The Sweet Life of Jay Ward

For those of have been following my recent string of posts, you'll recall a series of insightful gag cartoons by Bill Scott recounting the trials and tribulations of the little studio that could, Jay Ward Productions.  The last of these posts are more personal; less about production and more about the two individuals helming the studio, Jay Ward and Bill Scott.

This week showcases Jay Ward's predilection for one of the finer things in life.  In a salute written by Bill Scott  for an ASIFA awards dinner that he was unable to present in person, Scott described one of his partner's primary weaknesses:

There is Jay Ward the eternal child, with a sweet tooth approximately the size of a mastodon tusk, who, when expanding his studio, made the first order of business, even before the desks were moved in, the installation of a complete soda fountain.  Ours is the only studio certified by the Pure Food and Drug Administration.

According to one of Jay's writers, Lloyd Turner, "We had a popcorn machine, an ice cream machine with tubs of every flavor plus two types of cone, and a Snow Cone machine with strawberry and cola flavors.  There were boxes of candy, hundreds of flavors of jelly beans, Kit Kats, Snickers bars and cases of real soft drink--not the diet stuff.  We'd all be drinking coffee at eight in the morning while Jay would have a breakfast of Coca-Cola and popcorn, or doughnuts.  God, his sweet tooth was legendary!"

Herewith, some of Bill Scott's observations about Jay Ward's culinary habits:

Thanks to Keith Scott and his book, The Moose That Roared, for the above quotations.