The National Newspaper Syndicate, originally known as the John F. Dille Co., was a
syndication service that operated from 1917 to c. 1984. It was founded by
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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businessman John F. Dille and specialized in
comic strips
A comic strip is a Comics, sequence of drawings, often cartoons, arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often Serial (literature), serialized, with text in Speech balloon, balloons and Glossary of comics ter ...
and
gag cartoons. It also carried advice columns, such as
Paul Popenoe's "Modern Marriage." It is most well known for syndicating ''
Buck Rogers'', considered by many to be the first adventure comic strip.
History
John Flint Dille (1884–1957) launched John Dille's National Newspaper Service in early 1917; later renaming it the John F. Dille Co. syndicate. The Dille syndicate's first successful strip was Richard A. "Dick" Clarke's ''Moving Picture Funnies'', which debuted in February 1917 and ran until 1946.
In 1922, the Dille syndicate absorbed the Uncle Ray Syndicate, founded by Ramon Coffman, and based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, mostly in order to syndicate Coffman's column ''Child's Story of the Human Race''.
H. F. Voorhees launched a number of strips with the syndicate in the period 1924–1926, but none of them caught on.
Dille launched ''
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century A.D.'' on January 7, 1929;
internationally popular for many decades, it ran continuously until July 8, 1967. The stripe was created by Philip Nowlan and illustrated by Dick Calkins. (John F. Dille himself
ghost-wrote the ''
Buck Rogers'' strip from October 1949 to January 1951, working with artist Leonard Dworkins.)
''Buck Rogers'' artist
Dick Calkins
Richard William Calkins (August 12, 1894 – May 12, 1962), who often signed his work Lt. Dick Calkins, was an American comic strip artist who is best known for being the first artist to draw the ''Buck Rogers'' comic strip. He also wrote for the ...
' own strip, ''
Skyroads'' also launched in 1929, running until 1942.
Walt Ditzen's ''Fan Fare'' was launched in 1947, running until 1961, when it changed titles to ''Fun Fare'', running until 1973.
Cartoonist
Dave Gerard began a 35-year relationship with the Dille syndicate in 1949 with his strip ''Viewpoint'', which ran until 1953. That was succeeded by the popular strip ''Will-Yum'', which ran from 1953 to 1966. Gerard's ''City Hall'' strip ran from 1967 to 1984.
["Dave Gerard Cartoons: An inventory of his cartoons at Syracuse University,"]
Syracuse University Libraries Special Collections Research Center. Accessed October 14, 2018.
The Dille syndicate launched
Brad Anderson's ''
Marmaduke'' in 1954, carrying the panel until c. 1970, when it moved to
United Feature Syndicate. At some point in the mid-1950s, the syndicate was renamed the National Newspaper Syndicate.
John F. Dille died in 1957,
["JOHN F. DILLE, 72, NEWS SYNDICATOR: 'Buck Rogers' Creator Dies — Called Originator of Adventure Comic Strips,"]
''New York Times'' (September 12, 1957), p. 31. succeeded as general manager of the syndicate by his son Robert Crabtree Dille.
Popular National Newspaper strips from the 1960s included
Win Mortimer's ''Larry Brannon'', Elizabeth Brozowska's ''Geraldine'',
Bill Lignante's ''Let's Explore Your Mind'' (1962–1971), and ''Woody's World'' (1963–1979), originally by John Holm.
In 1968 the syndicate was offering about 35 features to about 650 client newspapers.
Robert Dille died in 1983, and the syndicate faded away by 1984. Robert's son,
Flint Dille, is an accomplished screenwriter, game designer and novelist. He is part of the Dille Family Trust, which owned the rights to the Buck Rogers character.
Advice Columns
The Syndicate ran one of the earliest marriage advice columns. Written by
Paul Popenoe, it ran from 1947 to 1972. At first, called "Modern Marriage," its name was changed to "Your Family and You" in 1958.
Strips and panels
* ''Abe Martin Junior'' by E. B. Sullivan (1938-1939) — apparently replaced the ''Abe Martin'' strip for these two years
* ''
Abe Martin of Brown County
''Abe Martin'' was an American newspaper gag-a-day comic strip, drawn by Kin Hubbard and published from 1904 until 1937 in ''The Indianapolis News'' and other newspapers.
Character
Abe Martin was an anti-hero character, making wisecracker joke ...
'' by
Kin Hubbard
Frank McKinney Hubbard (September 1, 1868 – December 26, 1930), better known as Kin Hubbard, was an American cartoonist, humorist, and journalist. His most famous work was for " Abe Martin". Introduced in ''The Indianapolis News'' in December 1 ...
(c. 1917–1930) — strip began in ''
The Indianapolis News
The ''Indianapolis News'' was an evening newspaper published for 130 years, beginning December 7, 1869, and ending on October 1, 1999. The "Great Hoosier Daily," as it was known, at one time held the largest circulation in the state of Indiana. ...
