The Field Newspaper Syndicate was a syndication service based in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

that operated independently from 1941 to 1984, for a good time under the name the Chicago Sun-Times Syndicate. The service was founded by

Marshall Field III Marshall Field III (September 28, 1893 – November 8, 1956) was an American investment banker, publisher, racehorse owner/breeder, philanthropist, grandson of businessman Marshall Field, heir to the Marshall Field department store fortune, a ...

and was part of

Field Enterprises Field Enterprises, Inc. was a private holding company that operated from the 1940s to the 1980s, founded by Marshall Field III and others, whose main assets were the ''Chicago Sun'' and ''Parade'' magazine. For various periods of time, Field Enter ...

. The syndicate was most well known for '' Steve Canyon'', but also launched such popular, long-running strips as ''

The Berrys ''The Berrys'' was a family comic strip drawn by Carl Grubert and distributed by Field Newspaper Syndicate. It ran from October 30, 1942, until December 28, 1974. A 1934 alumnus of the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Grubert had a background ...

'', '' From 9 To 5'', ''

Rivets A rivet is a permanent mechanical fastener. Before being installed, a rivet consists of a smooth cylindrical shaft with a head on one end. The end opposite to the head is called the ''tail''. On installation, the rivet is placed in a punched o ...

'', and ''

Rick O'Shay ''Rick O'Shay'' is a Western comic strip created by Stan Lynde, which debuted as a Sunday strip on April 27, 1958. The daily comic strip began on May 19 of the same year.

''. Other features included the editorial cartoons of

Bill Mauldin William Henry Mauldin (; October 29, 1921 – January 22, 2003) was an American editorial cartoonist who won two Pulitzer Prizes for his work. He was most famous for his World War II cartoons depicting American soldiers, as represented by the ...

and

Jacob Burck Jacob Burck (née Yankel Boczkowsky, January 10, 1907 – May 11, 1982) was a Polish-born Jewish-American painter, sculptor, and award-winning editorial cartoonist. Active in the Communist movement from 1926 as a political cartoonist and muralist, ...

, and the "

Ask Ann Landers Ann Landers was a pen name created by ''Chicago Sun-Times'' advice columnist Ruth Crowley in 1943 and taken over by Esther Pauline "Eppie" Lederer (July 4, 1918 – June 22, 2002) in 1955. For 56 years, the Ask Ann Landers syndicated ad ...

" advice column.

History

The Chicago Sun Syndicate was founded in December 1941, concurrent with the founding of Marshall Field III's ''

Chicago Sun The ''Chicago Sun-Times'' is a daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Since 2022, it is the flagship paper of Chicago Public Media, and has the second largest circulation among Chicago newspapers, after the '' Chicago ...

'' newspaper. Long-time syndication veteran Henry Baker was installed as manager. Comic-strip historian

Allan Holtz Allan Holtz () is a comic strip historian who researches and writes about newspaper comics for his Stripper's Guide blog, launched in 2005. His research encompasses some 7,000 American comic strips and newspaper panels. In addition to his contribu ...

has written regarding the origins of the Field Syndicate and its relationship to the rest of the company: Field formed

in August 1944, and the syndicate became known as Field Enterprises Syndicate. One of the first major strips syndicated by Field was the hugely popular ''

Mutt and Jeff ''Mutt and Jeff'' was a long-running and widely popular American newspaper comic strip created by cartoonist Bud Fisher in 1907 about "two mismatched tinhorns". It is commonly regarded as the first daily comic strip. The concept of a newspape ...

'' (first launched in 1907), which moved over from the Bell Syndicate-North American Newspaper Alliance. With the ''Chicago Sun'' and ''

Chicago Daily Times The ''Chicago Daily Times'' was a daily newspaper in Chicago from 1929 to 1948, and the city's first tabloid newspaper. It is best known as one of two newspapers which merged to form ''Chicago Sun-Times'' in 1948. For much of its existence, the ...

'' merger in January 1948, the syndicate absorbed the

Chicago Times Syndicate The ''Chicago Daily Times'' was a daily newspaper in Chicago from 1929 to 1948, and the city's first tabloid newspaper. It is best known as one of two newspapers which merged to form ''Chicago Sun-Times'' in 1948. For much of its existence, the ...

