From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Tad Dorgan
Tad Dorgan
York City at the New York Journal as a sports writer and
cartoonist.[1] Jack Dempsey described him as "the great-
est authority on boxing." In addition to sports, he did
a humor feature, "Daffydills". His dog cartoons, includ-
ing Judge Rummy, evolved into the strip Silk Hat Harry’s
Divorce Suit. This was accompanied by a one-panel gag se-
ries called Indoor Sports which became his main feature,
along with an occasional Outdoor Sports.
Slang
Dorgan is generally credited with either creating or pop-
ularizing such words and expressions as "dumbbell" (a
stupid person); "for crying out loud" (an exclamation of
astonishment); "cat’s meow" and "cat’s pajamas" (as su-
Thomas Aloysius Dorgan (April 29, 1877 – May 2, 1929) perlatives); "applesauce" (nonsense); "cheaters’" (eye-
Dorgan,
also known as Tad Dorgan was an American cartoonist glasses); "skimmer" (a hat); "hard-boiled" (a tough per-
Tad.
who signed his drawings as Tad He is known for his car- son); "drugstore cowboy" (loafers or ladies’ men);
toon panel Indoor Sports and the many words and expres- "nickel-nurser" (a miser); "as busy as a one-armed paper-
sions he added to the language.[1] hanger" (overworked); and "Yes, we have no bananas,"
He was born in San Francisco on April 29, 1877.[2] He which was turned into a popular song.
was one of at least ten children—six sons and four daugh- In The New York Times obituary, he was bracketed with
ters—of Thomas J. and Anna Dorgan.[3] His brother John George Ade and Ring Lardner as a popularizer of "a new
L. "Ike" Dorgan (born April 1879) was publicity manager slang vernacular." His obituary also credited him as the
for the Madison Square Garden, and his brother Richard originator of "Twenty-three, Skidoo," "solid ivory,"
W. "Dick" Dorgan (born September 1892) was an illustra- "Dumb Dora," "finale hopper," "Benny" for hat, and
tor and cartoonist. "dogs’" for shoes.[1] W. J. Funk, of the Funk and Wagnall’s
Polytechnic High School teachers Rosey Murdoch and dictionary company, placed Dorgan at the top of the list
Maria Van Vieck recognized and encouraged Tad’s talent of the ten "most fecund makers of American slang."[4]
as an artist. When he was 13 years old, he lost the last Dorgan was erroneously credited with coining the us-
three fingers of his right hand in an accident with a facto- age of the phrase "hot dog" in reference to sausage (see
ry machine. He took up drawing for therapy. A year later "Hot dog: Etymology").[5][6] Although he is credited for
at the age of 14 he joined the art staff of the San Francisco the phrase "hot dog" it is widely disputed. Historians
Bulletin. have been unable to find the particular cartoon that
coined this phrase, despite (or perhaps because of) Dor-
Strips and panels gan’s enormous body of work.[7]
Life in Great Neck
Tad Dorgan and his wife, Izole M., lived in a Great Neck,
New York house valued at $75,000. They had no children,
but they raised two Chinese children to adulthood. Dor-
gan retired in the early 1920s because of poor health, and
a heart ailment kept him at home for the last eight years
of his life. He died in Great Neck of heart disease, has-
tened by pneumonia.[1] Izole Dorgan, a writer before she
Tad Dorgan comic strip (1920) married, was the vice-president of the National Doll and
Toy Collectors Club. After Tad’s death, she started a suc-
He created his first comic strip, Johnny Wise, for the San cessful business manufacturing doll furniture.[8]
Francisco Chronicle in 1902. By 1905 he was working in New
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Tad Dorgan
Books store cowboy,’ ’storm and strife,’ ’Dumb Dora,’
’dumb-bell,’ ’finale hopper,’ ’Benny’ for hat and
Dorgan’s first book collection was Daffydills, published by ’dogs’ for shoes."
Cupples & Leon in 1911. This was followed by several In- [2] World War I draft registration
door Sports collections. [3] Twelfth Census of the United States
[4] Slogans in Advertising
Awards [5] Wilton, David (2004). Word Myths: Debunking
Linguistic Urban Legends. Oxford: Oxford University
Tad Dorgan was inducted into the International Boxing Press. pp. 58–59. ISBN 0195172841.
Hall of Fame in 2007 in the category of "Observer"; that [6] Popik, Barry (2004-07-15). "Hot Dog (Polo Grounds
is, print and media journalists, publishers, writers, histo- myth & original monograph)". The Big Apple.
rians, photographers, and artists.[9] http://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/
new_york_city/entry/
Sources hot_dog_polo_grounds_myth_original_monograph/.
Retrieved 2007-05-27.
• McCrory, Amy. "Sport Cartoons in Context: TAD [7] National Hot Dog and Sausage Council: History of
Dorgan and Multi-Genre Cartooning in Early the Hot Dog
Twentieth-Century Newspapers," American [8] Adcock, John. Yesterday’s Papers
Periodicals: A Journal of History, Criticism, and [9] International Boxing Hall of Fame: Observers
Bibliography - Volume 18, Number 1, pp. 45-68. The
Ohio State University Press, 2008.
External links
References • Lambiek Comiclopedia
• Tad’s Bonehead Barry baseball strip (1909-10)
[1] ^ "’Tad,’ Cartoonist, Dies In His Sleep.". The New
Persondata
York Times. May 3, 1929. "Thomas A. Dorgan,
Famous For His ’Indoor Sports,’ Victim of Heart Name Dorgan, Thomas Aloysius
Disease. Was A Shut-In For Years. Worked Alternative names
Cheerfully at Home in Great Neck on Drawings Short description
That Amused Countless Thousands. His slangy
Date of birth April 29, 1877
breeziness won immediate circulation. It was he
who first said ’Twenty-three, Skidoo,’ and ’Yes, we Place of birth
have no bananas,’ ’apple sauce’ and ’solid ivory.’ Date of death May 2, 1929
Other expressions that are now part of the Place of death
American vernacular include ’cake-eater,’ ’drug-
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tad_Dorgan&oldid=457658557"
Categories:
• 1877 births
• 1929 deaths
• American cartoonists
• American people of Irish descent
• Boxing commentators
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