2012 Event French comic artist Jean Giraud, creator of 'Blueberry' and numerous influential science-fiction comics, dies at 73 2007 Death Johnny Hart, cartoonist, creator, comic strips, 'The Wizard of Id', 'B.C.', strips each appeared in over 1,000 newspapers, dies of a stroke while at the drawing table, at age 76 2004 Death Vaughn Meader, comic/musician, The First Family, dies at 62 2004 Death Rodney Dangerfield, comic, dies at 81 2004 Death Alan King, comic/producer, Friar's Club roasters, dies at 76 2004 Death Julius Schwartz, comic editor/agent, dies at 88 2003 Death Fred Berry, comic, Whats Happening, dies at 52 2003 Death John Ritter, actor/comic, Three's Company, dies at 56 2002 Death Judy Toll, comic/writer, Sex and the City, dies at 44 2002 Death Spike Milligan, "comic, writer", The Goon Show, dies at 83 2002 Death Avery Schreiber, comic, Burns and Schreiber, dies at 66 2001 Death Foster Brooks, comic, ", ""professional lush"", ", dies at 89 2001 Death Imogene Coca, comic, Your Show of Shows, dies at 92 2001 Death "Theodore Gottlieb AKA ""Brother Theodore""", comic, dies at 94 2001 Death Sandy Baron, comic, Broadway Danny Rose, dies at 63 1998 Death Flip Wilson, comic, The Flip Wilson Show, dies at 64 1998 Event "Comic Relief" benefit comedy show 1998 Death Phil Hartman, comic, Saturday Night Live, dies at 49 1998 Death Grandpa Jones, country comic/banjo wizard, 'Hee Haw', dies at 84 1997 Death Red Skelton, comic, dies at 84 1997 Death Joey Faye, comic (Fruit of the Loom grapes) 1996 Event Superman's Action Comic #1 (1938) auctioned at Sotheby at $61,900 1996 Death Jerry Siegel, comic book writer (Superman), dies at 81 1996 Death Bernard Baily, comic artist, dies at 79 1996 Death Hamish Imlach, folk singer/comic, dies at 55 1995 Event Cartoonist Bill Watterson ends his "Calvin and Hobbes" comic strip 1995 Death Calvin/Hobbes, (comic strip), dies 1995 Death Rick Aviles, U.S. comic/actor (Ghost), dies of AIDS 1995 Death Peter Cook, English comic/actor (Peter n' Dud, Bedazzled), dies at 57 1994 Death Mitacq, Michel Tacq, Belgian comic strip artist (Beaver Patrol), dies 1994 Death Harry Touw, Dutch comic (Fred Hache Show), dies at 70 1994 Death Keith Watson, British comic strip artist (Dan Dare), dies at 59 1993 Death Kenneth Connor, English comic/actor (Carry on Sergeant), dies at 75 1993 Death Joaquin Garcia, Mexican comic actor, dies of heart attack at 71 1992 Death Bob the Moor, Flemish comic strip artist (Kuifje), dies 1991 Death Robert Q Lewis, U.S. comic/TV panel member (RQL Show), dies at 70 1990 Event Comic Relief '90 (4th one) raises $4.7 million 1990 Death Terry Thomas, English comic (Heroes), dies of Parkinson's disease at 78 1989 Death Cornel Wilde, actor (Saadia, Comic, Beach Red, Gargoyles), dies at 74 1989 Death Thomas E "Tommy" Trinder, English comic (Bitter Springs), dies at 80 1987 Event "Late Nite Comic" closes at Ritz Theater New York City after 4 performances 1987 Event "Late Nite Comic" opens at Ritz Theater New York City for 4 performances 1986 Death Coluche, Michel Colucci, French comic, dies at 41 1986 Death Yakima Canutt, actor and director (Diary of a Young Comic), dies at 91 1984 Event Gary Trudeau's Doonesbury comic strip resumes after 2-year hiatus 1981 Death George Jessel, actor (Diary of a Young Comic), dies at 83 1981 Death George Jessel, U.S. comic/toastmaster (Diary of Young Comic), dies at 83 1979 Death Zeppo Marx, Herbert, U.S. comic (Marx Brothers), dies at 78 1978 Event Garfield, created by Jim Davis, 1st appears as a comic strip 1977 Event Final Al Capp comic strip of "Li'l Abner" (1934-77) 1977 Death Gummo [Milton] Marx, U.S. comic (Marx Brothers), dies