Alphonse & Gaston

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Alphonse and Gaston were once one of Frederick Burr Opper's most popular creations. A bumbling pair of Frenchmen with a penchant for politeness, they first appeared in William Randolph Hearst's New York Journal newspaper on September 22, 1901. The very first strip was titled - all in capitals - "ALPHONSE A LA CARTE" AND HIS FRIEND GASTON DE TABLE D'HOTE." Their "After you, Alphonse." and "No, you first, my dear Gaston!" routine entertained readers for more than a decade.

Anyone familiar with the Platinum Age of Comics will recognize the name Opper. A prolific artist and writer, Opper's other creations included Willie, Hans from Hamburg and Happy Hooligan.

Alphonse and Gaston eventually became known as one of the earliest examples of shtick's limitations. After all, just how much steam can you wring from the same gag of politeness getting in the way of progress? How many ways can your characters say, "After you!" and "No, after you!"?

Even though they were never daily or even weekly features, Alphonse and Gaston shone brightly for a while, appearing in a few comedy shorts and Hearst collections and even being licensed as product mascots, before fading from public view altogether shortly following Opper's death in 1937.

While their gag is still recognizable in comedy skits today, we now know that developing trademark schtick means more than coming up with a single, solid punch line.

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