MR. and MRS. GEORGE SMITH
creators of "The Smith Family"
Mr. and Mrs. George Smith collaborate on "The Smith Family" daily (and Sunday page) comic strip that truly reflects the hilarity of a real-life family. There are eleven Smith children ten girls and one boy! "The Smith Family cartooned characters are just newspaper replicas of the entire real life family including "Hon" (Mom) and Dad.
In real life, Ginny is 21 and has been married three years. Kip is 18. Ellen is 16 and working after school Tina is 15; Lorraine, 14; Tish, 13. With five teen- agers, there are no dull moment around the Smith house! Carol is 12. Georgie is 11 and the only boy (except for next generation which is filling in the discrepancy with) Dolores is 9 Suzy is 6 and Babs is 5. "We are never lacking for material for passing on says Smith.
George Smith the artist, says he does most of his work when the children are in school... or elsewhere," but he readily admits they furnish him with most of his ideas and gags. He simply listens to their conversations and observes their strategy and antics.
In 1941, when leaving Art School George Smith started his cartoonist career by selling his first cartoon to The Saturday Evening Post. Then came World War ll. After serving as chief artist for the 58th Signal Battalion with a studio on half the islands in the Pacific, Smith returned to the USA, in 1946, and again sold cartoons to The Post and other magazines of national circulation.
Early years of the Smiths' wedded life were spent in, or near, New York City. They now live in California.
Says Smith of his large family: "Most all of us have, or have had, families. We all know that babies cry... but they also smile. And I'm sure that those of us who were compulsory heroes in World War ll, often reminisce over those quiet days at the front where the only noise was a little bombing or straffing once in a while.
"Nothing is changed!"
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