National Cartoon Museum#William Randolph Hearst Cartoon Hall of Fame
{{Short description|American museum dedicated to cartoons, comic strips and animation}}
{{Distinguish|The Cartoon Museum|Cartoon Art Museum}}
{{Infobox museum
| name = National Cartoon Museum
| logo =
| image = Museumofcartoonart.jpg
| imagesize =
| caption = Illustration of the museum during its Port Chester era.
| alt =
| map_type =
| map_caption =
| map_alt =
| coordinates =
| former_name =
| established = 1974
| dissolved = 2002
| location = As the Museum of Cartoon Art:
Stamford, Connecticut,
then Greenwich, Connecticut
then Port Chester, New York;
As National Cartoon Museum/International Museum of Cartoon Art:
Boca Raton, Florida
| type = The collection, preservation and exhibition of cartoons, comic strips and animation
| collection = 200,000 original drawings
20,000 comic books
1000 hours of film and tape
| visitors =
| director =
| president =
| curator = Gary Hood (1996)
| publictransit =
| network =
| website =
}}
The National Cartoon Museum was an American museum dedicated to the collection, preservation and exhibition of cartoons, comic strips and animation. It was the brainchild of Mort Walker, creator of Beetle Bailey. The museum opened in 1974, and went through several name changes, relocations, and temporary closures, before finally closing for good in 2002.
Originally known as the Museum of Cartoon Art, the name was changed to the National Cartoon Museum when it moved to Boca Raton, Florida, in 1992.[http://www.mortwalker.com/mwinfo.html Mort Walker website]. Accessed Jan. 29, 2014. In 1996, it became the International Museum of Cartoon Art.Charla, Steve.[http://www.awn.com/mag/issue2.11/2.11pages/2.11charlacartoon.html "International Museum of Cartoon Art,"] Animation World Magazine issue 2.11 (Feb. 1998).
In June 2008, Walker's collection was merged with the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum, affiliated with Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.
History
Walker began preserving cartoon artwork in the 1940s, when he discovered King Features Syndicate using Krazy Kat drawings to sop up water leaks.{{cite web |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB121615221992855615 |title=Beetle Bailey's Long March: Classic Cartoons Search for a Home |work=The Wall Street Journal|author=Mary Pilon |author-link=Mary Pilon |date=July 16, 2008 |access-date=2008-09-06}} Walker lived in Greenwich, Connecticut, and in 1974, with a contribution of $50,000 from the Hearst Foundation, he opened his museum nearby at 850 Canal Street in Stamford, Connecticut.[http://greenwichroundup.blogspot.com/2008_04_17_archive.html "Greenwich Roundup,"] B Local Network (Apr. 17, 2008). Two years later, the landlord decided he could rent the mansion for more, forcing a move to a space on Field Point Road in Greenwich, Connecticut.{{citation needed|date=January 2014}} Later, the museum occupied Ward's Castle, a large, dilapidated house in Port Chester, New York.
In late 1991 the city of Boca Raton, Florida invited Walker to relocate there,"Newswatch: Cartoon Museum Flies South," The Comics Journal #147 (Dec. 1991), p. 18. and the museum prepared to move in 1992."Newswatch: Museum Move Hits a Snag," The Comics Journal #148 (Feb. 1992), p. 21.
While working to re-open, the museum was robbed of Dick Tracy and Prince Valiant originals, as well as some Disney animation cels."Newswatch: Museum Seeks Help in Art Heist," The Comics Journal #157 (Mar. 1993), p. 34. After acquiring more funding,"NewsWatch: Funds Needed for Comics Museum," The Comics Journal #154 (Nov. 1992), p. 24. and a donation of Disney art from Diamond Comic Distributors' Steve Geppi,"Newswatch: Geppi Donates Disney Art to IMCA," The Comics Journal #175 (Mar. 1995), p. 29. the newly minted International Museum of Cartoon Art finally"Newswatch: More IMCA News: Groundbreaking Held," The Comics Journal #175 (Mar. 1995), p. 29. opened the doors to its new facility in 1996.Newswatch: International Museum of Cartoon Art Opens," The Comics Journal #185 (Mar. 1996), pp. 20-21. Gary Hood was appointed director of curatorial affairs."Newswatch: New Curator at IMCA," The Comics Journal #184 (Feb. 1996), p. 47.
