The Great Depression in Cartoons, Part 7:
Miscellaneous Drawings from 1931

Posted on Friday, February 13, 2009, at 8:56 am, by Cadwalader Crabtree.

Up to now, I have been arranging the posts in this series thematically, but Life published so many interesting and relevant cartoons in 1931 that I cannot bring myself to omit all of those that did not happen to fit somewhere else.

There is, for example, no way I am leaving out this cartoon by William Crawford Young from July 17, 1931.

Presumably this cartoon by Chester L. Garde from January 23, 1931, did not speak to the wounded pride of stock brokers alone.

This cartoon by Ralph Fuller appeared on March 20, 1931.

The next three cartoons revisit a theme that has already surfaced here and there in earlier posts:  wealthy people finding themselves in reduced circumstances. The first of them appeared on January 9, 1931. Unfortunately I cannot make out the full signature, although the last name is clearly “Roberts.”

This one by William Steig appeared on August 7, 1931 . . .

. . . as did this one by Ralph Fuller. The extravagant theatrical revues known as the Ziegfeld Follies were famous for their chorus girls. The last production closed three months after this cartoon appeared, one more victim of the Great Depression.

Finally, this cartoon by C. W. Anderson is one I should have included in Part Two: Prosperity is just around the corner. It was published on August 7, 1931.

Next time, Life’s cartoonists celebrate Christmas 1931!