Star of the Telegram: Cartoons of Harold Maples. (original) (raw)

Harold Maples, an artist of immense imagination and skill, served as editorial cartoonist for the FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM from 1954 until his death in 1981 following a heart attack. Known for his "witty drawings" and "playful style," Maples produced more than 7,000 cartoons over this twenty-seven-year period, becoming well-respected and widely recognized. Betty-Joan Campbell Maples, his wife, once declared, "People didn't always agree with his opinion, but he could get a laugh out of most of them." And Glen Dolan, Maples's long-time colleague at the STAR-TELEGRAM, contended, "His cartoons reveal no killer instinct. His pen is not a broad sword. It tickles more often than it pricks." Maples addressed international, national, state, and local issues, and he "drew with the same intensity from the beginning of his career until his death." Born in 1925, Maples grew up near Snyder, attended Fluvanna High School in Scurry County, served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, and studied art at McMurry College, the Dallas Art Institute, and the American School of Commercial Art. Before being hired by the STAR-TELEGRAM, his editorial cartoons appeared in both the ABILENE REPORTER-NEWS and the SNYDER DAILY NEWS.

Collecting some of Maples's best work and placing each illustration in historical context, Devin McCue's terrific new book provides a fascinating overview of the cartoonist's career. McCue divides his study into seven sections: Introduction, The Cold War, Fort Worth, Politics, Sports, Vietnam, and Uncle Sam. "Maples's cartoons were delivered to thousands of households every week, tickling the funny bones of all who saw his work. As his reputation for humor and skillful presentation grew," McCue asserts, "so did his reliability as a trustworthy source of information." Maples's illustrations offered "a credible window through which his viewers could see current events. His drawings served as a synthesis of the day's news-a way to learn what was happening in government, politics, or foreign policy."

THE STAR OF THE TELEGRAM will appeal to many readers, particularly those interested in life, culture, politics, and journalism during the latter half of the twentieth century. Students of Fort Worth history will also appreciate McCue's insightful study of the legendary Cowtown cartoonist.

Review by

Dr. Kirk Bane, Central Texas Historical AssociationNote: The Harold Maples Editorial Cartoon Collection is housed in the Mary Couts Burnett Library on the campus of Texas Christian University in Fort Worth.