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Archie and Jughead, a Lynnfield connection?

There is little doubt that most of the inspiration for the Archie comic strip came from cartoonist Bob Montana’s teen years in Haverhill. The high school building, which is now the city’s library, resembles Riverdale High. Archie’s ever present teacher, Miss Grundy, is undoubtedly named for his real high school librarian, also named Miss Grundy. Even the principal had the same name.

Montana, though, had some strong Lynnfield connections, according to a book called “The New England Life of a Cartoonist: Bob Montana – Beyond the Archie Comic Strip,” by Carol Lee Anderson.  Before moving to Haverhill, Bob Montana, his mother, father, and sister, lived in a hotel in Boston’s theater district, and the family ran a restaurant called “Rancho.” All took part. His mother managed the operation, his father, a former vaudevillian, was the entertainment, his sister Ruth acted as hostess, and young Bob was a busboy. In his spare time the emerging artist painted murals on the wall.

To get the children out of the city the parents purchased a cottage on Pillings Pond and spend the summer of 1935 there. Tragedy struck, however. One day, while Bob was swimming, his 55-year-old father suffered a fatal heart attack on the beach.  His mother carried on with the restaurant for a while, but was forced to sell the cottage and, eventually, the restaurant. She remarried and the family moved to Haverhill. Bob’s sister Ruth married her longtime boyfriend and they purchased a home on Pillings Pond, just a stone’s throw from their old cottage. Young Bob continued to summer on the pond – this time with his older sister.

While there he befriended a boy named Larry Scanlon. 

Years after Bob’s death, in an interview with the Boston Globe, Montana’s widow, Peg Bertholet,  said that her late husband once told her that Archie’s comic book pal, Jughead, was a composite of Scanlon, as well as an employee of the Colonial Restaurant, Richard “Skinny” Linehan. 

Despite the fame it brought her husband, Gloria Linehan was not happy about the comparison. She said it was an insult. She said “Jughead was a moron.”

Although far less documented, it has been hinted that many of Archie’s exploits in the companion comic “Little Archie” were inspired by Montana’s days at Pillings Pond.

In any event, Montana thoroughly enjoyed his high school days at Haverhill. A Jan. 3, 1937 entry in his diary said “Best school I ever attended.” On June 25 his notation says ”So end one of the most enjoyable years I’ll ever have. I’m certainly glad I didn’t miss high school.”  As our reunion approaches, I certainly hope many of you feel the same.

Courtesy of Alan Foulds, our "unofficial" Class Historian