HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The comic strip ''
Doonesbury ''Doonesbury'' is a comic strip by American cartoonist Garry Trudeau that chronicles the adventures and lives of an array of characters of various ages, professions, and backgrounds, from the President of the United States The president ...
'', by
Garry Trudeau Garretson Beekman Trudeau (born July 21, 1948) is an American cartoonist, best known for creating the ''Doonesbury'' comic strip. Trudeau is also the creator and executive producer of the Amazon Studios political comedy series ''Alpha House''. ...
, features an extensive cast of characters with complex interpersonal relationships; as of 2018, the strip's official website lists twenty-four primary characters, with dozens more having been featured over the years, including some who were phased out of the strip only to be reintroduced years later. Kim Rosenthal, for example, first appeared as a recurring child character in the 1970s, then as a teenager in the 1980s, and was reintroduced as an adult in the 1990s.


Main characters

*
Mike Doonesbury Michael James "Mike" Doonesbury is the main character in Garry Trudeau's comic strip ''Doonesbury''. He started out as a nerdish freshman from Tulsa at the fictional Walden College, and shared a dorm room with B.D. Currently he is married to ...
(October 26, 1970) – Former Walden College student, former roommate of B.D., and former Walden commune member, ex-advertising man and then co-founder of a software start-up; ex-husband of J.J., husband of Kim, and father of Alex. Originally from
Tulsa, Oklahoma Tulsa () is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 47th-most populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with ...
. * B.D. (October 26, 1970) – husband of Boopsie. A reservist and veteran of Vietnam and both Gulf Wars, he lost a leg in Iraq. Known for his conservative views and (until April 21, 2004) wearing a series of helmets (originally football helmets, and later desert camouflage, riot gear, and California Highway Patrol). A running gag involves his name never being revealed; when his future wife's agent, Sid, queried him on his surname, he replied "D." The only hint as to his full name came in the Doonesbury musical, in which he is referred to as "B. John Dowling". The character was originally inspired by Brian Dowling, the captain of Yale's football team in 1968. *
Mark Slackmeyer Mark Sheldon Slackmeyer is a character in the comic strip ''Doonesbury''. Character biography Mark starts out as a Radicalization, radical at Walden College, and leads several peace rallies (in his first appearance, he referred to himself as "'M ...
(November 19, 1970, unnamed until November 30) – Former campus revolutionary turned radio commentator, and one of several openly gay characters in the strip. *
Zonker Harris Zonker Harris (his full name is revealed in '' Doonesbury: A Musical Comedy'' to be Edgar Zonker Harris) is the stereotypical unfocused confused hippie character in Garry Trudeau's comic strip ''Doonesbury''. He made his first appearance as a p ...
(September 21, 1971) – Stereotypical hippie and founder of the Walden Commune. During college he was also a football player, briefly Lieutenant Governor of
American Samoa American Samoa ( sm, Amerika Sāmoa, ; also ' or ') is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the island country of Samoa. Its location is centered on . It is east of the International ...
, and a professional tanner. After graduation he went to Haiti to study medicine, won $23 million in the lottery, and spent most of it to buy his
Uncle Duke Uncle Duke is a fictional character in the comic strip ''Doonesbury'' by Garry Trudeau. He is nominally Zonker Harris's uncle, albeit an " uncle by courtesy" only. Duke appeared in the strip July 1974 and was originally a straightforward carica ...
out of zombie slavery, and the remainder to become an ennobled British lord. Also works occasionally as a nanny. After his campaign to enable public access to some of California's beaches, a beach access road in Malibu was named in his honor. Fired from McFriendly's restaurant because of drug use, tardiness and a number of other reasons just as he was about to lead strikers during the Minimum Wage Protests, he began a legal marijuana venture with his nephew Zipper in
Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of t ...
, where they are mistaken for "that nice gay couple". *
Joanie Caucus Joanie Caucus is a fictional character in Garry Trudeau's comic strip ''Doonesbury''. She first appeared in September 1972 in which she has a fight with her husband, Clinton, over her rights as a woman. She finds that her recently acquired femi ...
(September 10, 1972) – Ex-
housewife A housewife (also known as a homemaker or a stay-at-home mother/mom/mum) is a woman whose role is running or managing her family's home—housekeeping, which includes caring for her children; cleaning and maintaining the home; making, buying an ...
and " libbie" who left her first husband Clinton Caucus and two unnamed children (one of whom reappears in adulthood as daughter J.J.) to join Mike and Mark "
on the road ''On the Road'' is a 1957 novel by American writer Jack Kerouac, based on the travels of Kerouac and his friends across the United States. It is considered a defining work of the postwar Beat and Counterculture generations, with its protagonis ...
" in Colorado. After joining the gang at the Walden commune, she was hired as the caregiver at the local day care center, attended law school, worked with Mike on the
John Anderson John Anderson may refer to: Business *John Anderson (Scottish businessman) (1747–1820), Scottish merchant and founder of Fermoy, Ireland * John Byers Anderson (1817–1897), American educator, military officer and railroad executive, mentor of ...
campaign, was chief of staff to Congresswoman Lacey Davenport, and worked in the
Clinton Clinton is an English toponymic surname, indicating one's ancestors came from English places called Glympton or Glinton.Hanks, P. & Hodges, F. ''A Dictionary of Surnames''. Oxford University Press, 1988 Clinton has frequently been used as a given ...
Justice Department. She lived with and eventually married journalist Rick Redfern, with whom she had a child, Jeff. After seeing her great-grandsons "playing Trump" by staging a mock fight with name-calling, she agreed to come out of retirement to help
Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth Ann Warren ( née Herring; born June 22, 1949) is an American politician and former law professor who is the senior United States senator from Massachusetts, serving since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party and regarded as a ...
tweet against
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
. * Rick Redfern (July 1, 1976) – Husband to Joanie and father to Jeff. He worked as a reporter for ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' before being laid off. Currently a freelance blogger. Generally portrayed as very weary/phlegmatic and somewhat clueless as a father. In appearance the character is based on ''Washington Post'' reporter
Bob Woodward Robert Upshur Woodward (born March 26, 1943) is an American investigative journalist. He started working for ''The Washington Post'' as a reporter in 1971 and now holds the title of associate editor. While a young reporter for ''The Washingto ...
as he was portrayed by
Robert Redford Charles Robert Redford Jr. (born August 18, 1936) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is the List of awards and nominations received by Robert Redford, recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Awards, Academy Award from four nomi ...
in ''
All the President's Men ''All the President's Men'' is a 1974 non-fiction book by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, two of the journalists who investigated the June 1972 break-in at the Watergate Office Building and the resultant political scandal for ''The Washington ...
.'' * J.J. Caucus (possibly April 22, 1973, as a child, unnamed until September 10, 1979) – Daughter of Joanie ("J.J." is "Joan Junior"). She was originally engaged to Zeke, but married Mike, eventually left Mike for Zeke, and later won a
MacArthur Fellowship The MacArthur Fellows Program, also known as the MacArthur Fellowship and commonly but unofficially known as the "Genius Grant", is a prize awarded annually by the MacArthur Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation typically to ...
(but still doesn't know that she was nominated by Mike, who did so in the hope that her winning would relieve him of paying
alimony Alimony, also called aliment (Scotland), maintenance (England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Wales, Canada, New Zealand), spousal support (U.S., Canada) and spouse maintenance (Australia), is a legal obligation on a person to provide financial suppo ...
