Al Capp was an American cartoonist best known for his comic strip Li'l Abner, which he wrote and illustrated from 1934 to 1977. He was also the creator of the Yokum Cartoonist, a character in the comic strip. Capp was born Alfred Gerald Caplin in 1909 in New Haven, Connecticut. He was a self-taught artist who began his career as a newspaper cartoonist in the 1920s. He went on to become one of the most popular and influential cartoonists of the 20th century. His work was widely syndicated and his characters were beloved by millions of readers. Capp's work was often controversial, but it was always entertaining and thought-provoking.