'' in 1904
* ''Adam Apple’s Adventures'' by
Don Herold
__NOTOC__
Don Herold (July 9, 1889"United States Social Security Death Index," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/JBG1-W49 : accessed July 19, 2013), Don Herold, June 1966. – June 1, 1966) was an American humorist, ...
(1932) — daily panel
* ''Amazing But True'' by
Albert Edward Wiggam
Albert Edward Wiggam (October 8, 1871 – April 26, 1957) was an American psychologist and eugenicist. He was called "one of the most influential promoters of eugenic thought" and a "gifted showman," which made him a popular lecturer.
Early life a ...
(1931-1932) — daily panel
* ''Applesauce'' by
Dick Calkins
Richard William Calkins (August 12, 1894 – May 12, 1962), who often signed his work Lt. Dick Calkins, was an American comic strip artist who is best known for being the first artist to draw the ''Buck Rogers'' comic strip. He also wrote for the ...
(1924) — daily panel
* ''The Bag Line'' by H. F. Voorhees (1925) — weekly panel
* ''
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century A.D.'' originally by
Dick Calkins
Richard William Calkins (August 12, 1894 – May 12, 1962), who often signed his work Lt. Dick Calkins, was an American comic strip artist who is best known for being the first artist to draw the ''Buck Rogers'' comic strip. He also wrote for the ...
(January 7, 1929–July 8, 1967)
* ''City Hall'' by
Dave Gerard (1967–1984)
* ''Codgie'' by H. F. Voorhees (1924)
* ''Deb’s Diary'' by Earl Reeder (1928)
* ''Do It Yourself'' by
Morrie Brickman
Morrie Brickman (July 24, 1917 – March 15, 1994) was a cartoonist. His nationally syndicated comic strip ''The Small Society'' was published in over 300 papers, including 35 foreign publications.
Biography
Brickman was born in Chicago, Illinois ...
(1950s) — later continued under the title ''Crosscut'' from 1957 to 1962
* ''Famous Fighters'' by John Wentworth (1932)
* ''Fan Fare'' by
Walt Ditzen (1947-1961) — later continued under the title ''Fun Fare'' from 1961–1973
* ''Flying Legion'' by William Winston (1939-1942)
* ''Gargoyle and Gadget'' by E. B. Sullivan (1936–1945)
* ''Geraldine'' by Elizabeth Brozowska (1961–1968) — originated in Denmark in 1958 under the title ''Josephine''
* ''Horse Shoe Sam'' by C. E. Bidinger (1928)
* ''Jezabelle Jones'' by Ira Yarbrough (1952)
[Yarbrough entry]
''Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999''. Accessed October 13, 2018.
* ''Larry Brannon'' by
Win Mortimer (1961-1968)
* ''Let's Explore Your Mind'' by
Bill Lignante (1962–1971)
* ''
Marmaduke'' by
Brad Anderson (1954–c. 1970) — strip moved to
United Feature Syndicate, where it continues today
* ''Mimi'' by Mary Dorman (1974)
* ''Mr. Sandman'' by Frank Vydra (1970)
* ''Moving Picture Funnies'' by Richard A. "Dick" Clarke (February 27, 1917–1946)
* ''One Up'' by Lew Saw (1963–1966)
* ''Pa and Ma'' by H. F. Voorhees (1926)
* ''Pat the Paris Shopper'' by Joan Carson (1932–1935)
* ''Playmates'' by Lloyd Jones & H. F. Voorhees (1924–1925)
* ''
Skyroads'' originally by
Lester J. Maitland and
Dick Calkins
Richard William Calkins (August 12, 1894 – May 12, 1962), who often signed his work Lt. Dick Calkins, was an American comic strip artist who is best known for being the first artist to draw the ''Buck Rogers'' comic strip. He also wrote for the ...
(1929–1942) — known as ''Clipper Williams on Courage Island'' from 1937 to 1938
* ''Speed Spaulding'' by
Edwin Balmer &
Philip Wylie and Marvin Bradley (January 8 1940–March 29, 1941)
* ''Talullah''
["Possible Suit Over 'Tallulah' Strip," '']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, ...
'' (1950)
archived at ''Stripper's Guide''
Accessed October 13, 2018. by Ira Yarbrough (1950–1953)
* ''Thornsby'' by Fred McLaren (cartoonist) (1972-1975)
* ''Viewpoint'' by
Dave Gerard (1949-1953)
* ''Will-Yum'' by
Dave Gerard (1953–1966)
* ''Woody's World'' (1963–1979) by John Holm (1963-1975) and Bill Potter (1976–1979)
References
{{refend
Comic strip syndicates
Companies based in Chicago
Mass media companies established in 1917