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| Dick Locher | |
|---|---|
| Born | Richard Earl Locher (1929-06-04)June 4, 1929 |
| Died | August 6, 2017(2017-08-06) (aged 88) |
| Area | Cartoonist |
Notable works | Dick Tracy |
| Awards | Pulitzer Prize,Editorial Cartooning (1983) |
Richard Earl Locher (June 4, 1929 – August 6, 2017) was an Americansyndicatedcartoonist.
Locher was born inDubuque,Iowa. After high school, he studied atLoras College before studying art at theUniversity of Iowa.[1][2] He then graduated with honors from theChicago Academy of Fine Arts.
While inChicago, he became an assistant toRick Yager, who was drawingBuck Rogers at the time. However, he left the job after a few months to enlist in theAir Force during theKorean War,[3] where he became atest pilot[2] and later was given an Honorable Discharge as Captain.[1] While at the Air Force, he began freelancing for theStars and Stripes.
In 1957, he began assistingChester Gould onDick Tracy,[4] where he inked the figures and colored the Sunday strips. He also contributed to a story that was cited in Gould's 1959Reuben award. He left the strip in 1961 to work on other areas, including starting an advertising company, where he worked on designing characters forMcDonald's.
Locher kept in touch with Chester Gould even after leaving the strip. In 1973, an editorial cartoonist position at theChicago Tribune opened up and Gould recommended Locher to take the position. Despite having no experience in editorial cartooning, theTribune hired Locher. Locher retired May 1, 2013.[5]
Locher, working with his son John,[6] returned to work onDick Tracy in 1983,[4] when its previous cartoonist, Rick Fletcher, died. That same year, he won thePulitzer Prize forEditorial Cartooning.[7] In 2009, Jim Brozman took over the drawing ofDick Tracy; however Locher continued to write the storylines and contributed sketches.[8] In 2011, Locher retired fromDick Tracy and handed the reins to the new creative team of Mike Curtis and Joe Staton. Locher's lastDick Tracy strip was published Sunday, March 13, 2011.
Dick got honorary doctorates fromBenedictine University andLoras College. He was a long-tenured trustee of Benedictine University in Lisle, Illinois.[1]
In 2006, Locher was inducted into the Oklahoma Cartoonists Hall of Fame inPauls Valley, Oklahoma by Michael Vance. The Oklahoma Cartoonists Collection, created by Vance, is located in the Toy and Action Figure Museum.[9] In 2008, he was inducted to the Fox Valley Arts Hall of Fame.[10]
In 2013, Locher helped design and make a 9.5-foot bronze statue ofNaperville's founding father, Capt.Joseph Naper.[11] He also designed theLand of Lincoln Trophy, awarded to the winner of the Northwestern-Illinois college football game.[12]
Throughout his career, Locher published over 10,000 cartoons.[13]
Dick Locher's son, John, who was also a cartoonist, died in 1986 at the age of 25.[2] The same year, while appearing at the 1986Ohio Comic Con atOhio State University, Hy Rosen,Albany Times Union cartoonist, andAndy Donato,Toronto Sun cartoonist, both of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists, suggested the John Locher Award to recognize aspiring college-age cartoonists in remembrance of Locher's son,[13] who helped him on Dick Tracy.[2] The first award competition was launched in 1987.[14]
Locher married Mary (née Cosgrove) in 1957. In 1969, they moved to Naperville, Illinois, where they lived until his death.[1][4]
They had three children: Stephen, who lives in the Chicago area; John, who died in 1986 at age 25; and Jana, who lives in Colorado.
Locher died on August 6, 2017, in Naperville, Illinois, aged 88.[15] His death was caused by complications from Parkinson's disease.[16][2]
{{cite book}}:Missing or empty|title= (help)| Preceded by | Dick Tracy artist 1983-2009 | Succeeded by Himself (pencils) andJim Brozman (inks) |
| Preceded by Himself | Dick Tracy artist (pencils, withJim Brozman inking) 2009-2011 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Dick Tracy writer 2005-2011 | Succeeded by |
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