Mel Casson, Who Did 'Redeye' and Other Comics, Dies at 87

By: E&P Staff Cartoonist Mel Casson has died in Connecticut at the age of 87, King Features Syndicate reported.

Casson illustrated "Redeye," a parody about a 19th-century tribe of Native Americans, before also scripting the comic after "Redeye" writer Bill Yates retired in 1999.

The Boston-born Casson signed a cartooning contract with The Saturday Evening Post at the very young age of 17. He also drew for other magazines as well as The New York Times.

After highly decorated service in World War II, Casson created the syndicated "Jeff Crockett" strip. Then he served in the Korean War before starting the syndicated "Sparky" and "Angel" children's panels. Casson subsequently collaborated on the "It's Me Dilly" comic and later the "Mixed Singles" strip that evolved into "Boomer."

Casson -- who had his cartoons published in five books -- also did advertising art. And he served as a writer-producer for ABC-TV, where he created the shows "Draw Me a Laugh" and "You Be the Judge."