Happy National Garfield The Cat Day! Each year on June 19, today celebrates the fictional cartoon character, Garfield.
Garfield launched on June 19, 1978. The strip chronicled the life of the lead character, the cat Garfield (named after Davis ’s grandfather). It also introduced Garfield’s owner, Jon Arbuckle and Jon’s dog, Odie.
Set in Muncie, Indiana, common themes in the comic strip include Garfield’s wise-cracking, laziness, obsessive eating, love for lasagna and coffee, and hatred of Mondays and diets.
While the focus is mostly upon the interaction between Garfield, Jon, and Odie, the strip introduces other characters as well. These include Dr. Liz Wilson, Nermal, Binky the Clown, Irma and Lyman, to name a few.
There are many ways to celebrate the lovable tabby cat! Garfield fans everywhere share the tabby cat’s love of lasagna or contempt for Mondays.
In the late 1980s, CBS aired the American animated television series Garfield and Friends (1988-1994) on Saturday mornings. The titular tubby tabby was played by American actor, voice actor, writer, producer and musician Lorenzo Music.
Garfield was also one of the cartoon characters to appear in thirty-minute 1990 American animated drug-abuse prevention fantasy/short film 'Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue'.
In the mid-2000s, the 2004 American live action/computer-animated family/comedy film 'Garfield' was released into theaters.
A sequel was released two years later, being the 2006 British-American live action/computer-animated family/comedy film 'Garfield: A Tale of Two Kitties'. Both times, Garfield was voiced by Bill Murray.
In 2009, the French-American CGI animated television series The Garfield Show (2009–2016) broadcast on Cartoon Network, Boomerang and France 3.
In 2013, the publication became syndicated in roughly 2,580 newspapers and journals. Garfield holds the Guinness World Record™ for being the world’s most widely syndicated comic strip!
According to the 2015 Guinness Book of World Records™, Long Islanders Robert and Kathy Kothe have been collecting Garfield memorabilia for over thirty-five years.
Spending over $60,000, Kathy's record-setting collection includes 6,192 unique items, though their home holds over 14,000 items!
But beyond that, they also know he loves to sleep in sunbeams. They’re fond of his sense of humor and understand Jon’s love of animals.
In a world of cat lovers, this day offers some fun ways to celebrate.
• Bake some cookies or cupcakes for Garfield’s birthday.
• Read the comic strip.
• Watch a Garfield episode.
• Share your Garfield collectibles.
• Take selfies with your tabby cat.
• See how many Garfields you can name (that aren’t a cat).
• Pick up a Garfield coloring book.
Share your favorite comic strip by using #GarfieldTheCatDay on social media.
HISTORY
In 1998, National Garfield The Cat Day was first celebrated on the 20th anniversary of the comic strip and Garfield’s birthday.
On June 19, Boca Raton City Council Member Wanda Thayer proclaimed that day as Garfield the Cat Day. This was during a surprise birthday party at the International Museum of Cartoon Art in Boca Raton, Florida.
What's your most 'Garfield-like' trait?
#NationalGarfieldDay
@Garfield
@beingjimdavis
@cartoonartmuseum
@GuinnessWorldRecords
@CBS
@CartoonNetwork
@BoomerangToons
@france3
@nichecinema
