F.O. Alexander

Franklin Osborne Alexander (November 3, 1897 - January 17, 1993), known professionally as F.O. Alexander, was a comic strip artist and editorial cartoonist. He was a native Missourian. [ Draw Your Own Conclusions: Political Cartooning Then and? http://library.syr.edu/digital/exhibits/c/cartoonists/alexander.htm ]

Alexander studied at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts, taking several courses in cartooning. In World War I he served with the Camouflage Engineers in Europe. [Lambiek http://lambiek.net/artists/a/alexander_fo.htm]

Alexander is most noted for drawing the comic strip "Hairbreadth Harry", which he took over in 1931, after the death of its creator C.W. Kahles. Alexander quit the strip in 1939. [ Toonopedia http://www.toonopedia.com/hairbr.htm] He had drawn two other comic strips, "Finney of the Force" (1925-31) and "The Featherheads" (1926-36). [The Comic Strip Project http://hometown.aol.com/comicsproj/creditsEK.html]

F. O. Alexander also drew editorial cartoons for United Features Syndicate. Subsequently, in 1941, he became the staff political cartoonist for the Philadelphia Bulletin. Alexander's career at the Bulletin spanned twenty-six years. [ Draw Your Own Conclusions: Political Cartooning Then and? http://library.syr.edu/digital/exhibits/c/cartoonists/alexander.htm]

In 1966, Alexander donated more than one-thousand of his original cartoons to Syracuse University. The art is housed in the University's Special Collections Research Center. [ Draw Your Own Conclusions: Political Cartooning Then and? http://library.syr.edu/digital/exhibits/c/cartoonists/alexander.htm] F.O. Alexander retired in 1967. [Lambiek http://lambiek.net/artists/a/alexander_fo.htm]

Notes