Tom Little (cartoonist)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Little was an American cartoonist. Working for the The Nashville Tennessean
, he won the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning
in 1957.
Little was born in Snatch (now called Peytonsville) in an extremely rural part of Williamson County, Tennessee
. His father died when he was two, and his family lived with his grandfather, who taught Little to draw before he could even write. His first job was picking potatoes for 50 cents a day, but the next year he entered the news business at age nine by folding issues of the Williamson County News.
Little studied at the Watkins Institute (1912-15) and the Montgomery Bell Academy
(1917-18). He joined the Tennessean in 1916 and became a police reporter there in 1919. His tenure at the paper was interrupted by service in the US Army (at 5'2", he was rejected by the US Marines for being underweight) and a year (1923-24) as a reporter and cartoonist at the syndicate of the New York Herald Tribune
.
Prompted by his mother's illness, he returned to the Tennessean. He became city editor in 1931, but following a dispute with the publisher he left that post in 1937. He began drawing editorial cartoons for the Tennessean in 1934 and drew exclusively after abandoning editing and reporting in 1937. He had been tutored by fellow Pulitzer winner Carey Orr
before Orr left for the Chicago Tribune
in 1917, but a stronger influence was the work of another winner, Dan Fitzpatrick
of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
. His drawing style resembled Fitzpatrick's and the work of both men was noted for biting content. For his part, Fitzpatrick disliked the resemblance and considered Little an "imitator". Little became one of the most influential and republished cartoonists in the US. His Pulitzer winner cartoon featured a young boy with crutches and leg braces watching other boys play football and is captioned "Wonder why my parents didn't give me Salk shots
?"
In addition to the Pulitzer, Little won a National Headliner Award
in 1948, a Christopher Award
in 1953, and a Freedoms Foundation Medal in 1955 and 1956.
Beginning in 1934, Little collaborated with Tom Sims
(writer of Popeye
) on a single panel comic strip
for King Features called Sunflower Street, depicting the lives of rural African-Americans. Though well-intentioned, the strip was cancelled in 1949 for fear that the strip would be viewed as condescending and draw racially-based complaints.
Little retired in 1970.
The Tennessean
The Tennessean is the principal daily newspaper in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. Its circulation area covers 39 counties in Middle Tennessee and eight counties in southern Kentucky....
, he won the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning
Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning
The Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning has been awarded since 1922 for a distinguished cartoon or portfolio of cartoons published during the year, characterized by originality, editorial effectiveness, quality of drawing, and pictorial effect...
in 1957.
Little was born in Snatch (now called Peytonsville) in an extremely rural part of Williamson County, Tennessee
Williamson County, Tennessee
Williamson County is a county in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of 2010 US Census, the population was 183,182. The County's seat is Franklin, and it is part of the Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county is named after Hugh Williamson, a...
. His father died when he was two, and his family lived with his grandfather, who taught Little to draw before he could even write. His first job was picking potatoes for 50 cents a day, but the next year he entered the news business at age nine by folding issues of the Williamson County News.
Little studied at the Watkins Institute (1912-15) and the Montgomery Bell Academy
Montgomery Bell Academy
Montgomery Bell Academy is a preparatory day school for boys in grades 7 through 12 in Nashville, Tennessee.The school ideal is "Gentleman, Scholar, Athlete." Montgomery Bell Academy is noted for a large number of National Merit and other scholarship winners...
(1917-18). He joined the Tennessean in 1916 and became a police reporter there in 1919. His tenure at the paper was interrupted by service in the US Army (at 5'2", he was rejected by the US Marines for being underweight) and a year (1923-24) as a reporter and cartoonist at the syndicate of the New York Herald Tribune
New York Herald Tribune
The New York Herald Tribune was a daily newspaper created in 1924 when the New York Tribune acquired the New York Herald.Other predecessors, which had earlier merged into the New York Tribune, included the original The New Yorker newsweekly , and the Whig Party's Log Cabin.The paper was home to...
.
Prompted by his mother's illness, he returned to the Tennessean. He became city editor in 1931, but following a dispute with the publisher he left that post in 1937. He began drawing editorial cartoons for the Tennessean in 1934 and drew exclusively after abandoning editing and reporting in 1937. He had been tutored by fellow Pulitzer winner Carey Orr
Carey Orr
Carey Cassius Orr was an American editorial cartoonist.In his youth, Orr was a semi-professional baseball pitcher, and he used the money he made from baseball to study at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts...
before Orr left for the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
in 1917, but a stronger influence was the work of another winner, Dan Fitzpatrick
Daniel R. Fitzpatrick
Daniel Robert Fitzpatrick was commonly known as "Daniel R. Fitzpatrick." He was a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and an editorial cartoonist for the St. Louis Dispatch from 1913 to 1958....
of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch is the major city-wide newspaper in St. Louis, Missouri. Although written to serve Greater St. Louis, the Post-Dispatch is one of the largest newspapers in the Midwestern United States, and is available and read as far west as Kansas City, Missouri, as far south as...
. His drawing style resembled Fitzpatrick's and the work of both men was noted for biting content. For his part, Fitzpatrick disliked the resemblance and considered Little an "imitator". Little became one of the most influential and republished cartoonists in the US. His Pulitzer winner cartoon featured a young boy with crutches and leg braces watching other boys play football and is captioned "Wonder why my parents didn't give me Salk shots
Polio vaccine
Two polio vaccines are used throughout the world to combat poliomyelitis . The first was developed by Jonas Salk and first tested in 1952. Announced to the world by Salk on April 12, 1955, it consists of an injected dose of inactivated poliovirus. An oral vaccine was developed by Albert Sabin...
?"
In addition to the Pulitzer, Little won a National Headliner Award
National Headliner Awards
The National Headliner Awards are a prize given out by Press Club of Atlantic City since 1935. Both broadcast journalism and print journalism are recognized, in separate categories.-External links:*...
in 1948, a Christopher Award
Christopher Award
The Christopher Award is presented to the producers, directors, and writers of books, motion pictures and television specials that "affirm the highest values of the human spirit"...
in 1953, and a Freedoms Foundation Medal in 1955 and 1956.
Beginning in 1934, Little collaborated with Tom Sims
Tom Sims
Tom Sims, Born 1950, is a former World Snowboarding Champion , World Champion Skateboarder and founder of Sims Snowboards and Sims Skateboards...
(writer of Popeye
Popeye
Popeye the Sailor is a cartoon fictional character created by Elzie Crisler Segar, who has appeared in comic strips and animated cartoons in the cinema as well as on television. He first appeared in the daily King Features comic strip Thimble Theatre on January 17, 1929...
) on a single panel comic strip
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....
for King Features called Sunflower Street, depicting the lives of rural African-Americans. Though well-intentioned, the strip was cancelled in 1949 for fear that the strip would be viewed as condescending and draw racially-based complaints.
Little retired in 1970.