Cliff Sterrett
| Cliff Sterrett | |
|---|---|
 Sterrett in 1918 | |
| Born | December 12, 1883 Fergus Falls, Minnesota |
| Died | December 28, 1964(aged 81) Bronxville, New York[1] |
| Nationality | American |
| Area(s) | Cartoonist |
Notable works | Polly and Her Pals |
Clifford Sterrett(/ˈstɛrɪt/;December 12, 1883 – December 28, 1964) was an Americancartoonistbest known as the creator of thecomic stripPolly and Her Pals.
Biography
[edit]Born inFergus Falls, Minnesota,where his father was a druggist, Cliff Sterrett was of Scandinavian ancestry. His mother died when he was two; Cliff and his younger brother Paul were then raised by a maiden aunt, Sallie Johnson, inAlexandria, Minnesotaafter their father moved to Seattle.[2]
With a letter of introduction from a local Episcopal clergyman, the 18-year-old Sterrett moved to New York, where he enrolled in the Chase Art School for two years of study. He signed on at theNew York Heraldin 1904 as a staff art assistant and submitted cartoons to theNew York Telegram,embarking on his first comic strips:Ventriloquial Vag,Merry Ha-Ha,When a Man's Married,Before and AfterandFor This We Have Daughters.Leaving theTelegram,he drew illustrations forThe New York Times.
Polly and Her Pals
[edit]At theNew York Evening Journalhe launchedPolly and Her Pals(originally calledPositive Polly) in 1912. By the mid-1920s, Sterrett had turned thedaily stripover to others (notablyPaul FungandVernon Greene) in order to concentrate on theSunday strip.[3]Sterrett also created the SundaytopperstripsDot and DashandBelles and Wedding Belles.
As the 1920s continued, Sterrett's work was increasingly influenced by theabstract artof that decade, incorporating "striking patterns of abstraction much in the style ofcubismandsurrealism".[4]Coulton Waughregarded this as an innovative step forward, noting that Sterrett's style "appeared inPollylong before modern art was accepted by American art critics. "[5]
Now, Sterrett—that's the guy who was the greatest. To think that a whole generation has grown up worshippingPicassowhen the guy who did it far better was Sterrett! Far better than Picasso—andHerriman.I love Herriman—he has his own special place. But I love Sterrett—he belongs someplace else...
— Al Capp,Cartoonist PROfiles#37 (March 1978)
Girl strips
[edit]Pollyis regarded as the first of numerous comic strips about flirting pretty girls, includingEdgar Martin'sBoots and Her Buddies,Chic Young'sBlondieand Larry Whittington'sFritzi Ritz(which later spawnedNancy). AlthoughPolly and Her Palswas highly influential, it was never wildly popular and lacked the merchandising and spin-off books associated with other strips.[6]
The comic was not only remarkable for its creation of a new subgenre and prototype,[7]but also for its cubism-inspired graphics.[6]It is now regarded as one of the masterpieces of American comic strips for its graphic design, storytelling and unique humor,[8]while Sterrett is lauded as a leading graphic stylist and innovator.[3]
WhenPolly and Her Palswas included in theLibrary of CongressexhibitionCartoon America,it was praised for its unique graphic style[9]and ranked alongsideKrazy Katas the epitome of theArt Decostyle in comics.[10]Sterrett had considerable influence on later cartoonists, includingJules Feiffer.[11]
References
[edit]
- ^New Standard Encyclopedia Yearbook 1965(1966 Edition), Funk & Wagnalls, p. 311.
- ^Alexandria cartoonist has made his mark | Park Rapids EnterpriseRetrieved 2017-06-01.
- ^abKees Kousemaker."Cliff Sterrett".Comiclopedia.Retrieved2007-05-15.
- ^M. Thomas Inge.Comics as Culture.p. 82.
- ^Coulton Waugh.The Comics.p. 42.
- ^abDon Markstein."Polly and Her Pals".Toonopedia.Retrieved2007-05-15.
- ^"You've Come a Long Way, Joanie!".Center for Media Literacy. Archived fromthe originalon 2007-05-15.Retrieved2007-05-15.
For example, the first strip about a woman, "Polly and Her Pals," featured a "tall, attractive young lady with a mind of her own." She became a prototype. Even her "French doll" look, cast the mold for future generations of comic women.
- ^Laurent Boileau (2005-06-05)."Polly and Her Pals, 1929-1930"(in French). ActuaBD.Retrieved2007-05-15.
- ^"Laughs! Tears! Thrills!: Comic Strips".Library of Congress. 2006-11-13.Retrieved2007-05-15.
- ^"Le Musée des Beaux-Arts".Centre National de la Bande Dessinée et de l'Image. Archived fromthe originalon 2007-06-09.Retrieved2007-05-15.
On pense particulièrement à Krazy Kat de George Herriman et surtout à Polly and her Pals de Cliff Sterrett.
- ^Dolores Kazan gian O'Brien (2003-11-14)."Jules Feiffer Visits Port Washington Library".Port Washington News. Archived fromthe originalon 2007-09-27.Retrieved2007-05-15.
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