George Baker Autographs, Memorabilia & Collectibles

Cartoonist George Baker (1915-1975), originally a Walt Disney animator who worked on the classic films Pinocchio, Fantasia, Dumbo and Bambi, was drafted in 1941 and was soon producing a popular comic, Sad Sack, for The Army Weekly. Sad Sack, portraying the foibles of an army private, was the periodical's most popular feature, and was used by the US Army in a 1946 re-enlistment campaign. After his discharge, Baker began drawing Sad Sack as a comic book and syndicated comic strip. Sad Sack was featured on a radio show in 1946, and Paramount Pictures used the character for a 1957 film, with Jerry Lewis in the title role. Obviously, Baker was unable to overcome Paramount's claim to the TV rights. Sad Sack never became a series. Baker also produced sketches and other art, his longtime companion Suzanne LaFrance being a frequent subject of his drawings.