Jim Berry

http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoonist/profile.cfm/BerryJ/

Jim Berry

Retired Member

Berry's World, which was one of America's most widely syndicated editorial cartoons, was distributed six times each week by the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA). Jim Berry joined NEA's editorial art department in 1961 and began Berry's World in 1963. Berry retired on January 1, 2003.

Berry is a five-time winner of National Cartoonists Society awards, including two in 1973 for "Best Special Feature." In 1967, the National Headliners Club awarded him with their award for "Consistently Outstanding Editorial Cartoons."

Berry was selected by his alma mater, Ohio Wesleyan, to receive the 1995 distinguished Achievement Citation, presented to graduates of the institution for professional accomplishment. In 1992 Berry was chosen by Ohio Wesleyan as one of 24 outstanding alumni. The school's fine arts department chose Berry, a 1955 graduate, as its Sesquicentennial Alumnus. Berry was also honored in 1975 by Ohio Wesleyan as a Distinguished Alumnus.

"I try to keep my style and my approach fresh by pushing myself to new boundaries, such as using symbolism and doing cartoons without words," Berry says. "My style has changed over the years, but I'm always big on simplicity, which keeps it a challenge to get the idea across in a nugget."

Berry attended Dartmouth University and received his B.A. in business administration with a minor in art from Ohio Wesleyan. During college he contributed editorial cartoons to the school newspaper and humor magazine. His interest in cartooning expanded the year after graduation when he joined the Navy and completed their Famous Artists Cartoon Course. Prior to joing NEA, Berry worked on a variety of animation projects for television commercials.

In addition to his daily editorial cartoons, Berry produced a Sunday comic strip version of Berry's World. "I enjoy working in color on the Sunday pages and having all that space in which to draw," said Berry.

Berry has traveled extensively for work and pleasure throughout North and South America and Europe. He is part of a humor exchange program with the former Soviet Union and was one of five American humorists who visited there in June 1988. He is a member of the National Cartoonists Society and past president of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists.

Life in the Mall Lane, a collection of Berry's daily and Sunday panels, was published by Topper Books in 1987.

Born in Chicago and raised in the Midwest, Berry and his wife live half the year in Boynton Beach, Fla., and the other half on Cape Cod, in the house built by his sea captain great-grandfather in 1840. The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Berry enjoys sailing in his catboat, golfing, swimming, photography and painting. The Berrys have two grown sons.