Ernie Bushmiller

Ernie Bushmiller was born in the Bronx borough of New York on 24 Aug 1905. He landed a job as a copy boy on the New York Evening World and attended night classes at the national Academy of Design. His first published work for that paper was a crossword puzzle design which he carefully initialed.

Fritzi Ritz appeared in 1922, created by Larry Whittington, and was a quick success. Bushmiller took over the strip in 1925. In 1931 the World ceased publication and Bushmiller signed a contract with United Features. Nancy originally appeared in the Fritzi Ritz strip and eased the heroine out of the title role in 1937. Nancy appeared both daily and Sundays.

Bushmiller’s working day started around 2 o’clock in the afternoon and often carried over into the wee hours of the morning. He started drawing his strips with the final panel, the “pay-off gag,” and then worked back through the beginning panels.

Bushmiller died at his home on August 15, 1982.

*Top Jan 21, 1931

*Jan 7, 1933

*March 18, 1933

The author of the cool bottom illustration is unknown but appeared in a newspaper article about Bushmiller in November 7, 1988.