May 20th, 2015

Where They Live

by Brian Walker, Greg Walker and Chance Browne

Realism is an important element in Hi and Lois. For readers to identify with the Flagstons, they must be convinced that they are living people. Mort Walker went so far as to draw up a floor plan of the Flagston home, so that scenes around the house would be accurate and create a feeling of familiarity.

In his 1975 autobiography, Backstage at the Strips, Mort wrote about his own home in Greenwich, Connecticut. “We’ve lived in our big old house for 20 years and it’s filled with the memorabilia of our tenancy – doors broken from temper tantrums, railings gouged by bikes ridden indoors on rainy days, round marks on ceilings from ‘room tennis,’ and places where little ones ‘helped Daddy paint.’ It has taken on our character and will never stop echoing from our years of bustle.”

The Walker house inspired this Sunday page, which was reprinted in Reader’s Digest.

Hi and Lois Sunday page color proof, May 17, 1964.

Over the years, the Flagston house has been modified to fit various situations. It is not always depicted exactly the same. This is what it looks like today.– Brian Walker