Al Smith (b. 1902)
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Biography:
Al Smith was an American cartoonist whose work included a long run on the comic strip Mutt and Jeff. Comics historian R. C. Harvey postulates that Smith's nearly 50-year run on the strip was, at the time of Smith's retirement, a world record for longevity.
Smith was the art editor for the syndication department of the New York World from 1920 to 1930. From 1920 to 1933, Smith wrote and drew the syndicated cartoon From Nine to Five for the World's syndicate service.
Bud Fisher appeared to lose all interest in his Mutt and Jeff strip during the 1930s, and after Fisher's assistant Ed Mack died in 1932, the job of creating the strip fell to Al Smith. The strip retained Fisher's signature until his death, however, and not until December 7, 1954, was the strip signed by Smith. Smith continued to draw the strip until 1980, when George Breisacher took over for its final two years. Smith also drew the strips Rural Delivery and Cicero's Cat, the topper strip accompanying Mutt and Jeff.
Beginning in 1951, Smith ran his own syndicate, the Al Smith Feature Service, which distributed his own strips — Rural Delivery, Remember When, and The Bumbles — as well as those of other cartoonists. It was mainly serving weekly newspapers and run until the late 1990s.
Name:
Other Names:
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Bud Fisher
Type: Ghost Name
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Albert Schmidt
Type: Name at Birth
Given name: Albert Family name: Schmidt
Signatures:
- Al Smith [generic]
- Bud Fisher [generic]
- Fisher [generic]
Awards:
- 1967: National Cartoonist Society Awards (NCS Awards) - Silver T-Square Extraordinary Service Award
- 1968: National Cartoonist Society Awards (NCS Awards) - Humor Comic Strip Division
Relations:
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Employee of
- Bud Fisher Studio
Notes: Smith worked for the studio, almost certainly during the 1940s, probably writing, pencil, and ink work. -
Ghosted for
- Bud Fisher (b. 1885)
Notes: Al Smith began ghosting the comic strip Mutt and Jeff from Bud Fisher in 1932. During 1932 through probably some of 1934, Smith worked with Fisher on the strip in various capacities. From 1934 onward, Smith became the sole creator of the strip, though Fisher remained credited as creator and supervised the work. When Fisher died in 1954, Smith began to sign the comic strip in his name, continuing until his retirement in 1980. -
Ghosted by
- Hy Eisman (b. 1927)
Notes: Eisman did ghost pencil work for Mutt and Jeff (Bell-McClure Syndicate) Sundays. Per Allan Holtz, this was during 1963. Per Jerry Bails this was from sometime in 1965 to sometime in 1966.
Memberships:
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National Cartoonists Society Type: president Duration: 1967 - 1969
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National Cartoonists Society Type: treasurer
