“Forgotten Hollywood”- Monument to Archie…
Manny P. here…
“`Archie comic strips are part of American folklore. A life-size bronze statue of the red-haired, freckled Archie will soon greet visitors at a New Hampshire town in honor of the local man who drew the comic book character and his group of wholesome teenage friends.
“`The Greater Meredith Program, a community development nonprofit, raised $57,000 for the project in six months, mostly from residents. Architect Chris Williams originally suggested the idea to honor the former Meredith resident with a bronze statue. The figure will sit on a bench and look toward Bob Montana’s workshop, now vacant, where he spent his afternoons quietly drawing comic strips. The Belarusian artist commissioned to do the sculpture, Valery Mahuchy wants to bring people together and offer unity with the statue.
“`Bob Montana illustrated Archie, Betty, Veronica, and Jughead from 1942 until his demise in 1975 at age 54. He lived in Meredith, New Hampshire, for 35 years until he died from a heart attack while cross-country skiing. Montana brought the Archie Andrews character to life when he drew the first Archie comic strip while renting a cottage on Lake Waukewan. He was joined by other illustrators over the years, including Tom Moore, who also chronicled the character’s escapades from 1953 until he retired in the 1980s.
“`Montana’s impact in Meredith was immense. The comic strip was distributed in newspapers nationwide, a few years later. Its popularity led the company that published the comic books, MLJ Comics, to change their name to Archie Comic Publications in 1946. Over the years, the cartoon sold billions of copies worldwide, and inspired several television shows, including Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Riverdale. Montana also had a vision of turning Meredith into an art colony. He introduced several artists to the small town and created a local theater group.
“`The one-of-a-kind statue will be commemorated August 9th in Meredith’s Community Park to coincide with the town’s 250th anniversary.
Until next time> “never forget”
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