Lafave Newspaper Features

{{Infobox company | name = Lafave Newspaper Features | logo = | logo_size = | logo_alt = | logo_caption = | logo_padding = | image = | image_size = | image_alt = | image_caption = | native_name = | native_name_lang =  | former_name = Arthur J. Lafave | type = | industry = Print syndication | founded = {{start date and age|1931}} | founder = Arthur J. Lafave | defunct = {{end date and age|1963}} | hq_location = 2042 E. 4th St | hq_location_city = Cleveland, Ohio | hq_location_country = U.S. | area_served =  | key_people = Arthur J. Lafave, Jr. | products = Comic strips, newspaper columns, editorial cartoons | brands = | services = | owner = Arthur J. Lafave  | ratio =  | rating =  | website = }}

'''Lafave Newspaper Features''' was a syndication service that operated from 1931 to 1963. It was founded by Cleveland businessman Arthur J. Lafave and specialized in comic strips and gag cartoons. It is most well known for syndicating Clifford McBride's ''Napoleon and Uncle Elby''. The syndicate also distributed Louise Davis' column ''Today's Etiquette''.

== History == Lafave launched the syndicate in 1931, and in 1932 signed McBride's ''Napoleon and Uncle Elby'', successfully distributing the strip for twenty years.<ref name=Knoll /> In the mid-1940s, the strip was carried by 80 newspapers.{{citation needed|date=December 2017}} Other strips Lafave launched in the 1930s — like Jimmy Caborn's ''Little Rodney'' and Jim Lavery's ''Aladdin McFadden'' — didn't fare so well.

''American Adventure'', by historian Bradford Smith and artists Dan Heilman and later Edwin Haeberle, was syndicated from 1949 to 1951.<ref>Holtz, Allan. [http://strippersguide.blogspot.com/2006/02/obscurity-of-day-american-adventure.html "Obscurity of the Day: The American Adventure,"] ''Stripper's Guide'' (February 08, 2006).</ref>

In 1952, McBride's widow Margot Fischer McBride and new artist Roger Armstrong took ''Napoleon and Uncle Elby'' to the Mirror Enterprises Syndicate.<ref name=Knoll>Knoll, Erwin. [http://strippersguide.blogspot.com/2008_08_01_archive.html "''Napoleon'' Strip Moves To Mirror Syndicate,"] ''Editor & Publisher'' (September 20, 1952).</ref> Lafave reacted by signing a flurry of new strips, including Dick Huemer<ref>''Daily Variety'' 186(1):24, (December 6, 1979).</ref> and Paul Murry's ''Buck O' Rue'' (1951–c. 1953),<ref>McMaster, Jane. "Buck O'Rue, A Wild West Travesty, Appears," (1951). Archived at [http://strippersguide.blogspot.com/2007/05/news-of-yore-buck-orue-launched.html "News of Yore: Buck O'Rue Launched,"] ''Stripper's Guide'' (May 31, 2007).</ref> and John Duncan's ''Jungo'' (1954), neither of which proved popular. Lafave had moderate success with Steve Feeley and Ed Kuekes'<ref name="Lambiek">{{cite web | url=http://lambiek.net/artists/k/kuekes_ed.htm | title=Ed Kuekes | publisher=Lambiek | work=Lambiek Comiclopedia | date=April 11, 2008 | accessdate=August 15, 2011}}</ref> ''Do You Believe'' (1955–1962); and "Dr. B.C. Douglas" (Dr. Michael Anthony Petti)<ref>"New Medical Strip to Start," ''Boston Traveler'' (October 4, 1957). Archived at [http://strippersguide.blogspot.com/2014/10/news-of-yore-prescription-for-writing.html?m=1 "News of Yore: A 'Prescription' for Writing Comics,"] ''Stripper's Guide'' (October 21, 2014).</ref> and Frank Thorne's<ref>[http://www.bailsprojects.com/bio.aspx?Name=THORNE%2c+FRANK Thorne entry], ''Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999''. Accessed Dec. 4, 2017.</ref> ''Dr. Guy Bennett'' (launched in 1957), which changed its title to ''Dr. Duncan'' in 1961, running under that title until 1963. In 1957, Lafave also brought over the Australian comic strip ''The Potts'' by Jim Russell (also changing its title in 1961 to ''Uncle Dick''), syndicating the strip until 1962; it appeared in 35 U.S. newspapers.{{citation needed|date=December 2017}}

Lafave Newspaper Features went defunct in c. 1963 shortly after the death of its founder.

== Lafave Newspaper Features strips and panels == * ''Aladdin McFadden'' by Jim Lavery (1937) * ''American Adventure'' (January 10, 1949–c. April 1951) by writer Bradford Smith and artists Dan Heilman (1949–1950)  and Edwin Haeberle (1950–1951) * ''Buck O' Rue'' by Dick Huemer and Paul Murry (Jan. 15, 1951–c. 1953) * ''Do You Believe'' by Steve Feeley and Ed Kuekes (1955–1962) * ''Dr. Guy Bennett'' / ''Dr. Duncan'' (1957–1963) written by "Dr. B.C. Douglas" (Dr. Michael Anthony Petti) and illustrated by Frank Thorne * ''Ginger'' by Jimmy Bancks * ''Jungo'' by John Duncan (1954) * ''Little Rodney'' by Jimmy Caborn (1937–1939) * ''Napoleon and Uncle Elby'' by Clifford McBride (1932–1952; moved to Mirror Enterprises Syndicate)<ref>Knoll, Erwin. "Napoleon" Strip Moves To Mirror Syndicate," ''Editor & Publisher'' (September 20, 1952). Archived at [http://strippersguide.blogspot.com/2008/08/news-of-yore-1952-napoleon-moves-to.html ''Stripper's Guide'']. Accessed Oct. 31, 2018.</ref> * ''The Potts'' / ''Uncle Dick'' by Jim Russell (June 3, 1957 – 1962)

== References == {{refbegin}} {{reflist}} {{refend}} {{Authority control}}

Category:Comic strip syndicates Category:Companies based in Cleveland Category:Mass media companies established in 1931