Comics: Olive Bailey, Artist

March is Women’s History Month.

Olive J. Bailey was born August 21, 1904, in Dayton, Ohio, according to her marriage certificate. Women in Comics said her middle name was Jeanette. She has not yet been found in the 1910 United States Census. 

Bailey’s father signed his World War I draft card on September 12, 1918. His address was 119 Mack in Detroit, Michigan. 

The 1920 census said Bailey, her parents Oliver and Jeannette, and four siblings (lines 95–100) lived in Detroit, Michigan at 181 Melbourne. Her father was a machine inspector at a tool company. 

Bailey graduated high school in the early 1920s. 

In the 1930 census, Bailey was not counted with her family who were Detroit residents at 1988 Grand Avenue.

At some point, Bailey moved to New York City where she and Arno H. Scheiding, who was born in London, England, obtained a Brooklyn marriage license on February 20, 1933. They married on September 14, 1933 in Manhattan. Bailey’s address on the certificate was the same as her parents’ in the 1930 census. 

On January 8, 1934, Scheiding became naturalized citizen. 

The New York Evening Post, August 6, 1935, published Archer Winsten’s column, “Wake of the News”. He visited some of the residents of Tudor City. 

… Then the bell of Arno Scheiding at 337 buzzed the door and up we went to meet a young man of ready comprehension. He said, “Well, come in. I don’t know what I can tell you but. ...”

... His wife, who never went to art school in her life, is from Detroit. She does fashion work for department stores under her maiden name of Olive Bailey. She would like to illustrate children’s books. His ambition is to do more purely industrial design. Feels that’s an end in itself for an ambitious commercial artist. ...

(Other artists with Tudor City studios include Will Eisner, Gladys Parker, Milton Caniff, Joe Simon and Jack Kirby.) 

According to the 1940 census, Bailey (line 59) and her husband’s address was 264 Lexington Avenue in Manhattan. Also living with them was her mother-in-law. Bailey earned five hundred dollars in 1939. Bailey’s highest level of education was the fourth year of high school. However, More Heroes of the Comics (2016) said Bailey studied painting at the University of Detroit. 

On October 16, 1940, Scheiding signed his World War II draft card. His address was unchanged. Scheiding’s veteran’s file, at Ancestry.com, said he served in the Navy from October 15, 1943 to December 15, 1945.  

The Board of Elections in the City of New York, December 31, 1940, listed Bailey as a democrat: “Scheiding, Olive, 264 Lexington ave—D”. 

Scheiding was listed in the 1942 and 1949 Manhattan directories at 151 East 38th Street.

In 1945, Bailey illustrated three books published by Whittlesey House: The Land of the Lost by Isabel Manning Hewson; Mary Jo and Little Liu by Arthur A. Ageton; and Shadow Castle by Marian Cockrell. 

M.C. Gaines’ Educational Comics published nine issues of Land of the Lost Comics from 1946 to 1948. Most of the stories were written by Isabel Manning Hewson and drawn by Bailey. Their photographic portraits were published in the first issue. 

Courtesy of Mike Lynch Cartoons

Film World, May 1948, said 

Aesop’s Fables Filmstrips Near Release by Filmfax

New York—Filmfax Productions has in production series of six color filmstrips based on Aesop’s Fables.

Art work for series is being done by Olive Bailey, children’s illustrator. Series is scheduled for June 1 release. 

In the 1950 census, Bailey, a commercial artist, and her husband, an industrial designer, resided in Norwalk, Connecticut at 2 St. James Place (lines 6 and 7). 

Norwalk city directories from 1951 to 1958 listed the couple at Yarmouth Road on Bell Island. From 1960 to 1964 they were at St. James Place on Bell Island. Beginning in 1965, they were Darien, Connecticut residents at 143 Five Mile River Road.

Bailey’s father passed away on December 28, 1953. Her mother died on May 14, 1974. Fourteen months later was her husband’s death on July 20, 1975. His obituary was published in The Advocate (Stamford, Connecticut) and The New York Times on July 22, 1975. 

Bailey passed away on September 14, 1994 in Florida. An obituary appeared in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Her birthplace was incorrect. 

September 17, 1994

November 23, 1994

Further Reading and Viewing

Women and the Comics (1985)

A Century of Women Cartoonists (1993)

Pretty in Ink: North American Women Cartoonists 1896–2010 (2013)

Jenny’s Wonderland of Books

Saved From The Paper Drive

Heritage Auctions, original art

Land of the Lost Comics #4, “The Undersea Pirates” and “The Forgettery”

Land of the Lost Comics #5, cover, “The Den of the Devil Fish” and “The Fish School and Jewel Robbery”

Land of the Lost Comics #6, cover, “Red Lantern Has Finfluenza” and “Red Lantern and the Ruby Cordia”

Land of the Lost Comics #8, cover and “The Apothecary Shop”

Land of the Lost Comics #10 (unpublished), “The Kitchenville Police” and “The Crocodile’s Den”

Women in Comics Posts

Ruth Atkinson, Olive Bailey, Valerie Barclay, Vivian Berg, Helen Chu aka Duffy Mohler, Ellen Cole, Anahid Dinkjian, 

Barbara Clark Fogel, Evelyn Gaines aka Lynn Lovelace, Gerda Gattel, Selma Meyers Gleit, Jane Krom Grammer, 

Bonnie Hano, Ray Hermann, Joye Hummel, Marjorie Wilkes Huntley, Grace Jacquet, Charlotte Jetter, 

Anna Kaufman, Bessie Mae Kelley, Nadine French King, Alice Kirkpatrick, Grace Kremer, Pauline Loth, 

Veda Lufkin, 

Marion McDermott, Tarpé Mills, Claire S. Moe, Lily Reneé, Ruth Roche, 

Georgette Sauterel, Marie Severin, Marcia Snyder, Lora Sprang aka Pat Gordon, Daisy Swayze, Terry Szenics, Claire Szep, 

Alberta Tews, Peggy Zangerle

(Next post on Monday: Anahid Dinkjian, Artist)