Roger Bollen

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Roger “Rog” Bollen (July 27, 1941 – October 3, 2015) was an American writer and illustrator of comic strips and children’s books, and a producer of kids’ TV shows. He was born in East Cleveland, Ohio, and attended Shaw High School and Kent State University. He later lived in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. He died on October 3, 2015, in Hillcrest Hospital, Mayfield Heights, Ohio, after suffering a stroke and heart failure, at age 74. He is survived by his third wife Audrey Curran and his daughter Melissa Ellsworth.

Bollen created several popular comic strips, including Funny Business (1966–1980; redesigned to one panel in 1975) and Animal Crackers (1967–1994), the latter adapted into a 1997 animated TV series. He also drew Catfish (1973–1986). With his second wife Marilyn Sadler, he wrote and illustrated more than 50 children's books, starting with Alistair’s Elephant (1983). Other notable works include the P.J. Funnybunny series and Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century, which became a live-action film series. Bollen and Sadler also created Disney’s Handy Manny, a CGI-animated TV series, where they served as producers.