Did Flora invent South Park?

March 26, 2007   //   1940s, 1950s, 1960s, commercial illustrations, details, maritime

Jim Flora passed away in 1998, one year after the TV debut of SOUTH PARK. We don’t know if he ever watched it. Yet there is incontrovertible evidence that Flora telepathically transmitted artistic ideas to series creators Matt and Trey.

Exhibit A: In the New York Times, March 15, 1959, Flora depicted the stork delivering a litter of South Park denizens:

Forty years later, the above figures would have reproduced in sufficient quantities to populate a small Colorado town.

Exhibit B: In an undated, untitled, and unpublished early 1960s Flora tempera, Kenny makes a cameo appearance:

There is no indication that Flora repeatedly killed the above figure and then inexplicably brought him back to life. Research, however, continues.

  • Jim Flora

  • The Mischievous and Diabolic art of James Flora (1914-1998). Glimpses of rare works from the archives and news about Flora-related projects.

  • Categories

  • Archives