In the current issue of Classics from the Comics there is a special section devoted to long-time D C Thomson artist 'Willie' Ritchie (Bill's moniker around the Thomson offices if not elsewhere) and in the biographical preamble there occurs a mistake. The mistake being that Baby Crockett, one of Bill's most successful creations, was present in the Beezer comic from the first issue in Jan 1956. This is not so. Baby Crockett first appeared in the Beezer comic in issue No 34 dated 8th Sept 1956.
As he then continued to appear in all the remaining issues of the comic to the final issue (No 1809) and in all issues of the spin-off title Beezer and Topper (153) the combined total makes him the second most successful Beezer character of all in Beezer related titles. (If we were to include his 'other life' as a nursery comic character in Bimbo etc he would no doubt win hands down, although by now the Beezer/Beano exploits of the Numskulls would run him close).
In terms of the Beezer itself three strips did run in the comic for all of its 1809 issues they being Ginger, the Banana Bunch and Pop, Dick and Harry but then Ginger failed to make the transition to the combined Beezer and Topper while Pop, Dick and Harry clocked up only 98 appearances in the combined title ( a total of 1907 issues) leaving the Banana Bunch, who appeared throughout the run of both titles, a total of 1962 issues, to claim the crown as the undisputed kings of the Beezer comic with Baby Crockett, with a combined total of 1929 issues, just behind in second place.
Baby Crockett blooper
Moderator: AndyB