However, the museum did not attract enough donations and two corporate sponsors went bankrupt.Stump, Greg. "Newswatch: Comics Museums Facing Financial Crisis," The Comics Journal #198 (Aug. 1997), pp. 11-15. In 1998, the Hearst Foundation again stepped in, giving the museum $1 million."News Watch: International Museum Gets a Cool Million," The Comics Journal #201 (Jan. 1998), p. 22. Nonetheless, to pay off some of the debts (including outstanding mortgage payments),Rhode, Michael. "Newswatch: Mickey on the Block: Museum Sells Original Art from First Mickey Mouse Cartoon to Pay Rent," The Comics Journal #232 (Apr. 2001), p. 18. Walker auctioned off a Mickey Mouse drawing in 2001 for $700,000.Puente, Maria. "A Mickey Mouse Original for Sale," USA Today (May 4, 2001), section D, p. 1. It was not enough, however;"Newswatch: International Museum of Cartoon Art to Close," The Comics Journal #238 (Oct. 2001), pp. 106-107. the museum was forced to close in 2002, and the collection was put into storage.
An attempt was made to relocate to three floors of the Empire State Building in New York City in 2007, but the deal fell through for reasons that are disputed.[http://www.boston.com "Empire State Building won't host National Cartoon Museum". Boston Globe, September 14, 2006.] Walker finally accepted an offer to merge his collection with that of Ohio State University in 2008.[http://www.boston.com/news/local/connecticut/articles/2008/05/16/addition_to_make_schools_comic_art_collection_really_super/ Whiteman, Doug. "Addition to make school's comic art collection really super", Associated Press, May 16, 2008.]
Collection
The collection includes over 200,000 original drawings, 20,000 comic books, 1000 hours of film and tape, and various other items. It consists almost entirely of donations from artists, including Chester Gould (Dick Tracy), Hal Foster (Prince Valiant), Bil Keane (Family Circus), political cartoonist Jeff MacNelly, Mike Peters (Mother Goose and Grimm), Milton Caniff (Terry and the Pirates), Dik Browne (Hägar the Horrible), Stan Lee (Spider-Man), Rube Goldberg and others. According to the curators, it is valued at an estimated $20 million. Among its prized possessions is the first drawing of Mickey Mouse, by Ub Iwerks for the character's film debut in Plane Crazy (1928).
William Randolph Hearst Cartoon Hall of Fame
Begun in 1974, the Hall of Fame was renamed the William Randolph Hearst Cartoon Hall of Fame in 1997 after a sponsorship was provided by the Hearst Foundation. The 31 inductees, chosen by non-cartoonist authorities, are:
{{col-begin}}
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- Peter Arno
- Carl Barks
- Dik Browne
- Milton Caniff
- Al Capp
- Roy Crane
- Billy DeBeck
- Rudolph Dirks
- Walt Disney
- Will Eisner
- Bud Fisher
- Harold Foster
- Charles Dana Gibson
- Rube Goldberg
- Chester Gould
- Harold Gray
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- Cathy Guisewite
- George Herriman
- Lynn Johnston
- Chuck Jones
- Walt Kelly
- Winsor McCay
- George McManus
- Thomas Nast
- Frederick Opper
- Richard Outcault
- Alex Raymond
- Charles Schulz
- Elzie Segar
- Jimmy Swinnerton
- Mort Walker
- Chic Young
{{col-end}}
See also
References
{{Reflist|2}}
External links
- [http://cartoons.osu.edu/ Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum]
- [http://www.awn.com/mag/issue2.11/2.11pages/2.11charlacartoon.html International Museum of Cartoon Art]
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{{Ohio State University|facilities}}
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Category:Defunct museums in Connecticut
Category:Defunct museums in Florida
Category:Defunct museums in New York (state)
Category:Art museums and galleries established in 1974
Category:Art museums and galleries disestablished in 2002