). Former performance artist, current modern artist and sometimes irresponsible free spirit. Mother of Alex Doonesbury and half-sister to Jeff Redfern. * Zeke Brenner (heard July 24, 1977, appears June 25, 1979) – Former caretaker for Uncle Duke, who once mistook him for an intruder and shot him. Totally lacking in responsibility, he accidentally burned down Duke's house. He married J.J. on the second try. Despised by his wife's daughter Alex, who refers to him as "Uncle Stupidhead" and from whom he stole and sold a valuable collection of
doll A doll is a physical model, model typically of a human or humanoid character, often used as a toy for children. Dolls have also been used in traditional religious rituals throughout the world. Traditional dolls made of materials such as clay and ...
s. * Kim Rosenthal (May 5, 1975) – Jewish-raised Vietnamese orphan (the "last orphan out of Vietnam"),
geek The word ''geek'' is a slang term originally used to describe Eccentricity (behavior), eccentric or non-mainstream people; in current use, the word typically connotes an expert or enthusiast obsessed with a hobby or intellectual pursuit. In th ...
and Mike's second wife. Dropped out of a program towards a doctorate in computer science at
MIT The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private land-grant research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, MIT has played a key role in the development of modern technology and science, and is one of the mo ...
because it was "too easy". * Alexandra "Alex" Doonesbury (born November 30, 1988, named September 8, 1989) – Daughter of Mike and J.J. who lived with her father and Kim, before attending and graduating from
MIT The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private land-grant research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, MIT has played a key role in the development of modern technology and science, and is one of the mo ...
(2006–2010), and holds several patents. A techie, Alex bonded with future-stepmother Kim over the computer. More or less a liberal
foil Foil may refer to: Materials * Foil (metal), a quite thin sheet of metal, usually manufactured with a rolling mill machine * Metal leaf, a very thin sheet of decorative metal * Aluminium foil, a type of wrapping for food * Tin foil, metal foil ma ...
for her more
moderate Moderate is an ideological category which designates a rejection of radical or extreme views, especially in regard to politics and religion. A moderate is considered someone occupying any mainstream position avoiding extreme views. In American ...
father. She met Toggle online (March 21, 2009) but B.D., who knew both, facilitated their meeting (April 6, 2009). The two hit it off and began dating. They got engaged in early February 2012 and married in June (sequence June 11–23, 2012). On January 22, 2013 it was announced that Alex was pregnant with twins. Alex received her Ph.D. in the June 6, 2013 strip and went into labor at the ceremony in the following day's strip. The twins are named Eli and Danny, after buddies of Toggle's who didn't make it home from Iraq. In the February 4, 2018, strip, it is revealed that Alex has a third child, a girl (named as Rosie in the March 3, 2019 strip). * Leo "Toggle" DeLuca – A veteran of the
Iraq War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish) , partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...
. Toggle, a young heavy metal fan, was wounded in an ambush while serving as Ray Hightower's driver, and returned home with
expressive aphasia Expressive aphasia, also known as Broca's aphasia, is a type of aphasia characterized by partial loss of the ability to produce language ( spoken, manual, or written), although comprehension generally remains intact. A person with expressive apha ...
and a loss of sight in one eye. B.D., his former commanding officer, often checks in to see how he is doing. He juggles music studies with working as an engineer in a recording studio. While recovering from his injuries, Toggle met Alex Doonesbury through Facebook. The two hit it off and began dating. They got engaged in early March 2012 and married in June 2012. *
Jimmy Thudpucker Jimmy Thudpucker is a fictional character in the comic strip ''Doonesbury'', created by Garry Trudeau. He first appeared in the strip in 1975. He is generally seen as a combination of Bob Dylan and John Denver (and to some extent, Loudon Wainwrig ...
(mentioned September 23, 1975, appears September 25, 1975) – Overnight success as a rock star at 19. Husband of Jennifer, father of Feedback. Later moved to Vietnam. Modeled partially on a combination of
Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
, Jackson Browne and John Denver. * Barbara Ann "Boopsie" Boopstein (September 15, 1971, as "Boopsie") – Cheerleader turned actress, model, New Age channeler, and generic starlet. She is married to B.D.; they have a daughter named Sam. Was acting coach for the Walden football team while B.D. was deployed in the Gulf. She claims to have been reincarnated many times. * Zipper Harris (September 7, 1998) – Zonker's nephew and Walden undergraduate; his roommate was Jeff Redfern. Currently runs a legal marijuana farm in Colorado with his uncle Zonker. * Nguyen van Phred (February 16, 1972) – "Phred" for short. The
Viet Cong , , war = the Vietnam War , image = FNL Flag.svg , caption = The flag of the Viet Cong, adopted in 1960, is a variation on the flag of North Vietnam. Sometimes the lower stripe was green. , active ...
"terrorist" who became friends with B.D. when he was deployed to Vietnam, got lost while out on patrol, and was captured by Phred, who was also lost; later Vietnam's delegate to the United Nations, last seen working for
Nike Nike often refers to: * Nike (mythology), a Greek goddess who personifies victory * Nike, Inc., a major American producer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment Nike may also refer to: People * Nike (name), a surname and feminine given ...
in Vietnam. * Roland Burton Hedley, III (mentioned March 4, 1974, appears March 5, 1974) – Former print journalist (to use that term generously), moved to television and then the
Internet The Internet (or internet) is the global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a '' network of networks'' that consists of private, pub ...
. Intermittent Tweeter extraordinaire. Currently working for
Fox News The Fox News Channel, abbreviated FNC, commonly known as Fox News, and stylized in all caps, is an American multinational conservative cable news television channel based in New York City. It is owned by Fox News Media, which itself is owne ...
. * Jeff Redfern (born December 31, 1982, appears January 1, 1983) – Joanie and Rick's son; J.J.'s half-brother and Alex's uncle. Jeff graduated from Walden (and stopped rooming with Zipper Harris), formerly worked for the
Central Intelligence Agency The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gathering, processing, ...
with Havoc, and was in Afghanistan working for contractor Jack Overkill. Through social networking, Jeff established himself as the mysterious but fictional anti-
Taliban The Taliban (; ps, طالبان, ṭālibān, lit=students or 'seekers'), which also refers to itself by its state (polity), state name, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a Deobandi Islamic fundamentalism, Islamic fundamentalist, m ...
fighter known as the "Red Rascal" ("Sorkh Razil" in the local dialect). In early 2012, he received a seven-figure advance for his next two books, enabling him to purchase a 12-bedroom trophy mansion, but was evicted in October 2012 when he was unable to keep up the payments and was forced to move back in with his parents (under very strict conditions laid down by his mother). *
Uncle Duke Uncle Duke is a fictional character in the comic strip ''Doonesbury'' by Garry Trudeau. He is nominally Zonker Harris's uncle, albeit an " uncle by courtesy" only. Duke appeared in the strip July 1974 and was originally a straightforward carica ...
(mentioned July 5, 1974, appears July 8, 1974) – "uncle by courtesy" of Zonker, former ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' writer, governor of American Samoa and ambassador to China, once the
proconsul A proconsul was an official of ancient Rome who acted on behalf of a consul. A proconsul was typically a former consul. The term is also used in recent history for officials with delegated authority. In the Roman Republic, military command, or ' ...
of Panama, former owner of "Club Scud" in
Kuwait City Kuwait City ( ar, مدينة الكويت) is the capital and largest city of Kuwait. Located at the heart of the country on the south shore of Kuwait Bay on the Persian Gulf, it is the political, cultural and economical centre of the emirate, ...
