Lord Snooty

The strip was mostly drawn by Dudley D. Watkins until his death in 1969,[3] though Leo Baxendale and Albert Holroyd occasionally filled in for Watkins.[1]

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 Ash Can Alley) were replaced with his new pals who lived in the castle. Some of these had previously appeared in other Beano strips. The strip had another hiatus from 1958 to 1959, before the comic began reprinting older Lord Snooty strips.

Watkins returned to drawing the strip in 1964, before Robert Nixon took over in 1968.[1] Nixon continued to draw it for the next few years, before being succeeded by Jimmy Glen in 1973.[1] Ken H. Harrison took over in 1988, and continued to draw it until the strip discontinued from The Beano in 1991.[1] Lord Snooty was the only remaining strip left from the first issue when it was withdrawn.[4] Editor of the 1990s, Euan Kerr, admitted that he never liked writing stories for the character, mostly because he was an outdated character in a dated mid-20th century world that 1990s' children could never relate to.[4]

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

In 2000, Lord Snooty made a special appearance in the Bash Street Kids Book 2001, along with Snitch and Snatch.[5] Snooty also appeared in issue 3093[6] where a one off strip called 'Lord Snooty's Day Out' appeared (drawn by Ken H. Harrison), and in issue 3185 where as part of the 65th anniversary issue he made a guest appearance alongside The Bash Street Kids.[7] Big Fat Joe also guest appeared in that issue, alongside Billy Whizz.

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. The character was often acknowledged but didn't come to prominence again until he was used as a villain for a feature-length Bash Street Kids story again illustrated and written by Kev F. Sutherland. The plot saw him, and a few other retro Beano characters such as Keyhole Kate and Pansy Potter, trying to take over The Beano and return it to its post-war roots. He failed, and was defeated by The Bash Street Kids.

In January 2013, Lord Snooty was brought back alongside a number of old Beano characters as a three-panel strip in a new section of the Beano called Funsize Funnies, as well making appearances in subsequent Beano Annuals.[8] Lord Snooty ended in the penultimate issue before the 75th Anniversary Special. He returned in a few comic strips designed by Lew Stringer.[9]

• Snooty
• Aunt Matilda – Snooty's guardian, nicknamed Aunt Mat.
• Samuel – the castle guard.

Snooty's original pals (who appeared to live with him in Bunkerton Castle):

• Skinny Lizzie – thin girl, part of Ash Can Alley gang (1938–1950)
• Hairpin Huggins – tall thin boy, part of Ash Can Alley gang (1938–1950)
• Happy Hutton – unhappy boy, part of Ash Can Alley gang (1938–1950)
• Gertie the Goat – a goat, member of Ash Can Alley gang (1938–1950)
• Scrapper Smith – loves to fight; original member of Ash Can Alley gang; stayed on to live in the castle. The character gained his own strip in 1955 which lasted until 1959.[2] (1938–1990)
• Rosie – short blonde girl loves to cook, originally part of Ash Can Alley gang, and stayed on to live in the castle (1938–1990)
• Snitch and Snatch – identical twins who cause mischief and mayhem. They did not appear in the first issue but joined Snooty's pals later on in 1938. (1938–1990)

A few members of the Ash Can Alley Gang, represented in the 2019 Beano Annual.[11] Left to right: Doubting Thomas, Lanky Liz (with Snitch in front), Rosie on Scrapper's shoulders, Snooty, and Big Fat Joe (with Snatch in front of him).

Snooty's later pals (who became his pals in the strip's second series):[1]

• Joe – very fat and greedy. (a.k.a. Big Fat Joe) First appeared in Beano no 1, had his own strip, joined Snooty in 1950 (1950–1990)[13]
• Liz – a very tall girl. (a.k.a. Swanky Lanky Liz) Joined Snooty in 1950. Previously had her own strip from 1948 to 1949. In this strip the character was shown as a swanky stuck-up (with a nose which literally stuck up) snob these traits were lessened when she became one of Lord Snooty's pals.(1948–1990)[14]
• Thomas – an indecisive boy, (Doubting Thomas) whose hair was shaped like a question mark (1950–1990)[15]
• Polly – a black girl. She originally had her own strip entitled Polly Wolly Doodle and her Great Big Poodle.[16] (1946–1947, 1950–1985)

• Professor Screwtop, inventor who appears sometimes to help out the gang. He occasionally appeared in other Beano strips such as the Bash Street Kids. Since 2017, he has appeared in the TV series Dennis & Gnasher: Unleashed! along with his daughter, Rubidium "Rubi".
• Angus, Snooty's pet stag.
• Pongo, a dog originally from the strip Polly Wolly Doodle and her Great Big Poodle.[16]
• Cyril, The Castle Jackdaw.
• Mary, A mule originally had her own strip called Contrary Mary which was in the Beano's first issue, she joined Snooty's gang in 1950.[13][17]
• The Gasworks Gang, sworn enemies of Snooty and his pals.

• Riches, Christopher, ed. (2008). The History of The Beano: The Story So Far. D. C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. ISBN 978-1-902407-73-9.
• The Legend of Lord Snooty and His Pals. D. C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. 1998. ISBN 0-85116-691-1.