George Mc Manus Paintings

George McManus was an American cartoonist best known for creating the popular comic strip 'Bringing Up Father', also known by its main characters, Jiggs and Maggie. Born on January 23, 1884, in St. Louis, Missouri, McManus had a passion for drawing from an early age. He began his career in the newspaper business as a cartoonist for The St. Louis Republic. In 1904, his talent was recognized at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition (St. Louis World's Fair), where he won a drawing contest sponsored by the New York World.

After moving to New York, McManus worked for Joseph Pulitzer's newspaper, where he created several comic strips, none of which garnered significant attention until the debut of 'Bringing Up Father' in 1913. The strip was a hit and revolved around the domestic life of Jiggs, an Irish-American bricklayer who won a fortune in a sweepstake, and his wife, Maggie, who had social aspirations that Jiggs continually thwarted with his longing for his former working-class life and habits.

McManus's strip was notable for its highly stylized characters and backgrounds, as well as its effective use of sequential panels to tell a story. His art style influenced many cartoonists that followed, and 'Bringing Up Father' became one of the first American comics to gain popularity worldwide, being translated into numerous languages and even adapted into stage plays, films, and radio shows.

George McManus continued to work on 'Bringing Up Father' until his death on October 22, 1954. The strip itself outlived him, continuing under different hands until 2000. Throughout his career, McManus was recognized for his contributions to the field of cartooning and remains a significant figure in the history of American comic strips.