Mr. Dubb, December 19, 1920

Mr. Dubb, December 19, 1920

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Frederick Opper created Happy Hooligan in 1900, and he was one of the first comic strip characters to become popular, at least in the United States. Hooligan was an Irish-American bum who wore a can on his head, smoked a cigar, and got into trouble on a regular basis. Despite this, he's a good man and is mainly just a victim of circumstance.

While the strip was originally simply titled Happy Hooligan, its title changed as its focus changed. First, it was renamed Mr. Dough and Mr. Dubb, and focused on an appropriately named banker and a small man from the country. Mr. Dough was then removed from the title and it was simply called Mr. Dubb. Later, it was changed to Down In the Farm as the focus shifted to Mr. Dubb's life in the country. All three of them appear in this strip, as well as Hooligan's wife, Suzanne, and their children, who inexplicably also wear cans on their heads. Since this is Christmas, it also shows one of the few times Hooligan doesn't get in trouble at the end, though there is the one guy who says, "Swat 'em anyhow."