69) Keen on Keane…

Bil Keane was an American cartoonist best known for creating the popular comic strip The Family Circus. William Aloysius Keane was born on October 5, 1922, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He began his career as a cartoonist while serving in the U.S. Army during World War II, contributing to Yank magazine and Stars and Stripes.

The Family Circus debuted on February 29, 1960. The single-panel comic strip portrays the daily life of a suburban family through the eyes of its young children. The panel is known for its gentle humor, warmth, and family-friendly content. The comic became a beloved staple in newspapers.

While often parodied in a good natured way by other cartoonists, The Family Circus is a solid work of comic art with excellent craftsmanship and warm, family-friendly humor. 

Though conceived many decades ago, the Channel Chuckles posted still resonates considering our current internet Zooming society.

Bil Keane was also very clever and funny in person. I had the good fortune to hear him speak at a couple of cartoonist events and he had the audience roaring with laughter. He was an expert at double talk.

Bil Keane’s son, Jeff Keane, took over the strip in the late 1980s, ensuring its continuation and maintaining its original spirit. Keane passed away on November 8, 2011, but “The Family Circus” remains in syndication, continuing to entertain and touch readers.

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