at 84 1976 Event Comic strip "Cathy," by Cathy Guisewhite, debuts 1976 Death Bartoes, Albertus J Wijstma, cabaret performer/comic, dies at 73 1973 Death Walt Kelly, U.S. comic strip artist (Pogo), dies at 60 1973 Death Murat B "Chic" Young, U.S. comic strip artist (Blondie), dies at 72 1973 Event Comic strip "Hagar The Horrible" debuted 1972 Birthday Dane Cook, born in Boston, Massachusetts, Dane Jeffrey Cook, comedian, stand up comic, released five comedy albums, 'Retaliation' went double platinum, the highest charting comedy album in 28 years, appeared in 15 films since 1997, including 'My Best Friend's Girl' 1971 Death Harold Lloyd, U.S. comic/actor (Why Worry), dies of cancer at 77 1970 Event "Doonesbury" comic strip debuts in 28 newspapers 1970 Birthday Jay Mohr, born in Verona, New Jersey, actor, stand-up comedian, executive producer, NBC's Last Comic Standing reality television program 1968 Death Harold Gray, U.S. comic strip artist (Little Orphan Annie), dies at 74 1967 Death Bert Lahr, Irving Lahrheim, U.S. comic (Wizard of Oz), dies at 72 1966 Death Buster Keaton, Joseph Francis, U.S. comic (General), dies at 69 1964 Event Martin Kresses final comic strip of Eric the Viking 1960 Birthday Neil Gaiman, born in Portchester, Hampshire, author, science fiction, wrote, 'Good Omens', 'The Sandman' comic book series 1958 Birthday Lea DeLaria, born in Belleville, Illinois, actress, jazz musician, comedienne, prominent lesbian stand-up comic, known for her raunchy persona 1958 Event Comic strip "BC" 1st appears 1957 Event Comic strip "Andy Capp" made its debut 1957 Birthday Ray Billingsley, comic strip cartoonist, Curtis 1956 Birthday Lynda Barry, born in Richland Center, Wisconsin, cartoonist, author, known for comic strip, 'Ernie Pook's Comeek', wrote 'The Good Times are Killing Me', 'What It Is' 1954 Death George Edward Robey, English comic/actor (Henry IV), dies at 85 1953 Birthday Alan Moore, born in Northampton, England, author, wrote comic book series, 'Watchmen', 'From Hell' and 'V for Vendetta', wrote novel, 'Voice of Fire' 1953 Birthday Nicholas Wisdom, cricketer, son of comic Norman, 2 games Sussex 1974 1950 Event "Beetle Bailey" comic strip debuts 1950 Birthday Gary Larson, born in Tacoma, Washington, cartoonist, created and published the single-panel comic strip, Far Side 1950 Death Harry Lauder (Maclennan), Scottish comic/singer, dies at about 75 1946 Event Martin Kresses begins publishing "Eric the Viking" comic strip 1944 Death Harry Langdon, U.S. comic/director (Heart Trouble), dies at 60 1944 Event Batman and Robin comic strip premieres in newspapers 1943 Event "Archie" comic strip 1st broadcast on radio 1943 Birthday Vivian Stanshall, songwriter/comic 1942 Event "Archie" comic book debuts 1942 Birthday Archie Andrews, comic book character, Archie 1941 Event "Gordo" comic strip (by Gus Arriola) 1st appears in newspapers 1941 Birthday John Gould, British composer/musical comic 1941 Event "Captain America" appears in a comic book 1940 Death Ben[jamin] Turpin, U.S. comic (Saps at Sea, His New Job), dies 1940 Birthday Hamish Imlach, folk singer/comic 1940 Birthday Jimmy Tarbuck, English comic/golfer 1939 Event Comic strip "Superman" debuts 1938 Event Comic strip "Dennis the Menace," 1st appears 1937 Event "Prince Valiant" comic strip appears; known for historical detail 1934 Event "Flash Gordon" comic strip (by Alex Raymond) debuts 1933 Birthday Tim Conway, born in Willoughby, Ohio, comic, McHale's Navy, Carol Burnett Show 1933 Event Blondie Boopadoop married Dagwood Bumstead in the comic Blondie 1932 Birthday Paul Krassner, comic strip cartoonist, MAD Magazine, and founder, Yippies 