Noted for his long running newspaper comic series ‘The Family Circus’, William Aloysius Keane, also known as Bil Keane, is a famous American cartoonist. His other prominent works include Channel Chuckles, Deuce and Don'ts of Tennis, Daddy’s Surprise Day, Just Wait Till You Have Children of Your Own! and many more. He went on to receive the prestigious honors of National Cartoonists Society's Award for Best Syndicated Panel, Society's Cartoonist of the Year, Reuben Award, Elzie Segar Award, Silver T-Square Award, Arizona Heritage Award. He collaborated with Erma Bombeck to produce illustrations for her book Just Wait Until You Have Children of Your Own! He had close association with fellow cartoonists and columnists Stephan Pastis, Charles M. Schulz and Mell Lazarus. His short stint with the US Army during the World War helped him create ‘At Ease’ with the Japanese feature for the Pacific edition of Stars and Stripes. Bil’s legacy ‘The Family Circus’ is still carried forward by his son Jeff Keath, as he continues in syndication. His thoughts and sayings stressed on the importance of humor, happiness, fun, love and family in life. Let us go through these quotes from this legendary American Cartoonist.
I don't have to come up with a ha-ha belly laugh every day, but drawings with warmth and love or ones that put a lump in the throat. That's more important to me than a laugh.
I like to feel that what I'm doing portrays this: a family where there is love between mother, father and the kids. It's a subject that is near and dear to me.
On radio and television, magazines and the movies, you can't tell what you're going to get. When you look at the comic page, you can usually depend on something acceptable by the entire family.
When I was in high school at Northeast Catholic in Philadelphia in the late '30s, I found that drawing caricatures of the teachers and satirizing the events in the school, then having them published in our school magazine, got me some notoriety.
Many of the network television shows have done takeoffs on 'Family Circus,' including 'David Letterman,' 'Friends,' 'Roseanne,' and others, and, in my estimation the use of them is a compliment to the popularity of the feature, which just by mentioning it's name sets up the image of a warm, loving family-type feature.
Oh simple thing, where have you gone?
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on
So tell me when you're gonna let me in
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin
Yesterday's the past
tomorrow's the future
but today is a gift
that's why it's called the present.
Bil Keane
And if you have a minute, why don't we go
Talk about it somewhere only we know?
This could be the end of everything
So why don't we go somewhere only we know?
Somewhere only we know