,"Who’s Who Among Leading U.S. Syndicate Executives," ''

Editor & Publisher ''Editor & Publisher'' (''E&P'') is an American monthly trade news magazine covering the newspaper industry. Published since 1901, ''Editor & Publisher'' is the self-described "bible of the newspaper industry." Originally based in New York City, ...

'' (September 7, 1946), archived a
"News of Yore 1946: Syndicate Executives Profiled,"
''Stripper's Guide'' (July 21, 2010). and installed its general manager, Russ Stewart, as head of Field Enterprises. At some point circa 1950, the Field Syndicate changed its name to the Chicago Sun-Times Syndicate. In 1963 Field Enterprises and ''

New York Herald Tribune The ''New York Herald Tribune'' was a newspaper published between 1924 and 1966. It was created in 1924 when Ogden Mills Reid of the ''New-York Tribune'' acquired the ''New York Herald''. It was regarded as a "writer's newspaper" and competed ...

'' publisher

John Hay Whitney John Hay Whitney (August 17, 1904 – February 8, 1982) was U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom, publisher of the ''New York Herald Tribune'', and president of the Museum of Modern Art. He was a member of the Whitney family. Early life Whit ...

acquired the Chicago-based

Publishers Newspaper Syndicate Publishers Newspaper Syndicate was a syndication service based in Chicago that operated from 1925 to 1967, when it merged with the Hall Syndicate. Publishers syndicated such long-lived comic strips as '' Big Chief Wahoo/ Steve Roper'', ''Mary W ...

, merging syndication operations with the Chicago Sun-Times Syndicate, the

New York Herald Tribune Syndicate The New York Herald Tribune Syndicate was the syndication service of the ''New York Herald Tribune''. Syndicating comic strips and newspaper columns, it operated from c. 1914 to 1966. The syndicate's most notable strips were ''Mr. and Mrs.'', ''Ou ...

, and the syndicate of the ''

Chicago Daily News The ''Chicago Daily News'' was an afternoon daily newspaper in the midwestern United States, published between 1875 and 1978 in Chicago, Illinois. History The ''Daily News'' was founded by Melville E. Stone, Percy Meggy, and William Dougherty ...

'' (a newspaper that had been acquired by Field Enterprises in 1959). In 1967, Field Enterprises acquired Robert M. Hall's Hall Syndicate, merging it with Publishers to form the

Publishers-Hall Syndicate Publishers-Hall Syndicate was a newspaper syndicate founded by Robert M. Hall in 1944. Hall served as the company's president and general manager. Over the course of its operations, the company was known as, sequentially, the Hall Syndicate (1944 ...

, and thus taking on distribution of such popular, long-running strips as ''

Mary Worth ''Mary Worth'' is an American newspaper comic strip that has had an eight-decade run from 1938. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, this soap opera-style strip influenced several that followed. It was created by writer Allen Saunders and ar ...

'', '' Steve Roper'', ''

Penny A penny is a coin ( pennies) or a unit of currency (pl. pence) in various countries. Borrowed from the Carolingian denarius (hence its former abbreviation d.), it is usually the smallest denomination within a currency system. Presently, it is t ...

'', ''

Kerry Drake ''Kerry Drake'' is the title of a comic strip created for Publishers Syndicate by Alfred Andriola as artist and Allen Saunders as uncredited writer. It debuted on Monday, October 4, 1943, replacing Norman Marsh's ''Dan Dunn'', and was syndica ...

'', '' Rex Morgan, M.D.'', ''

Judge Parker ''Judge Parker'' is an American soap opera-style comic strip created by Nicholas P. Dallis that first appeared on November 24, 1952. The strip's look and content were influenced by the work of Allen Saunders and Ken Ernst on ''Mary Worth''. Char ...

'', ''

Miss Peach ''Miss Peach'' was a syndicated comic strip created by American cartoonist Mell Lazarus. It ran for 45 years, from February 4, 1957, to September 8, 2002. Format and style The daily strips often contained only a single panel. The format wa ...

