Vernon Greene
Encyclopedia
Vernon Van Atta Greene was a prolific cartoonist and illustrator who worked on several comic strips and was best known for his artwork on Bringing Up Father
.
Born Vernon Van Atta Green in Battle Ground, Washington
, he later added an "e" to his last name so it would be more distinctive.
(1934-37).
During that time, Greene was an active freelancer, creating advertising cartoons and illustrations for books and magazines. He illustrated for several Street & Smith
pulps, including The Shadow
, The Masked Lady and Perry Mason
.
In June 17, 1940, Greene began drawing The Shadow
daily comic strip, distributed by the Ledger Syndicate. He continued to draw the Shadow daily until 1942 (June 13) when it and other strips were canceled due to the growing need to run more and more war news coming in from the European and Pacific fronts. For many years, he was the ghost artist on the daily version of Cliff Sterrett
's Polly and Her Pals
strip. After the death of George McManus
in 1954, Greene took over Bringing Up Father.
, serving two years as their Vice President. In 1964, he was awarded their Silver T-Square Award.
Greene also served as host of WRVR's syndicated radio program, The Cartoonist's Art. Greene was married to Barbara M. Bennett in 1948, and they had five children. He lived in New Jersey from 1952 until his death from cancer in 1965.
Bringing up Father
Bringing Up Father was an influential American comic strip created by cartoonist George McManus . Distributed by King Features Syndicate, it ran for 87 years, from January 12, 1913 to May 28, 2000....
.
Born Vernon Van Atta Green in Battle Ground, Washington
Battle Ground, Washington
Battle Ground is a city in Clark County, Washington, United States. The population was 17,571 at the 2010 census. According to the Washington State Office of Financial Management, Battle Ground ranked 4th of 279 eligible incorporated communities in population growth between 2000 and 2005.-Origin of...
, he later added an "e" to his last name so it would be more distinctive.
Cartoon cavalcade
Greene started his cartoon career drawing sports cartoons for Oregon's Portland Telegram (1927-29), the Toledo Blade (1930-32) and the New York MirrorNew York Mirror
The New-York Mirror was a weekly newspaper published in New York City from 1823 to 1842, and again as a daily newspaper renamed The Evening Mirror from 1844 to 1898.-History:...
(1934-37).
During that time, Greene was an active freelancer, creating advertising cartoons and illustrations for books and magazines. He illustrated for several Street & Smith
Street & Smith
Street & Smith or Street & Smith Publications, Inc. was a New York City publisher specializing in inexpensive paperbacks and magazines referred to as pulp fiction and dime novels. They also published comic books and sporting yearbooks...
pulps, including The Shadow
The Shadow
The Shadow is a collection of serialized dramas, originally in pulp magazines, then on 1930s radio and then in a wide variety of media, that follow the exploits of the title character, a crime-fighting vigilante in the pulps, which carried over to the airwaves as a "wealthy, young man about town"...
, The Masked Lady and Perry Mason
Perry Mason
Perry Mason is a fictional character, a defense attorney who was the main character in works of detective fiction authored by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason was featured in more than 80 novels and short stories, most of which had a plot involving his client's murder trial...
.
Comic strips
The Shadow
The Shadow is a collection of serialized dramas, originally in pulp magazines, then on 1930s radio and then in a wide variety of media, that follow the exploits of the title character, a crime-fighting vigilante in the pulps, which carried over to the airwaves as a "wealthy, young man about town"...
daily comic strip, distributed by the Ledger Syndicate. He continued to draw the Shadow daily until 1942 (June 13) when it and other strips were canceled due to the growing need to run more and more war news coming in from the European and Pacific fronts. For many years, he was the ghost artist on the daily version of Cliff Sterrett
Cliff Sterrett
Clifford Sterrett , was an innovative comic strip cartoonist who created the influential Polly and Her Pals....
's Polly and Her Pals
Polly and Her Pals
Polly and Her Pals is an American comic strip created by cartoonist Cliff Sterrett, which ran from 1912 until 1958. It is regarded as one of the most graphically innovative strips of the 20th century...
strip. After the death of George McManus
George McManus
George McManus was an American cartoonist best known as the creator of Irish immigrant Jiggs and his wife Maggie, the central characters in his syndicated comic strip, Bringing Up Father....
in 1954, Greene took over Bringing Up Father.
Comic books
He also did The Shadow comic book, beginning in 1940 as the sole artist for all issues until March 1942. For most of the remaining issues of Volume Two, he shared the artist credit with others, usually Jack Bender, until his last appearance in the issue of May 1943.Awards
Greene was an active member of the National Cartoonists SocietyNational Cartoonists Society
The National Cartoonists Society is an organization of professional cartoonists in the United States. It presents the National Cartoonists Society Awards. The Society was born in 1946 when groups of cartoonists got together to entertain the troops...
, serving two years as their Vice President. In 1964, he was awarded their Silver T-Square Award.
Greene also served as host of WRVR's syndicated radio program, The Cartoonist's Art. Greene was married to Barbara M. Bennett in 1948, and they had five children. He lived in New Jersey from 1952 until his death from cancer in 1965.