Thursday, May 8, 2008

Mary Worth 193


Richie seems to be taking the initiative here. Did Mary get to him out in the parking lot?

Here's a wonderful 1947 photo that I snagged from cartoonist Mike Lynch's blog of early Mary Worth artist Ken Ernst sketching Ruth Schmitt whom he had selected to represent a new character in Mary Worth. Ms. Schmitt was one of eight "Badger Beauties" at the University of Wisconsin. I have no idea what a Badger Beauty is, or what character she posed for, but I'm dying to know both.



For more background on Ken Ernst and his history with Mary Worth, click here.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Of course you are both wrong - the only one who is ever right is Mary.

Dare I suggest that the Badger Girls were soon superseded by the far more popular Beaver Girls?

I note with interest that none of the girls that Ken Ernst has drawn even remotely resemble the comely Ms Schmitt.

Anonymous said...

Maybe Donna will die offstage as The Boys reconcile,then immediatedly go at each other's throat with "It's YOUR fault!" and "Nuh-uh. It's YOURS!"

Enter Mary Worth...

Anonymous said...

The fact that I still don't know who is who, is actually making this strip more enjoyable.

Beggars can't be choosers, I guess.

Good for you, RichRon! You're doing swell yourself too, RichRon! Maybe it would be easier to tell you apart if one of you wore a shirt with a big 'R' on it! Yeah, that'd do it!

Anonymous said...

The U of Wisconsin mascot is the Badger, hence the Badger Beauties. While the Badger may not seem like an alluring critter, these girls were wise to choose to study in Wisconsin. Had they gone to Purdue, they would be known as the "Boilermaker Bombshells."

JLH said...

Ah, the wonderful arrows.... Let's not forget to notice the arrows, and the subtle variation on that motif: the partial red cross. Someday someone will do a dissertation -- on something.... I'm just enjoying it all. Hrmya! to all (courtesy of Word Verification Gobbledygook)!

Anonymous said...

shandyowl --

I note with interest that none of the girls that Ken Ernst has drawn even remotely resemble the comely Ms Schmitt.

Well, to be fair... I don't think he can even see her face from that angle. (Not that he, uh, seems to be looking for it.) That's a mighty tall stool he's got her perched on there; either that, or he's sitting on the floor. Talk about badgering Beauty!

anonymous 2:
Forget the Boilermaker Bombshells. The women athletes at Trinity Christian College are known as the Lady Trolls. Bet they don't wear their warm-up jackets any more than they have to.....