Gasoline Alley (comic strip)

Gasoline Alley is a comic strip created by Frank King and distributed by Tribune Content Agency. It follows the lives of patriarch Walt Wallet, his family, and the residents of Gasoline Alley, with storylines reflecting traditional American values. The strip debuted on November 24, 1918, and, as of now, it is the longest-running active comic strip in the United States, and the second-longest-running comic strip of all time in the country, after The Katzenjammer Kids (which ran for 109 years, from 1897 to 2006).

Gasoline Alley is widely recognized for its significant innovations in the comic strip medium. In addition to experimenting with color and page design, King introduced real-time continuity by depicting his characters aging over generations, a groundbreaking concept that set the strip apart from others at the time.

Early years

Young Walt Wallet (r.), 1920

The Gasoline Alley comic strip originated on the Chicago Tribune’s black-and-white Sunday page, The Rectangle, where various staff artists contributed one-shot panels, often continuing plots or themes. One corner of The Rectangle featured King’s Gasoline Alley, where characters Walt, Doc, Avery, and Bill would engage in weekly conversations about automobiles. This segment gradually gained recognition, leading to the debut of the daily comic strip on August 24, 1919, in the New York Daily News.

Some of the early characters were based on real people whom Frank King knew. Skeezix, for example, was based on King’s own son, Robert Drew King. Walt was inspired by Walter W. Drew, a “jolly” overweight bachelor and Western Union traffic engineer with “a wisp of unruly hair.” Bill and Amy were modeled after William D. Gannon, a locomotive engineer, and his wife Gertrude. Doc was based on Dr. Hughie Johnson.

Skeezix arrives

The early years of Gasoline Alley were focused on the character of Walt Wallet. Tribune editor Joseph Patterson wanted to attract female readers, so he introduced a baby, despite Walt not being married. This issue was creatively resolved when Walt found a baby left on his doorstep, leading to Skeezix’s introduction. Comics historian Don Markstein explains that Skeezix called Walt “Uncle Walt,” a unique twist since unlike most comic strip children, he didn’t remain a baby or stay a little boy for long. Skeezix grew up in real time, marking the first major comic strip to depict real-time aging over generations. By the time the United States entered World War II, Skeezix had become an adult, courting Nina Clock, enlisting in the armed forces in 1942, and later marrying Nina and having children. In the 1970s and 1980s, under Dick Moores, the characters stopped aging, but when Jim Scancarelli took over the strip, aging was reinstated.

Sunday Strips

The Sunday strip began on October 24, 1920. The 1930s Sunday pages stood out by not always relying on traditional gags, instead offering a gentle view of nature, daydreaming with expressive art, and naturalistic depictions of small-town life. Comics critic Steve Duin, reviewing Sundays with Walt and Skeezix (Sunday Press Books, 2007), quoted writer Jeet Heer, highlighting the unique tone of the strips. Over time, several “toppers” (short supplementary features) were included, such as:

• That Phoney Nickel (Dec 14, 1930 – Sept 17, 1933)
• Puny Puns (Feb 5 – Sept 17, 1933)
• Corky (Aug 18, 1935 – 1945)
• Little Brother Hugo aka Wilmer’s Little Brother Hugo (Jan 30, 1944 – 1973)

21st Century

As of the 21st century, Gasoline Alley continues to be published in newspapers. Walt Wallet, now well over a century old (124 as of February 2024), remains a central figure in the strip. Skeezix, too, has become a centenarian. In the April 26, 2004, strip, Walt’s wife Phyllis, aged about 105, passed away, leaving him a widower after nearly eight decades of marriage.

On Gasoline Alley’s 90th anniversary, several famous comic strip characters, including Blondie, Beetle Bailey, Dennis the Menace, and Snuffy Smith, acknowledged the occasion. Snuffy Smith presented a special crossover, inviting Walt into his house for the anniversary celebration. In May 2013, at the cartoon retirement home, Walt attended a dinner where Maggie’s pearl brooch was stolen, and Fearless Fosdick tried unsuccessfully to catch the thief. This event saw appearances from retired comic characters like Lil’ Abner, Smokey Stover, Pogo, and Albert, as well as Rex Morgan, M.D., a contemporary comic strip character.

