Cartoon by James Thurber.
Cartoonist and author James Thurber was a towering figure in American comedy, who was responsible for moving comic writing from the baroque rhythms and dialect humor that dominated the previous century into everyday conversation. Best known for his contributions to The New Yorker, Thurber's comic persona of the put-upon everyman struggling to deal with a strange and often hard world has become a cornerstone of written and spoken American comedy. His best-known characters are perhaps Walter Mitty, his snarling wife, and silently observing animals. In the early 1920s, he worked as a journalist for several newspapers. Thurber also lived in Paris, writing for the Chicago Tribune while trying to further his writing career.
In the United States, James Thurber was a strong influence on Charles Addams, Lynda Barry, Matt Groening, Edward Gorey, Don Martin, Danny Shanahan and Bill Woodman. TV host Keith Olbermann is a huge fan of his work. When his father was terminally ill, Olbermann read him from his books. In the United Kingdom he was admired by Wally Fawkes, AKA Trog. Beatle John Lennon based his books 'In His Own Write' and 'A Spaniard in the Works' largely on Thurber's style. In France, Thurber inspired Claire Bretécher and Tomi Ungerer, in Belgium, Yvan Delporte and in The Netherlands, Remco Campert. In India, he influenced Ajit Ninan, and in Australia, Bruce Petty was strongly inspired by Thurber's work.