Volume 11 , Issue 16

Jim Lange 1926-2009

The Daily Oklahoman reported, "Longtime Cartoonist, Jim Lange Dies -- The newspaper also said this about Jim Lange, "Lange retired in October, after a prodigious career as an editorial cartoonist for the daily newspaper in his adopted hometown.

From 1950, when he joined The Oklahoman at the age of 24, until recent years, Lange produced seven cartoons a week. At retirement, he was still drawing five a week. No one, not even Lange, knew exactly how many cartoons he had published over his career, but it probably exceeded 19,000.

"One of Lange?s favorite stories was how his wife, the former Helen Johnstone, prompted him to come to Oklahoma. She refused to marry him, he said, until he had a real job. So he began researching newspapers that had no full-time political cartoonists. Not knowing the protocol, he wrote to E.K. Gaylord, the editor and publisher. Gaylord personally negotiated the terms of Lange?s employment, which began Oct. 1, 1950.

"His first cartoon featured then Gov. Roy Turner. Before long the trademarks of Lange?s work began to appear, such as oil wells scattered in the background that identified scenes as Oklahoma. His most notable character was John Q. Public, Lange?s cartoon sidekick who represented the common citizen trying to understand the political maneuvers of the powerful."
  |  View or Add Comments (1 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

---