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V. T. Hamlin Cartoons

An inventory of his cartoons at Syracuse University


Finding aid created by: EF
Date: 28 May 1968

Biographical History

Vincent T. Hamlin (1900-1993), commonly known as V. T. Hamlin, was an American cartoonist and creator of the comic strip Alley Oop.

Hamlin was born in Perry, Iowa on October 5, 1900. He served in the U.S. Army during World War I and later attended the University of Missouri where he studied art and journalism. Hamlin worked for a number of papers over the years, including the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram and the Des Moines Register and Tribune, eventually signing on with the NEA syndicate to produce the comic strip Alley Oop. The immensely popular strip, featuring cavemen and dinosaurs (and eventually a time machine!) began its run with NEA in August of 1933; a Sunday feature was added a year later. Hamlin hired his long-time assistant and ultimate successor Dave Graue in 1950 (Graue's signature did not appear on the strip until 1966). Hamlin retired from Alley Oop entirely in 1973. Dave Graue continued on the strip until his retirement in 2001, when he was succeeded by Jack and Carole Bender.

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The V. T. Hamlin Cartoons collection contains original daily and Sunday cartoons from the comic strip Alley Oop, one from 1949 and the remainder from 1966-1968. Daily cartoon: traces of graphite, opaque white, brush, pen and ink on illustration board, approx. 6 3/4 x 21 in. Sunday cartoon: traces of graphite, red pencil, brush, pen and ink on illustration board, approx. 19 1/2 x 26 in.

Starting July 15, 1966, daily cartoons are signed by V. T. Hamlin and Dave Graue.

Arrangement of the Collection

Daily and Sunday cartoons are arranged separately in chronological order.

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.

Related Material

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

Subject Headings

Persons

Graue, Dave.
Hamlin, V. T. (Vincent T.), 1900-1993.

Corporate Bodies

Newspaper Enterprise Association.

Associated Titles

Alley Oop (comic strip)

Subjects

American wit and humor, Pictorial.
Caricatures and cartoons -- United States.
Cartoonists -- United States.
Comic books, strips, etc. -- United States.

Genres and Forms

Cartoons (humorous images)

Occupations

Cartoonists.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

V. T. Hamlin Cartoons,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Table of Contents

Alley Oop cartoons

Inventory