National Doctors' Day 2026: Gahan Wilson 1969

Tomorrow is National Doctors' Day. Let's celebrate with a 1969 Playboy cartoon by Gahan Wilson set in a physician's office. The original art was sold by Heritage in the November 4 Illustration Art Signature Auction #8224.

"We may already be too late, Mr. Parker."
Gahan Wilson
Original art
Playboy, June 1969, p. 27

The doctor's eyes are squinting—never a good sign. The patient doesn't show any good signs either.

"We may already be too late, Mr. Parker."
Gahan Wilson
Original art
Playboy, June 1969, p. 27

Verso

Sixteen hours before the live auction, the bidding was already strong. But, unlike the patient, it would get stronger.

Gahan Wilson
Heritage Auctions Mainstream Illustration listing accessed sixteen hours before the sale of November 4, 2025

https://fineart.ha.com/itm/mainstream-illustration/gahan-wilson-american-1930-2019-we-may-already-be-too-late-mr-parker-playboy-cartoon-june-1969/a/8224-71272.s?ic16=ViewItem-Auction-Open-OtherAvailable-081514

Gahan Wilson
Heritage Auctions Mainstream Illustration item description

Sold!

Finally, here's the prognosis as it appeared on the printed page:

"We may already be too late, Mr. Parker."
Gahan Wilson
Playboy, June 1969, p. 27

https://www.blackgate.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Gahan-Wilson-We-May-Already-Be-to-late.jpg

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National Doctors' Day: Making the Diagnosis With P. C. Vey

Today on National Doctors' Day we honor physicians for the essential work they do. P. C. Vey's original cartoon art for The New Yorker is presented here in acknowledgement of this noble tradition. The drawing was consigned to Swann Auction Galleries by Cartoon Collections in 2019 for the December Illustration Art sale.

"Oh, I do love a mystery."
P. C. Vey
Original art
The New Yorker, September 21, 2015, p. 72

P. C. Vey
Hammer price
Swann Auction Galleries Illustration Art sale of December 10, 2019, Lot 275

https://catalogue.swanngalleries.com/Lots/auction-lot/THE-NEW-YORKER-PC-VEY-I-do-love-a-mystery?saleno=2526&lotNo=275&refNo=766383

Price realized with buyer's premium

The cartoon in the present lot was published by The New Yorker in 2015.

"Oh, I do love a mystery."
P. C. Vey
Original art
The New Yorker, September 21, 2015, p. 72

A cartoon by P. C. Vey

https://archives.newyorker.com/newyorker/2015-09-21/flipbook/72/

Those who purchased a Cartoons from The New Yorker 2018 calendar may also recall the drawing, which was featured prominently on the front of the box.

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National Doctors' Day: Barbara Shermund's Office Visit

Tomorrow, March 30, is National Doctors' Day. Let's commemorate the occasion with a Barbara Shermund 1940 Esquire cartoon set in a physician's office. The doctor looks quite experienced, but his sole role in the gag is to express shock at the goings on of young people these days. Shermund limits her palette to sepia tones; there is nothing to distract us from the two characters and their encounter.

"You see, the party was chaperoned on the honor system[.]"
Barbara Shermund
Esquire, January 1940, page 79

https://classic.esquire.com/article/1940/1/1/you-see-the-party-was-chaperoned-on-the-honor-system

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National Doctors' Day: Joe Zeis in the Exam Room

Today is National Doctors' Day in the US. In order to honor physicians for their selfless dedication, Dick Buchanan offers up a 1957 gag from his clip files by cartoonist Joe Zeis:

"Those X rays of yours are in here somewhere."

Joe Zeis

The Saturday Evening Post, June 15, 1957

Scan by Dick Buchanan

Note:  My thanks to Dick Buchanan for nurturing my appreciation of doctors in this special way. Dick, of course, is the custodian of the renowned Dick Buchanan Cartoon Clip Files and a regular contributor to Mike Lynch Cartoons, most recently a post entitled  "From the Dick Buchanan Files: The Search for Happiness Part Three: Marriage 1946 - 1964." Better check it out before you make any lifelong commitments.

