Today in Comics History, February 25: ♬ Happy birthday, Enrico Caruso! ♬

Born on this day in 1873: the great Italian opera singer Enrico Caruso! Acclaimed at theatres across the world, he's the guy you probably think of in your head when somebody tells the Pagliacci joke. "But Doctor, I'm Enrico Caruso!"

He made Xavier Cugat (who was also a cartoonist, didja know that?) into a big music star, too! (Stay tuned for much more of this comic when we celebrate Cugat on his birthday of...holy cow, January 1?!? I'm getting artists booked into spots on this blog into the upcoming year!)



from "Xavier Cugat: The Rhumba King" in Juke Box Comics #2 (Eastern Color, May 1948), pencils and inks by Phil Berube
A rare Caruso recording serves as an action-packed MacGuffin for Indiana Jones and Marion Ravenwood!



from The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones #6 (Marvel, June 1983), co-plot and script by David Michelinie, co-plot by Archie Goodwin, layouts by Howard Chaykin, finishes by Terry Austin, colors by Bob Sharen, letters by Joe Rosen
Sono un torello impagliato e ti auguro, grande Maestro, il più felice compleanno, signor Enrico Caruso!