George Lichty

George Lichty (1905–1983) was an American cartoonist, creator of the daily and Sunday cartoon series "Grin and Bear It". Born George Maurice Lichtenstein in Chicago, Illinois, he attended the Chicago Art Institute and was the editor of the University of Michigan's "Gargoyle Humor Magazine".

His work was signed "Lichty" and often ran without mention of his first name. The artwork had a hastily drawn, loose appearance. He created his "Grin and Bear it" series in 1932. Frequent subjects included computers, excessive capitalism and Soviet bureaucracy. Scenes in his cartoons were often set in the offices of commissars or the showrooms of "Belchfire" dealers with enormous cars in the background. His series "Is Party Line, Comrade!" also skewered the Soviet bureaucrats, who always wear a medal, a five-pointed star with "HERO".

Lichty was recognized for his work with the National Cartoonist Society Newspaper Panel Cartoon Award. "Grin and Bear It" received this award in 1956, 1960, 1962 and 1964.

Lichty's cartoon style had a strong influence on the cartoons drawn by Joe Teller, as evidenced in the book, "When I'm Dead All This Will Be Yours!": Joe Teller -- A Portrait by His Kid" (2000) by Teller (of Penn & Teller).

External links

* [http://www.askart.com/AskART/index.aspx Ask Art — Artists' Bios]
* [http://www.reuben.org/ncs/members/memorium/lichty.jpgNational Cartoonists Society — In Memoriam]
* [http://www.reuben.org/ncs/archive/divisions/panels.asp NCS Newspaper Panel Awards]
* [http://www.writing.upenn.edu/~afilreis/50s/partyline.html Sample cartoon]
* [http://www.reuben.org/ncs/awards.asp NCS Awards]