Cliff Sterrett

Cliff Sterrett was born Clifford Sterrett on December 12, 1883, in the United States, and died on December 28, 1964. He is best remembered as the creator of the long-running comic strip *Polly and Her Pals*, which he wrote and drew for decades. Sterrett entered the comics field in the early 20th century, developing a distinctive, highly stylized art that blended Art Deco elegance with surreal, almost cubist compositions—a look that influenced later cartoonists. His most celebrated work on *Polly and Her Pals* showcased his flair for dynamic layouts, expressive characters, and gentle domestic humor, often featuring the title character Polly and her eccentric family. He collaborated with no major co-creators, as the strip was solely his vision. Later in his career, Sterrett’s work appeared in reprint collections such as *Nemo: The Classic Comics Library*, and his strips were compiled in books like *Polly and Her Pals*. Though he never won major awards during his lifetime, his contributions to newspaper comics have been recognized posthumously by historians and archivists. Sterrett’s legacy endures as a master of comic strip design and a pioneer of modernist cartooning, with his work still studied for its innovative visual storytelling.