Characters

First-Generation Characters of Gasoline Alley

Walt Wallet

Full name: Walter Weatherby Wallet. Walt is the patriarch of the family and a World War I veteran. For many years, he ran a successful furniture company, Wicker and Wallet. He has been retired for years.

Phyllis Corkleigh Blossom Wallet

Walt’s wife. Phyllis was widowed before marrying Walt; Corkleigh was her maiden name before marrying Blossom. Walt and Phyllis married on June 24, 1926. Phyllis passed away on April 26, 2004.

Avery

Walt’s cranky neighbor, who drove an old car that required a crank to start long after everyone else had switched to cars with starters. He died “off-stage.”

Bill

Another character who also died “off-stage.”

Doc

Doc retired with a young woman at his side, going off to a well-deserved retirement community. Like Avery and Bill, he died “off-stage.”

Uriah Pert

A rich and miserly man who was often the villain in many of the stories. After his death, his reputation was rehabilitated to show a better character than his nephew, Senator Bobble.

Timeless characters

These characters break the strip's rule about aging with the calendar.

Joel

A trashman who drives a wagon drawn by a mule named Betsy. His full name, Joseph L. Smith, was mentioned on June 4, 1965.

Rufus

A “good-for-not-much” character who frequently accompanies Joel. Rufus always has a “kitty” hanging from the crook of his arm and lives in a shack.

Magnus

Rufus’ no-good brother, who is usually in jail.

Melba Rose

The forever mayor of the city. A strip from June 15, 2022, shows her as the current mayor.

Second-generation characters

Allison “Skeezix” Wallet

After Walt, Skeezix is the central character of the strip. He was left on Walt’s doorstep on February 14, 1921, and was born on February 9, 1921. He married Nina Clock on June 28, 1944. For years, he ran the Gasoline Alley Garage, and he occasionally minds it when Clovia and Slim are away.

Nina Clock Wallet

Skeezix’s wife.

Sarge (Sgt. Bloney)

A WWII veteran who fought in Africa, Italy, and Yugoslavia alongside Skeezix. He later worked as a handyman and mechanic for him.

Hack

Another WWII veteran who worked for Skeezix as a mechanic. Hack’s automotive repair skills helped the Wallet & Bobble Co. branch into automotive repairs, which led to the establishment of the Gasoline Alley Garage.

Corkleigh “Corky” Wallet

Walt and Phyllis’ son, born May 2, 1928, named after Phyllis’s maiden name. He married Hope Hassel on October 1, 1949, and runs a diner in a standalone building.

Hope Hassel Wallet

Corky’s wife.

Judy Wallet Grubb

Left in Walt’s car on February 28, 1935. She married Gideon Grubb on May 4, 1961.

Senator Wilmer Bobble

Uriah Pert’s nephew. Originally an office coworker with Skeezix at Wumple & Co. in Detropolis, Bobble also met Skeezix as a fellow soldier in WWII. After the war, he partnered with Skeezix to form the Wallet and Bobble Co., which later branched into automotive repairs and established the Gasoline Alley Garage. Senator Bobble became a self-serving politician and is often seen as a villain in current storylines, disliked by other characters.

Principal characters of subsequent generations

Clovia Wallet Skinner

Third generation

• Skeezix and Nina’s daughter, born May 15, 1949.
• Married to Slim Skinner and manages the business side of the Gasoline Alley Garage.

Slim Skinner

Third generation

• Married Clovia.
• Overweight, perceived as a slacker, Slim works as the principal mechanic at the Gasoline Alley Garage.
• His family includes his manipulative, greedy mother, Lil, and cousin Chubby, whom Clovia views as troublesome, especially Lil, who often causes issues and shifts blame onto others.

