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I just found out that Bil Keane passed away. Creator of the newspaper strip Family Circus.
I had the great honor of meeting Bil Keane in 1992 at his home in Scottsdale Arizona. I was among a tiny handful of Arizona artists that was invited to meet Bil and a host of other cartoonists at his home. I was allowed to bring one guest. I chose the late great Michael Scot McMurry to be my guest.
Before this I was working on a series of cartoons slamming Family Circus, Dysfuctional Family Circus.
I got to meet and bump elbows with folks like Charles Schulz, Lynn Johnson, Chad Brown, Jeff MacNelly, Mike Peters, Johnny Hart, Cathy Gutweisse, Dick Locher and numerous others escaping my mind right now.
But Bil invited me into his home. I got to meet his family, the real Family Circus. I even asked Glen Keane "So, is it true Pocahontas is a politically correct nightmare?" Glen just sagely nodded.
The Keane home was also a comics museum ,I even got to touch his Reuben award set in a recess in the wall. Their game room had original art , a variable whos who of cartoonists. His studio was a typical cartoonists studio, but with a incredible view of the Phoenix valley from their home high up in the Camelback mountains. There McMoo and I discovered Bil had literally cornered the Khor-i-Nor market on #5 quill tips. He said it was the best nib made for cartooning!!
Then it was dinner...and what a spread. Hobnobbing and smoozing with mob of syndicated cartoonists. I was in heaven.
When it came time to go, I told McMoo, "I can't continue with the Dysfunctional Family Circus, I feel I'd be kicking my own Grandfather!"
Moo looked at me and said "Good, cause if you did, I'd personally hand you over to Keane."
But Bil's kindness and family welcomed me, I felt part of a bigger community. I would occasionally see him again at the Sugarbowl ice cream shop on Scottsdale Blvd.
I also asked Bil once "Why do your kids have only one nostril?" Bil, without hesitation said "Perspective!!"
Yeah, the Family Circus was hoaky at times, but it was part of Americanna. Over 1500 papers worldwide.
God Speed you Bil Keane...say Hi to Sparkie, Jeff, Bill and McMoo for me!!
I had the great honor of meeting Bil Keane in 1992 at his home in Scottsdale Arizona. I was among a tiny handful of Arizona artists that was invited to meet Bil and a host of other cartoonists at his home. I was allowed to bring one guest. I chose the late great Michael Scot McMurry to be my guest.
Before this I was working on a series of cartoons slamming Family Circus, Dysfuctional Family Circus.
I got to meet and bump elbows with folks like Charles Schulz, Lynn Johnson, Chad Brown, Jeff MacNelly, Mike Peters, Johnny Hart, Cathy Gutweisse, Dick Locher and numerous others escaping my mind right now.
But Bil invited me into his home. I got to meet his family, the real Family Circus. I even asked Glen Keane "So, is it true Pocahontas is a politically correct nightmare?" Glen just sagely nodded.
The Keane home was also a comics museum ,I even got to touch his Reuben award set in a recess in the wall. Their game room had original art , a variable whos who of cartoonists. His studio was a typical cartoonists studio, but with a incredible view of the Phoenix valley from their home high up in the Camelback mountains. There McMoo and I discovered Bil had literally cornered the Khor-i-Nor market on #5 quill tips. He said it was the best nib made for cartooning!!
Then it was dinner...and what a spread. Hobnobbing and smoozing with mob of syndicated cartoonists. I was in heaven.
When it came time to go, I told McMoo, "I can't continue with the Dysfunctional Family Circus, I feel I'd be kicking my own Grandfather!"
Moo looked at me and said "Good, cause if you did, I'd personally hand you over to Keane."
But Bil's kindness and family welcomed me, I felt part of a bigger community. I would occasionally see him again at the Sugarbowl ice cream shop on Scottsdale Blvd.
I also asked Bil once "Why do your kids have only one nostril?" Bil, without hesitation said "Perspective!!"
Yeah, the Family Circus was hoaky at times, but it was part of Americanna. Over 1500 papers worldwide.
God Speed you Bil Keane...say Hi to Sparkie, Jeff, Bill and McMoo for me!!
Category All / All
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He was the other Charles M. Schultz, writing from the parents' perspective. ^^
Family Circus was sorely needed, and I'd see it not only in newspaper funnies, but a world of family magazines as well. It was the picture of the family during its good times and bad, it's funny and serious.
