Seezem and Sqeezem, by Oscar Hitt
Seezem and Squeezem

Oscar Samuel Hitt was an American cartoonist of German descent, who was mainly active during the 1920s and 1930s. Among his earliest strips was the 'Katzenjammer Kids' copy 'Mama's Darlings', that he made for the Chicago Herald in 1917 and 1918. It disappeared after Heart took over the paper. He also had a feature called 'Hitt and Runn' in papers like the Winnipeg Evening Tribune in 1917. Hitt then assisted Rudolph Dirks on 'The Captain and the Kids' during the early 1920s. Hitt cooperated among others on the episodes in which Dirks lets his characters have a long around-the-world trip.

Hi-Way Henry by Oscar Hitt

He had his own short-lived features 'Ever Since Adam' with NEA/Ace Features in 1925, and 'Ambitious Ambrose', 'Hi-Way Henry', 'Uncle Eph Says' and 'Wally and his Pals' with Wheeler-Nicholson in mid 1926. Many of these early features were written by Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson, who is generally considered as the inventor of the comic book. Several popular toys were generated from these early strips, such as a 'Hi-Way Henry' board game and toy.

Mack and Marx by Hitt
Mack and Marx

Hitt's feature 'Seezem and Squeezem' ran from 1924 and 1926 through McClure, and was reprinted until at least 1928. Between 1926 and 1928 he made the newspaper feature 'Mack and Marx' as Sam Hitt for the Graphic Syndicate. Hitt was the author of the daily three-column village life feature 'Neighborly Neighbors' for Associated Press between 1930 and 1938, until he was succeeded by Milt Morris. It ran in papers like Ellensburg Daily Record and the Ludington Daily News. Hitt also worked for the Henriksen Mfg. Co. in Chicago, Illinois, as a designer for board games.

Neighborly Neighbors by Oscar Hitt
Neighborly Neighbors (1938)

Series and books by Oscar Hitt in stock in the Lambiek Webshop:

