Dixie Dugan (comic)

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Dixie Dugan is best known as a long running syndicated newspaper comic strip published from 1929 to 1966. Dixie Dugan was originally modeled after 1920's film actress / flapper Louise Brooks and early stories followed her exploits as a Hollywood showgirl.

Dixie Dugan first appeared in two slightly risque novels written by J. P. McEvoy, serialized in the pages of Liberty Magazine, and then published in book form by Simon & Schuster - "Show Girl" (1928) and "Show Girl in Hollywood" (1929). Dixie begins as a Broadway chorus girl in the first story and in the second she moves to Hollywood. The stories combine romance, glamour and a bit of scandal as Dixie pursues a career in show business. Story illustrations by John H. Striebel show a strong resemblence between Dixie Dugan and 1920's film actress Louise Brooks.

Both novels were quickly adapted to movies starring Alice White as Dixie Dugan - Show Girl (1928) and Show Girl in Hollywood (1930). The first was a silent film, featuring a Vitaphone musical score and sound effects. The second film was a "talkie" using the early Western Electric Sound System.

Beginning in October 1929, writer J. P. McEvoy joined forces with artist John H. Striebel to produce a daily newspaper comic strip. The name of the strip was originally Show Girl, but soon changed to Dixie Dugan. As time went by, the strip dropped the show business aspect, and Dixie became a "career girl" pursuing a more wholesome variety of jobs. The stories varied from romance and comedy to crime and suspense. Other characters featured in the strip included Dixie's elderly parents Ma and Pa Dugan, her niece Imogene and Dixie's best friend Mickie.

Like many other popular newspaper comic strips, the daily strips were collected and reprinted in various early comic books beginning in the 1930's.

In 1943, Dixie Dugan once again appeared in the movies, featuring Lois Andrews as the title character. By this time, she had long since left behind her origins as a show girl. In this wartime movie, Dixie gets a job working as a secretary in a government office. Her new boss has a romantic interests in Dixie, but she remains faithful to her fiancé - a defense plant worker.