, ex-orphanage manager (where he realized one of the orphans, Earl, was his illegitimate son), and former mayor of the fictional Al Amok, Iraq. He has also been a drug smuggler (and heavy user), an enemy of
John Denver Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. (December 31, 1943 – October 12, 1997), known professionally as John Denver, was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, actor, activist, and humanitarian whose greatest commercial success was as a solo singe ...
, manager of the
Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
, toady to Donald Trump, bounty hunter (along with his son Earl) and a zombie slave to ex-Haitian President
Jean-Claude Duvalier Jean-Claude Duvalier (; 3 July 19514 October 2014), nicknamed "Baby Doc" ( ht, Bebe Dòk), was a Haitian politician who was the President of Haiti from 1971 until he was overthrown by a popular uprising in February 1986. He succeeded his father F ...
. Currently works as a super-lobbyist for his son Earl's
lobbying In politics, lobbying, persuasion or interest representation is the act of lawfully attempting to influence the actions, policies, or decisions of government officials, most often legislators or members of regulatory agency, regulatory agencie ...
firm (which seems to specialize in representing dictators and tyrants); one of his biggest clients was Trff Bmzklfrpz, the now-former President-for-Life of the Republic of Berzerkistan. His character was initially based on Gonzo journalist
Hunter S. Thompson Hunter Stockton Thompson (July 18, 1937 – February 20, 2005) was an American journalist and author who founded the gonzo journalism movement. He rose to prominence with the publication of '' Hell's Angels'' (1967), a book for which he s ...
's pseudonymous self-portrait,
Raoul Duke Raoul Duke is the partially fictionalized author surrogate character and sometimes pseudonym used by Hunter S. Thompson as the main character and antihero for many of his works. He is perhaps best known as the narrator for his 1971 autobiographi ...
. * Ching "Honey" Huan (January 22, 1976) – Originally Duke's interpreter when he was Ambassador to China during the Nixon era, she fell in love with him (a feeling that was never reciprocated) and became his constant companion until 2006 when she grew disillusioned with him. Inspired by Tang Wensheng ( Mao's interpreter when meeting with
Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...
) and partially
Marcie Marcie is a fictional character featured in the long-running syndicated Daily strip, daily and Sunday strip, Sunday comic strip ''Peanuts'' by Charles M. Schulz. Marcie is a studious girl who is sometimes depicted as being terrible at sports. ...
of ''
Peanuts ''Peanuts'' is a print syndication, syndicated daily strip, daily and Sunday strip, Sunday American comic strip written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz. The strip's original run extended from 1950 to 2000, continuing in reruns afterward. ' ...
''. Following her return to China, she is currently the Vice-Minister for Transportation for the Chinese government (January 28, 2018). *
Mr. Butts Mr. Butts is a character in Garry Trudeau's comic strip ''Doonesbury''. When Mike Doonesbury was asked to create an ad campaign aimed at teenage smokers, he suffered a morality crisis, and the hallucinatory Mr. Butts was the result. An eight- ...
(April 19, 1989) – A hallucinatory walking, talking cigarette. Represents the tobacco industry. * Alice P. Schwarzman (August 24, 1973) and Elmont – Two homeless people, Alice first appeared as a garment worker who was a regular at a bar where Zonker was bartender. She later re-appeared as a homeless character and subsequently married Elmont, a deranged man, in order to move up the list for public housing; Rev. Sloan performed the ceremony. As the affluent Rep. Lacey Davenport became senile, she began to believe Alice was her deceased sister Pearl. * The Rev. Scot Sloan (January 10, 1972) – Described by ''Look'' magazine as "the fighting young priest who can talk to the young". A
streetwise priest Streetwise priests ( it, preti di strada; es, curas de la calle; french: prêtres de rue; german: Priester der Straße) are Roman Catholic priests who exercise their spiritual mandate by living in structures in direct contact with the "street" ...
and unofficial chaplain at Walden. Named for the Rev.  William L. "Scotty" McLennan, Jr., Trudeau's undergraduate roommate, and the Rev. 
William Sloane Coffin William Sloane Coffin Jr. (June 1, 1924 – April 12, 2006) was an American Christian clergyman and long-time peace activist. He was ordained in the Presbyterian Church, and later received ministerial standing in the United Church of Christ. In h ...
, Yale's chaplain when Trudeau attended. * Sid Kibbitz (November 15, 1982) – Sid first appeared in 1982 to help Duke and Alice Schwarzman produce a movie on the life of
John DeLorean John Zachary DeLorean (January 6, 1925 – March 19, 2005) was an American engineer, inventor, and executive in the U.S. automobile industry, widely known for his work at General Motors and as founder of the DeLorean Motor Company. DeLorean mana ...
, and later became Boopsie's agent. * President King (November 30, 1970) – The president of Walden College. Based on
Kingman Brewster, Jr. Kingman Brewster Jr. (June 17, 1919 – November 8, 1988) was an American educator, academic and diplomat. He served as the 17th President of Yale University and as United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom. Early life Brewster was born in ...
, president of Yale when Trudeau was a student. (Indeed, the same character appeared in ''Bull Tales'' more directly as Brewster.)


Other characters

* Jim Andrews (February 9, 1974) – A greedy executive who worked for Universal Petroleum, and was later employed by the administration of George W. Bush. Favors lax government oversight on environmental protection. He is a Walden alumnus, and was friends with the late Phil Slackmeyer. Jim was named after Trudeau's first editor at
Universal Press Syndicate Universal Press Syndicate (UPS), a subsidiary of Andrews McMeel Universal, was an independent press syndicate. It distributed lifestyle and opinion columns, comic strips and other content. Popular columns include Dear Abby, Ann Coulter, Roger Eb ...
. The book, ''The People's Doonesbury'', is dedicated to the memory of Andrews. * Mr. Jay (May 21, 1989) – A hallucinatory walking, talking marijuana joint. Feels inadequate next to Mr. Butts because despite his reputation, he is relatively harmless. *
Lacey Davenport Lacey Davenport is a fictional character in Garry Trudeau's comic strip ''Doonesbury''. She is often said to be based on Millicent Fenwick, a Republican member of Congress from New Jersey, although Trudeau has denied this link. She and Dick Daven ...
(May 15, 1974 – August 15, 1998) – Republican U.S. Congresswoman, now deceased – reminiscent of
New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
Congresswoman
Millicent Fenwick Millicent Vernon Hammond Fenwick (February 25, 1910 – September 16, 1992) was an American fashion editor, politician and diplomat. A four-term Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from New Jersey, she entered politics ...
. Trudeau was asked in 1976 if the similarities were deliberate, and laughed at the reporter, saying "I really don't know her that well." Fenwick was said, in the same article, to not know about ''Doonesbury'' and could not remember having met Trudeau. Lacey and her husband Dick sometimes appear to Jeremy Cavendish as ghosts. * Dick Davenport (May 15, 1974 – June 11, 1986) – Lacey's longtime friend and later husband. An avid watcher of endangered bird species. Died in a controversial 1986 strip asking God to let him live just long enough to take a picture of a rare
Bachman's warbler Bachman's warbler (''Vermivora bachmanii'') is a likely extinct passerine migratory bird. This warbler was a migrant, breeding in swampy blackberry and cane thickets of the Southeastern and Midwestern United States and wintering in Cuba. There ...
