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B. Kliban, Sarah Kliban, Kalia Kliban, Judith Kliban
M. K. Brown is a cartoonist and painter whose work has appeared in many publications, including National Lampoon (1972-1981), Mother Jones, Wimmen's Comix, The New Yorker, Playboy and more. She has written several books, created animations for The Tracey Ullman Show, and was a contributing artist the "comic jam" graphic novel The Narrative Corpse. She is also an accomplished painter with work in galleries and many private collections. She was married to fellow cartoonist B. Kliban.
Her animated series Dr. N!Godatu (with Julie Payne as Dr. Janice N!Godatu) debuted in 1987 on The Tracey Ullman Show alternating with the then unknown Simpsons shorts (animated by the same Klasky Csupo team). Nancy Cartwright and Dan Castellaneta from The Simpsons provided voices: Nancy Cartwright in "Freeway" (as Dr. N!Godatu's friend who refuses to drive on freeways, through tunnels, or over bridges), and Dan Castellaneta in "Blind Date" (as the date) and "Fishtank" (as the fish tank repairmen). There were six shorts in all, each divided into four Acts. There were also two unreleased episodes (The Party and The Proposal). Dr. N!Godatu is pronounced without a vowel sound preceding the N and a clicked G.
Episode synopsis:
1 (4W02) The Office: Dr. N!godatu wore her pink slippers to work; not to worry, since she keeps a pair of pumps in a drawer for just such an emergency - but the drawer is filled with giggling pink slippers.
2 (4W03) Blind Date: Dr. N!godatu has a dream date with a lawyer who's also a surgeon, and, in college, was voted cutest couple; unfortunately, he's also someone who likes to talk about himself too much.
4 (4W01) Freeway: Dr. N!godatu is going shopping with her friend Pat (voice of Nancy Cartwright), who never drives over bridges, through tunnels, or - until Act III - on the freeway.
7 (4W26) Fishtank: Dr. N!godatu's fish are doing strange things, which is nothing compared to what the two balloon-like repairmen (voice of Dan Castellaneta) are doing trying to fix it.
9 (4W09) The Dream: Dr. N!Godatu has a strange dream - and that guy in it looks like her blind date Bill...
13 (4W12) Scanner: Dr. N!Godatu breaks out a scanner that converts brain activity into a TV picture. Ah, computer programming...
The Party: (unreleased) Pat's throwing a party.
The Proposal: (unreleased) You remember him. Bill Wallhead. He's back and he means business.
Character list:
Dr. Janice N!Godatu
Elaine (receptionist)
Mr. Marsh (patient)
Bill Wallhead (boyfriend)
Pat (friend)
The Carlisles (fishtank repairmen)
Michelle (patient)
"Aunt Mary's Kitchen"
M.K. Brown contributed various strips to National Lampoon magazine, "Aunt Mary's Kitchen" featuring regularly from the early '70s into the early '80s, often in multi-page full color spreads. In 1983 Collier Books published the "Aunt Mary's Kitchen" cookbook of 140 recipes gathered by M.K. Brown.
Character list:
Aunt Mary
Leo (brother to Aunt Mary)
Dorothy (twin sister to Aunt Mary)
Dr. Douglas McNouglas
Nurse Laura
Mark (nephew)
Heather (niece)
Dawn (niece)
Tommy (friend of the nieces)
Frankie (Aunt Mary's cat)
Bill & Lillian Moronson
National Lampoon magazine
The Magic Lamp, - June 1972
Funny Pages, "Mercury, God's Own Messenger" - July 1972
Funny Pages, "Whistle-Stop" - August 1972
Goin' West, - September 1972
Funny Pages, "Russ de la Rocca--Worm Trainer of the Americas" - September 1972
Funny Pages, "Beans Morocco Rides Again" - October 1972
Funny Pages, "Bill--The Story of a Newt Who Was Eaten by His Suit" - December 1972
The Day the Animals Discovered Death, Illustrated by M.K. Brown - January 1973
Another "True Life" Western Romance, - March 1973
Funny Pages, "Night Ride" - May 1973
Funny Pages, "Different Story" - June 1973
Saga of the Frozen North, - October 1973
Mercury, Messenger of God, - February 1974
Editorial cartoon - March 1974
Earl D. Porker, Social Worker, - March 1974
Western Romance, - May 1974
Funny Pages, "How to Appear Normal" and "Beans Morocco" - June 1974
Waste Not Want Nots, - July 1974
Funny Pages, "Worms" - October 1974
Earl D. Porker, Social Worker, - January 1975
Aunt Mary's - 12 panel Full COLOR spread. - August 1980
Aunt Mary's - August 1980: Aunt Mary had the strangest dream last night!
Aunt Mary's - September 1980: Aunt Mary decides to have a slide show.
Aunt Mary's - October 1980: Aunt Mary looks for pictures for the slide show.
Aunt Mary's - November 1980: Leo tries to fix the Popcorn machine.
Aunt Mary's - December 1980: Leo goes to the emergency room.
Aunt Mary's - May 1981: You know what they say about Fig Bars!
Aunt Mary's - June 1981: Leo has escaped from the hospital!
Aunt Mary's - August 1981: Can I have just ONE bite of your hamburger?
Aunt Mary's Slide Show - 11 panel Full COLOR spread. - August 1981
Script and Animation - Dr. N!Godatu - The Tracey Ullman Show - Fox
Script - Doug - Nickelodeon (ACE Award nomination)
Script - Things That Go Bump in The Night - Danger Prod.
Animation featured in The Third Animation Celebration - Expanded Entertainment
Blabber, Blabber, Blabber
On page 13 of American cartoonist Lynda Barry's 2011 book, Blabber, Blabber, Blabber: Volume 1 of Everything, Barry lists M.K. Brown as one of her early influences:
"By the time I graduated from high school I knew about bitter and sweet, but thanks to cartoonists like M.K. Brown, Gahan Wilson, and Ed Subitzky I also knew about weird and rare and hilarious ways of changing one into the other. These three cartoonists taught me to watch the people around me and listen to how they talk and to write down whattheysay. But I learned the most by copying their drawings, and these three were especially good teachers."