'', '' B.C.'', and ''

The Wizard of Id ''The Wizard of Id'' is a daily newspaper comic strip created by American cartoonists Brant Parker and Johnny Hart. Beginning November 16, 1964, the strip follows the antics of a large cast of characters in a shabby medieval kingdom called "Id" ...

''. In 1975, syndication operations absorbed Publishers-Hall, and were renamed the Field Newspaper Syndicate, taking on such strips as '' Dennis the Menace'', '' Funky Winkerbean'', ''

Mark Trail ''Mark Trail'' is a newspaper comic strip created by the American cartoonist Ed Dodd. Introduced April 15, 1946, the strip centers on environmental and ecological themes. As of 2020, King Features syndicated the strip to "nearly 150 newspaper ...

'', and ''

Momma ''Momma'' is an American comic strip by Mell Lazarus that ran from October 26, 1970, to July 10, 2016. Publication history ''Momma'' was Lazarus' second strip; he had been publishing the syndicated strip ''Miss Peach'' since 1957. Debuting o ...

''. The operation was renamed News America Syndicate (NAS) in 1984, after the company was purchased by

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 ...

News Corporation News Corporation (abbreviated News Corp.), also variously known as News Corporation Limited, was an American multinational mass media corporation controlled by media mogul Rupert Murdoch and headquartered at 1211 Avenue of the Americas in Ne ...

. Richard S. Newcombe (coming over from the

Los Angeles Times Syndicate The ''Los Angeles Times'' Syndicate was a print syndication service that operated from 1949 to 2000. Owned by the Times Mirror Company, it also operated the ''Los Angeles Times'' Syndicate International; together the two divisions sold more than ...

) was named President of NAS, which at that point was considered the third-most powerful syndicate, after

King Features King Features Syndicate, Inc. is a American content distribution and animation studio, consumer product licensing and print syndication company owned by Hearst Communications that distributes about 150 comic strips, newspaper columns, editorial c ...

and

United Media United Media was a large Column (periodical), editorial column and comic strip newspaper print syndication, syndication service based in the United States, owned by the E. W. Scripps Company, that operated from 1978 to 2011. It syndicated 150 comi ...

.Storch, Charles
"Hearst To Buy Murdoch Syndicate,"
''Chicago Tribune'' (December 25, 1986). Hearst bought the syndicate in 1987 and renamed it North America Syndicate. The pending sale of NAS (which was first reported in October 1986), prompted Newcombe to leave the company in January 1987 and, using financial backing from

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

-based publisher

Robert Maxwell Ian Robert Maxwell (born Ján Ludvík Hyman Binyamin Hoch; 10 June 1923 – 5 November 1991) was a Czechoslovak-born British media proprietor, member of parliament (MP), suspected spy, and fraudster. Early in his life, Maxwell escaped from N ...

, form

Creators Syndicate Creators Syndicate (also known as Creators) is an American independent distributor of comic strips and syndicated columns to daily newspapers, websites, and other digital outlets. When founded in 1987, Creators Syndicate became one of the few suc ...

before the

close Close may refer to: Music * ''Close'' (Kim Wilde album), 1988 * ''Close'' (Marvin Sapp album), 2017 * ''Close'' (Sean Bonniwell album), 1969 * "Close" (Sub Focus song), 2014 * "Close" (Nick Jonas song), 2016 * "Close" (Rae Sremmurd song), 201 ...

of the NAS sale. Creators Syndicate originated on February 13, 1987. Within a month, Creators acquired the syndication rights to '' B.C.'' and ''

''. North America Syndicate is now part of Hearst's syndication division,

King Features Syndicate King Features Syndicate, Inc. is a American content distribution and animation studio, consumer product licensing and print syndication company owned by Hearst Communications that distributes about 150 comic strips, newspaper columns, editoria ...

.King Features Syndicate profile.
via Hearst Corporation

Field Newspaper Syndicate comic strips

''Strips that originated with Chicago Daily Times / Chicago Sun Syndicate / Field Enterprises / Field Newspaper Syndicate / Chicago Sun-Times Syndicate:'' * ''Addled Ads'' by Harry Lutke (1949–1951) * ''Animal Crackers'' mostly by Warren Goodrich (1937–1957) * '' Arnold'' by Kevin McCormick (1982–1984; continued by News America Syndicate and North America Syndicate until 1988) * ''

Barnaby Barnaby is an Old English surname composed of the Saxon element ''beorn'' 'young warrior' and the Danish suffix ''by'' meaning 'settlement'. As a given name, it means "son of consolation" and is etymologically linked with the New Testament name Bar ...

