The comic strip Mr. Abernathy by Ralston “Bud” Jones and Frank  Ridgeway premiered in 1957. At its peak, it was syndicated in over 200 newspapers. My research turned up conflicting accounts as to which of the creators initially did the writing and drawing. Jones left the strip in 1980, leaving the property totally in the hands of Frank Ridgeway.

The strip featured the extremely wealthy and eccentric Mr. Abernathy and his interaction with his servants and office employees, amongst others. It was a gentle humor strip without social or political commentary. Abernathy was just a fabulously rich man with the world as his plaything.

I had met Frank Ridgeway a couple of times when he was seeking work in animation. He did contribute to a number of animated projects. When he passed away in 1994, Mr. Abernathy’s run in the comics came to an end.

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