Jim Lange (cartoonist)
Encyclopedia
James Jacob Lange was an American
cartoonist
who worked for The Oklahoman
for 58 years and produced over 19,000 cartoons.
Born in 1926, Lange originally grew up in Minnesota
until he moved to Iowa
where he joined the U.S. Air Force during World War II
. It was in Iowa where he meet his future wife, Helen Johnstone. She convinced him to move to Oklahoma
where he later got a job as an editoral cartoonist. He arranged his contract with newspaper mogul Edward Gaylord
. He started work for The Oklahoman on October 1, 1950. His first cartoon featured Governor Roy Turner.
Lange co-founded the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists
and served as its President during the 1980s. He was inducted into the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame in 1993.
Lange's work was collected in a 1994 collection published by The Oklahoman. He was well-known for his frequent use of an everyman
character called "Mr. Voter" or "John Q. Public
", described in an Oklahoman editorial as "bespectacled, mustachioed, fedora-wearing". In 2006 the Oklahoma State Senate voted to make this character the "state's official editorial cartoon."
Lange was forced to retire in October 2008 after 150 members of staff took buyouts, retired early or were laid off. He retired after 58 years of service. Lange died on April 16, 2009 at the age of 82. He is survived by his wife and three children.
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...
who worked for The Oklahoman
The Oklahoman
The Oklahoman is the largest daily newspaper in Oklahoma and is the only daily newspaper that covers the entire Oklahoma City area.-Ownership:...
for 58 years and produced over 19,000 cartoons.
Born in 1926, Lange originally grew up in Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
until he moved to Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
where he joined the U.S. Air Force during 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...
. It was in Iowa where he meet his future wife, Helen Johnstone. She convinced him to move to Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
where he later got a job as an editoral cartoonist. He arranged his contract with newspaper mogul Edward Gaylord
Edward Gaylord
Edward Lewis Gaylord was a billionaire businessman and media mogul who built the Gaylord Entertainment Company empire that included The Oklahoman newspaper/ Oklahoma Publishing Co., Gaylord Hotels, the Nashville Network TV Channel ; the Grand Ole Opry, and the Country Music Television Channel as...
. He started work for The Oklahoman on October 1, 1950. His first cartoon featured Governor Roy Turner.
Lange co-founded the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists
Association of American Editorial Cartoonists
The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists is a professional association concerned with promoting the interests of staff, freelance and student editorial cartoonists in the United States, Canada and Mexico...
and served as its President during the 1980s. He was inducted into the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame in 1993.
Lange's work was collected in a 1994 collection published by The Oklahoman. He was well-known for his frequent use of an everyman
Everyman
In literature and drama, the term everyman has come to mean an ordinary individual, with whom the audience or reader is supposed to be able to identify easily, and who is often placed in extraordinary circumstances...
character called "Mr. Voter" or "John Q. Public
John Q. Public
John Q. Public is a generic name in the United States to denote a hypothetical member of society deemed a "common man." He is presumed to represent the randomly selected "man on the street."...
", described in an Oklahoman editorial as "bespectacled, mustachioed, fedora-wearing". In 2006 the Oklahoma State Senate voted to make this character the "state's official editorial cartoon."
Lange was forced to retire in October 2008 after 150 members of staff took buyouts, retired early or were laid off. He retired after 58 years of service. Lange died on April 16, 2009 at the age of 82. He is survived by his wife and three children.