(he succeeded). Lacey and her husband Dick sometimes reappear to Jeremy Cavendish. * Benjamin (a.k.a. Sal Putrid or Benjy) Doonesbury (possibly November 6, 1971, unnamed, or December 27, 1971) – Mike's younger brother. He later became a stereotypical punk rocker. Like his brother Mike, he too went to Walden. Started a condom distribution franchise at Walden called "Dr. Whoopee". The company was later revealed to be run by Uncle Duke. He currently lives in a mansion in Florida. * Daisy Doonesbury (June 5, 1971 – March 1, 2011) – Mike and Benjamin's mother. Often called "The Widow Doonesbury", she lived in
Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
before her death. She used to live on the Doonesbury farm near
Tulsa Tulsa () is the second-largest city in the U.S. state, state of Oklahoma and List of United States cities by population, 47th-most populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. ...
and represented the current state of the ailing family farms in America. The Widow's health began to deteriorate and she moved in with her son Mike in Seattle. Her funeral was shown in the January 3, 2011, strip. * Marcia Feinbloom – Mike's former secretary at Mr. Bellows' advertising business. She is still looking for her perfect man to marry even though she's in her 60s. She once dated Zonker, but nothing serious happened between them. Last seen following the
9/11 attacks The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated Suicide attack, suicide List of terrorist incidents, terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, ...
. Her religious background is Jewish. * Havoc (August 26, 1986) – A
CIA The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian intelligence agency, foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gat ...
operative – real name Terry Blackburn Jr. – who has conducted numerous covert operations in Nicaragua and Afghanistan. He was Jeff Redfern's boss during his internship at the
CIA The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian intelligence agency, foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gat ...
and teaches a class on torture at Walden. * Ray Hightower (September 24, 1990) – An African-American soldier whose friendship with B.D. began during the
Gulf War The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...
, in which Ray was wounded. They were unemployed until the
1992 Los Angeles riots The 1992 Los Angeles riots, sometimes called the 1992 Los Angeles uprising and the Los Angeles Race Riots, were a series of riots and civil disturbances that occurred in Los Angeles County, California, in April and May 1992. Unrest began in S ...
when they were called up to quell the riot and later by the
California Highway Patrol The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is a state law enforcement agency of the U.S. state of California. The CHP has primary patrol jurisdiction over all California highways and roads and streets outside city limits, and can exercise law enfor ...
following that event. Ray fought in the
Iraq War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish) , partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...
with a blog updating his status and telelinking his wife from time to time, and survived the bomb which injured Toggle. He was later discharged with
post-traumatic stress disorder Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental and behavioral disorder that can develop because of exposure to a traumatic event, such as sexual assault, warfare, traffic collisions, child abuse, domestic violence, or other threats on ...
. * Rufus (a.k.a. Thor) Jackson (April 5, 1971) – A poor African-American who gave a viewpoint on the Civil Rights issues in the 70s. Much younger than the rest of the main Doonesbury cast. * Calvin (January 19, 1971) – Campus radical and Black Panther, prominent in the strip in the early seventies. * George (February 9, 1972) – One of B.D.'s fellow soldiers in Vietnam. Later gained a great deal of weight and went into business with Phred in Vietnam, giving tours to former American GIs. *
Andy Lippincott Andy Lippincott is a fictional character in the comic strip ''Doonesbury''. An attorney, he is the openly homosexual best-friend of Joanie Caucus, one of the core members of the strip's ensemble cast. Although Joanie initially sees Andy as a pot ...
(January 27, 1976 – May 24, 1990) – A law school classmate of Joanie's. She was romantically interested in him until he revealed that he was gay. Was later diagnosed with and died of AIDS. His ghost makes occasional appearances in the strip. * Didi Robins (May 18, 1971) – One of the members at the Walden Commune, originally introduced as Bernie's girlfriend. She helped found a lesbian magazine, but is straight. She was also J.J.'s art assistant when she lived in New York in the 80s. * Phil Slackmeyer (December 23, 1970 – August 4, 2002) – Father of Mark. A wealthy, conservative, corporate businessman. Served a term in prison for
insider trading Insider trading is the trading of a public company's stock or other securities (such as bonds or stock options) based on material, nonpublic information about the company. In various countries, some kinds of trading based on insider information ...
. He died in 2002. (In the August 18, 1971, strip he is referred to as Morris, not Phil.) * Marilou Slackmeyer (December 28, 1970) – Mark's mother, later divorced from Phil Slackmeyer by him in favor of a trophy wife. * Mark's "Cousin Bob" (August 9, 1971) – FBI agent needing Mark's help to infiltrate "the drug culture". * B.D.'s parents (April 14, 1971) – Introduced without names when B.D. goes home after his father loses his job. His mother is Maria (August 6, 1971). * Zonker's parents – First appear briefly on December 20, 1971, but are redeveloped later. His father appears in regular form on June 27, 1973, his mother on December 14, 1974. * Virginia "Ginny" Slade (August 19, 1974) – During the 1970s, when Joanie moved to California to study law at
Boalt Hall The University of California, Berkeley, School of Law (commonly known as Berkeley Law or UC Berkeley School of Law) is the law school of the University of California, Berkeley, a public research university in Berkeley, California. It is one of ...
, she moved in with Ginny, a much younger, African-American law student. Ginny ran for Congress as a semester project, with Zonker, Andy Lippincott, and Jimmy Thudpucker contributing to her campaign. She lost the Democratic primary to a scandal-ridden incumbent, Congressman Phil Ventura, then re-entered the campaign as an independent. Close to Election Day, she chose to drop out so that long-time Republican candidate Lacey Davenport would win. * Clyde Montana (August 19, 1974) – Ginny's boyfriend whom she later married. Former Black Panther. An obnoxious but lovable guy. Clyde himself later ran against Davenport in 1986. Clyde eventually did make it to Congress as a Republican (replacing Lacey Davenport when she stepped down in 1997) and in the snack business trying to create the perfect cookie for all races. He lost his re-election bid in the general Democratic victory in 2008. * Woodrow (November 19, 1974) – An overachieving student in Ginny and Joanie's law classes. Obnoxious, sexist, and disliked by practically everybody (but perfectly oblivious to it). Later staff attorney to Lacey Davenport's Ethics Committee. * Bobby Matthews (October 28, 1974, by name October 30, 1974) – A white boy attending an integrated school in the 1970s as a way to introduce the subject of
busing Race-integration busing in the United States (also known simply as busing, Integrated busing or by its critics as forced busing) was the practice of assigning and transporting students to schools within or outside their local school districts in ...
into the strip. * Malcolm Deveaux (November 2, 1974) – A black boy attending the same school as Bobby Matthews. * Kirby (possibly March 9, 1971, unnamed; December 9, 1971 by name) – Mustache-wearing player on B.D. and Zonker's college football team. Slightly timid personality, admires Zonker, who sometimes takes him under his wing. * Clinton Caucus (heard October 9, 1972; appears September 27, 1972) – Joanie's ex-husband. * Chase Talbott III (October 28, 1996) – Formerly Mark's significant other, a conservative Republican, and co-host of their
NPR National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...
show, ''All Things Being Equal''. * Bernie (February 22, 1971) – Mike's college lab partner and member of Walden Commune. A mad scientist, he invented a werewolf potion and spent a summer in Scotland searching for the
Loch Ness Monster The Loch Ness Monster ( gd, Uilebheist Loch Nis), affectionately known as Nessie, is a creature in Scottish folklore that is said to inhabit Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. It is often described as large, long-necked, and with one or mor ...
