Gary Larson Turns 76: The Far Side Cartoonist Who Found His Way Back to Drawing
Gary Larson, the cartoonist who created The Far Side, turns 76 today, August 14.
Born in Tacoma, Washington, in 1950, Larson spent 15 years drawing one of the most recognizable single-panel cartoons in American newspapers. The Far Side ran from January 1, 1980, to January 1, 1995. Cows, scientists, cavemen, insects and other unlikely characters became familiar territory for its readers.
Larson did not study art at university. He graduated from Washington State University with a degree in communications in 1972 and also took science courses. His interest in science later became a recurring part of The Far Side.
That connection eventually went beyond the cartoons. Larson’s work was exhibited in science museums, and researchers named species after him. The word “thagomizer,” which appeared in a Far Side cartoon as a name for the spikes on a stegosaurus tail, was later adopted informally by paleontologists.
By the time The Far Side ended, it was appearing in nearly 2,000 newspapers. Larson also received the National Cartoonists Society’s Reuben Award for Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year in 1990 and 1994.
Larson retired The Far Side on January 1, 1995, after 15 years of newspaper deadlines. He subsequently spent more time on other interests, including jazz guitar, while the cartoons continued to circulate through books and calendars.
For years there was no official Far Side presence online. That changed in 2019 with the launch of TheFarSide.com, which began publishing selections from the original cartoons along with material from Larson’s sketchbooks.
His return to drawing came about in a less predictable way.
Larson has explained that he still made a personal Christmas card each year after retiring. Working with his old pens became increasingly frustrating, particularly when one clogged and needed cleaning, so he eventually tried a digital drawing tablet.
The new tools changed the experience. Larson began experimenting with drawing again, without the deadlines that had accompanied The Far Side. He has said that one of the first things he drew digitally was a caveman.
In 2020, Larson began posting new work under the title New Stuff on the official website. He made clear that this was not a revival of The Far Side or a return to daily cartooning.
Instead, the digital work gave him a place to experiment without a publishing schedule.
The official Far Side website continues to publish selections from the original archive alongside sketchbook material and Larson’s newer work.
Sources
The Far Side — Gary Larson: Once a Cartoonist, Forever a Wingless Insect
https://www.thefarside.com/about/34/gary-larsons-bio
The Far Side — New Stuff
https://www.thefarside.com/new-stuff
The Far Side — About
https://www.thefarside.com/about
The Far Side — A Letter From Gary Larson
https://www.thefarside.com/about/48/a-letter-from-gary-larson
North State Journal / Associated Press — Famous Birthdays This Week: Aug. 13 to Aug. 19
https://nsjonline.com/article/2026/08/famous-birthdays-this-week-aug-13-to-aug-19/