They were what a family is all about. ^^
Hurry home, Bil.
I'm sure there's a lot of families in Heaven waiting to thank you...
The perspective that you offer here is really appreciated. It's easy for me to crack wise about Family Circus, how it was always this bland one panel that took up a piece of real estate on the funny pages but wasn't exceptional in any way but that it had been there so long. But then I read about that human side of him, the family life that he had, his kindness that he showed to other artists, it makes me realize that he was a cool guy. He'd been living his dream all these years and he's finally earned some well deserved rest. Very sad to see another of my grandparents' generation go.
I'm sorry to hear you gave up on Dysfunctional Family Circus (I hadn't even known you were a part of it). Although it often strayed a little too deep into distasteful realms, I thought that it was a perfect offset of Family Circus' overly sterile setting.
I loved Family Circus as a child, but as I grew older it drifted farther and farther from my taste. Still, there's no denying that it has had a very large impact in the world of cartoons and on many of it's readers. I'm sure he'd be happy to know he's left such a legacy.
I loved Family Circus as a child, but as I grew older it drifted farther and farther from my taste. Still, there's no denying that it has had a very large impact in the world of cartoons and on many of it's readers. I'm sure he'd be happy to know he's left such a legacy.
I was never really a fan of family circus, sometimes it as good too often though just the same joke recycled, I guess anything that is around that long falls prey to that Archie is similar. Still interesting to see a bit of what the man was like through your story. He certainly left his mark there is no denying that.
Oh and you met Lynne Johnson? Officially jealous.
Oh and you met Lynne Johnson? Officially jealous.
One of the best cartoonists out there, not just for his art, but for the content he put into it. I find myself wanting more and more to be a part of my grandfathers generation, where the work of ones hands was respected and appreciated.. Maybe I'm looking through bottle glass lenses at this, but I love the older generations a lot more than my own.
True, and I agree with him completely about that movie.
As for Mister Keane, he created a wonderful comic, and a wonderful comic family. One aspect of that family that some have observed is that they were churchgoing, yet Bil didn't shove it in our faces; it was simply one aspect of the family's life that he didn't hide from and made reference to where appropriate.
As for Mister Keane, he created a wonderful comic, and a wonderful comic family. One aspect of that family that some have observed is that they were churchgoing, yet Bil didn't shove it in our faces; it was simply one aspect of the family's life that he didn't hide from and made reference to where appropriate.
I remember the old Caption Contest Dysfunctional Family Circus (I suspect that's the version you're talking about). Now, I did not then, nor do I now have a whole lot of respect for Keane's work, but I remember when the guy who was running the DFS was asked to take it down. Keane's representatives originally sent a Cease and Desist, and the maintainer's response was basically "Well, screw that guy". And then Bil called him personally. There was no transcription of the conversation, of course, but he described about a 2-hour conversation that left him so impressed with Keane that he agreed to a compromise and then took the site down. That kind of reversal stuck in my head.
That guy got the Dysfunctional family Circus from me, since I was no longer printing them up. Plus I wasn't doing anything webwise.
Bil was a type of man who didn't yell or talk down to you. My short time with him at his home was moving. He didn't have to invite me to his home, but he did, he wanted to meet and greet other Arizona cartoonists and invited us to join him. That alone was worth it.
Bil was a type of man who didn't yell or talk down to you. My short time with him at his home was moving. He didn't have to invite me to his home, but he did, he wanted to meet and greet other Arizona cartoonists and invited us to join him. That alone was worth it.
Man, what a plethora of artists. That must have been a cool party. Did everyone break out sketchbooks to pass around?
I loved the Family Circus and have since I was a kid. Even when little Billy's puns make me groan. I hope that his son will do his father's legacy justice.
I loved the Family Circus and have since I was a kid. Even when little Billy's puns make me groan. I hope that his son will do his father's legacy justice.
I had my differences and bickerings with my mom, dad, and sister...but I guess I got along well enough with them to understand the humor in "The Family Circus"...the gentle humorous observations of family life resonated.
Keane had a great sense of humor and bad puns...he did find the parodies of his work by Bill Griffith ("Zippy") and Stephen Pastis amusing.
Keane had a great sense of humor and bad puns...he did find the parodies of his work by Bill Griffith ("Zippy") and Stephen Pastis amusing.
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