“Separated by a common language,” goes the old saying between Americans and Brits trying to communicate. Dick Buchanan takes the popular tropes of gag cartoons and explores how cartoonists on both sides of the Atlantic spin a single panel on it. Thanks and take it, Dick!
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HUMOR VS. HUMOR
(1947 – 1965)
What is the difference between American humor and British humor? During the 20th century, that was a question that readers, academics, and cranks discussed without reaching a consensus. The topic was forgotten until one day it was remembered.
The answer is simple. Humor knows no geographical boundaries. However, your friendly Cartoon Clip File curator, always eager to tackle a useless task, decided to explore the topic.
We’ve dug deep into the Cartoon Clip File, searching everywhere for cartoons that illustrate how British and American cartoonists tackle identical themes. These are themes, clichés, tropes and whatnot that appeared year after year in British and American magazines. Some themes are more familiar to British readers, sheep and monks, for example. They were included simply because we’ve had a ton of them lying around for a long time.
Take a look at these cartoons of individual jokes and pranks and draw your own conclusion. . .
SINGLE MOTHERS
LESLIE STRONG. Liliput May 1954.
ELMER ATKINS. Collier’s May 24, 1947.
IN A HOUSE DURING A FLOOD
KENNETH MAHOOD. Punch October 29, 1958.
TOM HENDERSON. Collier’s October 28, 1955.
NOAH’S ARK
ROY RAYMONDE. Drilling of June 27, 1962.
ORLANDO BUSINO. 1000 Jokes Magazine September-November 1964.
THE TUNNEL OF LOVE
CHARLES PEARSON. 1000 Jokes Magazine from March to May 1956.
ERIC BURGIN. Drilling of January 30, 1954.
SHEEP
NORMAN THELWELL. Drilling of July 23, 1953.
CLYDE LAMB. The Saturday Evening Post October 3, 1953.
MONKS
DONALD REILLY. Collier’s April 16, 1954.
LESLIE STRONG. Lilliput August 1949.
SUGGESTION BOX
NORMAN BROCKBANK. Drilling of November 11, 1953.
VAHAN SHIRVANIAN. Look Magazine October 5, 1964.
DRAG THROUGH THE DESERT
NORMAN BROCKBANK. Drilling of April 24, 1952.
VIRGIL PART. Collier’s November 23, 1955.
FORGERS
MICHAEL FFOLKES (Brian Davis) Punched November 17, 1948.
JEFF KEATE. Collier’s February 5, 1954.
DOOR TO DOOR SELLERS
VIRGIL PART. True Magazine June 1950.
ALEX GRAHAM. Drilling of January 28, 1953.
DOG SHOWS
DAVID LANGDON. Drilling of February 5, 1958.
JOHN GALLAGHER. Argosy September 1965.
— Edited from a blog post that originally appeared on September 21, 2021.