. He later founded a computer company and hired Mike. Appears when the strip needs a wealthy backer of long-shot ventures, or Mike needs financial advice. * Cornell (June 6, 1977) – Zonker's longtime friend. Helped out terminally ill patients by handing out desserts filled with
cannabis ''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae. The number of species within the genus is disputed. Three species may be recognized: ''Cannabis sativa'', '' C. indica'', and '' C. ruderalis''. Alternatively ...
. Currently serving a ten-year prison sentence for the distribution of cannabis to the terminally ill. * Jeremy Cavendish (September 16, 1981) – Wildly eccentric (in his own words, "genuinely strange") bird-watcher friend of Dick and Lacey Davenport. Wooed Lacey bizarrely and unsuccessfully after Dick's death. His madcap presence made both funerals less somber than they might otherwise have been. Occasionally visited by Dick and Lacey's spirits. * Earl (April 12, 1995) – Discovered in an orphanage Duke attempted to run in the early 1990s. Honey sent one of Duke's warts off for DNA tests, which proved Earl was his son. He shares many of Duke's physical and moral qualities. Currently a lobbyist. * Elias – A Puerto Rican Vietnam veteran. He's B.D.'s counselor after the coming home from the
Iraq War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish) , partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...
. Tries to help B.D. and others to overcome their post-traumatic stress. * Ellie, Howard, and Jenny – Three kids who first appeared at the Walden Daycare where
Joanie Caucus Joanie Caucus is a fictional character in Garry Trudeau's comic strip ''Doonesbury''. She first appeared in September 1972 in which she has a fight with her husband, Clinton, over her rights as a woman. She finds that her recently acquired femi ...
worked. They mainly gave the input on the women's rights issues and children's issues in the 70s and 80s. * Uncle Henry (April 7, 1972) – Mike's uncle, tends to the Doonesbury farm. He's also a former county commissioner in Oklahoma and got caught in a corruption scandal only later to be acquitted. * Mini-D – A small man who looks like Duke, sometimes pops out of Duke's head (via a flip-top scalp) when Duke is stoned. * Nicole (September 29, 1971, spelled Nichole in the strip until 1977 and again in 1993) – A radical feminist and member of the Walden Commune. She and Mike almost had an affair after meeting at their class reunion (May 5, 1988), but broke it off when Mike learned J.J. was pregnant. * MacArthur (January 16, 1975) – A native Samoan, Duke's assistant during his tenure as Governor of American Samoa. Appointed as governor after Duke resigned to become Ambassador to China. Last seen running a resort in Pago Pago. * Samantha – B.D. and Boopsie's daughter, born in 1992. Mainly raised by her sitter Zonker. For a several-year period, she was shown to own an action doll modeled after
Sarah Palin Sarah Louise Palin (; Heath; born February 11, 1964) is an American politician, commentator, author, and reality television personality who served as the ninth governor of Alaska from 2006 until her resignation in 2009. She was the 2008 R ...
. Now attending Walden University. Revealed in the November 25, 2018 strip to be
gender-fluid Non-binary and genderqueer are umbrella terms for gender identities that are not solely male or femaleidentities that are outside the gender binary. Non-binary identities fall under the transgender umbrella, since non-binary people typically ...
. * Skip Willis (April 3, 1973) – A Vietnam POW who joined the commune for a period following his release. * "Lava-Lava Lenny" Fali (August 4, 1975) – Massive Samoan football player. Duke and Zonker arrange an athletic scholarship for him at Walden, but he jumps to the Detroit Lions for a better offer. Duke later purchases his contract for the Washington Redskins. * Nate and Amy Harris (July 21, 1975) – Zonker's great-uncle and aunt, presented in several flashback threads. Nate was a Minuteman in the American Revolution, interacting with Paul Revere and other revolutionaries. Reappears from time to time to make points about slavery, gender, and racial equality, the Constitution, etc. * Samuel "Sammy" Tucker (July 4, 1976) – Former slave, appears periodically in Nate Harris Revolution-era flashbacks. * Phil Ventura (June 28, 1976) – Long-time Congressman who defeated Ginny Slade in the primary but then lost to Lacey Davenport. * Jennifer "Jenny" Thudpucker (mentioned September 26, 1975; appears February 22, 1977) – Jimmy's wife, gives birth March 18, 1977 to son, Feedback. * Dan Doheny, Barney Perkins, Mr. Weinburger (February 28, 1977) – Students (Doheny a teaching assistant) in Henry Kissinger's history seminar at Georgetown. Later joined by Honey Huan. * Duane Delacourt (March 21, 1977) – Secretary of Symbolism under
President Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (born October 1, 1924) is an American politician who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 76th governor of Georgia from 19 ...
. Later Executive Symbolist and Press Secretary for California Governor and presidential candidate
Jerry Brown Edmund Gerald Brown Jr. (born April 7, 1938) is an American lawyer, author, and politician who served as the 34th and 39th governor of California from 1975 to 1983 and 2011 to 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, he was elected Secretary of S ...
. * Dr. Dan Asher (January 29, 1978) – Fellow at the California Institute for the Mellow, author of such best-sellers as "Mellow: How to Get It" and "Winning through Mellow", Mark's frequent guest on WBBY's "Profiles on Parade". * Riley (July 17, 1978) – 15 year-old nephew of Redskins owner Edward Bennett Williams. Briefly Duke's protege, but turns him in to Rick Redfern. * Trip Tripler – Benjamin Doonesbury's college roommate. Writer for
George Will George Frederick Will (born May 4, 1941) is an American libertarian-conservative political commentator and author. He writes regular columns for ''The Washington Post'' and provides commentary for NBC News and MSNBC.Hadas Gold, Gold, Hadas (May ...
, officer in the U.S. Navy. * Trff Bmzklfrpz – Former President-for-Life of the fictional Republic of Berzerkistan. Ex-President Bmzklfrpz was a typical dictator, and, according to an interview with Mark Slackmeyer, engaged in genocide and is
anti-Semitic Antisemitism (also spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism) is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who holds such positions is called an antisemite. Antisemitism is considered to be a form of racism. Antis ...
. In a parody of former Turkmenistan president
Saparmurat Niyazov Saparmurat Atayevich Niyazov; tk, Saparmyrat Ataýewiç Nyýazow, in Cyrillic: Сапармырат Атаевич Ныязов (19 February 1940 – 21 December 2006), also known as Turkmenbashi, was a Turkmen politician who rule ...
, he renamed the month of April (as well as a species of plant and a type of bird) "Trff", after himself. Uncle and Earl Duke acted as his advisors, and after he was airlifted out of Berzerkistan he moved himself into Duke's home. Until he is able to return to power, he is sponging off Duke while working on receiving asylum in the U.S. (August 9, 2011) and trying to get his memoirs published (August 16, 2011). He later became an adviser to Donald Trump (March 19, 2017). * Drew – Alex Doonesbury's unusually attractive roommate at MIT. Currently a physician working at a hospital ICU. * Melissa "Mel" Wheeler (March 26, 2007) – A US Army aviation mechanic who has been a victim of
command rape As defined by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, military sexual trauma (MST) are experiences of sexual assault, or repeated threatening sexual harassment that occurred while a person was in the United States Armed Forces. Use ...
