You've probably heard of the above-named panel, at least if you've lived any length of time in America, and didn't spend that time under a rock. You can be even older than me, and not remember a time when it wasn't a well-established newspaper feature — most likely, in your home town; but if not, then at least in a nearby one.

In fact, if you happen to be reading this on the day it's posted (Feb. 5, 2008), and happened to glance at "Today in Toons" on the way here, you know today is its 79th anniversary. Which happens, this year, to fall at a very significant time in its history. By an odd coincidence, it happens to be in the process of folding at this very moment. The final daily episode came out last weekend, and the final Sunday will appear this coming weekend.

They'll Do It Every Time wasn't one of our medium's great classics, like Pogo, or outstandingly notable, like Sam's Strip. But for many years, it was a reliable provider of chuckles — sometimes a bit on the rueful side, but still chuckles. Furthermore, it provided entire careers for three generations of cartoonists, and anything capable of doing that has got to have a thing or two going for it.

Creator Jimmy Hatlo had been doing an entirely different kind of cartooning in his regular job, and stumbled upon his most famous creation almost by accident. But when it caught on, he did practically nothing but that and its spin-off, Little Iodine, for the rest of his life. Bob Dunn had other credits in comics before becoming Hatlo's assistant, but once he did, he, too, did practically nothing else for the rest of his life. And as for Al Scaduto — he became Dunn's assistant early in life, took over the operation when Dunn died, and kept it going for the rest of his own life.

That ended on December 7 of last year. King Features Syndicate, which owns the feature, decided it was getting a bit long in the tooth, and opted to let it end rather than continue it into a fourth generation. It did look like a relic of past ages. In fact, none of the three ever updated the drawing style, so by now it's looking pretty old-fashioned.

So it's probably best laid to rest, as tired old Bringing Up Father was a few years ago. There are no-doubt quite a number of once-great comics that could benefit by being allowed to die cleanly, rather than shamble along in their current undead form, spoiling our memories of their salad days.

Still, its passing calls for a salute. They'll Do It Every Time — Ave atque vale!

By the way — happy Mardi Gras!

— DDM