The Ultimate Dennis the Menace Thread 3 3

[ComicBookGuy]

Thanks for sharing, Jim!

 

It really is great to hear about all this, and, naturally, this leads to more questions:

 

You mention Bill Alger had gathered some information. Did he write a book or does he have a website? I would love to access this information and share it here if we can find it.

 

Please elaborate if you can about the tv show and any relationship you had to it. I'm a huge fan of that as well as the comics.

 

I'm curious if you have any cool anecdotes about meeting Hank Ketcham, Jay North, Fred Toole. Also, who were some of the other artists and did you know them?

 

I'm fascinated to hear your dad didn't work on the Sunday or daily strips with Hank Ketcham. That must mean that HK did all of them on his own? I know Bob Harmon helped with the writing, but I'm curious if other artists helped him at all.

 

One other question: The early comics at the very beginning of this thread have Hank Ketcham's name signed on them but many believe they are your dad's covers. Any insights there? Did Ketcham sign work that your dad actually did? Did he ever mention this?

 

Any info you can share is appreciated, and I can't wait to see any pictures you have to share. I'm glad you will stop back. I guarantee you will not find more appreciative fans of your father anywhere on the net than right here, and I will do all I can to make sure whatever info you share here is preserved towards your father's legacy, which, we all know, deserves much more recognition than it has received so far.

 

Take care,

 

Joe

[tth2]

My father stoped drawing DTM around the middle of 1965. Maybe 66 at the most.

Jim, many thanks for sharing your info. Do you know why he stopped drawing DTM? Did he just get bored and wanted to try something new, or was there a fall-out of some sort? I believe Toole kept writing the comic for several years after your dad stopped drawing, but it was never the same.

[BillyBatson4360]

Jim-

 

Thanks so much for sharing with us. I, too, am curious as to where Bill Alger's information about your father could be found. Some of us consider your dad one of the greatest talents ever to draw for comic books.

 

When he stopped doing Dennis the Menace, I can still remember being keenly disappointed. I simply stopped reading the books altogether. I never really cared for any of the other Dennis boks outside of the ones your father illustrated.

 

I understand he also worked on the Yogi Bear newspaper strip for awhile. Did he do any other comic book or newspaper strip work?

 

Finally, did your dad work from home or was their a studio he shared with either Toole or part of Ketchum's studio?

 

Now, a little coment for Joe (ComicBookGuy): Ketchum, like nearly 100% of all successful newspaper cartoonists, used numerous assistants (or "ghosts") through the years. I know that Lee Holley (who later created "Ponytail") was one of them. Typically, the ghosts' work is supervised or approved by the artist whose name appears on the strip. Attributing anything to Hank Ketchum simply because it has a Ketchum signature would be unadvisable. After all how many pieces of art from the 1930's to the 1960's carried Walt Disney's signature?

[Wiseguy-migration]

Thanks for sharing, Jim!

 

It really is great to hear about all this, and, naturally, this leads to more questions:

 

<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

Bill has spent a considerable amount of time trying to research my fathers work.

I think he can be reached at balger@nyc.rr.com

 

 

 

 

<>>>>>>>

 

When I was 6, I was considered for the part of Dennis. Mostly because I looked and acted like DTM. Being the (ghost) cartoonist son helped also. My mother decided that the "Hollywood" life was not for me. I will always wonder.

I never got a chance to meet any of the television cast.

 

 

 

<<>>

 

 

I never really spent a lot of time around Hank. Ocasionally, the "crew" would socialize,

but my attentions were elsewhere.

Later in life, I had approached Hank at a book signing (Merchant of Dennis), I think I took him off-guard. I guess there was some friction between Hank and my father, so Hank did not offer any extra attention to me.

As I said above, I never met Jay North.

 

Now HERE is something a lot of DTM fans don't know.

Fred Toole and his wife Molly was pretty much "Mr. & Mrs. Wilson".

Fred and Molly were my godparents.

 

 

 

<<<>>

 

Hank was Hank. He drew his style. It was NEVER as smooth as my fathers.

I know I must have met a few of the other "ghosts", but really, I can't give you much info on them.

 

<<>>>

 

Those were my fathers covers, with Hanks name on them.

I never asked my father about that, so I will never know if it bothered him or not.

I feel it did.

 

<<<>>

 

Thanks.

Give me a few days to get organized as far as sending photos etc.

 

 

<<>>

 

Likewise

 

<<>>

 

 

Jim

[Wiseguy-migration]

My father stoped drawing DTM around the middle of 1965. Maybe 66 at the most.

Jim, many thanks for sharing your info. Do you know why he stopped drawing DTM? Did he just get bored and wanted to try something new, or was there a fall-out of some sort? I believe Toole kept writing the comic for several years after your dad stopped drawing, but it was never the same.