. She first appears when B.D. meets her at the Vet Center where he gets treatment, and later re-enlists and deploys to Afghanistan. She has been promoted to grade E-5,
Sergeant Sergeant (abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other uni ...
. Her best friend is Roz, a gay Army Specialist. In 2018 Melissa launched a campaign for public office, with Joanie Caucus serving as her campaign manager. Mel won the election and later received a courteous note from her Republican opponent, who apologized for insulting her during the campaign. * Cricket (September 14, 1998) – Zipper's classmate and sometimes girlfriend at Walden. * Mr. Bellows (died 11 September 2001 in the 9/11 attacks) – Mike's boss at the ad agency and later his boss at a smaller firm. * Jimmy Crow – A human-sized crow who has appeared during recent election campaigns and is used to highlight voter-suppression measures (introduced July 23–28, 2012). His name is an apparent reference to
Jim Crow The Jim Crow laws were state and local laws enforcing racial segregation in the Southern United States. Other areas of the United States were affected by formal and informal policies of segregation as well, but many states outside the Sout ...
discrimination.


Real people

Numerous real-world figures, especially from politics, have appeared in the strip. Since the late 1980s some prominent politicians were given direct, but metaphorical, visual portrayals via Doonesbury Icons, avatars in the strip which abstractly represented them. *
Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...
– A character named
Ron Headrest Ron Headrest is a fictional character in the comic strip ''Doonesbury''. During the 1980s, Garry Trudeau thought it would be fun to do a political parody of the television program '' Max Headroom'' (of which he was a fan). He combined the concept ...
appeared as a computer-generated alter ego of President Reagan. Headrest was a composite of
Max Headroom Max Headroom is a fictional artificial intelligence (AI) character portrayed by actor Matt Frewer. Advertised as "the first computer-generated TV presenter", Max was known for his biting commentary on a variety of topical issues, arrogant wit, ...
and Ronald Reagan. A similar caricature of Reagan appeared briefly in the film ''
Back to the Future Part II ''Back to the Future Part II'' is a 1989 American science fiction film directed by Robert Zemeckis from a screenplay by Bob Gale and a story by both. It is the sequel to the 1985 film ''Back to the Future'' and the second installment in the ' ...
''. *
Dan Quayle James Danforth Quayle (; born February 4, 1947) is an American politician who served as the 44th vice president of the United States from 1989 to 1993 under President George H. W. Bush. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republic ...
– Famously appeared as a feather, depicting what Trudeau saw as the Vice-president's lightweight status, and as a pun on the bird species
quail Quail is a collective name for several genera of mid-sized birds generally placed in the order Galliformes. The collective noun for a group of quail is a flock, covey, or bevy. Old World quail are placed in the family Phasianidae, and New Wor ...
. *
George H. W. Bush George Herbert Walker BushSince around 2000, he has been usually called George H. W. Bush, Bush Senior, Bush 41 or Bush the Elder to distinguish him from his eldest son, George W. Bush, who served as the 43rd president from 2001 to 2009; pr ...
– Trudeau drew the first President Bush as one of his "
thousand points of light The phrase "a thousand points of light" was popularized by U.S. President George H. W. Bush and later formed the name of a private, non-profit organization launched by Bush to support volunteerism. History The first known instance of the phrase " ...
" from his speech at the
1988 Republican National Convention The 1988 Republican National Convention was held in the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, from August 15 to August 18, 1988. It was the second time that a major party held its convention in one of the five states known as the Deep S ...
. *
Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...
was depicted as a waffle, emphasizing the popular image that Clinton avoided taking firm stands on political issues; the symbol was voted for by readers over the alternative choice of a flipping coin. *
Newt Gingrich Newton Leroy Gingrich (; né McPherson; born June 17, 1943) is an American politician and author who served as the 50th speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999. A member of the Republican Party, he was the U ...
– Trudeau drew Gingrich as a lit bomb that would sometimes explode. *
George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
was initially depicted as a "point of light" like his father (and the rest of the Bush family), later topped with a baseball cap and then a cowboy hat. Following his inauguration as president, he was depicted as an asterisk to indicate his dubious status as a Supreme Court-appointed head of state, still wearing a cowboy hat ("all hat, no cattle", a phrase used in Texas). After the beginning of the
Iraq War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish) , partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...
he was shown as an asterisk wearing an imperial Roman military helmet. As the second Bush presidency encountered repeated difficulties, the helmet became continually more battered, so that, by his final appearance in office on January 18, 2009, the helmet had lost all of its decoration and was missing several large pieces. *
David Duke David Ernest Duke (born July 1, 1950) is an American white supremacist, antisemitic conspiracy theorist, far-right politician, convicted felon, and former Grand Wizard of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. From 1989 to 1992, he was a member ...
was depicted as a swastika, due to his extreme stands on racial issues, and his former status as a
Grand Wizard The Grand Wizard (later the Grand and Imperial Wizard simplified as the Imperial Wizard and eventually, the National Director) referred to the national leader of several different Ku Klux Klan organizations in the United States and abroad. The ti ...
of the
Ku Klux Klan The Ku Klux Klan (), commonly shortened to the KKK or the Klan, is an American white supremacist, right-wing terrorist, and hate group whose primary targets are African Americans, Jews, Latinos, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and ...
. *
Arnold Schwarzenegger Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (born July 30, 1947) is an Austrian and American actor, film producer, businessman, retired professional bodybuilder and politician who served as the 38th governor of California between 2003 and 2011. ''Time'' ...
was drawn as a groping hand, and often addressed by other characters as "Herr Gröpenfuhrer", a reference to accusations of sexual assault. He and Trump actually met on November 20, 2016, where Schwarzenegger advised Trump to deal with accusations by patting women on the head (accidentally removing his toupee). *
Dick Cheney Richard Bruce Cheney ( ; born January 30, 1941) is an American politician and businessman who served as the 46th vice president of the United States from 2001 to 2009 under President George W. Bush. He is currently the oldest living former U ...
, late in his vice-presidency, was occasionally represented as a dark-cloaked figure, reminiscent of the
Grim Reaper Death is frequently imagined as a personified force. In some mythologies, a character known as the Grim Reaper (usually depicted as a berobed skeleton wielding a scythe) causes the victim's death by coming to collect that person's soul. Other b ...
or the
Emperor An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...
from
Star Wars ''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera multimedia franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop-culture Cultural impact of S ...
, bearing a Roman Imperial staff. *
Ben Quayle Benjamin Eugene Quayle (born November 5, 1976) is an American lawyer and politician who is a former U.S. Representative for . A member of the Republican Party, he is the son of the 44th vice president of the United States, Dan Quayle James ...
(son of Dan Quayle) was depicted September 19, 2010, as a smaller feather when he and his father are interviewed by Mark. Most other prominent figures, after the strip's early years, stopped appearing directly in-frame, and were represented solely by their dialogue emerging from outside the frame, or from a television or a building shown from the outside (especially the White House). The small number of exceptions to this rule are below. The following figures have been directly portrayed in-frame in the strip. *
Hubert Humphrey Hubert Horatio Humphrey Jr. (May 27, 1911 – January 13, 1978) was an American pharmacist and politician who served as the 38th vice president of the United States from 1965 to 1969. He twice served in the United States Senate, representing Mi ...