'' by

Crockett Johnson Crockett Johnson (October 20, 1906 – July 11, 1975) was the pen name of the American cartoonist and children's book illustrator David Johnson Leisk. He is best known for the comic strip '' Barnaby'' (1942–1952) and the ''Harold'' series of boo ...

(1942–1952) * ''Barring None'' by

Burck Burck is a surname; notable people with this surname include: * Jacob Burck (1907–1982), American political cartoonist * Joachim a Burck (1546–1610; also ''Joachim von Burgk'', sometimes ''Joachim Moller''), German composer * Robert John Burck ...

(1941) * ''The Beehive'' by the editors of ''Childlife'' (1957-1961) — Sundays only * ''

'' by

Carl Grubert Carl Alfred Grubert, Jr. (September 11, 1911 – September 26, 1979) was an American cartoonist who drew the comic strip, ''The Berrys'' for more than three decades. A 1934 alumnus of the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Grubert served in t ...

(1942–1974) * '' Betsy and Me'' by Jack Cole (1958)Goulart, Ron
"Jack and Betsy and Me"
. Hogan's Alley (Bull Moose Publishing) (May 18, 2012). Retrieved 2013-12-29. * ''Candy''
at the

Lambiek Comiclopedia Galerie Lambiek is a Dutch comic book store and art gallery in Amsterdam, founded on November 8, 1968 by Kees Kousemaker (, – Bussum, ), though since 2007, his son Boris Kousemaker is the current owner. From 1968 to 2015, it was located ...

by Ed Goggin and

Harry Sahle Harry Frank Sahle (April 18, 1912 – September 22, 1950) was an American comic book artist who drew for such publishers as Archie Comics—helping create the defined look of Archie Comics' breakout character, Archie Andrews—Quality Comics and th ...

, and later Tom Dorr (1944–1969) * ''

Captain Midnight ''Captain Midnight'' (later rebranded on television as ''Jet Jackson, Flying Commando'') is a United States, U.S. adventure franchise first broadcast as a radio serial from 1938 to 1949. The character's popularity throughout the 1940s and into ...

'' by

France Herron Francis Edward Herron (July 23, 1917 – September 2, 1966) was an Americans, American comic book writer and editor active in the 1940s–1960s, mainly for DC Comics. He is credited with co-creating Captain Marvel Jr. and the Red Skull, as well a ...

and Erwin L. Hess (June 29, 1942–late 1940s) * ''The Captain's Gig'' by

Virgil Partch Virgil Franklin Partch (October 17, 1916 – August 10, 1984), who generally signed his work Vip,Virgil F ...

(March 1977–c. 1984) * '' Claire Voyant'' by

Jack Sparling John Edmond Sparling (June 21, 1916 – February 15, 1997), was a Canadian comics artist. Biography Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Sparling moved to the United States as a child. He received his early arts training at the Arts and Crafts Club in New ...

''Betsy and Me''
at

Don Markstein's Toonopedia Don Markstein's Toonopedia (subtitled A Vast Repository of Toonological Knowledge) is an online encyclopedia of print cartoons, comic strips and animation, initiated February 13, 2001. Donald D. Markstein, the sole writer and editor of Toonopedi ...

Archived
from the original on August 27, 2015. (May 10, 1943 – 1948) * '' Conchy'' by James Childress (1970–1977) * ''Emily and Mabel'' by Emidio "Mike" Angelo (early 1950s) * ''Freddy'' by

Robert Baldwin Robert Baldwin (May 12, 1804 – December 9, 1858) was an Upper Canada, Upper Canadian lawyer and politician who with his political partner Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine of Lower Canada, led the first responsible government ministry in the Province ...

