Cathy Guisewite

Cathy Guisewite doesn't know what the last four panels of her "Cathy" comic strip will look like when they run in 700 daily and Sunday U.S newspapers in early October. In fact, even after a nearly nonstop, 34-year run of putting words in the mouth and anxieties in the mind of her alter ego, she's hard-pressed during the course of an interview to say what the next four panels will look like — even though a deadline looms in less than 24 hours. "Quick, give me ideas!" Guisewite says as she sits behind the desk of her Studio City home office.

Cathy has her fans Re "Why Cathy didn't cut it," Opinion, Sept. 30 I wonder if Meghan Daum has any idea what it takes to write and draw a comic strip every day or week? Cathy Guisewite knows. Her "Cathy" maintained its high quality for decades and was never lost for a premise or the essential tag in the final panel. I've never experienced the challenges of thigh flab and shopping angst, but I've relished those of Cathy. I don't agree with the politics of Garry Trudeau, but I consider "Doonesbury" a national treasure.

I enjoyed Beth Ann Krier's articles on Cathy Guisewite. I'm not sure how it happened, but my pack of foxhounds got hold of the article of May 7. Would it be possible for you to introduce me to Cathy's dog? SCOTT J. TEPPER Reno, Nev.

This weekend marks the end of an era for American women. Cathy, the weight-obsessed, chocolate-loving, shopaholic comic strip heroine who has appeared in newspapers (including this one) for more than three decades, will make her final appearance on Sunday. Cathy's creator, Cathy Guisewite, has been chided for plenty of things over the years, not least sabotaging female progress by trafficking in hoary and reductive female stereotypes. The title character had a nagging mother, a fear of dressing rooms and a straight-from-the-container Haagen-Dazs response to all of life's frustrations.

The creator of "Cathy"--the popular comic strip character who has Ansgt -ed over decisions like what color lipstick to buy and whether to forgo aerobics for ice cream--is taking an eight-week maternity leave, starting today. Cathy Guisewite is adopting a child and wants the time to "give this baby the extra attention it will need in the first several weeks of life." The strip appears in about 1,200 newspapers, including The Times. Reruns of the strip will run daily in The Times.

DANCING THROUGH LIFE IN A PAIR OF BROKEN HEELS by Mickey Guisewite, illustrated by Cathy Guisewite. (Bantam: $14.95, 210 pp.) Anyone who reads the comics knows Cathy Guisewite, creator of the "CATHY" comic strip, an arch little look at the modern woman syndicated in over 1,000 newspapers worldwide.

Branching out: Sesame Workshop will help produce a Hindi-language version of its series "Sesame Street" for children in India. "Sesame India" will launch in 2006. Film awards: Samuel L. Jackson will host this year's Independent Spirit Awards, airing Feb. 26 on the Independent Film Channel and Bravo. Cathy's gifts: She's only a comic strip character, but Cathy gave a real website when announcing her wedding gift registry. And now Universal Press Syndicate reports that $10,000 has come in to www.

These have been strange days here at the Cathy Guisewite Dating Agency. Ever since an article I wrote about the the creator of the Cathy cartoon strip appeared in View on May 7, the phones have not stopped ringing. Guys from all over Southern California professing to be crazy about Cathy are pining for, requesting and occasionally even groveling for introductions to Guisewite.

Faithful readers of the Cathy comic strip already know the character's fondness for Lawrence Kasdan films, but Cathy's affection for Kasdan's "Grand Canyon" has become a passion as consuming as dieting, shopping and her relationship with her boyfriend Irving. Cathy, the creation of cartoonist Cathy Guisewite, first noticed "Grand Canyon" in the Dec. 27 strip, when Cathy went to the movies with Irving and her parents.

Cathy Guisewite doesn't know what the last four panels of her "Cathy" comic strip will look like when they run in 700 daily and Sunday U.S newspapers in early October. In fact, even after a nearly nonstop, 34-year run of putting words in the mouth and anxieties in the mind of her alter ego, she's hard-pressed during the course of an interview to say what the next four panels will look like — even though a deadline looms in less than 24 hours. "Quick, give me ideas!" Guisewite says as she sits behind the desk of her Studio City home office.

Branching out: Sesame Workshop will help produce a Hindi-language version of its series "Sesame Street" for children in India. "Sesame India" will launch in 2006. Film awards: Samuel L. Jackson will host this year's Independent Spirit Awards, airing Feb. 26 on the Independent Film Channel and Bravo. Cathy's gifts: She's only a comic strip character, but Cathy gave a real website when announcing her wedding gift registry. And now Universal Press Syndicate reports that $10,000 has come in to www.

Before Destiny's Child rhapsodized about independent women, before Charlie's Angels took their stilettos to the big screen, before the glamorous sexual liberation of Carrie and company on "Sex and the City" -- before them all, there was Cathy. But in what may be a blow -- or a blessing -- to single women everywhere, Cathy, the slightly neurotic star of the eponymous comic strip, may be getting hitched.

DANCING THROUGH LIFE IN A PAIR OF BROKEN HEELS by Mickey Guisewite, illustrated by Cathy Guisewite. (Bantam: $14.95, 210 pp.) Anyone who reads the comics knows Cathy Guisewite, creator of the "CATHY" comic strip, an arch little look at the modern woman syndicated in over 1,000 newspapers worldwide.

The creator of "Cathy"--the popular comic strip character who has Ansgt -ed over decisions like what color lipstick to buy and whether to forgo aerobics for ice cream--is taking an eight-week maternity leave, starting today. Cathy Guisewite is adopting a child and wants the time to "give this baby the extra attention it will need in the first several weeks of life." The strip appears in about 1,200 newspapers, including The Times. Reruns of the strip will run daily in The Times.

Faithful readers of the Cathy comic strip already know the character's fondness for Lawrence Kasdan films, but Cathy's affection for Kasdan's "Grand Canyon" has become a passion as consuming as dieting, shopping and her relationship with her boyfriend Irving. Cathy, the creation of cartoonist Cathy Guisewite, first noticed "Grand Canyon" in the Dec. 27 strip, when Cathy went to the movies with Irving and her parents.

Before Destiny's Child rhapsodized about independent women, before Charlie's Angels took their stilettos to the big screen, before the glamorous sexual liberation of Carrie and company on "Sex and the City" -- before them all, there was Cathy. But in what may be a blow -- or a blessing -- to single women everywhere, Cathy, the slightly neurotic star of the eponymous comic strip, may be getting hitched.

This weekend marks the end of an era for American women. Cathy, the weight-obsessed, chocolate-loving, shopaholic comic strip heroine who has appeared in newspapers (including this one) for more than three decades, will make her final appearance on Sunday. Cathy's creator, Cathy Guisewite, has been chided for plenty of things over the years, not least sabotaging female progress by trafficking in hoary and reductive female stereotypes. The title character had a nagging mother, a fear of dressing rooms and a straight-from-the-container Haagen-Dazs response to all of life's frustrations.

Cartoons have come a long way since Popeye's promotion of spinach was the most controversial cause to be found on the comics page. Today it's not unusual to see weeks of strips devoted to such issues as homelessness, illiteracy and drug use, and politics has been a contemporary element since "Pogo" took on Washington more than two decades ago. Jim Berry ("Berry's World") recently chided George Bush for ducking interviews.