Staten Island Advance editorial cartoonist, reporter and columnist Tom Flannagan has passed away.
Thomas R. (Tom) Flannagan
March 31, 1932 – October 19, 2025
From the obituary:
After graduating from Curtis High School, he completed correspondence courses with the Famous Artists School and Cartoonerama in pursuit of his passion for illustration.
Tom Flannagan, Staten Island Advance – April 7, 1962; Flannagan’s first?
He joined the Advance as a part-time golf columnist and editorial cartoonist in April 1962, and continued with the newspaper into his 80s, serving in a variety of newsroom roles.
Advance editors frequently called upon Mr. Flannagan to sketch cartoons for the editorial pages that addressed local and political issues such as campaigns, legislation and quality-of-life problems. He was assigned to cover trials with his sketches whenever cameras were not allowed in the courtroom.
Through the 1980s, Mr. Flannagan teamed up with longtime Advance copy editor Martha Bendix to co-author the daily Inside Out column of social news and gentle gossip about Staten Island and Staten Islanders.
“He loved the Advance, he loved the people there,” said his daughter, Kim.
“Tom was in many ways a renaissance man – a golfer, a writer, an artist, and above all else a gentleman,” remembered Advance/SILive.com Publisher Caroline Harrison. “There wasn’t a golf event on Staten Island without Tom covering it for the Advance/SILive.
Mr. Flannagan elevated golf across the Island with “Hooks and Slices,” his long-running weekly column in the Advance, and with his own love of the sport.
Tom Flannagan Hooks & Slices promo, Staten Island Advance
“He was also a sharp cartoonist and talented illustrator, helping to tell the story with beautiful images and occasional satire. And then there were the holiday ornaments he created in his signature hand,” the publisher recalled.
Claire M Regan wrote the obituary for the Staten Island Advance.
Tom Flannagan
As mentioned Tom was the paper’s staff cartoonist and illustrator. Tom finally got a regular spot on the editorial pages of The Advance when they offered him the Sunday spot not being filled by Morrie Brickman’s then six-day-a-week Small Society. Community Capers by Tom Flannagan began on January 22, 1967.
Tom Flannagan “Community Capers,” Staten Island Advance – January 22, 1967
As was the routine Tom’s panel dealt with local issues. It ran four columns wide (of seven) usually at the bottom of the page until May 16, 1982, by which time it was three columns wide of a six column page and was given a regular spot on the top right of the editorial page.
Tom Flannagan “Community Capers,” Staten Island Advance – May 16, 1982
The Community Capers header lasted until September 13, 1987. On September 20, 1987 Tom’s editorial cartoon was labeled after the cartoonist and took a more serious than usual stance.
Tom Flannagan, Staten Island Advance – September 20, 1987
From 1981 to 2006 Tom Flannagan’s Sketchbook made Sunday appearances in The Advance.
Tom Flannagan’s Sketchbook – March 8, 1981
Tom Flannagan’s Sketchbook – April 16, 2006
Flannagan continued at The Advance as editorial cartoonist, reporter, photographer, illustrator, and any other odd journalistic jobs he was called on to perform until March 6, 2016 when he signed off at age 84.
Tom Flannagan “Hooks & Slices,” Staten Island Advance – March 6, 2016
Tom Flannagan, Staten Island Advance – March 6, 2016
Tom as a freelancer would occasionally contribute golf related articles to The Advance into 2022.
Condolences to Mr. Flannagan’s family and friends.