(c. 1967–1980) — inherited from

* '' From 9 To 5'' by Jo Fischer (1946–1971) * ''Goosemyer'' by Don Wilder and

Brant Parker Brant Julian Parker (August 26, 1920 – April 15, 2007) was an American cartoonist. He co-created and drew ''The Wizard of Id'' comic strip until passing the job on to his son, Jeff Parker, in 1997. Cartoonist Johnny Hart, his co-creator, ...

(1981–1983) * ''Granny and Slowpoke'' by Werner Wejp-Olsen (1976–1977) * ''

Grin and Bear It ''Grin and Bear It'' is a former daily comic panel created by George Lichtenstein under the pen name George Lichty. Lichty created ''Grin and Bear it'' in 1932 and it ran 83 years until 2015, making it the 10th-longest-running comic strip in Amer ...

'' originally by

George Lichty George Lichty (May 16, 1905 – July 18, 1983) was an American cartoonist, creator of the daily strip, daily and Sunday strip, Sunday cartoon series ''Grin and Bear It''. His work was signed Lichty and often ran without mention of his first name. ...

(1940–1984; picked up from

United Feature Syndicate United Feature Syndicate (UFS) is a large American editorial column and comic strip newspaper syndication service based in the United States and established in 1919. Originally part of E. W. Scripps Company, it was part of United Media (along wit ...

; continued by News America Syndicate and King Features until 2015) * ''Guindon'' by

Dick Guindon Richard Gordon Guindon (December 2, 1935 – February 27, 2022) was an American cartoonist best known for his gag panel ''Guindon''. Guindon's cartoons have appeared in the ''Minneapolis Tribune'', ''The Realist'', and the ''Detroit Free Press''. ...

(1981–c. 1985) — picked up from the

* ''Hit or Miss'' by George Sixta (1948–1954) * '' Invisible Scarlet O'Neil'' by Russell Stamm (1940–1956) — inherited from the ''

'' * ''Jack and Judy in Bibleland'' by Robert Acomb and William Fay (1947–1950) — also known as ''Christina Anders'' * '' Latigo'' by Stan Lynde (1979–1983) * '' Marvin'' by Tom Armstrong (1982–1984; continued by News America Syndicate and King Features) * ''McGonigle of the Chronicle'' by Jeff Danziger (August 1, 1983–November 24, 1985)Holtz, Allan
"Obscurity of the Day: McGonigle of the Chronicle,"
''Stripper's Guide'' (September 3, 2015). * ''Medicare'' by

Reamer Keller Charles Reamer Keller (January 11, 1905 – January 17, 1994), better known as Reamer Keller, was an American cartoonist. He often drew 50 cartoons a week and routinely published a thousand cartoons annually for decades.''Portsmouth Times'' Biog ...

"Cartoon Laughs in a Medical Vein". ''The Daily Review'' (Hayward, California), January 19, 1966. (1966–1975) * ''Mrs. Lyon’s Cubs'' by

Stan Lee Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber ; December 28, 1922 – November 12, 2018) was an American comic book writer, editor, publisher, and producer. He rose through the ranks of a family-run business called Timely Publications which ...

Joe Maneely Joseph Maneely (; February 18, 1926 – June 7, 1958) was an American comic book artist best known for his work at Marvel Comics' 1950s predecessor, Atlas Comics, where he co-created the Marvel characters the Black Knight, the Ringo Kid, the Yell ...

, and Al Hartley (1957–1958) * ''

Rick O'Shay ''Rick O'Shay'' is a Western comic strip created by Stan Lynde, which debuted as a Sunday strip on April 27, 1958. The daily comic strip began on May 19 of the same year.

'' by Stan Lynde (1958–1981) * ''Rivets'' by George Sixta (1953–1985) * '' Steve Canyon'' by

Milton Caniff Milton Arthur Paul Caniff (; February 28, 1907 – April 3, 1988) was an People of the United States, American cartoonist famous for the ''Terry and the Pirates (comic strip), Terry and the Pirates'' and ''Steve Canyon'' comic strips. Biography ...

(1947–1984; continued by News America Syndicate and King Features until 1988)

References

{{reflist Comic strip syndicates Defunct companies based in Chicago Mass media companies established in 1941 Hearst Communications Mass media companies disestablished in 1988

History

Field Newspaper Syndicate comic strips

See also

References