The Salina Journal from Salina, Kansas • Page 8

AS SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2001 NATION THE SALINA JOURNAL! COMICS At 50, Dennis is still 5 at heart Judges name Miss Texas, Kandace Krueger, Miss USA for 2001 By The Associated Press GARY, Ind. A journalism student from Texas was crowned Miss USA 2001 Friday night. Miss Texas, Kandace Krueger, 24, attends Texas Universi- creator, KETCHAM Comics of the past will mark 50th birthday of Dennis the Menace By MARGIE MASON The'AssacUued Press PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. He's forever frozen as "five- aria-half" in the minds of generations of readers, but the towheaded, freckle-faced Dennis the Menace is preparing to turn 50. The comic's Henry "Hank" Ketcham, has come up with a series of classic panels to commemorate Dennis' journey through American culture.

They will run in 1,000 newspapers worldwide Monday through March 12, each illustrating the different generations from the 1950s to the 1990s Dennis and the cast of neighborhood characters have entertained. "I want Dennis to be looked at: boom! Right like that," Ketcham said Friday from his Pebble Beach home studio along scenic 17 Mile Drive. "I want him to stand out on the page as being different and concise and funny And so, I guess we're doing it right because we keep adding papers." Ketcham, who turns 81 March 14, first sketched the comic in October 1950. The impish boy and his crabby neighbor, Mr. Wilson, were born after Ketcham's wife burst into his home studio in Carriiel in a tizzy over their real 5-year-old son, Dennis.

"Your son is a menace!" she announced after finding the hoy had destroyed his room instead of taking a nap. Just five months later, on March 12, 1951, Dennis MitcheU made his debut in 16 newspapers. By the time Ketcham stopped drawing weekday panels in 1994, the comic ran in 1,800 newspapers. Today, it's published in 68 countries and 19 languages. The panels also inspired several books of cartoons, a musical, a television series running from 1959 to 1963 and a playground in Monterey where Ketcham had his first studio.

The Seattle native dropped out of the University of Washington after his freshman year in 1938 to pursue his childhood dream of becoming a cartoonist. His family tried to talk him into working on air conditioners for a living, but Ketcham was determined to draw. He got his first job as an animator for Walter Lantz, the creator of "Woody Woodpecker," and then for Walt Disney, where he worked on "Pinocchio," "Bambi," "Fantasia" and others. Ketcham's influence And while he no longer draws Dennis, Margaret, Joey, Ruff and the gang, Ketcham remains very involved in Dennis' life, overseeing the day-to-day creations of artists Marcus Hamilton and Ronald Ferdinand. "I'm working with my assistants by fax, and every morning we have a fax roundup," he said.

"I'm right on top of them, so I have my footprint on the feature." After he stopped sketching the Sunday comic in the mid- 1980s, Ketcham discovered a more serious art: painting oil and watercolor portraits. Ketcham used this new passion to recreate his loves and pastimes for a decade before failing health forced him to stop. "I thought, 'What am I going to he said sitting among a room filled with vibrant paintings of women's faces and Dennis comics. "I'm going to paint things that I enjoy So I painted a lot of golf stuff and a lot of jazz- oriented things that I love." Different Moisturizing Lotion ty in College Station. As host WiUiam Shatner announced her as the winner, Krueger covered her face with her hands while reigning Miss USA Lynnette Cole gave flowers and placed the tiara on her head.

Liane Angus of the District of Columbia was first runner-up, followed by Tiffany Fallon of Georgia. The other two finalists were Gina Giacinto of Nevada and Larissa Meek of Missouri. The contest moved to Gary as city officials seek to revamp its gritty image. The city is best known for steel mills along Lake Michigan's shoreline. The pageant winner will com- pete for the title of Miss Universe i in Puerto Rico in May New zippured pouch-unbuyable extra Congratulations to the world famous Center for the Improvement of Human Functioning International Wichita, Kansas USA The Bright Spot for Health A where thousands of people have been welcomed from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and 39 foreign countries.

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