Virgil Franklin Partch(October 17, 1916 – August 10, 1984), who generally signed his workVip,[1]was an American gag cartoonist. His work appeared in magazines of the 1940s and 1950s, and he created the newspapercomic stripsBig GeorgeandThe Captain's Gig.He published 19 books of illustrations and drew art forchildren's books.
Despite being a gagwriter forThe New Yorker,his own cartoons were rarely published there because, according to comics historianBhob Stewart,"New YorkereditorHarold Rossdisliked VIP's drawing style. "[2]
Early life and career
editBorn in Alaska, from a mother with the maiden name Pavlof,[1]Partch studied at theUniversity of Arizonaand theChouinard Art Institutein Los Angeles.[3]He later worked for theDisneystudios, where he was among those fired after taking part in theDisney animators' strikeof 1941.[3]Partch was a co-writer with Dick Shaw on the 1945Donald Duckshort filmDuck Pimples.[4]Soon, he began sellinggag cartoonsto large-circulation magazines, includingCollier's,The New Yorker,Playboy,andTrue.[5]After he left Disney, he worked briefly forWalter LantzonWoody Woodpeckercartoons.[6][7]
Partch was drafted into the US Army in 1944, and by the end of his two-year stint had been transferred from the infantry to become art director and cartoonist of the Army's weekly newspaper, the Fort OrdPanorama.
Out of the Army, PartchfreelancedforERA Productions.He published a number of books of single-panel cartoons, some previously published, others done specifically for the books. His 1950 bestseller,Bottle Fatigue,focused on alcohol-themed humor, sold nearly 95,000 hardcover copies by the decade's end.[2]
Syndicated cartoonist
edit
Later in his career, Partch drew the successful syndicated comic stripBig George[8]It was a six-day-a-weeksingle panel cartoonabout a typical husband when introduced in 1960.[9]
Partch created the strip,The Captain's Gig(about a motley bunch of mariners and castaways), syndicated byField Enterprises.He also illustrated several children's books includingThe Dog Who Snored SymphoniesandThe Christmas Cookie Sprinkle Snatcher.[5]
From 1956, Partch lived in a house on the cliffs aboveCorona del Mar, Newport Beach.He often joined the cartoonists who regularly met at midday in the bar at the White House restaurant on thePacific Coast HighwayinLaguna Beach:Phil and Frank Interlandi, Ed Nofziger, John Dempsey, Don Tobin, Roger Armstrong, Dick Shaw, and Dick Oldden. The gathering began after Phil Interlandi moved to Laguna Beach in 1952. "That was the first bar I walked into in Laguna," Interlandi explained in 1982, "and it became a habit."[10]
Later life and death
editIn 1979, Partch was awarded theInkpot Award.[11]With the onset of cataracts, Partch retired from cartooning in January 1984, and donated his collection of 3,700 original cartoons to theUniversity of California, Irvinelibrary. Partch and his wife died in an auto accident August 10, 1984, onInterstate 5nearValencia, California.Due to his aggressive creative efforts, at the time of his death he left behind enough "Big George" panels for the feature to continue for six more years of new material.[12]
His cousin was the composerHarry Partch.[13]
References
edit- ^abVirgil Franklin Partchat the California Death Index via FamilySearch.org. Retrieved on August 27, 2015.
- ^abStewart, Bhob(August 1985). "R.I.P. VIP".Nemo.No. 14.Fantagraphics.p. 39.
- ^abVIP: Virgil Partchat theLambiek Comiclopedia,Retrieved on August 27, 2015.Archivedfrom the original on August 14, 2015.
- ^"Disney's" Duck Pimples "|".cartoonresearch.Retrieved2023-05-01.
- ^ab"Guide to the Virgil Partch Cartoons and Artwork".Irvine, California: Special Collections and Archives,The UC Irvine Libraries.Archivedfrom the original on January 14, 2014.RetrievedAugust 27,2015.
- ^"Cartoonist Leaves a Legacy of 'Big George'".Los Angeles Times.1986-06-22.Retrieved2022-04-27.
- ^"Camera-ready comic art drawing for Big George".National Museum of American History.Retrieved2022-04-27.
- ^Big GeorgeatDon Markstein's Toonopedia.Archivedfrom the original on August 27, 2015.
- ^"Camera-ready comic art drawing for Big George".National Museum of American History.RetrievedJune 5,2024.
- ^Armstrong, Carla Interlandi. "A Brief History of Phil Interlandi," ASIFA, March 26. 2009.
- ^Inkpot Award
- ^McLellan, Dennis (June 22, 1986)."Cartoonist Leaves a Legacy of 'Big George'".Los Angeles Times.
- ^Williams, Jonathan(2002)."Harry Partch (1901-1974)".A Palpable Elysium: Portraits of Genius and Solitude.David R. Godine. p. 38.ISBN9781567921496.
It's fitting that his cousin VIP (Virgil Partch) was a fine zany cartoonist of his time.
Further reading
edit- Moore, Scott. "Life Inside a Comic Strip,"Los Angeles Times(December 26, 1974), p. E1
- Obituary,Los Angeles Times,(August 12, 1984), Metro Section, p. B1.
