My Entry in The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #953

In The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #953 from the issue of July 28, 2025, a lion pays a visit to a dentist's office and the dentist has something to say about it. My entry appears below. The drawing is by Mark Thompson.

"My dental assistant was here when you came in."

These captions missed their check-ups, or at least their marks:

"Maybe not quite so wide."
"I'd prefer to use gas."

August 10, 2025 Update:  The Finalists

August 16, 2025 Update:  I voted for the caption from Rocklin, if I remembered to vote at all.

August 18, 2025 Update:  The Winner

 05015

Peter Arno's Side-Show for March 1937

The March 1937 installment of Peter Arno's "Side-Show" is definitely a keeper. I'm keeping my copy. The magazine is College Humor. These Arno cartoons must have created a sensation among young readers, but they were never collected and have been lost to popular culture for many decades. My guess, though, is that the people who encountered these drawings when they were coming of age remembered them fondly for life.

"Hurry, dear! Our guests are beginning to arrive!"
Peter Arno
College Humor, March 1937, p. 18 

"Gosh, I forgot to look at your teeth, didn't I?"
* * * 
"After the part where you tell them to 'speak now or forever hold their peace'—er—don't pause too long."
Peter Arno
College Humor, March 1937, p. 19

Here's the original art for each of these as seen on a 1985 contact sheet from the Nicholls Gallery:

"Hurry, dear! Our guests are beginning to arrive!"

"Gosh, I forgot to look at your teeth, didn't I?"

"After the part where you tell them to 'speak now or forever hold their peace'—er—don't pause too long."

Note:  For those keeping score at home, I am still looking for the published versions of three of the Peter Arno College Humor cartoons consigned to the Nicholls Gallery in 1985. There's also a "rather dumb" Otto Soglow psychoanalysis cartoon that should be in one of these issues as well.

"It's the master's idea—says it keeps them out of the Stork Club."
Peter Arno
Original art
College Humor, c. 1936-1937

"It isn't every student I'd let mark her own examination paper, Miss Dawson."
College Humor, c. 1936-1937

"You may shut off the heater now, Oglethorpe!"
Peter Arno
Original art
College Humor, c. 1936-1937

An organ grinder on the street feels sad that his monkey has more satisfying interactions with people than he does. He goes to a psychoanalyst and soon after changes places with the monkey.

"I think rather dumb." —Barbara Nicholls

Otto Soglow

So I'm keeping an eye out for "It's the master's idea—says it keeps them out of the Stork Club," "It isn't every student I'd let mark her own examination paper, Miss Dawson," and "You may shut off the heater now, Oglethorpe," but if any reader should already know where they are hiding out, please do tell.

All right, if you insist, I'll give you my own best guess for the location of these cartoons: College Humor, February 1937. Unfortunately, I don't see a copy currently available for sale but one was sold on eBay not all that long ago.

Modeled by Bil Baird
Color photo by Dudley Lee
College Humor, February 1937

College Humor, February 1937
eBay listing ended June 28, 2024

https://www.ebay.com/itm/166055249480

College Humor, February 1937
eBay item description

Here are some better images made with a scanner:

https://www.mycomicshop.com/search?TID=53000599

So please give a shout if you have a copy. And for heaven's sake, stay out of the Stork Club.

July 13, 2025 Update:  At long last, I can confirm that the three Arno cartoons are indeed from the February 1937 issue. I have made small corrections to the captions on the two horizontal cartoons.

04723

Richard Oldden: A Trout Stream

Another lot of four original cartoons by Richard Oldden were sold on eBay in early May. These drawings are all shaded finishes circa the 1970s. Their publication history is unknown. They may not all be as funny as some of Oldden's other gag cartoons, but they are certainly good looking drawings. It's hard to think the buyer didn't get a great deal: all four for $66.

"Hey! Would you mind holding it down a bit over there?"                  Picnic visitor             

     "You should never have let it go this long."     "Need I remind you that this is supposed to be a trout stream."

Versos with a numbering system and New York or Laguna Beach addresses

Richard Oldden
eBay listing ended May 3, 2023

https://www.ebay.com/itm/374659771772?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&nma=true&si=WEtIFz5%252FkfY9UxP8WWeB%252FCaqeVQ%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc

Richard Oldden
eBay item description

Richard Oldden
eBay bid history
Three bidders, four bids. The one placed in the final five seconds wins the lot.

Note:  Please let me know if you find where any of these drawings by Richard Oldden appeared in print. 

04323

Guess the Specialty

Today, I am proud to introduce a new game here on the blog. It's called guess the dentist's specialty. Now no peeking at the answers.

"DMD TMJ"
New Jersey license plate

Note:  This blog's vast archives of license plates includes one other from a dentist.

01245

Dental License

I am making a long overdue visit to the dentist today. I hope there's not too much bad news. In the meantime, here is a license plate that does not belong to my dentist.

"IDRILM"
New York State license plate

Note:  More vanity license plates may be seen here.

01041