Al Capp veterans returning from the war. Capp was also involved with the Sister Kenny Foundation, which pioneered new treatments for polio in the 1940s. Serving in his capacity as honorary chairman, Capp made public appearances on its behalf for years, contributed free artwork for its annual fund-raising appeals, and entertained crippled and paraplegic children in children's hospitals with inspirational pep talks, humorous stories and sketches. In 1940, an RKO movie adaptation starred Granville Owen (later known as Jeff York) as Li'l Abner, with Buster Keaton taking the role of Lonesome Polecat, and featuring a title song with lyrics by Milton Berle.
Al Capp The technique—as invigorating as it was unorthodox—was later adopted by cartoonists like Walt Kelly ["Pogo"] and Garry Trudeau ["Doonesbury"]," wrote comic strip historian Rick Marschall. According to Marschall, "Li'l Abner" gradually evolved into a broad satire of human nature. In his book "America's Great Comic Strip Artists" (1989), Marschall's analysis revealed a decidedly misanthropic subtext. Over the years, "Li'l Abner" has been adapted to radio, animated cartoons, stage production, motion pictures and television. Capp has been compared, at various times, to Mark Twain, Dostoevski, Jonathan Swift, Lawrence Sterne and Rabelais. Fans of the strip ranged from novelist John Steinbeck, who