(May 7, 1971) – Mark Slackmeyer met with the Senator and former Vice president as part of his lobbying against the Vietnam War. *
Mike Mansfield Michael Joseph Mansfield (March 16, 1903 – October 5, 2001) was an American politician and diplomat. A Democratic Party (United States), Democrat, he served as a United States House of Representatives, U.S. representative (1943–1953) and a ...
(May 10, 1971) – Aging Senator from Montana, lobbied by Mark about the war and Congressional seniority. *
Joseph Alsop Joseph Wright Alsop V (October 10, 1910 – August 28, 1989) was an American journalist and syndicated newspaper columnist from the 1930s through the 1970s. He was an influential journalist and top insider in Washington from 1945 to the late 196 ...
(May 11, 1971) – Prominent columnist confronted by Mike over his support for the Vietnam War. *
Dick Cavett Richard Alva Cavett (; born November 19, 1936) is an American television personality and former talk show host. He appeared regularly on nationally broadcast television in the United States for five decades, from the 1960s through the 2000s. In ...
(May 12, 1971) – Host of TV interview show on which Mark appears to discuss recent peace rally. *
John Lindsay John Vliet Lindsay (; November 24, 1921 – December 19, 2000) was an American politician and lawyer. During his political career, Lindsay was a U.S. congressman, mayor of New York City, and candidate for U.S. president. He was also a regular ...
(May 28, 1971) – Mayor of New York City. *
Frank Rizzo Francis Lazarro Rizzo (October 23, 1920 – July 16, 1991) was an American police officer and politician. He served as Philadelphia police commissioner from 1968 to 1971 and mayor of Philadelphia from 1972 to 1980. He was a member of the Democr ...
(August 7, 1972) – Mayor of Philadelphia. Orders Mike, Mark, and their motorcycle out of town, but relents when Mark introduces himself as a "fellow Italian-American". *
John Kerry John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician and diplomat who currently serves as the first United States special presidential envoy for climate. A member of the Forbes family and the Democratic Party (Unite ...
(October 21, 1971 – October 23, 1971) – Spoke at Walden College for Vietnam Vets Against the War. *
Henry Kissinger Henry Alfred Kissinger (; ; born Heinz Alfred Kissinger, May 27, 1923) is a German-born American politician, diplomat, and geopolitical consultant who served as United States Secretary of State and National Security Advisor under the presid ...
(August 14, 1972) – Many appearances, but only appeared in-frame for the first few; subsequently is not shown directly. *
Mark Spitz Mark Andrew Spitz (born February 10, 1950) is an American former competitive swimmer and nine-time Olympic champion. He was the most successful athlete at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, winning seven gold medals, each in world-record ti ...
(November 16, 1972) – Olympic swimming champion. Appeared in-frame as coda to Zonker's series of Spitz-related nightmares. *
Jann Wenner Jann Simon Wenner ( ; born January 7, 1946) is an American magazine magnate who is a co-founder of the popular culture magazine ''Rolling Stone'', and former owner of '' Men's Journal'' magazine. He participated in the Free Speech Movement while ...
(July 11, 1974) – Owner of Rolling Stone magazine, consistently referred to as "Yawn Wenner". Appeared frequently during Uncle Duke's time as a writer for the magazine. *
Jeb Stuart Magruder Jeb Stuart Magruder (November 5, 1934May 11, 2014) was an American businessman and high-level political operative in the Republican Party who served time in prison for his role in the Watergate scandal. He served President Richard Nixon in var ...
(September 26, 1973) – Figure in the
Watergate The Watergate scandal was a major political scandal in the United States involving the administration of President Richard Nixon from 1972 to 1974 that led to Nixon's resignation. The scandal stemmed from the Nixon administration's continual ...
scandal. *
Dan Rather Daniel Irvin Rather Jr. (; born October 31, 1931) is an American journalist, commentator, and former national evening news anchor. Rather began his career in Texas, becoming a national name after his reporting saved thousands of lives during Hurr ...
(January 20, 1974). *
William E. Simon William Edward Simon (November 27, 1927 – June 3, 2000) was an American businessman and philanthropist who served as the 63rd United States Secretary of the Treasury. He became the Secretary of the Treasury on May 9, 1974, during the Nixon admi ...
(January 28, 1974) – Head of Federal Energy Administration ("Energy Czar") under Nixon and later Secretary of the Treasury ("Money Czar") under Nixon and Ford. Generally depicted seated in throne-like chair with at most nose and pipe visible, referred to by staff as "Your Czarship" or "Your Exchequership". *
Neil Young Neil Percival Young (born November 12, 1945) is a Canadian-American singer and songwriter. After embarking on a music career in Winnipeg in the 1960s, Young moved to Los Angeles, joining Buffalo Springfield with Stephen Stills, Richie Furay ...
(July 13, 1974) – Attended a party thrown by ''Rolling Stone'' editor
Jann Wenner Jann Simon Wenner ( ; born January 7, 1946) is an American magazine magnate who is a co-founder of the popular culture magazine ''Rolling Stone'', and former owner of '' Men's Journal'' magazine. He participated in the Free Speech Movement while ...
(seen November 7, 1974) for Zonker on his first visit to Uncle Duke. Asked by Zonker what his new album's message was, Young's stammering, incoherent reply involved "energy". *
Gladys Knight & the Pips Gladys Knight & the Pips were an American R&B, soul and funk family music group from Atlanta, Georgia, that remained active on the music charts and performing circuit for over three decades starting from the early 1950s. Starting out as simpl ...
(July 28, 1974) – Singing "
Midnight Train to Georgia "Midnight Train to Georgia" is a song by Gladys Knight & the Pips, their second release after departing Motown Records for Buddah Records. Written by Jim Weatherly, and included on the Pips' 1973 LP ''Imagination'', "Midnight Train to Georgia" be ...
". *
Deng Xiaoping Deng Xiaoping (22 August 1904 – 19 February 1997) was a Chinese revolutionary leader, military commander and statesman who served as the paramount leader of the People's Republic of China (PRC) from December 1978 to November 1989. After CC ...
(February 19, 1976) – Provides Duke his official welcome as envoy to China and appears again from time to time. (Referred to as "Teng Hsiao-Ping", as he was known in the United States at the time, before
Pinyin Hanyu Pinyin (), often shortened to just pinyin, is the official romanization system for Standard Mandarin Chinese in China, and to some extent, in Singapore and Malaysia. It is often used to teach Mandarin, normally written in Chinese for ...
romanization came into common use.) *
Mao Zedong Mao Zedong pronounced ; also romanised traditionally as Mao Tse-tung. (26 December 1893 – 9 September 1976), also known as Chairman Mao, was a Chinese communist revolutionary who was the founder of the People's Republic of China (PRC) ...
(March 3, 1976 – June 3, 1976). *Steven Weed (March 10, 1976) – Fiancé of
Patty Hearst Patricia Campbell Hearst (born February 20, 1954) is the granddaughter of American publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst. She first became known for the events following her 1974 kidnapping by the Symbionese Liberation Army. She was found a ...
