Renowned political cartoonist Paul Conrad dies at 86

AP

Paul Conrad, Editorial cartoonist for the Los Angeles Times in a 1984 file photo.

One of the most renowned political cartoonists of the past century has died. Paul Conrad died at his home in Rancho Palos Verdes Saturday at age 86.

Paul Conrad won three Pulitzer Prizes for his political cartoons. In his drawings over half a century, he took aim at presidents from Harry Truman to George W. Bush. He often says one of his greatest honors was making Richard Nixon’s enemies list. Conrad pricked a lot of politicians with his pen. He worked at the LA Times for three decades. The LA Times reports former Publisher Otis Chandler grew used to getting his breakfast interrupted by calls from Ronald Reagan or his wife, Nancy, furious that Conrad depicted the then-governor as dimwitted, mean-spirited or out of touch.

Southern California political junkies started their day for decades checking the Conrad cartoon first in the paper.

Personally, he packed a punch as well. A fellow cartoonist described him as a force to be measured on the Richter scale.

A film on Conrad’s life aired a couple of years ago on PBS’ Independent Lens. It’s called Paul Conrad: Drawing Fire.