>>>>>>>

 

As the publishing rights changed hands, someone decided that the page rate of the artist

could be lowered to save money.

They did this a few times to my father.

He was pissed!.

This also answers the question of why the original were cut up.

My father decided that if they were gonna cut his rate, then he would cut corners.

Cut and paste.

 

Fred Toole did keep writing scripts.

 

 

Jim

[Wiseguy-migration]

Jim-

 

<<>>

 

Thank you for your compliments on my fathers work.

I think Bill can be reached at balger@nyc.rr.com

 

 

 

 

<<>>

 

As a fan of DTM, I was very sad to see the change in artists for the DTM books.

No one has recaptured the smoothness of my fathers DTM.

 

<<>

 

My father tried a few times to come up with his own strip, but fate decided different.

 

There are still a lot of details about my fathers work that I don't know myself, so sometimes I learn something new from you all.

 

<<>

 

Early on, there was a studio setup, Hank, Fred, and my father.

My father decided working from home was better, and easier.

Al would wake just before sunrise, draw until around noon, have lunch, take an hour nap, and then work until sundown.

 

My father had a habit of moving the family around a lot. Usually once a year.

I know what the gypsy are like now.

 

 

Jim

[Wiseguy-migration]

Sorry about my posts, give me some time to get familiar with theses buttons and stuff.

 

 

Jim

[Wiseguy-migration]

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-4/995866/littleJimmy.jpg

 

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-4/995866/LittleJimmyandHanksm.jpg

 

Above are some photos Hank had made when they were considering me for the

DTM role.

I actually had a cowlick in my hair.

 

Sorry about the above reponses, It looked good when I sent it, made sense and everything.

 

 

A special note to all you DTM toy collectors....I am still looking for the DTM rocket toy.

One of my favorites.

 

 

Jim Wiseman

[Gutterflower-migration]

Aww, Jim...you were a little cutie! The first pic shows a definite Dennis-like gleam in your eye! Thanks for sharing the pics and answering questions for us here. And thanks again to Joe the ComicBookGuy for starting it.

[ComicBookGuy]

Aww, Jim...you were a little cutie! The first pic shows a definite Dennis-like gleam in your eye! Thanks for sharing the pics and answering questions for us here. And thanks again to Joe the ComicBookGuy for starting it.

 

You're welcome, Linda. And welcome back!

[ComicBookGuy]

Ketchum, like nearly 100% of all successful newspaper cartoonists, used numerous assistants (or "ghosts") through the years. I know that Lee Holley (who later created "Ponytail") was one of them. Typically, the ghosts' work is supervised or approved by the artist whose name appears on the strip. Attributing anything to Hank Ketchum simply because it has a Ketchum signature would be unadvisable. After all how many pieces of art from the 1930's to the 1960's carried Walt Disney's signature?

 

Welcome back, too, Bill! Your almost-daily Dennis insights have been missed the last several days.

 

I've known that HK had many ghosts, but it's very tough trying to figure out who did what especially in that early period where both HK and AW were transitioning into their own unique styles and interpretations of Dennis art. Here's an except from HK's bio on this topic:

 

"Before a year had passed the syndicate wanted me to produce a Sunday page in color. This, I knew, would require an asistant artist and a secretary to keep me ahead of deadlines...and I moved into a vacant doctor's office in Monterey. I placed Al Wiseman behind a drawing board and Fred Toole at a desk with a writing machine...Just when we were getting used to the pace, Pines Publications...urged us to get into the comic book business...so I ...came up with Bob Paplow...and Lee Holley...Other cartoonists...were George Crenhsaw, Vic Lockman, Homer Provence, and Owen Fitzgerald" (The Merchant of Venice 141-142).

 

So from this quote, it sounds like Fred Toole and Al Wiseman came on board in 1952 and the others a bit later, when they got into the Pines comic run. (It seems that HK made a mistake and meant "Standard" Comics when he said "to get into the comic book business"?). I believe I have heard that Fitzgerald was the artist who did Giants #9, 10, and 11 and who primarily replaced Al Wiseman pretty much when he moved on. This is by no means factual as far as I'm concerned but just what I heard. I have also heard that HK put a little "notch" in the daily panels that he drew. I will be anxious to hear back from Bill Alger. I just sent him a polite email telling him about the thread and expressing an interest in the info he may have gathered thus far. Needless to say, I hope that he will join in the fun here.

 

Joe

[ComicBookGuy]

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-4/995866/littleJimmy.jpg

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-4/995866/LittleJimmyandHanksm.jpg

Above are some photos Hank had made when they were considering me for the

DTM role.

I actually had a cowlick in my hair.

Sorry about the above reponses, It looked good when I sent it, made sense and everything.

A special note to all you DTM toy collectors....I am still looking for the DTM rocket toy.

One of my favorites.

