Albert Schweitzer (artist)

Albert L. Schweitzer (November 28, 1921 – January 30, 2023) was an American artist. He was known for his work as a newspaper cartoonist for St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He illustrated its Weatherbird cartoon from 1981 to 1986.[1][2]

For the Alsatian polymath, see Albert Schweitzer.

Biography

Early life and education

Schweitzer grew up in the Compton Heights neighborhood in St. Louis, Missouri.[3] He was named after his father, a former prosecuting attorney and eventual president of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen.[4]

Schweitzer attended Chaminade High School, St. Louis University, and the University of Missouri.[3][5]

Schweitzer was in the United States Marine Corps in the 1940s.[6] He served as a gunner on the South Dakota.[4]

Career

After World War II, he worked for the St. Louis Star-Times and then the Post-Dispatch from 1950 to 1986, when he retired as chief artist.[4] Later he reported that he had intended to stay with the paper for only two years and then open his own studio.[7][5]

Schweitzer took over the illustration of the Weatherbird in 1981 following the retirement of Amadee Wohlschlaeger.[3] Schweitzer frequently used a cigar and a bowtie on the Weatherbird.[6][8] He was the first artist to consistently draw the character in color.[4] Following Schweitzer's retirement from the newspaper in 1986, Dan Martin became the illustrator of the Weatherbird.[5][2]

For eight years, Schweitzer created editorial cartoons for 44 Catholic newspapers in the United States and Canada.[4][5] He received the Catholic Press Association Journalism award for Best Editorial Cartoon in 1961.[9] He lost some newspapers due to his liberal stance on civil rights and his refusal to change his cartoons to the liking of southern editors.[4][5]

Schweitzer was a member of the Missouri Athletic Club and served as its art director.[3][5]

He taught art classes at Meramec Community College in Kirkwood, Missouri.[5]

Personal life, death, and legacy

Schweitzer was inducted into the St. Louis Media History Foundation's Hall of Fame in 2017.[10][3] He donated his papers to the St. Louis Mercantile Library.[11][3]

Schweitzer lived in Brentwood, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis.[5] He was married and had two sons, Albert and Peter. Helene Soule Schweitzer, his wife, predeceased him in 2008.[6][3]

Schweitzer died on Monday, January 30, 2023.[3] He was buried at Resurrection Cemetery.[9]

References
  1. Harvey, Robert C. (2014-12-03). Insider Histories of Cartooning: Rediscovering Forgotten Famous Comics and Their Creators. Univ. Press of Mississippi. ISBN 978-1-62674-354-0.
  2. McGuire, John (1999-12-19). "This Old Bird Saw the Century Fly by". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 39. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  3. Martin, Dan (2023-02-02). "P-D artist Albert Schweitzer Jr., who drew the Weatherbird, died Monday at 101". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  4. "Post-Dispatch Bird Men Have Been Characters". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 2001-02-11. p. 143. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  5. "Post-Dispatch Artist Retires after 36 Years". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 1986-12-14. p. 54. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  6. "Creative, Talented & Passionate: Al Schweitzer's Illustrated Life". Bethesda Health Group. 2015-10-21. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  7. "Put Some Pants on!". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 2005-06-01. pp. P010. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  8. Gateway Heritage: Quarterly Journal of the Missouri Historical Society. Missouri Historical Society. 2000.
  9. "Schweitzer, Albert L. Jr". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 2023-02-05. pp. A19. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  10. "Schweitzer, Albert". St Louis Media History Foundation. 2022-05-17. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  11. "Mercantile Library - Special Collections - Alphabetical Listing". University of Missouri-St. Louis. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
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