Ward Greene

Ward Greene was born on December 23, 1892, and died on January 22, 1956. An American writer, editor, journalist, and playwright, he is best remembered as the general manager of King Features Syndicate, where he oversaw the work of Alex Raymond and other talents. Greene himself wrote Raymond’s detective strip *Rip Kirby* from 1946 until his death.

His most enduring creation came from a 1945 story he wrote for *Cosmopolitan* magazine, “Happy Dan, the Cynical Dog,” which became the basis for Walt Disney’s 1955 animated film *Lady and the Tramp*. Greene also wrote the spin-off comic strip *Scamp*, featuring the couple’s son, from 1955 to 1956. His comic strip credits include *Agent X9* and *Peter Falk*, with his work collected in volumes such as *Rip Kirby: The Menace of the Mangler* and *Super Detective Library*. Greene’s career bridged journalism and popular entertainment, leaving a mark on both newspaper comics and animation.