Jim Wiseman

 

The pics look great, Jim! I'll bet you would have made a great Dennis.

 

Your responses are fine to me, but if you aren't happy with them you can always hit the edit button and get them to look just how you want.

 

It sounds like you are a Dennis collector yourself. Do you just collect the toys, or do you collect the comics?

 

Sorry to ask so many questions, but having you here is a great experience, and I appreciate the time you're taking to fill us in. Is there anything you'd like to see posted here or discussed?

 

Joe

[Wiseguy-migration]

 

 

The pics look great, Jim! I'll bet you would have made a great Dennis.

 

Your responses are fine to me, but if you aren't happy with them you can always hit the edit button and get them to look just how you want.

 

It sounds like you are a Dennis collector yourself. Do you just collect the toys, or do you collect the comics?

 

Sorry to ask so many questions, but having you here is a great experience, and I appreciate the time you're taking to fill us in. Is there anything you'd like to see posted here or discussed?

 

Joe

 

*************************************************************************

The photos do show a certain amount of cuteness, but I wasn't as much a menace as Hank's son Dennis.

 

I used to go over to play with Dennis Ketchum at their house when he was 6, and I was 4. I remember one time he waited around the corner of the house with the garden hose at the ready. As soon as I came around the corner, he let me have it. Totally soaked me.

 

I only saw Dennis K. one more time in the late 50's. We never had a chance to compare notes. I would like to talk to him at least one more time, just to see what he remembers.

 

 

I was never in a good position to collect my fathers DTM material until about

10 years ago. My wife decided to slowly pick up the comic books on Ebay.

I still have a lot of holes to fill, but I have most of the important ones.

 

I don't collect the toys, but I would like to find the DTM rocket.

I had the most fun with that.

 

Another DTM fact, we were the owners of Ruff the dog.

Ruff 'found' our family when we lived in Los Angeles.

I think that was around '55.

Ruff lived with my father until somewhere around 1966.

Look for a story that shows DTM trying to give Ruff a bath.

That was Ruff and me.

 

 

 

Jim

[ComicBookGuy]

I used to go over to play with Dennis Ketchum at their house when he was 6, and I was 4. I remember one time he waited around the corner of the house with the garden hose at the ready. As soon as I came around the corner, he let me have it. Totally soaked me.

 

I only saw Dennis K. one more time in the late 50's. We never had a chance to compare notes. I would like to talk to him at least one more time, just to see what he remembers.

 

I was never in a good position to collect my fathers DTM material until about

10 years ago. My wife decided to slowly pick up the comic books on Ebay.

I still have a lot of holes to fill, but I have most of the important ones.

 

Another DTM fact, we were the owners of Ruff the dog.

Ruff 'found' our family when we lived in Los Angeles.

I think that was around '55.

Ruff lived with my father until somewhere around 1966.

Look for a story that shows DTM trying to give Ruff a bath.

That was Ruff and me.

 

Jim

 

Fascinating stuff!

 

I would love to hear more about Dennis Ketcham if you feel like sharing. I've

heard bits and pieces about him over the years, but it would be nice to know a bit more about him. Even in Merchant of Dennis HK is very brief in his accounts of his son. Do you have any idea about where he is or what he's up to now? Or even what he has been up to since the point where he and his mother left HK in the late 1950s? My understanding is that he was in the military for a while and don't know much beyond that.

 

The story of the hose and of Ruff are great and do seem very familiar. I believe one of the Dennis comics re-enacts the hose scene on the cover but with Dennis and his father. I will have to dig it out and post it.

 

Joe

[BillyBatson4360]

Jim -

 

Thanks again for sharing your insights and memories with us. Hearing some of your stories makes me feel like I'm that elementary school kid again running into the corner drug store and spending my lunch money on the latest issue of Dennis the Menace. And seeing as I'm about the same age as you are, you know that's saying something.

 

Can you tell us a little about yourself? What do you do for a living, what section of the country you live in, etc. Also, maybe (if you care to - I don't want to pry) some things about your mom, what kind of temparment you dad had (was he a joker or serious), etc.

 

Also, did your dad ever realize that he had fans out here in comic book land? People who loved and remembered his work?

 

For Joe - I've been swamped with work and with helping my daughter start her very first "real" job, so free time is at a premium. I may be able to haul out my box of Dennis comics this weekend and start scanning again.

 

Question for any and all - who gives the "star" ratings to the threads on this board? I really think this one deserves at least one more star!

[Wiseguy-migration]

Jim -

 

Thanks again for sharing your insights and memories with us. Hearing some of your stories makes me feel like I'm that elementary school kid again running into the corner drug store and spending my lunch money on the latest issue of Dennis the Menace. And seeing as I'm about the same age as you are, you know that's saying something.

