Broom-Hildais an American newspapercomic stripcreated bycartoonistRussell Myers.Distributed byTribune Content Agency,[1]it depicts the misadventures of a man-crazy, cigar-smoking, beer-guzzling, 1,500-year-oldwitchand hermotley crewof friends.
| Broom-Hilda | |
|---|---|
| Author(s) | Russell Myers |
| Website | www.gocomics.com/broomhilda |
| Current status/schedule | Running |
| Launch date | April 19, 1970 |
| Syndicate(s) | Tribune Content Agency[1] |
| Genre(s) | Humor |
The original idea forBroom-Hildacame fromElliot Caplin,brother ofLi'l AbnercartoonistAl Capp.He described the main character to Myers, who responded with a sketch of the witch and several samples. Caplin, acting as Myers' business manager, submitted these to theChicago Tribune Syndicate.Introduced on April 19, 1970, it became an immediate success.Broom-Hildawas reprinted in several collections during the 1970s and 1980s.
Characters and story
editAlthough events mostly take place during the present in an unidentified forest, the setting changes. Locales change drastically from day to day—and background details can change from panel to panel within the same strip, while the characters remain stationary (much like the backgrounds inKrazy Kat). Broom-Hilda is capable oftime travel,reappearing in various centuries throughout history to chat with (burlesque versions of) diverse historical figures.
- Broom-Hilda(a pun onBrünnhilde) is a witch with green skin, long, stringy hair, and a wart on the end of her nose. She wears a black dress, black shoes, striped stockings (one perpetually drooping) and a black hat with a daisy on top. According to the strip's official site, Broom-Hilda isAttila the Hun's ex-wife. She is perpetually looking for a new husband, but, due to her abrasive nature, the quest has thus far been unsuccessful. Early in the strip's run, she gave up cigar smoking and beer. She served in the United States Marine Corps for two days and was discharged for unnecessary roughness (glimpses of her underpants reveal aUSMClabel). A hint to her rough-hewn side occurs in one strip where she is buying underwear. The clerk suggests a set of underwear, each one bearing the days of the week. She asks if she can get a set with the months of the year.
- Irwin Trollhas much hair, but little intelligence. Perpetually innocent and naïve to the point of imbecility, he is a simple-minded, sweet-natured, nature-loving character — very unlike Broom-Hilda.
- Gaylord Buzzardis a neurotic intellectual who wears thick, horn-rimmed glasses,spatsand (sometimes) afezfor reading. Worldly, egotistical and sarcastic, he enjoys playingpractical jokeson the other characters, particularly Broom-Hilda. Gaylord is a vegetarian. He bears the scar of a youth spent in movie theaters: He's hopelessly addicted to popcorn.
- Nerwin Trollis Irwin's smart-aleck nephew, attaining the name from a newspaper contest as a blend of "nerd" and "Irwin". Irwin broke thefourth wallto address readers. Nerwin is often drawn wearing apropeller beanie,giving him the look of a stereotypical comic strip representation of a brattyjuvenile delinquent,and he has also been known to frequently behave as such.
- Grelberis never seen except for his eyes and perpetually grinning teeth, always peering out from a hollow log perched on the edge of a cliff. Mysterious and openly malevolent, he dispenses "Free insults", as a sign at the entrance of his log proclaims.
- Wolfieis Broom-Hilda's small, timid pet wolf. Though an animal who never speaks, he is capable of intelligent thought,à laSnoopy.
- Big Lump,a large dinosaur-like creature, appeared in the strip's early years.
Animation
editBroom-Hildawas adapted twice for animated television series. The first was part ofArchie's TV Funnies(1971), an animated series set in a television station run byArchie Andrewsand his friends.Broom-Hildawas one of the comic strips featured on their show, along withDick Tracy,Moon Mullins,Emmy Lou,The Captain and the Kids,The Dropouts,NancyandSmokey Stover.The series was produced byFilmationAssociates. Broom-Hilda's voice was provided byJane Webb(also the voice ofBetty CooperandVeronica Lodge).
Broom-Hildareturned in another Filmation series,Fabulous Funnies(1978). Thirteen episodes were produced, and the series ran for one season onNBC.[2]The show featured animated versions of several famous comic strips, includingTumbleweeds,Alley OopandNancy.Voices were provided byJune Foray(Broom-Hilda),Bob Holt(Gaylord) andAlan Oppenheimer(Irwin and Grelber).
