The April Fool Archive

April Fool's Day Cartoons

A fool’s cap and a plate of ice cream (1896)

Peter Newell (artist), Harper's Bazaar — Apr 4, 1896 More…

Mr. Smarty and his April Fool Joke (1897)


1. Mr. Smarty of Hayseed Cents thinks up a great April Fool joke.
2. Which is the rather ancient one of nailing ten-cent pieces to the board walk.
3. A pair of wayfarers play the game.
4. But soon find a way to get ahead of it.
5. How Mr. Smarty enjoyed the joke.
6. And how the others liked it.

[The Sunday World — Apr 4, 1897] More…

The Fool at the Phone (1896)


"Hello! Well, what is it? Yes this is — hello! I can't hear you plainly—stand closer, you know. (The idiot talks with his mouth full of dough). I say, I'm not deaf, darn you; don't holler so! Yes, this is (confound it), why can't you go slow? You want to see who? Spell it—"F, double O L—first name is April!" Oh, hell—hello! (Consigns him to regions unmentionable below)." More…

San Francisco Jokers (1900)


• Was told his house was burning, but found out it was April Fool's Day

• Trying to take "Bad Money" off the side walk

• Had April Fool umbrellas to give away More…

De Ole Hat Trick (1900)


McGee — "Here's de ole hat trick again. I'll kick it to please the boys."

The Plumber — "Holy Smoke! Police! Fire!!!" More…

The Horrid April Fool (1900)

And now the cheerful idiot marches promptly to the front,
To blight his race and curse the age, as ever is his wont,
In harmless little "practicals," which mark the dismal way,
And though he spoil one's life he claims "'twas only done in play."

The first, though not the greatest fool, is he who seeks to air
And advertise his lunacy by jerking back one's chair,
Just as one's "brakes" are taken off, from ankle up to neck,
When, in the place of sitting down, one strikes the floor — a wreck. More…

A New Bunch of Practical Jokers (1901)

"A few of the unsophisticated and unwary who were made victims of practical jokers on All Fools' Day and the methods used to accomplish their undoing and furnish amusement for the gaping spectators." [The San Francisco Call - Apr 2, 1901] More…

A Brand New Stunt Up His Sleeve (1915)


No Fool Like an April Fool (1915)


• Scoop - knock me out about a colyum april fool story - sumpin' new an' funny!
• Scoop's copy: Here's a new and funny april fool story. (One col of blank space)
• Aw nix now boss, have uh heart! More…

All Fools’ Day - The War Spreads (1915)


Mutt and Jeff (1919)


Gasoline Alley… April Fool, Walt (1920)


Sawdust Pie (1923)

"Ma didn't get much of a laugh out of the april fool joke she played on dad with that sawdust pie." More…

The Old Home Town (1923)

"After more than twenty people passed an old pocket book on Main Street, yesterday, thinking it was an April Fool joke, along came Joel Hancock from Hootstown and picked it up — it contained three one dollar bills." More…

Another One on Walt (1925)


Moon Mullins (1925)


The Simplest Trick of All (1925)


Too Wise (1931)


Gasoline Alley… An Extraction Anyway (1936)


The Smart Boy (1939)

"The smart boy who stepped on the string before picking up the wallet."

Fritzi Ritz (1943)


What’s wrong here today? (1946)


Hannah (1946)


Miss Cynthia Snoop (1947)


Only on April Fool’s Day (1947)


I didn’t buy it (1949)


Bringing April Fool Gags Up To Date (1949)


Stick ‘Em Up! (1950)


Sweeney & Son (1956)


The Ryatts (1957)


Not What It Used To Be (1957)

Peanuts by Charles Schulz - April 1, 1957. More…

Pogo (1959)


Soap Fudge (1959)


Grandma plays a joke (1960)

[Kittanning Leader-Times - Apr 1, 1960] More…

Priscilla’s Pop (1961)


Dennis the Menace (1963)


Peanuts (1964)


Nancy (1964)


Peanuts (1967)


Tomorrow is April Fool’s Day, Charlie Brown (1969)


Peanuts (1970)


I’m Giving You a Raise! (1972)


P.S. April Fool (1974)


Dunagin’s People (1981)


April Fool’s Day Headlines (1991)

"Mother Teresa — 2 Live Crew team up for spiritual album"
"Dukakis demands recount"
"Saddam tapped for Nobel Peace Prize"
"Bush: 'No new taxes!'
"Iraqi Army attacks!"
"Mitsubishi buys Oregon"
"'92 presidential campaign called off" More…

The Great Comic Strip Switcheroonie (1997)

Comic strip fans opened their papers on April 1, 1997 and discovered their favorite strips looked different. Not only that, but in many cases characters popped up in other strips out of place. The reason for the chaos was the Great Comics Switcheroonie. Forty-six comic-strip artists conspired to pen each other's strips for the day. Scott Adams of Dilbert took over Family Circus by Bil Keane. Garfield and his owner visited the world of Blondie. And the character Nancy popped up in the Foxtrot comic strip wearing a Darth Vader outfit. More…