Frank King
American cartoonist
Who was Frank King?
Frank King lived from April 9, 1883 to June 24, 1969. Born in Cashton, Wisconsin, King was the older of the two sons of mechanic John J. When Frank was four years old, he moved with his parents to 1710 Superior Avenue in Tomah, Wisconsin, where they operated their family general store. He started drawing while growing up in Tomah, where he graduated from Tomah High School in 1901. He entered country fair drawing competitions; a sign he drew for a hotel bootblack earned him only 25 cents, but it was seen by a traveling salesman who learned it had been drawn by the son of one of his customers.
Career and public life
In addition to innovations with color and page design, King introduced real-time continuity in comic strips by showing his characters aging over generations. The salesman arranged an interview for King with a Minneapolis newspaper editor. King began earning $7 a week at the Minneapolis Times, and during his four years there, he doubled his salary while creating drawings and doing retouching. He also worked as a courtroom sketch artist.
Historical significance
Frank Oscar King (April 9, 1883 – June 24, 1969) was an American cartoonist best known for his comic strip Gasoline Alley. Frank Oscar King was an American cartoonist best known for his comic strip Gasoline Alley.