Dennis the Menace Cartoonist Dies

Voice of America, June 1, 2001

The creator of the beloved comic strip "Dennis the Menace" Hank Ketcham, has died at his home in California. He was 81 years of age.

A family spokeswoman said Friday Mr. Ketcham passed away peacefully in his sleep late Thursday. She said the cartoonist had suffered from a heart condition and cancer in recent years.

In March, Mr. Ketcham celebrated the 50th anniversary of his creation of "Dennis the Menace " - the mischievous, but well-meaning, golden-haired, freckle-faced little boy-next-door who tormented his neighbor Mr. Wilson. He based Dennis on the antics of his four-year-old son.

The comic strip was published in some one thousand newspapers in 48 countries and translated into 19 languages. The "Dennis the Menace" television show ran on CBS from 1959 to 1963, and also inspired a movie in 1993.

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