Name/Title
Dumb DoraDescription
"Dumb Dora" was a a term coined in the 1920's for a scatter-brained 'flapper' type, similar to "dizzy dame." It became a kind of comedic trope, employed by Gracie Allen in her work with George Burns, and was also the type Lucille Ball later inhabited so skillfully. It's not surprising that the original strip doesn't age particularly well on either gender or ethnic counts.
Backgammon zealots were often a figure of fun in 1930’s cartoons and articles. Cartoonist Paul Fung devoted over a half dozen Sunday strips in early 1931 to a storyline in which hapless suitor Rod Ruckett tries again and again to win over his flapper gal Dora by teaching her backgammon. It’s a one-note joke that gets old fast, as does the stereotypical “latin lover” depiction of Rod’s rival, “Señor Frijoli.” The broad ethnic and gender stereotyping will spoil the fun for many modern readers, but for the curious, the entire opus may be downloaded in the PDF below.Publication Details
Publication Type
Comic StripDate Published
Mar 1, 1931Time Period
Modern BackgammonOther Names and Numbers
Other Numbers
Number Type
SequenceOther Number
1931_03_01
