Lord Snooty

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Lord Snooty (or Lord Snooty and his Pals) was a fictional character in a comic strip in the UK comic The Beano, first appearing in issue 1, dated 30 July 1938, and was the longest running strip in the comic until Dennis the Menace and Gnasher overtook it. The central character was Lord Marmaduke of Bunkerton, known to his friends as Snooty, a very ordinary boy who just happens to be an Earl.

The strip was mostly drawn by Dudley D. Watkins until his death in 1969, though Leo Baxendale and Bill Holroyd occasionally filled in for Watkins. The strip had an 18 month hiatus from the comic between June 1949 and December 1950. It was at this point that Snooty's original pals (from Trash Can Alley) were replaced with his new pals who lived in the castle. Some of these had previously appeared in other Beano strips. Robert Nixon then drew it for the next few years, before being succeeded by Jimmy Glen in 1973. Ken H. Harrison took over in 1988, and continued to draw it until the strip disappeared from The Beano in 1990. Lord Snooty was the only remaining strip left from the first issue when it was cancelled.

In 2000, Lord Snooty made a special appearance in the Bash Street Kids Book 2001, along with Snitch and Snatch.

In 2005 Snooty was revived, briefly, in the Beano serial Are We There Yet? by writer-artist Kev F Sutherland, in which he goes hip-hop as Snoot Doggy-Dogg.

Over the years, the strip featured the following characters:

• Snooty
• Aunt Matilda - Snooty's guardian, nicknamed Aunt Mat.
• Samuel - the castle guard.
• Snooty's pals (who appeared to live with him in Bunkerton Castle):
  • Skinny Lizzie - thin girl, part of Trash Can Alley gang (1938-1950)
  • Hairpin Huggins - tall thin boy, part of Trash Can Alley gang (1938-1950)
  • Happy Hutton - unhappy boy, part of Trash Can Alley gang (1938-1950)
  • Gertie the Goat - a goat, member of Trash Can Alley gang (1938-1950)
  • Scrapper Smith - loves to fight, originally member of Trash Can Alley gang, stayed on to live in castle (1938-1990)
  • Rosie - short blonde girl loves to cook, originally part of TCA gang, and stayed on to live in castle (1938-1990)
  • Snitch and Snatch - identical twins who cause mischief and mayhem. First appeared in (1947-1990)
  • Joe - very fat and greedy. (a.k.a. Big Fat Joe) First appeared in beano no 1, had own strip, joined Snooty in 1950 (1938,1950-1990)
  • Liz - a very tall girl. (a.k.a. Swanky Lanky Liz) Joined Snooty in 1950. Previously had own strip in 1949 (1949-1990)
  • Thomas - an indecisive boy, whose hair was shaped like a question mark (cf. Doubting Thomas) Similar story to Liz (1949-1990)
  • Polly - a black girl. (1960s-1985)
• Other characters:
  • Professor Screwtop, inventor who appears sometimes to help out the gang, particularly in 1940s. He occasionally appeared in other Beano strips such as the Bash Street Kids.
  • Angus, Snooty's pet stag.
  • Pongo, puppy
  • Cyril, The Castle Jackdaw.
  • The Gasworks Gang, sworn enemies of Snooty and his pals.

He and his friends have featured in the comic every now and again since the strip was retired, usually in minor cameos. Major appearances include issue 3093 (dated 27 October 2001) where a one off strip called 'Lord Snooty's Day Out' appeared (drawn again by Ken H. Harrison), and in issue 3185 (dated 2 August 2003) where as part of the 65th anniversary issue he made a guest appearance alongside The Bash Street Kids. Big Fat Joe also guest appeared in that issue, alongside Billy Whizz.

On 9 September 1998, a book entitled The Legend of Lord Snooty and his Pals (ISBN 0-85116-691-1) was released. This contained a history and reprints from the first 30 years of the strip's life.

The strip inspired Dave Snooty and his Pals, a Private Eye strip which mocks David Cameron and the alleged "Eton Mafia".

Lord Snooty the Third

The 5th July 2008 issue of The Beano, number 3439, included a new version of the strip drawn by Nigel Parkinson. It is about a mischievous boy who lives in a castle, the first strip showed Snooty jetskiing on Lake Snooty. The following issue, number 3440, establishes that this character is indeed Marmaduke's grandson, showing a distinctive and recognisable "Grandad" in the family portrait gallery. Later on, Snooty the Third became a spy, parodying James Bond.