Thomas Walter “Chipper” Wallet

Third generation

• Skeezix and Nina’s son, born April 1, 1945.
• Chipper went to college, joined the Navy, and served as a medic in the Vietnam War. After his service, he became a Physician Assistant.

Phylip Figg “Nubbin” Wallet

Third generation

Corky and Hope’s first child, born January 1, 1954.

Adam Wallet

Third generation

• Corky’s son, born April 21, 1960.
• After working with the Peace Corps in the South Pacific, Adam and his wife took over the old Clock farm in the country.

Eve Wallet

Third generation

• Corky’s daughter, born April 21, 1960 (twin sister to Adam).
• Eve was briefly a caregiver for Walt after Phyllis’ death, but her actions led to a chaotic situation with the police, and she was last seen in jail.

Teeka Tok Wallet

Third generation

• A South Pacific native who married Adam while he worked in the area.
• Teeka and Adam had a daughter, Ada Clock, born on August 8, 1988, and later adopted a girl named Amanda Lynn.

Rover Bump -> Skinner

Fourth generation

A neglected child adopted by Clovia and Slim.

Gretchen Skinner

Fourth generation

Born April 13, 1978, daughter of Clovia and Slim. She grew up as a childhood companion of Rover and had distinctive eye features (drawn without pupils).

Hoogy Boogle

Fourth generation

Another neglected child who occasionally stayed with Clovia and Slim. She eventually married Rover.

Boog Skinner

Fifth generation

The son of Rover and Hoogy, born offscreen in the September 8, 2004, strip.

Aubee Rose Skinner

Fifth generation

The daughter of Rover and Hoogy, delivered by Chipper Wallet in the September 10, 2016, strip.

Writer-artist chronology

Here is the writer-artist chronology for Gasoline Alley:

Daily Strips

• Frank King: November 24, 1918 – December 31, 1969
• Dick Moores: 1956 – August 23, 1986
• Jim Scancarelli: August 25, 1986 – present

Sunday Strips

• Frank King: October 24, 1920 – April 22, 1951
• Bill Perry: April 29, 1951 – August 17, 1975
• Dick Moores: August 25, 1975 – August 24, 1986
• Bob Zschiesche: 1976–1979 (worked on Sundays)
• Jim Scancarelli: Ghosting (1979–1986), credited August 25, 1986 – present

Key Transitions

• Frank King was succeeded by his former assistants. Bill Perry took over the Sunday strips in 1951, and Dick Moores, first hired in 1956, became the sole writer and artist for the daily strip in 1959.
• After Perry retired in 1975, Moores assumed control of the Sunday strips as well, unifying the daily and Sunday stories into one continuous narrative starting September 28, 1975.
• After Moores’ passing in 1986, Jim Scancarelli took over both the daily and Sunday strips, initially ghosting for Moores from 1979 to 1986, before becoming the credited writer and artist in 1986. Scancarelli later returned to a format with separate, self-contained Sunday stories.

This chronology highlights the significant transitions in the creative control of Gasoline Alley over its long history.

Awards

Gasoline Alley and its creators have received significant recognition and accolades over the years:

• National Cartoonists Society (NCS) Humor Strip Award: The strip and Frank King were honored multiple times, including in 1957, 1973, 1980, 1981, 1982, and 1985.
• Reuben Award: Frank King received the prestigious award in 1958, and Dick Moores won in 1974.
• Story Comic Strip Award: Jim Scancarelli was awarded this in 1988.
• The strip also earned NCS plaques for the best story strip in 1981, 1982, and 1983.

Reprint Collections

• The Comic Strip Century (1995, reissued in 2004 as 100 Years of Comic Strips) included examples of Gasoline Alley, edited by Bill Blackbeard, Dale Crain, and James Vance.
• Moores’ daily and Sunday strips, as well as Scancarelli’s early strips, were serialized in Comics Revue.
• In 1995, Gasoline Alley was featured as one of the 20 strips in the Comic Strip Classics series of commemorative U.S. postage stamps.

