Foxy Grandpa

Foxy Grandpa was an American gag-a-day newspaper comic strip featuring an eponymous character, created by cartoonist Carl E. Schultze drawing under the name of "Bunny." The strip lasted from 1900 to circa 1918, and was at first hugely popular, with stage and silent film adaptations, as well as a party game license. Between 1901 and 1917, Foxy Grandpa was published in books — more than 30 volumes from four different publishers. It was revived as a typeset strip in the 1920s and 1930s.[1]

Foxy Grandpa
Carl E. Schultze's Foxy Grandpa (1904)
Author(s)Bunny (Carl E. Schultze)
Current status/scheduleConcluded gag-a-day strip
Launch dateJanuary 7, 1900 (January 7, 1900)
End date1918 (1918)
Alternate name(s)Foxy Grandpa's Stories (1920s–1930s)
Syndicate(s)C. J. Mar Syndicate (1912–1918)
Newspaper Feature Syndicate (1920s–1930s)
Publisher(s)New York Herald (1900–1902)
New York American (1902–c. 1918)
Genre(s)Humor

Publication history

Foxy Grandpa made its first appearance on January 7, 1900.[2] The strip initially ran in the New York Herald, but it moved to the New York American on February 16, 1902.[3]

In 1912, the strip began being distributed by the C. J. Mar Syndicate, lasting until 1918.

The typeset Foxy Grandpa's Stories, distributed by International Features Service, Inc., began April 2, 1923. Foxy Grandpa was the narrator, appearing in a one-panel cartoon at the top of each column. This feature lasted well into the 1930s.

In 1929, the strip appeared in America's early comic book The Funnies.[3]

Characters and story

The strip revolved around Foxy Grandpa, an elderly gentleman, with two mischievous grandsons (Chub and Bunt) who constantly try to trick him. Foxy Grandpa, however, always managed to get the better of the two boys, combining brains with a perverse sense of humor, while demonstrating skills at acrobatics, illustration and construction of various small devices.[3]

The comic was drawn in text comic style, with the text and dialogue written underneath the images.

In other media

The strip was adapted to Broadway shows and early silent films (with Foxy Grandpa played by stage performer Joseph Hart). Selchow and Righter licensed Foxy Grandpa for the Foxy Grandpa Hat Party Game (similar to Pin the Tail on the Donkey) after 1900.

In April 1923, a Foxy Grandpa radio program began broadcasting over WCAE, Pittsburgh, PA.

  • In the 1938 film Crashing Hollywood the squirrelly Movie mogul Hugo Wells is called "Foxy Grandpa".
  • In the 1944 film Murder My Sweet detective Phillip Marlowe refers to the villainous Jules Amthor as "Foxy Grandpa".
  • In the Pogo strip for Sunday, April 8, 1951, Rackety Coon Chile and Alabaster Alligator are less than thrilled with a story being told to them by Albert and wonder if they might be able to move to another strip. Alabaster suggests "Foxey [sic] Grandpa".
  • In the 2002 SpongeBob SquarePants episode "One Krabs Trash," "Foxy Grandpa" is written on a trucker hat offered to SpongeBob SquarePants by his boss, Mr. Krabs.

References
  1. Duke, Sara. "Carl E. Schulze ("Bunny"): 1866–1939," Biographical Sketches of Cartoonists & Illustrators in the Swann Collection of the Library of Congress (Lulu.com, 2014), p. 278.
  2. Lambiek Comiclopedia. "Carl Edward Schultze".
  3. Don Markstein's Toonopedia. "Foxy Grandpa".
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