saw the copyright to the strip transferred to him. Characters and story Initially the strip only featured two characters, Pott and Whalesteeth, and was designed as a means of offering political comment. The name of the first was derived from rhyming slang in which "the old pot and pan" stood for "the old man"; the name of the second referred to the character's prominently-displayed teeth, which, when he grinned or grimaced, took possession of the entire lower portion of his face. The political nature of the comic was short-lived and Cross was asked to continue it as a domestic humour strip. Mrs. Potts was introduced in November 1920, and with her came the marital disputes and slanging matches which were to characterise the strip under Cross. In terms of drinking, arguing, swearing and displays of bad temper, You & Me remains unique in Australian comic book history and pre-dated Andy Capp by almost 40 years. Under Russell, the editors insisted that the strip become "more genteel", so he introduced new characters. By 1951 the characters were: John and Maggie Potts; their neighbour Whalesteeth; their daughter Ann and son-in-law Herb; grandchildren Bunty and Mike; Maggie's Uncle Dick; and Rodger Codger. Later Ann, Herb and Rodger disappeared, and Mike's friend Muggsy was added. Using Uncle Dick, who was a good-natured scrounger, Russell felt he could "sneak" into the strip the less attractive elements that had been excised from the main characters. Russell once said, "Uncle Dick is the eternal bum in the family... never wants to work. Borrows money... doesn't want to pay it back; boasts to the kids. A real ol' bullshit artist, a WC. Fields type." Often seen as semi-autobiographical, Uncle Dick was apparently initially based on the character Sheridan Whiteside in the 1941 film, The Man Who Came to Dinner, although Russell later wryly admitted: "I’ve grown more like Uncle Dick and Uncle Dick has grown more like me. My wife says he is me". References Notes Sources ACE biographical portraits: the artists behind the comic book characters: the Australian comic book exhibition, Australian comics 1930s-1990s, touring Australia during 1995/96 / edited by Annette Shiell and Ingrid Unger (1994, ) The Potts and Uncle Dick / by Jim Russell The Potts annual Australian comic strips 1920 comics debuts 2001 comics endings Gag-a-day comics Comics about married people Comics characters introduced in 1920 Fictional Australian people Fictional families Australian comics