During the early 1900s, the idea of a newspaper featuring recurring characters in multiple panels on a six-day-a-week schedule was entirely new. One iconic cartoon strip is considered by some to be the first successful pioneer of this since-common concept. Do you know what strip that is?
Mutt and Jeff, or A. Mutt as it was originally known, debuted on November 15, 1907 in the sports pages of the San Francisco Chronicle. This long-running and widely popular strip was created by cartoonist Bud Fisher and employed the talents of many other cartoonists. Chiefly, Al Smith, who provided art for the strip for nearly 50 years. Due to the success of the strip, it was eventually made into a comic book published by All-American Publications and later DC Comics, Dell Comics, and Harvey Comics.
The strip follows a tall, dimwitted racetrack gambler named Augustus Mutt and a short, insane asylum inmate, who also has a penchant for gambling, named Jeff. Eventually the horse race theme was abandoned and the strip focused on Mutt and Jeff's other get-rich-quick schemes. One thing you could always count on with Mutt and Jeff was to hear famous catchphrases like “For the love of Mike!” and “Oowah!” Recurring characters also include Mrs. Mutt, Julius, Gus Geevem, Joe Spivis, and the English Sir Sidney.
In addition to becoming a comic book, Mutt and Jeff was turned into several live-action shorts, as well as animation. During the 1911 serial of Mutt and Jeff, Mutt was portrayed by Sam D. Drane, while Jeff was portrayed by Gus Alexander and later Bud Duncan. Following the incredible success of the live-action film, in 1916 an animated version of the cartoon was created. This animated series lasted 11 years with more than 300 shorts released by the Fox Film Corporation, making it the longest continuing theatrical animated movie serial.
Mutt and Jeff finally said their goodbyes on June 26, 1983. However, their impact in the comic strip, as well as pop culture, world lives on. References to the cartoon have been made in shows such as Twin Peaks, The Simpsons, and even Disney's Aladdin.