Cartoonist and Editorial Writer for The Arizona Daily Star, Fitz spoke at the November 14, 2022, meeting of Democrats of Greater Tucson. He is syndicated to more than 700 news publications. He has been an Editorial Cartoonist and Writer for the Star since 1986. Known as the “Fastest draw west of the Potomac,” he also refers to himself as a “flaming moderate at the fringe of America’s center.”
He started drawing in first grade and went on to compose 11,000 caricatures and editorial cartoons. He drew for school, underground and college newspapers. After earning his degree in graphic design, he worked at papers in Oklahoma and Virginia, and joined the Star at age 30. “I am one of 18 editorial cartoonists retaining an American pulpit in this present Age of Madness,” he says.
When he is not at his drawing board slinging ink or editorials, David is entertaining audiences by tossing out zingers, quick sketch cartoons and caricatures. Known as the “Fastest draw west of the Potomac,” Fitz has opened for PBS’s Mark Russell and has performed his “exceedingly silly” chalk talks in every conference meeting room, theatre, school, and clubhouse west of the San Pedro.
Fitz is a snappy dresser who loves reading hate mail from readers, making his kids laugh, and cursing the television. David Fitzsimmons was born in 1955
• Graduated from the U of A with a BFA in 1977
• Cartoonist for The Arizona Daily Star since 1986
• Again: Known as the “Fastest draw west of the Potomac.”
• Fitz has performed in every theatre, school, conference meeting room and clubhouse west of the San Pedro
• He has a bride, Ellen, three bright and beautiful children, four cats, one dog and the mouse is missing.
He started drawing in first grade and went on to compose 11,000 caricatures and editorial cartoons. In his own words:
“I’ve been meeting cartooning deadlines since I was 13, on the staff of the “The Tumbleweed,” the Naylor Middle School yearbook. At Rincon High School, I drew for the “Rincon Echo,” then for the underground paper, the “Frumious Bandersnatch,” then the “Arizona Daily Wildcat” with side trips to “The Pretentious Idea” and the “Tombstone Epitaph.”
