New Yorker cartoonist Leo Cullum dies in Malibu at 68

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Leo Cullum, a cartoonist whose drawings helped define the look of the New Yorker magazine in recent decades, died of cancer Saturday in Malibu, his brother Thomas said. He was 68.

For 33 years, Cullum contributed hundreds of cartoons to the magazine, featuring images of businessmen in sombreros, showgirls in courtrooms and smart aleck dogs. His distinctive drawings were often used for the magazine’s caption contest.

Cullum worked as a pilot for TWA for 30 years, including his early years as a cartoonist.

-- Associated Press

For the record: An earlier version of this post said Cullum took up cartooning more seriously after TWA laid him off. In fact, Cullum was an active cartoonist during his airline career. He quit flying for TWA when he reached the airline’s mandatory retirement age of 60.