1931 Event Dick Tracy comic strip by Chester Gould debuts 1931 Birthday Dick Tracy, comic strip crimestopper 1931 Birthday Johnny Hart, born in Endicott, New York, cartoonist, creator, comic strips, 'The Wizard of Id', 'B.C.', strips each appeared in over 1,000 newspapers 1930 Event 1st appearance of comic strip "Blondie" 1930 Event "Mickey Mouse" comic strip 1st appears 1929 Event Popeye makes 1st appearance, in comic strip "Thimble Theater" 1929 Event "Buck Rogers," 1st sci-fi comic strip, premieres 1929 Event "Tarzan," one of the 1st adventure comic strips, 1st appears 1926 Birthday Tom Ryan, comic strip cartoonist, Tumbleweeds 1925 Birthday Bob de Moor, Flemish comic strip artist, Kuifje, Lion of Flanders 1925 Death Max Linder, French actor/comic/director (Max toreador), dies at 41 1925 Birthday Leonard Starr, comic strip cartoonist, Little Orphan Annie 1925 Birthday Charlie Drake, British comic, Plank, Rhubarb Rhubarb, Splish Splash 1924 Event "Little Orphan Annie" comic strip 1st published 1924 Event Comic strip "Little Orphan Annie," by Harold Gray, debuts 1924 Birthday Paul Conrad, comic strip cartoonist, LA Times 1924 Birthday Harry Cordon, comic and host, Fred Hache Show 1923 Birthday Roy Lichtenstein, born in New York City, Pop art painter, painted comic book panels 1923 Event "Moon Mullins," Comic Strip, debuts 1922 Birthday Stan Lee, writer, editor and co-creator of Spider-Man, Incredible Hulk, Fantastic Four and many more comic characters 1922 Birthday Little Orphan Annie, comic strip character 1921 Birthday Bobby Todd, U.S. comic/actor, Original Sin 1921 Birthday Allan Jaffee, comic strip cartoonist/illustrator, MAD Magazine 1919 Birthday Jon Pertwee, English comic/actor, Dr. Who, Worzel Gummidge 1916 Birthday Bernard Baily, comic artist 1914 Birthday Jerry Siegel, comic book writer, Superman 1913 Birthday Vivian Vance, comic sidekick 1910 Event "Krazy Kat" comic strip by George Herriman debuts in New York Journal 1909 Birthday Thomas E "Tommy" Trinder, English radio comic/actor, Phoenix 1906 Birthday Harry Ritz, U.S. comic, Ritz Brothers-Silent Movie 1904 Birthday George Formby, William Booth, British singer/comic, Let George Do It 1904 Event U.S. blues singer Gertrude Pridgett marries comic William Rainey 1903 Birthday Jimmy Ritz, U.S. comic, Ritz Brothers-Blazing Stewardesses 1902 Birthday Bartoes, Albertus J Wijstma, cabaret performer/comic 1900 Birthday Sydney Arnold, English comic/actor, Miss Jones and Son 1898 Birthday George Jessel, toastmaster general/entertainer, Diary of Young Comic 1895 Event 1st cartoon comic strip is printed in a newspaper 1895 Birthday Bert Lahr, Irving Lahrheim, U.S. comic/actor, Lion-Wizard of Oz 1894 Event 1st newspaper Sunday color comic section published (New York World) 1894 Event 1st comic strip "Origin of a New Species," by Richard Outcault 1893 Birthday Stanley Lupino, English comic, Cheer Up, Over She Goes 1893 Birthday Harold Lloyd, Burchard, Nebraska, silent comic, Why Worry, Safety Last 1890 Event Comic Cuts, 1st weekly comic paper, published in London 1884 Birthday Harry Langdon, born in Council Bluffs, Iowa, comic/director, Strong Man 1883 Birthday Max Linder, Caverne France, actor/comic/director, Max Prend un Bain 1874 Birthday Ben[jamin] Turpin, U.S., comic, Uncle Tom Without the Cabin 1873 Death Manuel Breton de los Herreros, Span poet/comic playwright, dies at 76 1869 Birthday George Robey, comic 1866 Birthday Henri [Hendrik J] Hall, Dutch MP/comic, Put a Lid on it 1802 Event 1st comic book "The Wasp," is published 1796 Birthday Manuel Breton de los Herreros, Quel Spain, poet/comic playwright 1738 Death Joe Miller, English comic, dies
