Virgil Franklin Partch (October 17, 1916 – August 10, 1984), who generally signed his work Vip,[1] was an American gag cartoonist.
"[2] Born in Alaska, from a mother with the maiden name Pavlof,[1] Partch studied at the University of Arizona and the Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles.
[2] Later in his career, Partch drew the successful syndicated comic strip Big George[8] It was a six-day-a-week single panel cartoon about a typical husband when introduced in 1960.
[9] Partch created the strip, The Captain's Gig (about a motley bunch of mariners and castaways), syndicated by Field Enterprises.
Due to his aggressive creative efforts, at the time of his death he left behind enough "Big George" panels for the feature to continue for six more years of new material.