But before all of that-before the strip, the philosophy, the eleven children and the cross country moves there was a skinny kid at a drawing board tuning out forty roughs a week, chasing the ten-dollar checks, certain he was being gypped as usual, and just as certain he'd make it. These are his cartoon from those years. This is where the boy wonder began

 

 

 

- CIVILIZATION CAN NEVER OCCUR TILL EXACERBATION, PERSPICACITY MUNIFICENCE AND MAGNANIMITY?

 

 

We think it will be evident to our readers, after they've finished the following account by GEORGE SMITH, how he and his wife, VIRGINIA, have managed to come up with ideas for THE SMITH FAMILY comic strip over the past 40 years and have thus accomplished a very rare feat in our profession! THE SMITH FAMILY is currentty distributed by the UNIVERSAL PRESS SYNDICATE.

BY GEORGE & VIRGINIA SMITH

 

MOM, IF SUBJUGATION AND EXPLOITATION OF THE WEAK IS SAVAGERY, HOW COME I GOTTA BRING OUT THE GARBAGE ALL THE TIME YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER WE ARE STILL LIVING IN THE PRIMITIVE UNCIVIL- IZED PHASE OF HISTORY.

 

The Oregonian Portland, Oregon · Monday, April 25, 1960

 

Guy on TV described us as "the grandeur of reason incarnate in existence..." just before the news came on

 

“Now, the most important point of my whole speech!” Distributed by The George Matthew Adams Service, Inc., 1960

 

"GOODNESS!! IF THIS GETS OUT OF HAND, WHO WILL MAKE TOMORROW'S BOMBS?"

 

1954

 

Do you think people should be allowed to carry guns?"

 

"Goodness! What a vicious species!