The character also made a brief animated appearance inThe Fantastic Funnies(1980), a TV special that aired onCBSshowcasing newspaper cartoonists. The animation sequence was produced byBill Melendez Productions.June Foray was brought back to voice the character.
Other media
editA live-actionBroom-Hildasketch was included in the specialMother's Day Sunday Funniesbroadcast May 8, 1983, onNBC.[3]
In 2004, it was announced that there would be aBroadway musical[4]based on the comic strip characters, written byMartin Charnin(Annie) andKurt Andersen(Spymagazine). The music was composed byLeroy Anderson.There was discussion of casting with Andersen suggestingCatherine Zeta-Jones[5]for the title role, but the show was not produced.
Grelber also appeared as a computer program on oldUnixsystems. Typing the command "Grelber" would cause the computer to insult the user.
Awards
editMyers won theNational Cartoonists Society's Humor Comic Strip Award for 1975 for his work on the strip.
Myers holds the record for most comic strips drawn by one person, without assistance, for Broom Hilda, with over 19,000 daily and Sunday comic strips over 53 years, according to writer and comics expertMark Evanier.[6]
Caplin died in 2000. Myers continues to write and draw the strip, compiling a large backlog of strips in the event poor health were to prevent him from meeting his syndication requirements.[7]
Myers won a 2024 Guiness World Book of Records Award for the most comic strips drawn by one person for the longest period of time (54 years) in the world.
Russell Myers collections
edit- Broom-Hilda(1971) Lancer Books
- I Love You, Broom-Hilda(1973) Tempo Books
- Broom-Hilda Rides Again!(1975) Tempo
- Ugly Is as Ugly Does: The Broom-Hilda Story(1976) Tempo
- Flying Low with Broom-Hilda(1976) Tempo
- Broom-Hilda Presents: Mother Nature's Personal Friend, Irwin Troll(1976) Tempo
- Losing Control with Broom-Hilda(1976) Tempo
- Popcorn Sandwiches! A Broom-Hilda Book(1977) Tempo
- Broom-Hilda: Baying at the Moon and Other Tales of Unrequited Love(1977) Tempo
- Boo! Broom-Hilda(1977) Tempo
- X-Rated X-Rays: A Broom-Hilda Book(1978) Tempo
- Broom-Hilda: Growing Old Gracelessly and Other Indignities(1978) Tempo
- Broom-Hilda: Never Stilt-Walk in Gopher Country(1978) Ace Books
- Broom-Hilda: Life Begins at 1500(1981) Fawcett
- Open at You Own Risk!! A Broom-Hilda Book(1981) Fawcett
- Broom-Hilda: (Comic) Strip Tease(1982) Fawcett
- Broom-Hilda: Sneaky Volcanos(1982) Fawcett
- Broom-Hilda: Doing What I Do Best(1984) Fawcett
- Broom-Hilda: Never Trust Short Green People!(1984) Fawcett
- Broom-Hilda: I Always Get My Mountie!(1985) Fawcett
- Broom-Hilda: Lookin' Good!(1985) Fawcett
- Broom-Hilda: Space Junk(1986) Fawcett
- Broom-Hilda: One Rotten Apple(1986) Fawcett
- Broom-Hilda: Sore Loser(1987) Fawcett
- Broom-Hilda: The Backward Heimlich(1987) Fawcett
Theme park
editAtUniversal's Islands of Adventure,in Toon Lagoon, Broom-Hilda can be seen in front of the entrance of Comic Strip Cafe.
Notes
edit- ^ab"Broom Hilda comics by Russell Myers".Tribune Content Agency.RetrievedOctober 9,2018.
- ^Scheimer, Lou (2015).Creating the Filmation Generation(2nd ed.). TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 157.ISBN978-1-60549-044-1.
- ^Television Specials: 5,336 Entertainment Programs, 1936-2012, 2d ed. by Vincent Terrace
- ^Witching hour – Entertainment News, Legit News, Media – Variety
- ^My Way
- ^Russell Myers' "Broom Hilda" declared the longest-running comic strip to be produced by one person
- ^news from me – ARCHIVESArchivedNovember 19, 2006, at theWayback Machine
External links
edit- Official site
- Broom-HildaatDon Markstein's Toonopedia.Archivedfrom the original on February 22, 2018.
- Voices of Oklahoma interview.First person interview conducted on April 20, 2020 with Russell Myers.
