But didja know that Bob (and Ray) were also Comic book creators and characters? Why, yes! The early years of the black-and-white MAD magazine in the 1950s were full of strips written by comics and humorists like Ernie Kovacs, Orson Bean, Danny Kaye, Henry Morgan, and Wally Cox (or their writers), and Bob & Ray were no exception. Beginning in MAD #34, the duo penned and starred in a a series of comics over the next couple of years, drawn by Mort "You Ain't Nobody 'Til You've Been Drawn By" Drucker, one of the greatest artist MAD ever chained to a drawing table! Here, Bob (lighter hair, shorter) plays Mr. Science, and Ray (dark hair, large) plays Jimmy.
![As he reads this issue of MAD, a light bulb pops into life above the head of young Bill Nye.](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKxFlqLo0WC2HRV3L0JT7g7uj4DPaacUjC1E13wxtws_Z7wxRAjkNuAKXUXb93aLKpxu-Al4BK20lrjDv6At3eYSRZhWVTcsHaURHiatbDBs-4gBmRWB1QXdVkwjN0TxHSyMIC9q7cZ3tYDkZO0aGsrsej1vXkOLOo2kQDxj-JdoBcFnrQncBxVw/s1600/0326-bobelliott-mad34a.jpg)
from "Mr. Science" in MAD #34 (July 1957), script by Bob Elliott and Ray Goulding, pencils and inks by Mort Drucker
![MORE BOB! When you clcik this handy button!](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpxdgg5-fdE7bcM2AoH85MsWDI9PtvEVx5xyg-Q0LCWNXS_CemrBor26nzMFQZDZbs5vGwfcVQbSypxt2-XH0j5CNPC8SDlxyDz_inbYLjJm5L7l1P4JpQZAQxGHVPweQUQEuSEI9QowmvjSgcog9TqfR4Gx7BJNWGI2mBzMWu0fouD1EyoPOZgw/s1600/clicktoreadmorebutton.jpg)
Frequently the strips would take the form of one of Bob & Ray's famous "Wally Ballew" interviews, with Ray as his offbeat interview subjects.
![I know nothing of the 1958 Giants line-up, but I betcha donuts that Mort has drawn actual carcicatures of the players in the background.](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinPgys5qJNUUNuDnRFF6PoJsM2hps-xb6feQoyo5Lu4dr8lh5SqpM6OmAgyP7q1yIlkwkxXB73_IIwBNA7XO1O3HvD2LoP2YaqNOBUbbLKpePA8tfD5O-sJLDi8wmi1zljc0yTJn8CGUhkSIuLO6G0ZBSZ5DCdpkOmakpKYG7ARC_TH49WDxVF4A/s1600/0326-bobelliott-mad42.jpg)
from "Baseball Report" in MAD #42 (November 1958), script by Bob Elliott and Ray Goulding, pencils and inks by Mort Drucker
![There is more to read and look at in the background of one Mort Drucker panel that a whole year of modern superhero comics!](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-M2HnAEnuJ_jgMFgcs0yg8Xr_MMIuVF9GbAkxWt0aDnp_-GEovhSJ5Yol8AEVaQzYSsUPqhyphenhyphenoxj-lpFx0lhvUIcDiz8vEGFe4hPA7UmrnnYfzhArqVtEn-_7cdyEjBXbqB52lyniUrVyYm5OExMYoZxRzM51EQVQDtzcZ1xa8bUaTfxUcJ7VX7g/s1600/0326-bobelliott-mad44.jpg)
from "Electrical Report" in MAD #44 (January 1959), script by Bob Elliott and Ray Goulding, pencils and inks by Mort Drucker
Here's one of my favorites, with an absolutely hilarious line by Ray in the lower-toght hand panel:
![I'd like to think that's why I do when I clean Kitty Pryde's litter box, but I have a feeling it's slightly more sinsister.](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYXjT54G4Ev_l1DUB4R-4kMKNMmybcWeJjM8kcYiQc3sCrQMVjrpxT_KScN5bulmfJsDfaR8_zCbrh0pEzoW3hy6PAVtZtYJLek0YAPuTAkgv4fzxRuasHr_ET8a8flQAAnUR-uaehem9-4jBEfgZA6ODQMZyqqyHL50FzbSq78S9zF6E9y-loqA/s1600/0326-bobelliott-mad36.jpg)
from "Paul Sturdley's Secret File" in MAD #36 (December 1957), script by Bob Elliott and Ray Goulding, pencils and inks by Mort Drucker
Apparently Drucker liked drawing the duo so much that even inserted them into one of his strips not written by Elliott and Goulding!
![That's not Kowalski, that's a Beagle Boy in human form!](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDEkle5inkygD7BfUlCGydCTeDn5g0uU_OLfKsyWtv2HKUxLjf08sB5jxXdqRMLV9SUqoR4rwwz3lLtKkWU63mvcljsLn9ro_tZf35nA3HmfaiTLCfCBn5HMrCLj46nT3Kgncv8eJRdA6LQ1AV6mKnNlJnWGTEHby4GglGVbeRhiONmbsEDF_R7w/s1600/0326-bobelliott-mad45a.jpg)
![Aw, someone's been poaching in the Okefenokee Swamp.](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgci_OH-mLN2M8T1pC0dFOAvJBAoOzzwS7f_YZHqmxXllEH512tsFC2_ZcItfDW4cZTNq6cxatrpIiOqtLpG8A4Xw1MNC8Wfnp5rvSZFdCrbOHKxwc3TM_OoMup6GcWsxAA34mcZH4hFYepTrEBDgC176oLT7QKo-ANTI7T8V5x-5TEyXFJnAtNEQ/s1600/0326-bobelliott-mad45b.jpg)
from "TV Commercials To Match The Show" in MAD #45 (March 1959), script by Frank Jacobs, pencils and inks by Mort Drucker
And who enjoys America's favorite troublemaker*? Bob & Ray enjoy America's favorite troublemaker! (*Not
![Hey! They stole the title of my weekly syndicated column in over 2,000 newspapers!](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu-lOWgDPYxPZ5nbdrUHddOywD-TN4IouJ5M5-kcBhMCkMhuHsJKiMXW_hg5-p_YhPDShR1QH3e7X3mfEHfqxUA4G2l5-ReMMEc_lGSslDRuCqrvko-ILpV_G625yjpMwlwK1y7G_d7VahEgu3vOliYaPcDYlYo3CGVk0pFlZBoRj0Di7XFszZ6w/s1600/0326-bobelliott-dtm46.jpg)
"The Cookie Jar" from Dennis the Menace (1959 series) #46 (Hallden/Fawcett, October 1960)
I'm so excited about Bob Elliott's birthday that I lit off some fireworks for him! And, uh, Ray too. Oh yeah, Orson Bean is there.
![What, me explode?](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7GJLFNmK1sBZAdM-Rs8Neg_1hbyrsdcsKir1zaHIeVJk4v58fV1Uy-IW3dKu5FjmQGop6QTkHByYadK_xeQBnaKyvh4cBUBx_JunG4gehb68EqrJ6nN-6okfRORQgiGPWx3ch7_cfehabmQW2sjfBueSNr5cNsbK6VmJ1ruqKJWjae2mlI8T35w/s1600/0326-bobelliott-mad34z.jpg)
cover of MAD #34 (July 1957), painting by Norman Mingo
Happy birthday, Bob Elliott! Write if you get work!
1 comment:
Hang by your thumbs!
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