dyer (who also worked on The Adventures of Patsy
) and later by Fuller.
which reprinted the strip. Eastern Color published an Oaky Doaks comic book in July, 1942.
Oaky Doaks came to an end when the comics division of AP Newsfeatures folded in 1961, Ralph Fuller died two years later, on August 17, 1963.
AP Newsfeatures
AP Newsfeatures, aka AP Features, was the cartoon and comic strip division of Associated Press, which syndicated strips from 1930 to the early 1960s.In February 1930, I.M...
for more than 25 years. lt was illustrated by veteran magazine cartoonist Ralph Fuller
Ralph Fuller
Ralph Briggs Fuller was an American cartoonist best known for his long running comic strip Oaky Doaks, featuring the humorous adventures of a good-hearted knight in the Middle Ages. He signed the strips RB. Fuller....
and scripted by AP Newsfeatures comics editor William McCleery.
Characters and story
Launched two years before Prince ValiantPrince Valiant
Prince Valiant in the Days of King Arthur, or simply Prince Valiant, is a long-run comic strip created by Hal Foster in 1937. It is an epic adventure that has told a continuous story during its entire history, and the full stretch of that story now totals more than 3700 Sunday strips...
, the strip was set in medieval times. Neither a prince nor a knight, Oaky Doaks was merely a muscle-headed farm boy who constructed his suit of armor from the tin roof of a shed. Setting out on his father's plow horse, Nellie, Oaky Doaks rode into a series of misadventures. Scoop described the strip's hero:
- The titular star of the strip wasn't tall, dark and handsome, but he was courageous–as courageous as a former farm hand with a plow horse named Nellie and an underwhelming appearance and slightly bumbling, shy personality can be. He was never formally knighted by the king whose domain he helped guard and keep. King Cedric, his leader, was pretty nerdy and underwhelming himself and before long, it became clear that Oaky would have to assume the role of "brains behind the operation."
Creators
McCleery was a prolific writer, and a list of his numerous credits offer some indication as to why he dropped the Oaky Doaks scripting chores. In addition to editing at AP, he was an editor at LifeLife (magazine)
Life generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....
, PM
PM (newspaper)
PM was a leftist New York City daily newspaper published by Ralph Ingersoll from June 1940 to June 1948 and bankrolled by the eccentric Chicago millionaire Marshall Field III....
and 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...
. He also was a special projects editor at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
, and he wrote more than 15 plays, with two of his comedies playing on Broadway during the mid-1940s, followed by teleplays for The Philco Television Playhouse
The Philco Television Playhouse
The Philco Television Playhouse, a live television anthology series sponsored by Philco, was telecast from 1948 to 1955. Produced by Fred Coe, the NBC series was seen on Sundays from 9:00pm to 10:00pm...
and other live television series of the 1950s. His children's book, Wolf Story, was illustrated by Warren Chappell. A Nebraska native, McCleery died January 16, 2000 in Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
.
Born in Michigan in 1890, Ralph Fuller was 16 when he sold his first cartoon to Life for $8. He studied at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts and went to work as a staff artist for the Chicago Daily News
Chicago Daily News
The Chicago Daily News was an afternoon daily newspaper published between 1876 and 1978 in Chicago, Illinois.-History:The Daily News was founded by Melville E. Stone, Percy Meggy, and William Dougherty in 1875 and began publishing early the next year...
. For years he contributed cartoons to Puck
Puck (magazine)
Puck was America's first successful humor magazine of colorful cartoons, caricatures and political satire of the issues of the day. It was published from 1871 until 1918.-History:...
, Judge, Collier's
Collier's Weekly
Collier's Weekly was an American magazine founded by Peter Fenelon Collier and published from 1888 to 1957. With the passage of decades, the title was shortened to Collier's....
, Harper's
Harper's Magazine
Harper's Magazine is a monthly magazine of literature, politics, culture, finance, and the arts, with a generally left-wing perspective. It is the second-oldest continuously published monthly magazine in the U.S. . The current editor is Ellen Rosenbush, who replaced Roger Hodge in January 2010...
, Liberty, Ballyhoo
Ballyhoo (magazine)
Ballyhoo was a humor magazine published by Dell, created by George T. Delacorte Jr., and edited by Norman Anthony , from 1931 until 1939, with a couple of attempts to resuscitate the magazine after the war between 1948 and 1954.In common with other magazines of the era it featured a central...
, College Humor and 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...
. He had his own feature, Fuller Humor, in Judge during the 1920s. He moved to New York, began Oaky Doaks and eventually took over the writing as well as the art. In later years he drew Oaky Doaks from his home in Tenafly, New Jersey
Tenafly, New Jersey
Tenafly is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 14,488. Tenafly is an affluent suburb of New York City....
.
Comics historian Maurice Horn commented, "Oaky Doaks was a solid entry--genuinely funny, superbly drawn and well written." AP carried a set number of comic strips, so when the Oaky Doaks daily debuted on June 17, 1935, it replaced Harold Detje's Be Scientific with Ol' Doc Dabble which ran from June 6, 1932 until June 15, 1935. The Sunday Oaky Doaks, which began in 1942, was initially drawn by Bill Dyer (who also worked on The Adventures of Patsy
The Adventures of Patsy
The Adventures of Patsy is a newspaper comic strip which ran from 1935 to 1954. Created by Mel Graff, it was syndicated by AP Newsfeatures....
) and later by Fuller.
Reprints
Oaky and Nellie were featured often on the covers of Famous FunniesFamous Funnies
Famous Funnies is an American publication of the 1930s that represents what popular culture historians consider the first true American comic book, following seminal precursors.-Immediate precursors:...
which reprinted the strip. Eastern Color published an Oaky Doaks comic book in July, 1942.
Oaky Doaks came to an end when the comics division of AP Newsfeatures folded in 1961, Ralph Fuller died two years later, on August 17, 1963.