Bud Blake
Encyclopedia
Julian Blake better known as Bud Blake, was an American cartoonist who created the popular, long running comic strip
Tiger
, about a group of suburban boyhood pals. Distributed by King Features Syndicate
, Tiger began May 3, 1965. At its peak, it was published internationally in some 400 newspapers.
Blake was born and grew up in Nutley, New Jersey
. His father, George Blake, was art director of the Batten Co., a forerunner of Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn. Bud's sister became an illustrator for children's books.
, supporting himself with odd jobs until 1937, when he landed a paste-up position with the Kudner Advertising Agency. He stayed there until 1954, except for his World War II
military service
with the U.S. Army infantry
. After his return, he eventually rose to become an executive art director
with Kudner.
Tired of the traveling and heavy responsibility that his job entailed, Blake left advertising to pursue cartooning. King Features was looking for a cartoonist to do a cartoon similar to H. T. Webster's panel series, as Webster had recently died. Blake was hired to draw this series, which ran from 1954 to 1965 under a variety of titles ("Home Sweet Home," "Growing Pains," "Ever Happen to You?'").
Bud Blake and his family spent three months living in Spain
, where he drew his new feature, but the international mails proved so unreliable that he eventually returned to the States. Many of his originals had gotten lost in the mail. Blake's clients would eventually include advertising firms and such magazines as Business Week and Family Circle
. He drew "Ever Happen to You?" until 1964. He was approached by King Features to create a comic strip that would rival Peanuts
, and Tiger was born in 1965.
Blake drew the strip until he was 85, two years before his death. After Blake retired, the strip continued to appear as reprints, and as of December 2005, according to the syndicate, Tiger was running in more than 100 newspapers in 11 countries.
Widowed in 1988, Blake spent his final years at Damariscotta, Maine
. He died at the Maine Medical Center
in Portland, Maine
, survived by his son Jay, a physicist, and daughter Marianna, an artist.
named Tiger the Best Humor Strip in 1970 and 1978. It was given their Best Newspaper Strip award in 2000, receiving another nomination in 1998.
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....
Tiger
Tiger (comic strip)
Tiger is an American comic strip created by cartoonist Bud Blake. Launched May 3, 1965, the popular, long running strip about a group of suburban boyhood pals was distributed by King Features Syndicate to 400 newspapers worldwide at its peak....
, about a group of suburban boyhood pals. Distributed by 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...
, Tiger began May 3, 1965. At its peak, it was published internationally in some 400 newspapers.
Blake was born and grew up in Nutley, New Jersey
Nutley, New Jersey
2010 Census Data:*TOTAL: 28,370 or 100%*White: 23,405 *African American: 628 *Asian: 2,824 *American Indian and Alaska Native: 36 *Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 4...
. His father, George Blake, was art director of the Batten Co., a forerunner of Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn. Bud's sister became an illustrator for children's books.
Carving a career
Dropping out of high school before his graduation, Blake worked as a demonstrator for a pen-knife company, carving portraits from balsa wood. After selling cartoons to Judge magazine, Blake enrolled in New York's National Academy of DesignNational Academy of Design
The National Academy Museum and School of Fine Arts, founded in New York City as the National Academy of Design – known simply as the "National Academy" – is an honorary association of American artists founded in 1825 by Samuel F. B. Morse, Asher B. Durand, Thomas Cole, Martin E...
, supporting himself with odd jobs until 1937, when he landed a paste-up position with the Kudner Advertising Agency. He stayed there until 1954, except for his 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...
military service
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
with the U.S. Army infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
. After his return, he eventually rose to become an executive art director
Art director
The art director is a person who supervise the creative process of a design.The term 'art director' is a blanket title for a variety of similar job functions in advertising, publishing, film and television, the Internet, and video games....
with Kudner.
Tired of the traveling and heavy responsibility that his job entailed, Blake left advertising to pursue cartooning. King Features was looking for a cartoonist to do a cartoon similar to H. T. Webster's panel series, as Webster had recently died. Blake was hired to draw this series, which ran from 1954 to 1965 under a variety of titles ("Home Sweet Home," "Growing Pains," "Ever Happen to You?'").
Bud Blake and his family spent three months living in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, where he drew his new feature, but the international mails proved so unreliable that he eventually returned to the States. Many of his originals had gotten lost in the mail. Blake's clients would eventually include advertising firms and such magazines as Business Week and Family Circle
Family Circle
Family Circle is an American women's magazine published 15 times a year by Meredith Corporation. It began publication in 1932 as a magazine distributed at supermarkets such as Piggly Wiggly and Safeway. Cowles Magazines and Broadcasting bought the magazine in 1962. The New York Times Company bought...
. He drew "Ever Happen to You?" until 1964. He was approached by King Features to create a comic strip that would rival Peanuts
Peanuts
Peanuts is a syndicated daily and Sunday American comic strip written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz, which ran from October 2, 1950, to February 13, 2000, continuing in reruns afterward...
, and Tiger was born in 1965.
Blake drew the strip until he was 85, two years before his death. After Blake retired, the strip continued to appear as reprints, and as of December 2005, according to the syndicate, Tiger was running in more than 100 newspapers in 11 countries.
Widowed in 1988, Blake spent his final years at Damariscotta, Maine
Damariscotta, Maine
Damariscotta is a town in Lincoln County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,041 at the 2000 census. A popular tourist resort area, the towns of Damariscotta and Newcastle are linked by the Main Street bridge over the Damariscotta River, forming the "Twin Villages." The name Damariscotta is...
. He died at the Maine Medical Center
Maine Medical Center
Maine Medical Center is a 637 licensed-bed teaching hospital located in Portland, Maine, United States with a staff of over 6,000 people. Founded in 1874, it is the largest hospital in northern New England with 27,000 inpatients, more than 500,000 outpatient visits and over 16,000 surgeries...
in Portland, Maine
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
, survived by his son Jay, a physicist, and daughter Marianna, an artist.
Awards
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...
named Tiger the Best Humor Strip in 1970 and 1978. It was given their Best Newspaper Strip award in 2000, receiving another nomination in 1998.
Sources
- Strickler, DaveDave StricklerDave Strickler is a reference librarian noted for his compilation of Syndicated Comic Strips and Artists, 1924–1995: The Complete Index, regarded as a major reference work by researchers and historians of newspaper comic strips....
. Syndicated Comic Strips and Artists, 1924-1995: The Complete Index. Cambria, California: Comics Access, 1995. ISBN 0-9700077-0-1 - Hogan's Alley #13 (July 2005): Interview with Bud Blake
External links
- King Features biography
- Lambiek.net Comicpedia entry
- Don Markstein's Toonopedia: Tiger
- National Cartoonists Society: Bud Blake biography
- Associated Press article on CNN.com about Blake's death
- The Star-Ledger, December 30, 2005: "Nutley's Bud Blake, drew 'Tiger' comic"
- News from Me: "Bud Blake, R.I.P."
- Cached site of 2004 article from reuben.org