Merle Gilson had an eye and talent for humor.
The 1921 Lewiston High School graduate, shown in the collage on the cover, spent years in the thick of the early days of animation, working with some of the best-known cartoon characters of the time — Walt Disney’s “Mickey Mouse,” Walt Lantz’s “Woody Woodpecker” and Hanna-Barbara’s “Fred Flintstone.”
After he retired, Gilson returned to the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley and spent time in public school classrooms helping young people learn about the serious business of cartoon animation.
Stories about people make for the most interesting reads, and that’s the focus of this special publication, Then and Now.
The more than 30 stories from the Lewiston Tribune’s archives range from an artist at the height of his career to a star athlete who gave it all up to pursue a career as a rapper. There are war heroes, cattle ranchers and even a young world traveler.
In addition to the original stories, we have tracked down those profiled and provided a quick update on where they are now.
We hope you enjoy reading their stories and learning more about them, Then and Now.
Clohessy is managing editor of the Lewiston Tribune. He may be contacted at cclohessy@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2251.
