F. O. Alexander's Hairbreadth Harry (from 1930s), featuring a Hamlet parody.

Franklin Osborne Alexander (November 3, 1897 – January 17, 1993), known professionally as F. O. Alexander, was a comic strip artist and editorial cartoonist.^[1]

A native Missourian, 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.^[2]

[edit] Comic strips

During the mid-1920s, Alexander launched two comic strips, Finney of the Force (1925-31) and The Featherheads (1926-36),^[3] but he is best known for the comic strip Hairbreadth Harry, which he took over in 1931 after the death of its creator, C.W. Kahles. Alexander did this strip for eight years and then dropped it in 1939.^[4]

Alexander also drew editorial cartoons for United Features Syndicate, and in 1941, he became the staff political cartoonist for the Philadelphia Bulletin. Alexander's career at the Bulletin spanned 26 years.^[1]

[edit] Archives

In 1966, Alexander donated more than 1000 of his cartoon originals to Syracuse University. The art is housed in the University's Special Collections Research Center.^[1]

F. O. Alexander retired in 1967.^[5]

[edit] References