Background
Lazarus, Mell was born on May 3, 1927 in New York City. Son of Sidney and Frances (Mushkin) Lazarus.
Lazarus, Mell was born on May 3, 1927 in New York City. Son of Sidney and Frances (Mushkin) Lazarus.
I never actually graduated high school. I have since, however, attended many classes of one kind or another.
Foreign his comic strip Pauline McPeril (a 1966-1969 collaboration with Jack Rickard), he used the pseudonym Fulton, which is also the name of a character in his novel, The Boss Is Crazy, Too. A native of Brooklyn, Lazarus began as a professional cartoonist when he was a teenager. In 1964, Lazarus talked about his background and working methods:
My art teacher flunked medical
I frequently lecture at colleges and to other groups around the country.
I sold my first cartoon when I was 16. The characters in Mission Peach are not actually modeled on real persons, with the possible exception of Lester, the skinny kid in the strip.
Possibly the most loved character is Arthur, the dopey little kid. I make notes all week based on thoughts, conversational fragments, et cetera
I sift through all these notes on Monday mornings and select several to development
I then write gags for them. I do six daily strips and a Sunday page.
Trustee International Museum Cartoon Art. With United States Naval Reserve, 1945, United States Air Force Reserve, 1951-1954. Member National Cartoonists Society (president 1989-1993, chairman membership committee 1965, national representative, Humor Strip Cartoonist of Year 1973, 79, Reuben award 1981), Writers Guild American West, National Press Club, The Century Association, Newspaper Features Council (board directors), Sigma Delta Chi.
Married Eileen Hortense Israel, June 19, 1949. Children: Marjorie, Suesan, Catherine. Married Sally Elizabeth Mitchell, May 13, 1995.