 

Can you tell us a little about yourself? What do you do for a living, what section of the country you live in, etc. Also, maybe (if you care to - I don't want to pry) some things about your mom, what kind of temparment you dad had (was he a joker or serious), etc.

 

Also, did your dad ever realize that he had fans out here in comic book land? People who loved and remembered his work?

 

For Joe - I've been swamped with work and with helping my daughter start her very first "real" job, so free time is at a premium. I may be able to haul out my box of Dennis comics this weekend and start scanning again.

 

Question for any and all - who gives the "star" ratings to the threads on this board? I really think this one deserves at least one more star!

 

********************************************************************************************

 

Lucky for me, that I didn't have to go to the store for my copies of DTM

 

My wife Teresa and I live in Carmel, Ca.

Since the majority of my life has been spent around the Monterey, I have a hard time finding a place as beautiful as this area.

I am a musician (guitar mostly). I spent a lot of years in retail music sales.

My father was responsible for me taking up guitar when I was 15. He had visited the bar which was next door to the music store. Couple of highballs and I was the new owner of a classical guitar and lessons.

Thanks Dad.

 

Before I mention my mom, I better let you know my father was married 4 times that I know.

 

My Mother, Vadis Wiseman, was as wonderful as a mother could be. She liked music a lot, so that is where I get my appreciation.

My mother and father were divorced when I was around 11 or 12.

My father re-married a few years later.

I went back and forth between parents. Not a good way to grow up for a kid.

 

I tried artwork, but never could get a handle on it. Plus if you notice the quality of my fathers work, that made it harder for me to produce something good.

 

I have two sisters, one did receive the "art" talent from our father. She is very good, but reclusive.

 

Dads temperment? well, he was no saint, he drank, he smoked, he laughed and joked.

He loved trout fishing and camping. He liked to entertain socially now and then.

 

** When my parents got back from Hawaii, I was fascinated by the fact that they had ridden on a JET airliner. I asked my dad what it was like? He replied 'it was like listening to your mother vacum the house ALL DAY!'

 

I am pretty sure my dad knew he had fans who were kids, but I think he still wanted a little more recognition from his peers.

HK made a fortune from DTM, a lot of it was due to my fathers (and Fred Toole) work.

Too bad my father couldn't copyright HIS work back then.

 

I used to watch my father give 'chalk talks'. He would be invited to some luncheon or diner, and would draw charcoal on white newprint paper. He would draw things other than DTM, but eventually would wow them with the DTM characters,

Somewhere out there, should be a few of those drawings.

 

Ok, more later.

 

 

Jim

[BillyBatson4360]

(It seems that HK made a mistake and meant "Standard" Comics when he said "to get into the comic book business")

 

I don't know if it was a real mistake, Joe. Both Standard Comics and Pines Comics were outfits owned by Ned Pines. I don't know the exact reason why he changed the name from Standard to Pines (could be to escape creditors or maybe he changed minor partners, I really don't know) but they were in essence the same company. It's kind of like Timely evolving into Atlas evolving into Marvel Comics. Different names but the same company.

 

Jim -

 

I guess what I meant by my question was did Al know that many of his kids fans grew into mature (?) adults that still appeciated, respected and collected his work?

[Wiseguy-migration]

 

 

Jim -

 

I guess what I meant by my question was did Al know that many of his kids fans grew into mature (?) adults that still appeciated, respected and collected his work?

 

************************************************************************************************

 

To tell the truth, I don't know for sure.

He always enjoyed seeing children smile when he drew DTM for them.

 

I know my father would be DELIGHTED to know that you all show this much apprciation.

I really feel my father hated being a ghost, but that is what fate decided.

Dad was a little bitter about HK.

 

I lost contact with my father around 1973.

We never spoke much after that.

I am only now just finding out what he was up to until the time of his death.

 

I am still his #1 fan though.

 

 

Jim

[Wiseguy-migration]

Aww, Jim...you were a little cutie! The first pic shows a definite Dennis-like gleam in your eye! Thanks for sharing the pics and answering questions for us here. And thanks again to Joe the ComicBookGuy for starting it.

 

***********************************************8

 

Thanks for the compliment.

Those were my regular clothes too.

 

In some ways I am glad I did not get the tv role as DTM.

It was the road not taken, but such is life.

 

Sometime soon I will post my tatoo.

 

 

Jim

[ComicBookGuy]

In some ways I am glad I did not get the tv role as DTM.

It was the road not taken, but such is life.

Jim

 

A good attitude to have!

 

As it turns out for Jay North, it was not a fun ride. He was under a lot of pressure and was verbally and physically abused by his aunt who used him as a cash cow. He was bitter about it for years, although I'm glad he seems to be much happier now. Child stars have a very tough time of it. The stars now know the lessons of the past which were learned at the expense of kids like Jay North. He has talked for years about publishing his autobiography, and I hope he does publish it at some point.

 

Joe