John Thomas "Jack" Callahan (December 14, 1888 – August 24, 1954), was a noted cartoonist during the early decades of the 20th century, being also credited for drawing the diagram for the first American crossword.

[6] Among them were "Calamity Jane", who was permanently pessimistic; "Comedian", who had a penchant for bad jokes; "Willie" the trouble-making kid, and love-struck couple "Hon" and "Dearie", who became the feature's titular characters between 1919 and 1921, when it became The Piffle Family.

[7] Callahan's other strip beginning around 1922 was Freddie, the Sheik,[8] centering on a young college graduate and his attempts to court women and make money.

[9] In spite of Freddie's popularity, in 1928-29 Callahan replaced it with Clarabelle's Cousin in order to cash in with the "pretty girl" melodrama strip boom.

Both strips' Sunday editions ran a topper called Dizzy's Eating House, about a low-rate diner and its scheming owner.