Foxo Reardon

Francis X. Reardon, the creator of the world's first pantomime comic strip, was born in Richmond, Virginia on January 5, 1905, the youngest of three children of William Reardon, a glassblower, and Rose Meyer Reardon. He attended Sacred Heart Cathedral grammar school there. As early as age three, in 1908, he showed considerable drawing ability when he drew a presentable picture of a Richmond Blues (a military unit) parade. Art work of his done in conjunction with school work showed talent well beyond what would be expected from even a talented youth of age 11 or 12. Later he attended Bridgeton High School for two years after his father became employed in that city as a grassblower. At age 16 he returned to Richmond and was hired as a sports cartoonist with the Richmond Times-Dispatch but after a short period of time was let go for budget reducing purposes.

Francis then sought a position in the New York-New Jersey area. A letter written in his behalf at the time by a Times-Dispatch editor, dated September 27, 1921, to a New York paper, read: "This will introduce F. X. Reardon, cartoonist and maker of comic strips, who is looking for an opening in New York. He will make good if given a chance as he has a nice artistic touch and a real sense of humor. I will appreciate it if you will give hime a start. I was forced to cut him off the payroll by stern necessity. He is full of ideas and not afraid of work."

Francis did find work as a cartoonist for the Bridgeton (NJ)......
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