A Turn in Career, 1950-1958
"So here was a human being as human as they
get. Growling, disgruntled, dismissive, disgusted - hey, hell, he
was a cartoonist. But when he smiled his eyes squinted up and a
beam spread across his broad face from one jug ear to the other.
Not many people can smile like that." - Pat Oliphant
Mauldin called his post-United Feature
Syndicate work, retirement. When the New York Star folded
in 1949, Mauldin found himself without a regular cartooning job.
However, he regularly submitted roughs to such publications as The
New Yorker, seeking freelance publication. He drew cartoons
about Korea and illustrated articles for Collier's. He
avidly flew his airplane. He also made a bid for Congress that later
shaped his opinions about politicians.
In the mid-1950 he moved to Rockland County in New York. In 1956,
he, a clearly left-of-center candidate, decided to run for Congress
against the incumbent conservative Republican Katharine St. George
in the 28th District. Mrs. St. George, quoted as saying "I will
not say that all Democrats are horse thieves but it would seem that
all horse thieves are Democrats," won handily.
"Everything I know I've
learned since Bennington", 1950
Pencil
Found with a note from Shirley Dufton, dated 3/16/50, inscribed:
"Your rejects for this week."
LC-DIG-ppmsca-03246 (digital copy from original)
CD 1 - Mauldin, no. 96 (AA size)
Copyright 1950 by Bill Mauldin. Reproduced with Permission
of the Estate of William Mauldin.
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The Library of Congress has numerous examples
of roughs for The New Yorker. In The Brass Ring,
Mauldin discusses his joy in having Harold Ross accept his
first cartoon in 1945, even though he never finished the drawing
to publish it. |
Mauldin earned his pilot's license and traveled the country.
Here he poses for a photograph with his signature pencil and
cigarette. |
Bill
Mauldin, his first wife Jean,
and two of his sons with Joyce
Failing and Loretta Fay,
July 1, 1955
Silver gelatin photograph
LC-DIG-ppmsca-03247 (digital copy from original)
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For Congress, Bill Mauldin,
1956
Silkscreen poster with half-tone reproduction
LC-DIG-ppmsca-03248 (digital copy from original)
Copyright 1956 by Bill Mauldin. Reproduced with Permission
of the Estate of William Mauldin.
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In 1984, Mauldin told Target magazine, "I kept
saying to myself, 'You can't win this thing, Mauldin, so let's
get some experience out of it.' Of course I tried to win.
I jumped in with both feet and campaigned for seven or eight
months. |
I found myself stumping around up in these rural districts
and my own background did hurt there. A farmer knows a farmer
when he sees one. So when I was talking about their problems
I was a very sincere candidate, but when they would ask me
questions that had to do with foreign policy or national policy,
obviously I was pretty far to the left of the mainstream up
there. Again, I'm an old Truman Democrat, I'm not that far
left, but by their lives I was pretty far left." |
Bill Mauldin
for Congress, 1956
Silkscreen bumper sticker
LC-DIG-ppmsca-03249 (digital copy from original)
Copyright 1956 by Bill Mauldin. Reproduced with Permission
of the Estate of William Mauldin.
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