Someone should biographize Mell Lazarus, who is still alive and—coming up on 83—still working. For a long time, he had two daily nationally syndicated comic strips, Miss Peach and Momma. He wrote a humorous novel based on his experience working for Al Capp (creator of Li’l Abner), he worked for Al Capp and was an active presence in the New York cartoon scene. Oh the stories he could probably tell. I hope he’s secretly putting them all in a book.

Continuing my series on cartooning and cartoonists, this Lazarus piece is pulled from a 1964 oversized saddle-stitched magazine from Allied Publications with the creatively-challenged title These Top Cartoonists Tell How They Create America’s Favorite Comics. It featured an introduction by Beetle Bailey’s Mort Walker and was compiled by Allen Willette.

Here’s Mell talking about how he does it:

“I was born May 3, 1927 in New York City, where I currently reside. I never actually graduated high school…my art teacher flunked me. I have since, however, attended many classes of one kind or another. I frequently lecture at colleges and to other groups around the country.

“I sold my first cartoon when I was sixteen. I did commercial art and edited children’s magazines prior to February 4, 1957 when my comic, Miss Peach, was launched.

“The characters in Miss Peach are not actually modeled on real persons…with the possible exception of Lester, the skinny kid in the strip. Possibly the most loved character is Arthur, the dopey little kid.

“I make notes all week based on thoughts, conversational fragments, etc. I sift through all these notes on Monday mornings and select several to develop. I then write gags for them. I do six daily strips and a Sunday page.

“In addition to two Miss Peach compilations, I have completed my first novel, The Boss Is Crazy, Too. I will also adapt the book for the stage.”

Here are a few of my thoughts:

According to Wikipedia, The Boss Is Crazy, Too is loosely based on Lazurus’s time working for Al Capp. Does anyone know if the adaptation Mell writes about ever made it to the stage?

Mell also created Momma in 1970, so he was doing two strips every week for over 30 years. Miss Peach ended in 2002, but Momma is still ongoing.

Miss Peach was adapted into several TV specials starting in 1982 with one called Miss Peach Of The Kelly School, with the kids played by puppets, which seems like an odd choice.

I’m always surprised that someone hasn’t yet adapted Momma into some other form, especially television, where her caustic style would seem to be a natural sitcom fit, especially back in the 1970s and 1980s. Doris Roberts is certainly “of an age” to play that kind of character.

The Charles Schulz Museum Lecture series has a multi-part video of a talk given by Mell. The first part is here.

Cartoon Brew takes a look at Mell Lazarus’ famous piano (and no, that’s not a euphemism).

Cartoonist Mike Lynch pops up with a note about Mell’s appearance on Murder, She Wrote.

Here’s a selection of Miss Peach strips, courtesy of Maggie Thompson, editor of The Comics Buyer’s Guide.

Here’s an old, short article about Mell from 1971. I can’t find the original, so you’ll have to settle for the Google link. “I don’t know how to draw. At least I don’t give kids inferiority complexes with my drawing.”

[Artwork: photo of Mell Lazarus (top), panel from Miss Peach (bottom)] And I wonder how many hits I’m going to get from the phrase “Miss Peach bottom”?