Memory Lane: ‘The Girls’

Mike Lynch Cartoons: THE GIRLS by Franklin Folger

This was another gentle and benign cartoon series, this one from the 1960s–The Girls, by Franklin Folger.

“The girls” were middle-aged women going about the blameless business of their everyday lives, making mild blunders guaranteed to raise a smile. Most of us probably had an aunt who would’ve fit right in. We might smile at some of the things she says and does, but we love and treasure her.

I can’t imagine how hard it would be–well, hard for me, at least–to draw The Girls every day (and when it comes to drawing, I’m not that awful). And come up with really funny one-liners to go with it. Mr. Folger must’ve been a genius.

I don’t know how many newspapers, nationwide, carried The Girls. Several paperback collections have been published. If you never saw these cartoons while they were in the paper every day, you can find and enjoy them online.

More Allan Sherman: ‘Sir Greenbaum’

I can’t help it–this guy makes me laugh. I may have to post some more of the usual bad news later on today, so let’s grab a laugh while we can.

Because it’s been 50 years since I’ve heard any of Allan Sherman’s songs, I’ve forgotten most of the titles. So, folks, if you’ve been enjoying these and would like to hear more, please feel free to suggest whatever additional titles you may remember.

More Comic Relief by Allan Sherman: ‘The Ballad of Oh Boy’

This fun tune kept popping into my head all week. I thought I’d like to share it with you.

Okay–if you’re young, a lot of these references to current event of the early 1960s are going to slip right past you. But if you’re not so young, this’ll really bring back memories.

The trouble with topical humor is, it has a very short shelf life. Someday everybody who ever guffawed with Allan Sherman will have died out and everybody who’s left won’t know what the dickens he’s talking about.

But for the time being… oh, boy!