Ray Billingsley

Ray Billingsley
Born	(1957-07-25) July 25, 1957 Wake Forest, North Carolina
Occupation	Cartoonist
Known for	Curtis comic strip (1988-present)

Ray Billingsley (born July 25, 1957) is an American cartoonist, the creator of the comic strip Curtis, which is distributed by King Features Syndicate and printed in more than 250 newspapers nationwide.

Early life

Billingsley was born in Wake Forest, North Carolina, and raised there in his earliest years. Later, his family moved to Harlem, in New York City.

He credits sibling rivalry with sparking his initial fascination with cartooning. As a young boy, he learned to draw in order to emulate his older brother, who studied fine arts.

Career

Billingsley contributed early cartoons to Kids, a magazine "by kids for kids" published in Cambridge, Massachusetts and then in New York City, from 1970 to 1975 under the co-editorship of Jenette Kahn (later president and editor-in-chief of MAD Magazine and DC Comics).

After graduating from the High School of Music and Art in Manhattan, he attended the School of Visual Arts on a four-year scholarship. After graduating, he began an internship at Walt Disney Studios in 1979.

Billingsley drew a nationally syndicated strip called Lookin' Fine from 1979 to 1982. By 1988, he was freelancing in advertising and public relations; doing television commercials, posters and animation; and working for magazines such as Ebony. In October of that year, King Features Syndicate introduced Curtis.

Billingsley credits Wee Pals creator Morrie Turner, the first black cartoonist in national syndication, with opening the door for Curtis and other strips. He also credits Will Eisner, creator of The Spirit, for encouraging Billingsley to stretch out artistically. "He always told me to reach out and do more than I thought I could. I continually draw strength when I relive his teachings," said Billingsley.

Awards

Billingsley has received several awards, including the President's Award in 2000, during a conference between the American Lung Association and the Canadian Lung Association in Toronto, Canada. In addition, Billingsley received the Humanitarian Award from the American Lung Association of Southeast Florida in 1999.