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Dean Young and Denis LeBrun, Creators of Blondie

© Susanna McLeod

The Bumsteads have been entertaining readers of the funny pages for over 73 years - and have kept their endearing delightful qualities throughout. Though they have evolved, they are still the same familiar and beloved characters as when the Blondie comic strip began. Blondie's hairdo and figure are as attractive as ever and Dagwood's amusing view of life always brings a chuckle. They haven't aged much at all since their kids Alexander and Cookie were born, grew into adventurous children and passed through those troublesome but comical teen years. The younger characters are now almost grown themselves.

As a successful cartoonist, originator Murat "Chic" Young already had ten years of cartooning experience before he brought Blondie into design. King Features danced Blondie into syndication on September 8, 1930. The comic strip featured young Blondie Boopadoop and her life as a pretty but not-so-brainy flapper girl in the 30s. Chic's theme for the strip changed when he added the wealthy Dagwood Bumstead as one of Blondie's many boyfriends and she decided to marry him. The grand comics wedding event took place on February 17, 1933.

Unfortunately, Dagwood's family did not appreciate his beautiful new bride from the lower classes of society and he was stripped of his inheritance. Thus began the suburban workaday life for the Bumstead family.

Chic Young was born in Chicago, 1901. He married Athel, a concert harpist and they had a daughter and a son, Dean. Dean was born in Flushing, New York and raised in California and Florida. He graduated in 1960 with a BA in Business Administration from La Grange College in Georgia and entered the working world with hopes of having his own advertising agency. He was employed as an account executive and sales promotion executive at two companies.

In 1963, Dean's father called on him to assist with the creation of Blondie. It was just what the young man needed. Dean said in his blondie.com bio that when his father "suggested that I come back home and work on the comic strip with him, I couldn't get packed quickly enough." *(1)

The gifted father taught the fresh cartoonist the business of laughter, including both the drawing and the writing of Blondie. Along with their artistic assistants, the father-son team worked together for a decade, until Chic's death in 1973. Shortly after Chic's death, hundreds of newspapers suddenly dropped the feature. Somewhat overwhelmed, Dean gathered up his strength and writing humour to carry on with the comic strip. The newspapers picked up the strip again and many more signed up as Blondie blossomed under Dean's care. He has collaborated with several artists, beginning with his father's long-time assistant, Jim Raymond. Upon Jim's death in 1989, Stan Drake took over as artist of Blondie while continuing his own cartooning work on "Juliet Jones." Stan died in 1997, leaving the job of head artist open for his graphic assistant, Denis LeBrun.

The copyright of the article Dean Young and Denis LeBrun, Creators of Blondie in Cartoonists is owned by Susanna McLeod. Permission to republish Dean Young and Denis LeBrun, Creators of Blondie in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.