Walker, Mort

Born Addison Morton Walker in Eldorado, Kansas in 1923; reared in Kansas City; graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia; and served with the U.S. Army in Italy as a 1st Lieutenant in World War II. At age twelve he sold his first cartoon, at fifteen was drawing a comic strip, The Lime Juicers, for the Kansas City Journal. At twenty-six he married Jean Walker and created Beetle Bailey which he sold to King Features Syndicate. His honors include the Reuben Award, 1953; "Silver Lady" outstanding cartoonist of the year, 1955; president of the National Cartoonist Society for 1959-60; National Cartoonists Society best comic strip, 1966, 1969. In addition to Beetle Bailey (1950 to date), Walker produced (some collaboratively): Hi and Lois, 1954 to date; Mrs. Fitz' Flats, 1957-72; Sam's Strip, 1961-63; Boner's Ark 1968-2000; Sam and Silo, 1977 to date; The Evermores, 1983-86; Betty Boop and Felix, 1984-88 and Gamin and Patches, 1987-88. Walker founded the Museum of Cartoon Art in Port Chester, New York in 1974, later the International Museum of Cartoon Art. In 1985 he married Catherine Carty Prentice. He has 7 children and lives in Stamford, Connecticut.

American illustrator and cartoonist; b. Addison Mort Walker, 1923; creator of Beetle Bailey and other comic strips.

Mort Walker was born on Deptember 3, 1923 in El Dorado, Kansas. He earned his B.A. degree from the University of Missouri in 1948. Mort Walker is probably best known as a cartoonist. He has been the creator of "Beetle Bailey" since 1950 and "Hi and Lois" since 1954. Biographical Source: Something About the Author, vol. 8, pp. 211-213.