WALT KELLY

1913-1973

Walter 'Walt' Crawford Kelly, Jr., started at Disney's in 1935 following a few years drawing cartoons at his local newspaper. He worked as an animator on Snow White, Pinocchio, Dumbo and Fantasia, but was fired in 1941 for taking part in a strike. He came to Western where he mostly worked on covers. His ducks are quite unique and recognizable with their thickish rounded features. While working at Western he invented a strip called Pogo starring an opossum living in the Okefenokee Swamp of Florida. Kelly drew the very witty and intellectual strip until his death. Although popular in the USA, it never gained popularity abroad mostly due to its many in-jokes and play on words.