Gus Edson (September 20, 1901 - September 26, 1966) was an American cartoonist known for The Gumps and Dondi.

Born to Max and Emma Edson in Cincinnati, Ohio, Gus Edson dropped out of school at age 17 to join the Army, serving in Australia in 1918. After his discharge, he studied briefly at Pratt Institute and the Art Students League.

Edson was a sports cartoonist with the New York Evening Graphic from 1925 to 1928, followed by a year with the Paul Block Chain of Newspapers and a year at the New York Evening Post. Along with his freelance work, he was a standby ghost for King Features Syndicate, eventually arriving at the Daily News as a sports cartoonist (1931-35). In 1933, while at the Daily News, he created his first daily comic strip, Streaky, which he wrote until 1935. Whitman Publishing collected these strips in the 158-page book, Streaky and the Football Signals.

When Sidney Smith, creator of The Gumps, died suddenly in 1935, Edson took over that strip, which he wrote and drew for 24 years. The bottom of The Gumps Sunday page also featured another Edson strip, Cousin Juniper.

Edson's strips were collected in several books, including Andy Gump in Radioland (1937) and The Gumps (1952).

Radio

In March 1948, Edson was heard on ABC's America's Town Meeting of the Air. During the discussion "What's Wrong with Comics?", Edson questioned panelist John Mason Brown, challenging Brown's negative notions about comic strips.

Films

After a 1955 visit to Italy, he created Dondi with Irwin Hasen. In 1961, Edson also scripted the 1961 film adaptation of Dondi. He also scripted a proposed sequel, The Carnival Kid.

Edson was a member of the Society of Illustrators, the National Cartoonists Society and the Writer’s Guild of America.

Awards

Edson volunteered for various causes and fundraising campaigns. In 1952, he was one of several National Cartoonists Society members who participated in a European USO Tour. Edson also worked for several savings bond drives. The Treasury Department recognized such efforts, and he received a Distinguished Service Award in 1954.

Edson died of heart failure September 27, 1966 in Stamford, Connecticut. His son is the poet-novelist Russell Edson.

References

1. Syracuse University: Gus Edson Papers