. (Referred to as "Stephen".) * Jay "Wah Wah" Graydon (August 5, 1976) – Grammy-winning LA-area musician. Appeared as guitar side-man for Jimmy Thudpucker. *
Amy Carter Amy Lynn Carter (born October 19, 1967) is the daughter of the thirty-ninth U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his First Lady of the United States, first lady Rosalynn Carter. Carter entered the limelight as a child when she lived in the White Hou ...
(September 7, 1976) – Daughter of the President. *
Phyllis Schlafly Phyllis Stewart Schlafly (; born Phyllis McAlpin Stewart; August 15, 1924 – September 5, 2016) was an American attorney, conservative activist, author, and anti-feminist spokesperson for the national conservative movement. She held paleocons ...
(December 23, 1977) – Opposed the ERA in a debate with Joanie, who was substituting for Lacey. *
David Halberstam David Halberstam (April 10, 1934 April 23, 2007) was an American writer, journalist, and historian, known for his work on the Vietnam War, politics, history, the Civil Rights Movement, business, media, American culture, Korean War, and later ...
(July 26, 1979) – Pulitzer-winning journalist and author. Interviews Rick for a book he's writing on "the giants of journalism". *
Robert Vesco The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...
(November 22, 1984) - Duke invites his former college roommate to speak at the inauguration of the Baby Doc School of Medicine. *
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
– The
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
real-estate mogul and 45th President of the United States has appeared in ''Doonesbury'' strips since the 1980s. In 2016,
Andrews McMeel Publishing Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC (formerly Andrews, McMeel and Parker (1975–1986) and Andrews and McMeel (1986–1997)) is a company that publishes books, calendars, and related toys. It is a part of Andrews McMeel Universal (which comprises AM ...
published ''Yuge'', a collection of Trudeau's strips depicting Trump. *
Clint Eastwood Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor and film director. After achieving success in the Western TV series '' Rawhide'', he rose to international fame with his role as the "Man with No Name" in Sergio Leone's "''Doll ...
(March 3, 1986) – Shown at the edge of the frame, by a boot and leg in denim. First of six strips mostly concerned with Eastwood's campaign for Mayor of Carmel, California. *
Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular ...
– Appears not only in cartoon form but in actual photos reprinted in the strip showing him consorting with various mobsters. *
Bill Casey William D. Casey (born February 19, 1945) is a Canadian politician from Nova Scotia who served as a Member of Parliament (MP) in the House of Commons of Canada. First elected as a Progressive Conservative in 1988, he later sat as Conservative ...
(August 24, 1987 – August 29, 1987). *
Evan Mecham Evan Mecham ( ; May 12, 1924 – February 21, 2008) was an American businessman and the 17th governor of Arizona, serving from January 5, 1987, until his impeachment conviction on April 4, 1988. A decorated veteran of World War II, Mecham was a ...
(September 7, 1987 – December 9, 1987). *
Al Gore Albert Arnold Gore Jr. (born March 31, 1948) is an American politician, businessman, and environmentalist who served as the 45th vice president of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. Gore was the Democratic Part ...
(February 15, 1988 – February 20, 1988) introduces him to the American public as part of the 1988 Presidential campaign. *
Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...
(August 29, 1988) – Turns out not to be dead. He is found as a stowaway on the
Trump Princess ''Kingdom 5KR'' (originally named ''Nabila'') is an 85.65-metre (281 ft) Luxury yacht, superyacht built for Saudi billionaire Adnan Khashoggi that is now owned by Saudi business magnate Al-Waleed bin Talal. Overview The yacht was built ...
, and claims to have been held aboard a UFO in the intervening years. *
Michael Dukakis Michael Stanley Dukakis (; born November 3, 1933) is an American retired lawyer and politician who served as governor of Massachusetts from 1975 to 1979 and again from 1983 to 1991. He is the longest-serving governor in Massachusetts history a ...
(November 1, 1988). *
Jesse Helms Jesse Alexander Helms Jr. (October 18, 1921 – July 4, 2008) was an American politician. A leader in the conservative movement, he served as a senator from North Carolina from 1973 to 2003. As chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee ...
(August 9, 1992) – as a shadow in
Mr. Butts Mr. Butts is a character in Garry Trudeau's comic strip ''Doonesbury''. When Mike Doonesbury was asked to create an ad campaign aimed at teenage smokers, he suffered a morality crisis, and the hallucinatory Mr. Butts was the result. An eight- ...
' dream, which is itself inside Mike Doonesbury's dream *
Michael Milken Michael Robert Milken (born July 4, 1946) is an American financier. He is known for his role in the development of the market for high-yield bonds ("junk bonds"), and his conviction and sentence following a guilty plea on felony charges for vio ...
(November 16, 1993) – teaching his class at
UCLA The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California St ...
to recite the three principles of the Milken Code: Greed Works, Crime Pays, Everybody Does It. *
Rupert Murdoch Keith Rupert Murdoch ( ; born 11 March 1931) is an Australian-born American business magnate. Through his company News Corp, he is the owner of hundreds of local, national, and international publishing outlets around the world, including ...
(January 15, 2003) – off screen, saying he is not buying the strip. *
Sarah Palin Sarah Louise Palin (; Heath; born February 11, 1964) is an American politician, commentator, author, and reality television personality who served as the ninth governor of Alaska from 2006 until her resignation in 2009. She was the 2008 R ...
(July 23, 2010) – Roland Hedley informs the former governor of Alaska that he is stalking her stalker. *
David Petraeus David Howell Petraeus (; born November 7, 1952) is a retired United States Army general and public official. He served as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency from September 6, 2011, until his resignation on November 9, 2012. Prior to h ...
(September 12, 2010) – partial silhouette. *
Warren Buffett Warren Edward Buffett ( ; born August 30, 1930) is an American business magnate, investor, and philanthropist. He is currently the chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. He is one of the most successful investors in the world and has a net w ...
(September 23, 2010). *
Roger Ailes Roger Eugene Ailes (May 15, 1940 – May 18, 2017) was an American television executive and media consultant. He was the chairman and CEO of Fox News, Fox Television Stations and 20th Television. Ailes was a media consultant for Republican ...
(September 8, 2011). *
Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American politician, businessman, and lawyer serving as the junior United States senator from Utah since January 2019, succeeding Orrin Hatch. He served as the 70th governor of Massachusetts f ...
(October 8, 2012 – October 13, 2012) – The young Mitt Romney was depicted as a
Mormon missionary Missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church)—widely known as Mormon missionaries—are volunteer representatives of the church who engage variously in proselytizing, church service, humanitarian aid, and commu ...
in France in 1968. *
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (; ; born October 13, 1989), also known by her initials AOC, is an American politician and activist. She has served as the U.S. representative for New York's 14th congressional district since 2019, as a member of th ...
(August 4, 2019). *
Melania Trump Melania Trump ( ; born Melanija Knavs , Germanized as Melania Knauss ; born April 26, 1970) is a Slovene-American former model and businesswoman who served as First Lady of the United States from 2017 to 2021 as the wife of 45th president Do ...
(October 13, 2019)


References


External links


The cast: who's who on Planet Doonesbury
on Doonesbury site {{Doonesbury *
Doonesbury ''Doonesbury'' is a comic strip by American cartoonist Garry Trudeau that chronicles the adventures and lives of an array of characters of various ages, professions, and backgrounds, from the President of the United States The president ...