Collection inventory

Overview of the Collection
Creator:	Starr, Leonard.
Title:	Leonard Starr Cartoons
Inclusive Dates:	1957-1969
Quantity:	17.6 linear feet
Abstract:	Approximately 2,407 original daily and Sunday cartoons from the comic strip On Stage.
Language:	English
Repository:	Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries 222 Waverly Avenue Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center

Biographical History

Leonard Starr (1925- ) is an American cartoonist and comic book artist. Born in New York City on October 28, 1925, Starr attended the High School of Music and Art and then the Pratt Institute where he officially focused on art education because he was uncertain about the feasibility of making a living as an artist. While still a student, Starr went to work for Funnies, Inc. doing comic book backgrounds and later penciling and inking. Starr left Pratt and spent some time studying under Frank Reilly at the Art Students League.

Starr did free-lance illustrations and also worked as an advertising artist. Starting in the early 1950s, Starr submitted several strip ideas to various syndicates which were all turned down until he submitted the idea for On Stage which was accepted in 1956 and began appearing February 10, 1957 through the Chicago Tribune- New York News Syndicate. It would continue to be distributed until 1979. Critics have praised Starr's ability to accurately portray Broadway in On Stage as well as his detailed, realistic artwork.

Beginning in 1979 he revived the strip Annie, originally Little Orphan Annie, for the Tribune Company Syndicate. During the late 1970s and 1980s Starr contributed to various comic book projects and wrote the Kelly Green graphic novel series. He was also the co-creator and writer for the Rankin-Bass animated television series Thundercats.

On Stage received the society's Best Story Strip of the Year award in 1960 and 1963. Starr won the same award for Annie in 1983. The National Cartoonists Society honored Starr with the Reuben Award for Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year in 1965. Starr also once served as the NCS vice-president and continues to be a member of the organization.

Leonard Starr moved to Westport, Connecticut in 1970 where he still resides.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Leonard Starr Cartoons consist of approximately 1,978 daily and 429 Sunday panels for the strip Mary Perkins, On Stage or On Stage. On Stage depicts a beautiful Broadway actress, Mary Perkins. The strip is often described as having characteristics of a soap opera. Starr incorporated romance, humor and suspense into his strips, with stories often continuing for several days and weeks, providing cliffhangers for the reader to anticipate the conclusion of these meticulously written and illustrated plots.

The cartoons date from 1957-1964 and 1967-1969, with occasional gaps in the run. Artistic materials used include traces of graphite, pen, ink, zipatone screening and blue pencil on illustration board.

At the end of the collection is a single folder containing an article from Ebony magazine titled "What's not so funny about the funnies."

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Arrangement of the Collection

The Leonard Starr Cartoons are arranged into 2 series: On Stage and Printed material. Within the On Stage series, the daily and Sunday cartoons are arranged separately.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

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Related Material

Special Collections Research Center has collections of over one hundred cartoonists. Please refer to the SCRC Subject Index for a complete listing.

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Subject Headings

Persons

Corporate Bodies

Associated Titles

Subjects

Genres and Forms

Occupations

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Leonard Starr Cartoons
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Gift of Leonard Starr, 1966 and 1969.

Finding Aid Information

Created by: WL, MS
Date: Apr 1986
Revision history: 18 Jun 2007 - converted to EAD (MRC); 6 Aug 2009 - minor changes to inventory and biography (SK)

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Inventory

	On Stage
		Click here for a detailed inventory.
		Daily cartoons (approximately 1,978 items) 7 1/2" x 22"
Oversize 1			1957 Mar - 1957 Aug
Oversize 2			1958 Jan - 1958 Jun
Oversize 3			1958 Jul - 1958 Dec
Oversize 4			1959 Jan - 1959 Jun
Oversize 5			1959 Jul - 1959 Dec
Oversize 6			1960 Jan - 1960 Jun
Oversize 7			1960 Jul - 1960 Dec
Oversize 8			1961 Jan - 1961 Jun
Oversize 9			1961 Jul - 1961 Dec
Oversize 10			1962 Jan - 1962 Dec
Oversize 11			1963 Jan - 1963 Jun
Oversize 12			1963 Jul - 1963 Dec, 1964 Jan
Oversize 13			1967 Jan - 1967 Jun
Oversize 14			1967 Jul - 1967 Dec
Oversize 15			1968 Jan - 1968 Jun
Oversize 16			1968 Jul - 1969 Jan
		Sunday cartoons (approximately 429 items) 18" x 25 1/2"
Oversize 17			1957
Oversize 18			1958
Oversize 19			1959
Oversize 20			1960
Oversize 21			1961-1962
Oversize 22			1963
Oversize 23			1964
Oversize 24			1967
Oversize 25			1968
Oversize 26			1969

	Printed material
Oversize 26		"What's not so funny about the funnies" 1966 Nov - article from Ebony about the lack of African Americans in comic strips

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