Russell, Bruce, 1903-1963

Bruce Alexander Russell (1903-1963) was a Pulitzer Prize winning American cartoonist who spent over 30 years at the Los Angeles Times .

Russell was born in Los Angeles on August 4, 1903, the son of Alexander and Flora (Saunders) Russell. In 1921 Russell graduated from Los Angeles Polytechnic High School and in 1926 he received a degree from the University of California at Los Angeles, where he had drawn cartoons for the university newspaper, The Daily Bruin, and for The California Grizzly . Russell began his professional career at the Los Angeles Evening Herald . His early work appeared in various national publications, among them College Humor and Collier's, as well as in The California Pelican, published in Berkeley. In 1927 Russell joined the Los Angeles Times art staff as a sports and theater cartoonist and also sketched for the paper's illustrated magazine. During this period he created the popular Associated Press comic strip Rollo Rollingstone, which ran from 1930 to 1933. In 1934 Russell became the editorial cartoonist for the Los Angeles Times, a position he retained until his death nearly thirty years later when he was replaced by Paul Conrad.

Russell won a Pulitzer Prize in 1946 for his cartoon "Time to Bridge That Gulch" that was published on November 30, 1945 and depicted the gap between the United States and Russia. Sigma Delta Chi presented him with the Distinguished Service Award in 1948, 1950 and 1951. He also received the Headliners' Award for editorial cartoons in 1949, and from 1949 to 1962 his work was annually recognized by the Freedoms Foundation award. His other honors include the Christopher Award (1953) and an award from the U.S. Treasury (1960 or 1958?). At UCLA, Russell was named the Edward A. Dickson Alumnus of the year in 1951. Russell was a member of the National Cartoonists Society and the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists.

On December 18, 1963 Bruce Russell died of a heart attack in Los Angeles, California.

From the guide to the Bruce Russell Papers, 1891-1964, (Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries)