Here’s the latest installment of Maggie Thompson’s ongoing look at important beginnings, middles, and ends, this time for September 20-26, 2019...

150 years ago September 26, 1869 Cartoonist and animation pioneer Winsor McCay is born. He is best known for his creations Little Nemo in Slumberland, Dream of the Rarebit Fiend, and “Gertie the Dinosaur.” Three of his short films are in the U.S. National Film Registry.

130 years ago September 23, 1889 Dutch artist and teacher Elle Smalhout is born.

125 years ago September 20, 1894 Heinrich Hoffmann dies at age 85. He created one of the earliest German comics, Der Struwwelpeter.

125 years ago September 21, 1894 Comic book pioneer Maxwell Charles Gaines is born. He devises newsprint comics periodicals, co-publishes All-American Publications, founds Educational Comics, and is father of Bill Gaines.

110 years ago September 20, 1909 French artist Achille Lemot (born Désiré Achille Valentin) dies at age 62.

110 years ago September 22, 1909 Actor Rocky Lane is born. His cowboy roles lead to licensing his name and image in Fawcett comics. He also plays the comics character Red Ryder on TV but may be best known for voicing Mr. Ed (who has his own Gold Key comics series).

100 years ago September 24, 1919 Voice artist Dayton Allen is born. He voices such characters as Heckle and Jeckle, Deputy Dawg, and Professor Weirdo.

95 years ago September 25, 1924 Italian artist Antonioi Sciotti is born.

75 years ago September 23, 1944 The editors of the Belgian newspaper Le Soir are arrested for Nazi collaboration, Hergé’s Tintin is discontinued, and Hergé is temporarily jailed.

70 years ago September 23, 1949 Artist Paul Ryan is born. He is especially known for his work on such series as Marvel’s The Fantastic Four, CrossGen’s Ruse, the Amazing Spider-Man Sunday strip, and the Phantom daily and Sunday newspaper strip.

70 years ago September 24, 1949 Writer David Rawson is born. He co-writes (with Pat McGreal) Chiaroscuro: The Private Lives of Leonardo Da Vinci.

65 years ago September 20, 1954 Artist Doug Hazlewood is born. He is especially known for his work on The Liberty Project with writer Kurt Busiek and artist James Fry and such stories as “The Death of Superman” and “Superman: The Wedding Album.”

60 years ago September 24, 1959 The Belgian Mickey Magazine ends.

60 years ago September 26, 1959 Artist and animator Gabriel Morrissette is born. He co-creates Northguard with Mark Shainblum.

50 years ago September 25, 1969 Dutch artist and animator Frans van Lamsweerde dies at age 49. He worked at the Toonder and Geesink Studios and later for Disney and Western Printing.

45 years ago September 21, 1974 Animator and artist Paul D. Robinson dies, age 76. He created the Etta Kett strip.

40 years ago September 26, 1979 The Berrys artist Carl Grubert dies at age 68.

35 years ago September 25, 1984 Animator and artist Emily Laverne Harding dies at age 78. One of the earliest female animators, she worked for the Walter Lantz studio and received the Winsor McCay Award for lifetime achievement.

25 years ago September 21, 1994 French artist Jef De Wulf dies at age 68.

25 years ago September 22, 1994 Writer-artist Bud Sagendorf dies of brain cancer at age 79. The Elzie Segar assistant produced Popeye stories for years.

10 years ago September 25, 2009 Belgian artist Jean Vermeire dies at age 90.

5 years ago September 26, 2014 The Jack Kirby estate and Marvel reach a financial settlement, according to Hollywood Reporter.