Mell Lazarus

• Birth Name — Melvin Lazarus • Born — 3 May 1927 • Birthplace — Brooklyn, New York, U.S. • Place of death — Los Angeles, California, U.S. • Died — 24 May 2016 • Area — Cartoonist, Novelist • Cartoonist — y • Alias — Fulton • Notable Works — Miss Peach Momma • Spouse — Sally Mitchell • Children — Margie, Suesan, Cathie • Awards — Reuben Award (1981) Inkpot Award (1976)

Lazarus was born in Brooklyn, to Sydney Lazarus, a successful glass-blower, and Frances (née Mushkin) Lazarus, nicknamed Frankie. Lazarus, who dropped out of high school, published his first cartoon at 16, and later enlisted in the U.S. Navy. During his twenties, he worked for Al Capp and his brother Elliott Caplin at the Capp family-owned Toby Press. In the mid-1950s, he created two children's syndicated comic strips for General Features, Wee Women and Li'l Ones. Miss Peach debuted on February 4, 1957, in the New York Herald Tribune, and ended up running for nearly 50 years. His comic strip Momma debuted on October 26, 1970. Although Lazarus based the title character on his own mother, she believed the character was based on his aunt, exclaiming, "You caught Aunt Helen to a tee!" In 1964, Lazarus talked about his background and working methods: • Illustration — Mell Lazarus' Miss Peach on February 4, 1957 Lazarus served as president of the National Cartoonists Society for two consecutive terms, from 1989 to 1993.

Lazarus was married twice, first to Eileen Lazarus, which ended in divorce; then to Sally Mitchell, daughter of comic-strip gag writer Ed Mitchell. Lazarus lived in Los Angeles from the 1970s until his death on May 24, 2016. from complications from Alzheimer's. He had three daughters, Margie, Suesan and Cathie; six grandchildren; and one great-grandson.

He made a cameo appearance in the 1992 Murder She Wrote episode "The Dead File." His membership in Mensa was mentioned in the 1999 episode "They Saved Lisa's Brain" of The Simpsons.