Walter R. Allman
Walter Rease Allman | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 27, 1884 |
| Died | July 8, 1924 (aged 40) |
| Occupation | cartoonist |
| Known for | creator of The Doings of the Duffs |
Walter Rease Allman (February 27, 1884 – July 8, 1924) was an American cartoonist who created the newspaper gag comic The Doings of the Duffs.[1] The strip was launched on July 30, 1914. Allman's last strip was dated January 16, 1924, but the strip returned in 1925[2] under other artists until August 15, 1931.[3]
Biography
Walter Allman worked in the grain business at a young age, but didn't have much interest in the trade, spending his time drawing on the sides of boxes and crates. His talent soon landed a job at an engraving company; he later found employment with the Toledo News-Bee newspaper.
His cartoon "work was picked up by the Scripps syndicate NEA Service and his comic Doings of the Duffs became a nationwide feature".[4] An example of his work with the Toledo paper can be seen in 1912, honoring victims of the Titanic disaster.[5]
His The Doings of the Duffs comic strip gained a similar level of fame with the public as the Mutt and Jeff strip had.[6] In 1917, Rembrandt Studios produced a The Doing of the Duffs film.[7] A stage musical followed in 1920.[8]
Allman was a cartoonist from 1915 to 1924. He died in Cleveland on July 8, 1924 at age 42 after suffering a nervous breakdown in 1923.[4][9]
References
- ^ Knudde, Kjell. "Walter Allman". Lambiek Comiclopedia. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
- ^ "The Duffs are Coming Back". The Sheboygan Press. January 17, 1925. p. 9.
- ^ Holtz, Allan (2012). American Newspaper Comics: An Encyclopedic Reference Guide. Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan Press. p. 129. ISBN 9780472117567.
- ^ a b Middlecamp, David (February 21, 2011). "Doings of the Duffs". San Luis Obispo Tribune. Retrieved October 18, 2014.
- ^ Sabella, Casey (1994). Titanic "Warning": Hearing the Voice of God in the Modern Age. New Leaf Publishing Group. ISBN 0892212713. Retrieved October 18, 2014.
- ^ "Walter R. Allman (1882-1924)". Yesterday's Papers. May 12, 2009. Retrieved October 18, 2014.
- ^ "Thousands see "Doings of the Duffs"". The Decatur Review. June 17, 1917. p. 4 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "In Theaters and Concert Halls". The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. October 17, 1920. p. 35.
- ^ "Walter Allman, Creator of 'The Duffs,' is Dead". Stockton Daily Evening Record. Cleveland. July 8, 1924. p. 6. Retrieved March 8, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.