Interview with teenage cartoonist Daniel C. Lewis

KPIX-TV news footage from December 26 1968 with reporter Ben Williams featuring an interview with 16 year old cartoonist Daniel C. Lewis, a student at Terra Linda High School in San Rafael (Marin County, CA). Williams introduces Lewis as being: "Probably the youngest steadily working cartoonist in the country. His strip - called The Generation Gap - is really a critical essay on the relationship between adults and today's teenagers." Lewis explains where he gets his ideas from and there are views of him sketching (with close up shots of his cartoons) in his mother Sally Lewis's studio. Ends with silent views of a cartoon Lewis drew about his main character (Marvin) buying a television set with his personal savings. Note that at the time of this interview, Lewis's The Generation Gap was featured in Marin's Daily Independent Journal newspaper. Opening graphic designed by Carrie Hawks.

Cartoonist Dan Lewis was a Terra Linda High School junior when he sold his idea for "The Generation Gap" to Independent Journal editor Bryce Anderson in late 1968.  In the course of its 60 week run, the strip became increasingly political, ruffling a few feathers.  But the paper stood by the strip, which continued until Dan graduated in January 1970.  Dan went on to become a graphic artist, designing books and advertising for a decade before choosing the life of a touring musician for the ensuing 40 years.  He lives with his wife and son in Albany, California. Thanks to Daniel Lewis for providing us with this background information.