A Comic Strip Becomes a TV Sitcom

by Guy Belleranti


Dennis the Menace first appeared in U.S. newspapers on March 12, 1951. Created by Hank Ketcham, the comic strip became a fast hit and earned Ketcham the Reuben Award in 1953. The Reuben Award was named after Rube Goldberg, first president of The National Cartoonists Society.

The success of the strip led to a Dennis the Menace television series. Beginning in1959, 146 black and white episodes were produced during the program’s four year run.

Jay North played Dennis Mitchell, a high-spirited, but well meaning kid who was always getting into mischief and trouble. The prime sufferer of Dennis’ ideas and antics was his next door neighbor, Mr. George Wilson.

Joseph Kearns played George Wilson. Other cast members included:

Herbert Anderson as Henry Mitchell, Dennis’ father

Gloria Henry as Alice Mitchell, Dennis’ mother

Sylvia Field as Martha Wilson, George’s wife

Billy Booth as Tommy Anderson, Dennis’ best friend

Jeannie Russell as Margaret Wade, Dennis female nemesis

Irene Tedrow as Mrs. Lucy Elkins

When Joseph Kearns became ill during the last part of the third season, Gale Gordon took his place as John Wilson, George brother. The character George Wilson never returned to the program, as Kearns soon passed away.

The fourth and final season had John Wilson and John’s wife Eloise (played by Sara Seeger) living next door and suffering Dennis’ antics and ideas.

Some changes were made from the comic strip to the TV show, the primary one being the elimination of Dennis’ large dog, Ruff. Instead, the TV Wilson’s had a smaller dog named Fremont.

The comic strip far outlived the television program and is still being produced, but by different artists (Hank Ketcham retired in 1994, and passed away in June 2001).

Dennis the Menace became animated television series for a time in the 1980s. And in 1993 a Dennis the Menace motion picture was produced. The movie starred Mason Gamble as Dennis and Walter Matthau as George Wilson.

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