George Booth

Born in 1926 in Missouri, he served in the U.S. Marines during World War II and later studied at the Art Institute of Chicago. Before becoming widely known, he worked in advertising and magazine illustration, slowly building the distinctive scratchy, energetic style that would become his signature.

He became a beloved cartoonist for The New Yorker, where his work appeared for decades. His cartoons often showed frazzled couples, eccentric older characters, and especially dogs and cats, all caught in scenes of domestic chaos that felt absurd and true at the same time.

Booth also published several collections of his drawings, and his work earned major recognition, including honors from the National Cartoonists Society and the Society of Illustrators. He died in 2022, but his cartoons remain instantly recognizable for their warmth, nervous energy, and affection for the everyday mess of life.