Frank King’s Gasoline Alley Nostalgia Journal

In 2003, Spec Productions began reprinting the Gasoline Alley strips in the series Frank King’s Gasoline Alley Nostalgia Journal. So far, four volumes have been published, each collecting several months of the strip’s history:

• Volume 1: November 24, 1918, to September 22, 1919
• Volume 2: September 23, 1919, to March 2, 1920
• Volume 3: March 3, 1920, to July 25, 1920
• Volume 4: July 26, 1920, to December 31, 1920

These collections help preserve the early years of Gasoline Alley and highlight its impact on the comic strip medium.

Walt and Skeezix (2005)

Published by Drawn & Quarterly, this reprint series, edited by Chris Ware with contributions from Jeet Heer, began with Volume 1 covering 1921–22. It starts a few weeks before Skeezix’s appearance on Walt’s doorstep and reprints only the daily strips, with the Sunday strips set to appear in a separate series.

Sundays with Walt and Skeezix (2007)

Published by Sunday Press Books, this collection features early Sunday strips, reproduced in their original size and color, preserving the distinctiveness of the format.

Gasoline Alley: The Complete Sundays (2014)

Dark Horse Comics published two volumes of the Gasoline Alley Sunday strips in hardback:

• Volume 1 (1920–1922)
• Volume 2 (1923–1925)

Dick Moores Collections

Several collections showcase Dick Moores’ contributions to the strip, which included a shift in the series’ tone and structure:

• Gasoline Alley: Comic Art as Social Comment (1976) — Covers the changing life in America as seen through the strip, with an introduction by Nat Hentoff.
• The Smoke from Gasoline Alley (1976) — A collection of strips exploring more social commentary.
• Rover from Gasoline Alley (1985) — Focuses on the introduction of Slim and Clovia’s adopted son, Rover.

Gasoline Alley: Volume 1 (2012)

On October 9, 2012, IDW Publishing’s The Library of American Comics imprint published a hardback collection titled Gasoline Alley, Volume 1, which compiles several years of daily strips by Frank King and Dick Moores.

These collections help preserve and celebrate Gasoline Alley’s rich history, its evolution over the years, and its cultural impact on American comics.

Radio

Uncle Walt and Skeezix (1931)

• Bill Idelson as Skeezix
• Jean Gillespie as Nina Clock
• This series adapted the Gasoline Alley comic strip for radio in 1931.

NBC Series (February 17 – April 11, 1941)

• Skeezix was voiced by Jimmy McCallion, with Janice Gilbert as Nina Clock.
• Characters included Skeezix’s boss Wumple (Cliff Soubier) and Ling Wee (Junius Matthews), a waiter at a Chinese restaurant.
• The series aired weekdays at 5:30 pm and continued on the Blue Network from April 28 to May 9, 1941.
• Directed by Charles Schenck, with scripts written by Kane Campbell.

Syndicated Series (1948–49)

• Featured a cast of Bill Lipton, Mason Adams, and Robert Dryden.
• Sponsored by Autolite, the program used opening theme music by the Polka Dots, a harmonica group.
• Focused on Skeezix running the Wallet and Bobble Garage, with his partner Wilmer Bobble.
• Aired on WOR from July 16, 1948, to January 7, 1949.

Film Adaptations

Gasoline Alley (1951)

Adapted into a feature film, starring Jimmy Lydon as Skeezix. Lydon was well-known for his role in Life with Father (1947) and as Henry Aldrich.

Corky of Gasoline Alley (1951)

Another 1951 film adaptation starring Jimmy Lydon as Skeezix, focusing on Corky, the character from the strip.

These adaptations bring the beloved Gasoline Alley characters to new media, extending the strip’s influence into radio and film during the mid-20th century.

External links

• Gocomics.com
• History of the Gasoline Alley strip
• The first strip
• An Old Comic Strip About Modern Fatherhood
• The Three Faces of Walt
• TV Tropes in Gasoline Alley
• Gasoline Alley (1951) and IMDb: Corky of Gasoline Alley (1951) at IMDB.com