Merrill Blosser

Merrill Blosser (May 28, 1892 – January 9, 1983) was an American cartoonist, the creator of the comic strip Freckles and His Friends, which had a long run (1915–1971). Although his strip was set in the small town of Shadyside, it was obviously based on Blosser's hometown of Nappanee, Indiana, since Blosser often referenced real Nappanee locations, such as Johnson's Drug Store.

Early life Growing up in Nappanee, where he was born, Blosser was encouraged by his parents to take drawing lessons, and he signed up for Charles N. Landon's correspondence course. Six successful cartoonists lived in Nappanee as children, including Fred Neher (Life’s Like That) and Bill Holman (Smokey Stover). When Blosser was 12 years old, National Magazine held a writing competition, and he was a winner with his essay, "The Best Way to Spend $300." The prize was a trip to Washington, D.C.

Touring the city, the prizewinners were taken to the White House to meet President Theodore Roosevelt. Lagging behind, Blosser drew a sketch of Roosevelt which prompted the President to exclaim, "Bully!" He then kept Blosser with him for half a day, advising him to continue in the field of art.

Life in Arcadia Blosser married shortly after he drew the earliest Freckles and His Friends strips. For years, the couple lived in Cleveland, where the NEA office was located, until they moved in 1927 to Los Angeles. During the early 1940s, they lived at 751 Masselin Avenue before moving to the Los Angeles suburb of Arcadia. Asked about his activities away from his drawing table, Blosser responded that he "travels, swims, and lives a simple life." A 1945 syndicated newspaper profile of Blosser described his life in Arcadia during the 1940s: Blosser had a beautiful home built to his own ideas. He has his own studio there and does all his work at home. He likes to raise flowers and vegetables, but he doesn't like to mow lawns, so he planted his front yard in variegated ivy instead of grass. It worked out fine. He is youthful, friendly and enthusiastic. He likes the outdoors, loves football games, long automobile rides and kids. He admires good art work and is a collector of fine paintings.

Awards Although the characters in the strip never joined up with the military during World War II, Blosser's use of the strip to promote the sale of War Bonds brought him a personal citation from Secretary of the Treasury Henry Morgenthau Jr.

In New York in May, 1965, the National Cartoonists Society held a testimonial dinner honoring Blosser. The NCS gave him an award "in recognition of the wholesome entertainment he has brought his myriad readers" and for the creation of "the oldest regular comic strip still piloted by its creator."

The following year, Blosser retired, and Formhals then worked alone on Freckles and His Friends from 1966 to 1971. The strip was discontinued on August 28, 1971. For most of his life, Blosser lived in Arcadia and Pasadena, California, where he died in 1983.