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.
Capp Street Project Project Art. In 1983, Capp Street Project was created by Ann Hatch who acquired a David Ireland designed house at 65 Capp Street in San Francisco. Although Hatch's original intention was to preserve the house as a work of art, a personal inquiry concerning patronage and the desire to nurture non-traditional art making processes, ultimately led in another direction. The artist-in-residency program was created and became central to Capp Street Project. Capp Street Project became part of the Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts which is in turn part of the California College of the Arts in 1998 and the house