John Cullen Murphy
Encyclopedia
John Cullen Murphy was an American illustrator best known for his three decades of work on the Prince Valiant
comic strip
.
Born in New York City
, Murphy attended the Art Institute of Chicago
, where his family lived until 1929, when they moved to New Rochelle, a suburb of New York City.
He aspired to be a baseball player and was playing baseball when a New Rochelle neighbor, Norman Rockwell
, asked the 15-year-old if he would like to model for a painting. Rockwell's Starstruck, showing a forlorn Murphy gazing at pictures of movie starlets, was the September 22, 1934 cover of The Saturday Evening Post
. Rockwell became one of Murphy's good friends and mentors.
Murphy entered the Army in 1940, joining the 7th Regiment. He became an anti-aircraft officer during World War II
, rising to the rank of major. He spent several years in the Pacific, beginning in Australia and ending in Tokyo. He was an aide to General Richard Marquat, who was on General Douglas MacArthur
's staff. During the war, Murphy continued to illustrate, sending work to the Chicago Tribune
and painting numerous portraits of military figures.
, Look, Esquire
, Liberty, Sport
, Holiday
and Columbia, published by the Knights of Columbus
.
He often specialized in sports, and it was his boxing material that unexpectedly led him into the comic strip field, something he had never previously considered. In 1950, writer Elliot Caplin
(brother of cartoonist Al Capp
) suggested that Murphy illustrate a boxing comic strip he had in mind, Big Ben Bolt, and he agreed. Murphy was the artist of Big Ben Bolt from 1950 to 1978.
In 1951, Murphy married Joan Byrne, also from New Rochelle, and they had eight children.
. Murphy died four months later in Greenwich, Connecticut
.
and Prince Valiant, Murphy received the National Cartoonists Society
's Story Comic Strip Award in 1971 and again for Prince Valiant in 1974, 1976, 1978, 1984 and 1987. In 1975, he received a Reuben Award and the Elzie Segar Award in 1983.
Prince Valiant
Prince Valiant in the Days of King Arthur, or simply Prince Valiant, is a long-run comic strip created by Hal Foster in 1937. It is an epic adventure that has told a continuous story during its entire history, and the full stretch of that story now totals more than 3700 Sunday strips...
comic strip
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
.
Born in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Murphy attended the Art Institute of Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago is one of America's largest accredited independent schools of art and design, located in the Loop in Chicago, Illinois. It is associated with the museum of the same name, and "The Art Institute of Chicago" or "Chicago Art Institute" often refers to either...
, where his family lived until 1929, when they moved to New Rochelle, a suburb of New York City.
He aspired to be a baseball player and was playing baseball when a New Rochelle neighbor, Norman Rockwell
Norman Rockwell
Norman Percevel Rockwell was a 20th-century American painter and illustrator. His works enjoy a broad popular appeal in the United States for their reflection of American culture. Rockwell is most famous for the cover illustrations of everyday life scenarios he created for The Saturday Evening...
, asked the 15-year-old if he would like to model for a painting. Rockwell's Starstruck, showing a forlorn Murphy gazing at pictures of movie starlets, was the September 22, 1934 cover of The Saturday Evening Post
The Saturday Evening Post
The Saturday Evening Post is a bimonthly American magazine. It was published weekly under this title from 1897 until 1969, and quarterly and then bimonthly from 1971.-History:...
. Rockwell became one of Murphy's good friends and mentors.
Murphy entered the Army in 1940, joining the 7th Regiment. He became an anti-aircraft officer during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, rising to the rank of major. He spent several years in the Pacific, beginning in Australia and ending in Tokyo. He was an aide to General Richard Marquat, who was on General Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
's staff. During the war, Murphy continued to illustrate, sending work to the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
and painting numerous portraits of military figures.
Magazine illustration
Murphy resumed his art career upon his return from military service. During the 1940s, Murphy was a popular magazine illustrator, regularly seen in Collier'sCollier's Weekly
Collier's Weekly was an American magazine founded by Peter Fenelon Collier and published from 1888 to 1957. With the passage of decades, the title was shortened to Collier's....
, Look, Esquire
Esquire (magazine)
Esquire is a men's magazine, published in the U.S. by the Hearst Corporation. Founded in 1932, it flourished during the Great Depression under the guidance of founder and editor Arnold Gingrich.-History:...
, Liberty, Sport
Sport (magazine)
Sport is a free French and London-based weekly sports magazine. It specialises in football, rugby, and tennis, together with handball in France and cricket in London...
, Holiday
Holiday (magazine)
Holiday was an American travel magazine published from 1946 to 1977. Originally published by the Curtis Publishing Company, Holidays circulation grew to over one million subscribers at its height....
and Columbia, published by the Knights of Columbus
Knights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in the United States in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus....
.
He often specialized in sports, and it was his boxing material that unexpectedly led him into the comic strip field, something he had never previously considered. In 1950, writer Elliot Caplin
Elliot Caplin
Elliott A. Caplin was a comic strip writer best known as the co-creator of The Heart of Juliet Jones. He was the younger brother of Al Capp, creator of Li'l Abner....
(brother of cartoonist Al Capp
Al Capp
Alfred Gerald Caplin , better known as Al Capp, was an American cartoonist and humorist best known for the satirical comic strip Li'l Abner. He also wrote the comic strips Abbie an' Slats and Long Sam...
) suggested that Murphy illustrate a boxing comic strip he had in mind, Big Ben Bolt, and he agreed. Murphy was the artist of Big Ben Bolt from 1950 to 1978.
In 1951, Murphy married Joan Byrne, also from New Rochelle, and they had eight children.
Prince Valiant
Murphy began his collaboration on Prince Valiant with creator Hal Foster in 1970 when Foster decided to lessen his workload at age 78. With Foster's retirement in 1979, Murphy's son Cullen took over the writing. Cullen Murphy began contributing stories to Foster while studying at Amherst College. Murphy continued to draw Prince Valiant with his son scripting and his daughter doing the lettering and coloring. He retired in March 2004, turning the strip over to his chosen successor, illustrator Gary GianniGary Gianni
Gary Gianni is an American comics artist best known for the syndicated newspaper comic Prince Valiant.-Biography:Gianni graduated from the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts in 1976...
. Murphy died four months later in Greenwich, Connecticut
Greenwich, Connecticut
Greenwich is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 61,171. It is home to many hedge funds and other financial service companies. Greenwich is the southernmost and westernmost municipality in Connecticut and is 38+ minutes ...
.
Awards
For his work on Big Ben BoltBig Ben Bolt
Big Ben Bolt was a comic strip drawn by John Cullen Murphy, written by Elliot Caplin and distributed by King Features Syndicate.Illustrator Murphy entered the Army in 1940, joining the 7th Regiment. He spent several years in the Pacific, beginning in Australia and ending in Tokyo...
and Prince Valiant, Murphy received the National Cartoonists Society
National Cartoonists Society
The National Cartoonists Society is an organization of professional cartoonists in the United States. It presents the National Cartoonists Society Awards. The Society was born in 1946 when groups of cartoonists got together to entertain the troops...
's Story Comic Strip Award in 1971 and again for Prince Valiant in 1974, 1976, 1978, 1984 and 1987. In 1975, he received a Reuben Award and the Elzie Segar Award in 1983.