The subject of perceived avarice in doctors with too much green on their hands has been visited here before. See, for example, Attempted Bloggery's most recent post (yes, there's more than one) about the notorious wrong bag cartoon.

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National Doctors' Day: Stanley Stamaty in the O.R.

National Doctors' Day comes around every year on March 30. I always assumed the date was chosen for its proximity to April Fools' Day, but actually it marks the anniversary of the first use of general anesthesia in surgery. And, speaking of surgery, a 1952 cartoon by Stanley Stamaty take us right into the operating room for a dose of medical humor.

"Robert, how much longer do we have to go on meeting like this?"
Stanley Stamaty
Cartoon Humor, Vol. 16, No. 3, 1952, page 80

Steven Boss humor magazine collection

Note:  This 1952 issue of Cartoon Humor is one of more than 5,600 magazines in the Steven Boss humor magazine collection at Columbia University. I took this photograph in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library more than five years ago on March 10, 2016, a time when lovers wearing masks had no particular social significance beyond the confines of the operating room. Today's post marks the fiftieth I got out of that half day's work—so far! I'm overdue for a return visit, but while the Butler Library where this wonderful collection is housed is now open to Columbia students, it is not yet open to the general public. Still, Curator for Comics and Cartoons Karen Green can provide interested parties with up-to-date information on access to the collection.

This issue contains several other full-page cartoons by Stanley Stamaty, but I did not photograph them, a serious error in judgment on my part. I'd like to redeem myself and post these other cartoons too when I get the chance. To that end, anyone with a copy of this magazine and a camera or scanner could be a tremendous help. Otherwise, this issue of Cartoon Humor should be my first stop when I return, eventually, to the RBML.

Stanley Stamaty still doesn't have a Wikipedia page. Shouldn't somebody do something about that?

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National Doctors' Day 2019: Ronald Searle

Every year on March 30 we celebrate National Doctors' Day. While managing the many maladies that afflict their patients, doctors have always strived to keep up with the latest technology. British illustrator Ronald Searle, for one, understood this. In 1969 he inscribed a copy of Take One Toad (1968), described as "A Book of Ancient Remedies," to Midge and John Locke, his North American agent. He added a detailed ink and watercolor drawing showing the aftermath of what I take to be an 18th century tooth extraction utilizing elaborate toothed forceps and noting, "Positively no home should be without one." Who can argue with progress?

Drawing of a dental extraction
inscribed "For Midge & John [Locke]
with love       
                 New York
                        February 1969
Ronald"             
And appended
"Positively no home
should be without
one—"
in Take One Toad (1968)
Bookseller image, Farshaw's Fine Old Books & Vintage Toys
Priced at $2,000 in 2007

Note:  Need I say it? If you, Kind Reader, have access to a cartoon art book containing an original drawing of this quality, whether by Ronald Searle or by another superb artist, either with or without the depiction of a historical medical procedure, please submit an image to me for probable inclusion here in a future blog post.

Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:

Ronald Searle

Doctors

Signed Books with Original Drawings

Attempted Bloggery's Painstaking Index

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National Doctors' Day 2018

On March 30 we celebrate National Doctors' Day. In a 1957 New Yorker cartoon, Peter Arno salutes physicians not only for their ability to maintain a professional demeanor but for their willingness to make house calls.

Peter Arno, The New Yorker, November 2, 1957, page 41

http://archives.newyorker.com/?i=1957-11-02#folio=040

Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:

Peter Arno

Doctors

The New Yorker

Baseball

Passover


Easter

Attempted Bloggery's Careworn Index

Attempted Bloggery supports net neurtrality

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National Doctors' Day 2017

Every year on March 30 we celebrate National Doctors' Day. In a 1942 New Yorker cartoon, Otto Soglow salutes physicians both for their courteous professionalism and for their uncanny clinical skills.

Otto Soglow, The New Yorker, April 11, 1942, page 20

http://archives.newyorker.com/?i=1942-04-11#folio=020

Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:

Otto Soglow

Doctors

The New Yorker

Jack Ziegler (1942-2017)

Attempted Bloggery's Cheeky Index

Paging Dr. Hopp.

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