George Arthur Ward was born on February 18, 1921 in Scranton, Pennsylvania according to his World War II draft card which had his full name. He was baptized on August 26, 1921 at the Presbyterian Church (record at Ancestry.com). His parents were Thomas Arthur Ward (1894–1957) and Margaret Griffiths (1894–1984). In the 1920 United States Census, Ward’s parents and sister, Megan (1917–1989), were Philadelphia residents at 110 West Pomona Street. His father was an automobile mechanic.
The 1930 census counted the Ward family (lines 21 to 24) in Blakely, Pennsylvania at 540 Keystone Avenue. Information about Ward’s education has not been found.
In the 1940 census, nineteen-year-old Ward (line 11) and his parents were in Philadelphia at 220 Wister Street. Ward had completed one year of college and was unemployed. Who’s Who of American Comic Books 1928–1999 said he attended Temple University.
Ward’s Pennsylvania veteran’s compensation application said he entered military service on October 14, 1940. In the Marine Corps, his domestic service was from December 7, 1941 to April 9, 1942. He served overseas from April 10, 1942 to November 17, 1944. The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader (Pennsylvania), September 17, 1943, reported the following.
Entertains 1st LadyWard returned to the United States on November 18, 1944 and was discharged on September 10, 1945.
A former Moosic youth entertained the President’s wife on her recent visit to an American Army camp in Australia. He is Cpl. George A. Ward of 220 East Wister street, Philadelphia, who was born in Moosic and lived for a time in Peckville. Mrs. Roosevelt, in visiting one of the camps, was presented with a bound book of cartoons entitled “Eleanor Is Coming”, which changed her smile into a hearty laugh. Cpl. Ward was the artist who prepared the cartoons in which he depicted the excitement caused by the visit of the President’s wife.
Cpl. Ward is the grandson of the late Mr. and Mrs. George Griffiths of Moosic. He has a number of relatives here. He served with the Marine Corps at Quadalcanal. He was hospitalized for a time early this year, suffering from malaria.
Ward registered again and signed his card on September 21, 1945. He was described as five feet ten-and-a-half inches, 155 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair.
Ward and Joe Maneely studied at the Hussian School of Art which advertised in the Philadelphia Inquirer.
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According to his Pennsylvania veteran’s compensation application, Maneely served during World War II and was discharged on March 2, 1946. Apparently he and Ward enrolled at Hussian later that year. In Alter Ego #28, September 2003, Dr. Michael J. Vassallo said Ward, Maneely and Peggy Zangerle formed a studio in Philadelphia. The year was either 1946 or 1947. A letterhead said “Joe Maneely, Adventure Comics” with the address 3160 Kensington Avenue, Room 501, Flo-Mar Building, Philadelphia.
The studio broke up in 1948. In Philadelphia, Maneely married Elizabeth M. Kane around May 1948. His first comics story appeared in Shadow Comics, July 1948, which was published by Street & Smith, a New York company. Presumably, Maneely moved in 1948.
An interview with Ward was conducted by Bill Crouch Jr. and printed in The Best of Pogo (1982). Ward said
In the 1950 census, Zangerle and her parents were in Philadelphia at 1447 North 5th Street. Maneely, his wife and daughter lived in Bayside, New York at 42-30 215th Street. Ward has not yet been found in this census.
In 1958, Ward was replaced by Henry Shikuma on the Pogo strip; details are on Todd’s Blog.
Ward passed away on February 22, 2003 in Aurora, Colorado.
The studio broke up in 1948. In Philadelphia, Maneely married Elizabeth M. Kane around May 1948. His first comics story appeared in Shadow Comics, July 1948, which was published by Street & Smith, a New York company. Presumably, Maneely moved in 1948.
An interview with Ward was conducted by Bill Crouch Jr. and printed in The Best of Pogo (1982). Ward said
On August 10, 1948, I got a job in the art department of The New York Star. What an interesting crowd it was on the art side of the paper—and of course Walt Kelly drew a daily editorial cartoon, and was art director. One day Kelly walked into the art department with his Pogo daily and asked who could do some lettering for him. I said I would. He handed me his blue-penciled strip, told me what he wanted, and I did it. He was happy with my lettering and later asked if I would continue. Walt was busy with The Star, but at home in Connecticut, he was turning out those beautiful Dell comic books for Western Printing. I started working with Walt there in October 1948 and this was mostly comic book stuff—inking and some lettering. He would ink all the main characters and skip where he felt I could ink.According to Ron Goulart, the Pogo strip began in The Star on October 1, 1948. The newspaper ceased publication on January 28, 1949. About four months later, the strip was picked up by the Hall Syndicate.
In the 1950 census, Zangerle and her parents were in Philadelphia at 1447 North 5th Street. Maneely, his wife and daughter lived in Bayside, New York at 42-30 215th Street. Ward has not yet been found in this census.
In 1958, Ward was replaced by Henry Shikuma on the Pogo strip; details are on Todd’s Blog.
Ward passed away on February 22, 2003 in Aurora, Colorado.
Further Reading and Viewing
Heritage Auctions, George Ward original art here, here and here
Fabulous Fifties, State of the Ward
Hake’s Auctions, George Ward Pogo envelope
Harry-Go-Round, here and here
(Next post on Monday: ... reminds me of ...)
Heritage Auctions, George Ward original art here, here and here
Fabulous Fifties, State of the Ward
Hake’s Auctions, George Ward Pogo envelope
Harry-Go-Round, here and here
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