Clarence D. Russell, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

Clarence D. Russell

cartoonist

Date of Birth: 15-Aug-1895

Place of Birth: Buffalo, New York, United States

Date of Death: 23-Oct-1963

Profession: illustrator, comics artist

Nationality: United States

Zodiac Sign: Leo

Clarence D.
Russell (August 15, 1895– October 23, 1963) was an American cartoonist best known for his syndicated comic strip Pete the Tramp. Born in Buffalo, New York, Russell studied at the Chicago Art Institute and began working as a freelance artist.
Just prior to World War I, he arrived in New York City, where he held the position of sports editor for Leatherneck Magazine. With the outbreak of World War I, he went overseas with the American Expeditionary Force.
When he returned to America in 1920, he began worked for two newspapers, the New York Evening Post and the New York Evening Mail. While contributing artwork to the weekly Judge, Russell often sat in Bryant Park on 42nd Street and watched tramps as they fed pigeons and approached people to ask for a nickel for a cup of coffee.
Soon Russell's work for Judge included cartoons of homeless men, as he recalled, "I started drawing tramps for Judge, the old humorous magazine, and pretty soon Pete began to evolve.
He was my escape valve.
Pete did the things I always wanted to do.
It would make a nice story if I told you I used to be a tramp myself, but I wasn't.
Even if some people say I was."