Dennis the Menace (US)

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This page is about the United States comic strip Dennis the Menace. For information about the British comic strip of the same name, see Dennis the Menace (UK).

Dennis the Menace cartoon 86-88

Dennis the Menace is a comic strip (single panel on weekdays, full strip on Sundays) originally created by Hank Ketcham. Dennis, who originally appeared as "The Pickle", was later made into a live-action 1960s television sitcom, a 1980s television cartoon, a 1987 movie, a 1993 live-action film, and another animated series based on that film. Originally, Dennis spent most of his time making life miserable for his parents. In recent years he has spent nearly all his time disturbing the serenity of the grumpy Mr. Wilson, and being coddled by Wilson's engaging wife Martha. In tone, Dennis is most like an escapee from a 1930s movie, such as an Our Gang film.

On March 12, 1951 the Dennis the Menace comic strip appeared in newspapers across the US for the first time. Coincidentally, another cartoon strip titled Dennis the Menace was published in the United Kingdom on March 15 (cover dated March 17 - the "off sale" date) of the same year. In the UK, the US cartoon series is known simply as Dennis. Ketcham received the Reuben Award for the strip in 1953.

Dennis the Menace has been published in comic books and comic digests from the 1950s through at least the 1980s by a variety of publishers, including Standard/Pines (1953-58), Fawcett Comics (during their only return to comics after losing the Captain Marvel lawsuit) (1958-80), and Marvel Comics (1981-82). These were produced by others, in particular Al Wiseman in the 1950s and 60s, who was one of Ketcham's assistants. There have also been paperback book collects of the comic strips and comic books during the same time period from Avon Books, Gold Medal, Crest, and others.

Ketcham gradually turned the production of the strip over to his assistants Ron Ferdinand and Marcus Hamilton, who continued it after his death in 2001.

Dennis has been the subject of a number of animated adaptations, as well as a CBS sitcom from 1959 to 1963 starring Jay North as Dennis and both Joseph Kearns and Gale Gordon, successively, as Mr. (George and John) Wilson. A 1993 live-action film starred Walter Matthau as Mr. Wilson. This was followed up with Dennis the Menace Strikes Again! in 1998 starring Don Rickles as Mr. Wilson.

Dennis the Menace was the "spokestoon" for Dairy Queen for many years until recently being supplanted by other cartoon characters.

In 2005, comics publisher Fantagraphics announced that they would reprint Ketcham's entire run on Dennis the Menace in a 25-volume series over 11 years.

1. Hank Ketcham's Complete Dennis the Menace (1951-52) ISBN 1560976802
2. Hank Ketcham's Complete Dennis the Menace (1953-54) ISBN 1560977256

List of characters

• Dennis Mitchell
• Alice Mitchell - Dennis' mother
• Henry Mitchell - Dennis' father who works at Trask Engineering
• Grandpa Johnson
• Ruff the dog
• Hotdog the cat
• Mr. (George Everett) Wilson - Dennis' long-suffering neighbor
• Mrs. (Martha) Wilson - George's very tolerant, genial wife
• Joey McDonald - portrayed as younger than Dennis
• Margaret Wade - usually Dennis' foil, portrayed as more of a typical girl (compared to Gina)
• Gina Gillotti - portrayed as a tomboy, usually she and Dennis get along well but she has slugged him on occasion
• John Wilson - George's brother (TV series only)
• Peebee Kappa - Dennis' nerdy friend who is always inventing things. (TV series only)
• Jay Weldon (TV series only)
• Tommy Anderson (TV series only)

Adaptations

• Dennis the Menace (1959 TV series)
• Dennis the Menace (1993 film)

Trivia

• The television series had first aired on syndication and later on CBS. It has also aired in the US on USA Network, FOX Family Channel, Cartoon Network and Black Family Channel. In Australia it aired on ABC and then re-ran on Network Ten.

See also

• Dennis the Menace (UK)
• Hurricane Dennis - nicknamed Dennis the Menace

External links

• [Dennis the Menace - the Official Website]
• [Dennis the Menace at King Features]
• [List and short bios of the strip's characters]
• [Toonopedia: Dennis the Menace]
• [Fantagraphics' Dennis The Menace page]
• ["Seattle publisher revives Dennis the Menace"]
• [NCS Awards]

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