Cathy
By Cathy Guisewite | 7011 Followers
About Cathy
The “Cathy” comic strip ran from 1976 to 2010. When it was launched, there were no other syndicated humor strips by or about women, and the world was a very different place. Dating before cell phones, dieting before low-fat, swimwear before ... well, actually, swimwear only got worse.
Cathy became an empathetic voice for women trying to date men who were raised on a TV show called “Father Knows Best,” a champion of women trying to start careers when people argued over whether a woman should be “allowed” to have a job, and a touchstone for a generation of woman navigating the “four basic guilt groups” of food, love, mom, and work during decades of great cultural change. Enjoy looking back and seeing how far we’ve come and seeing how much is still relatable today. The infuriating fashion industry ... the wrangling of willpower ... the unwavering hope ... and, of course, the beautiful woman in the mirror.
Meet Cathy Guisewite
Cathy Guisewite is the creator of "Cathy," which debuted in 1976. The strip chronicles the trials, tribulations, and humor in the life of a typical American woman balancing a demanding career and nerve-wracking love life with well-meaning, yet very involved, parents. When the strip ended in 2010, it appeared in about 900 newspapers.
Guisewite received the prestigious Reuben Award for "Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year" from the National Cartoonists Society in 1993. The strip has also been nominated for "Best Comic Strip" several times. In 1987, Guisewite received an Emmy for "Outstanding Animated Program" for the animated special "Cathy." The animated specials "Cathy's Last Resort" and "Cathy's Valentine" also received critical acclaim.
Guisewite is a member of the National Cartoonists Society. She sat on the 2006 Board of Judges for the Talbots Charitable Foundation Women's Scholarship Fund. In 2005, her online gift wedding registry for comic characters Cathy and Irving raised $25,000 for Pet Orphans of Southern California. In 2001, Guisewite was presented a Genesis Award from the Ark Trust Foundation for her comic strips promoting animal issues.
Born in Dayton, Ohio, Guisewite earned a B.A. in English from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. After graduation, she went into advertising as a writer and eventually became vice president at W.B. Doner & Co. Advertising, which she left in 1977. Guisewite lives in Los Angeles with her daughter.
Cast of Characters
Cathy
Cathy debuted in 1976 as the heroine of single working women and became an overnight sensation. Now married, she balances the demands of her job, husband, parents, and pampered pets while never missing a shoe sale. Her trials and tribulations provide a delightfully funny, yet honest, look at the life of a career woman.
Irving
Cathy's longtime on-again-off-again boyfriend finally popped the question in 2005 and made the trip down the aisle with Cathy. Their wedded bliss is only occasionally interrupted by Irving's obsessions with electronic gadgets and golf.
Mom and Dad
Cathy has a complex relationship with her well-meaning mother. It's a rich tangle of love, anxiety, togetherness, rebellion, devotion, frustration, friendship, and hysteria. And although her father says much less, he fills the critical role of helping Cathy keep her sense of humor about Mom.