| Pete the Tramp | |
|---|---|
 C. D. Russell'sPete the Tramp (March 29, 1959) | |
| Author | Clarence D. Russell |
| Current status/schedule | Finished |
| Launch date | January 10, 1932 |
| End date | December 22, 1963[1] |
| Syndicate(s) | King Features Syndicate |
Pete the Tramp is an American comic strip byClarence D. Russell (1895–1963) which was distributed byKing Features Syndicate for more than three decades, from January 10, 1932 to December 22, 1963.[1] Howard Eugene Wilson, in theHarvard Educational Review, described the strip's title character as "a hobo with a gentleman's instincts."[2]
Russell studied at the Chicago Art Institute and then began working as a freelance artist. DuringWorld War I, he went overseas with theAmerican Expeditionary Forces. When he returned to America in 1920, he worked for several New York newspapers, while also contributing toJudge.
Russell's work forJudge included cartoons of a homeless man who was given the name Pete the Tramp when he was syndicated to newspapers beginning January 10, 1932.
Comic strip historianDon Markstein offered this description of Pete the Tramp:
Pete was like most fictional tramps of the time in that he moved around a lot, was always looking for a handout, did an occasional odd job when he couldn't avoid it, and was generally disreputable. But he didn't resemble the worst of them, i.e., wasn't violent or a sneak thief—except the latter, but not very often and never for anything of great value. Pete was often seen in the company of a small yellow dog of indeterminate breed, whom he addressed as Boy. Under the namePete's Pup, the dog was the star of theSunday page's topper during the first couple of years. Pete's strip was popular during the Depression and still maintained reasonable circulation after that period's end made his situation less excusable.[3]
During its long run,Pete the Tramp had severaltopper strips, as detailed by comic strip historianAllan Holtz in 2006:
The Further Adventures of Pete the Tramp (1944) was a live-actionstag film which stole Russell's character and put him in an erotic situation.[6] During World War II, Russell andOtto Soglow drew their characters at kids' bond rallies inAlbany, New York and elsewhere. To cheer up soldiers, Russell also didPete the Tramp drawings in hospitals during World War II.[7]
Pete the Tramp ended December 12, 1963, following Russell's death on October 22 of that year.
The Adventures of Pete the Tramp was published in 1935 by Saalfield.Pete the Tramp was published by John Martin's House in 1945.