Skip to main content
Menu Collections
Image courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.
Image courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.
A Certain Amount of Absenteeism Is to Be Expected
Image courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.
Image courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.

A Certain Amount of Absenteeism Is to Be Expected

Object numberMO 1978.2.13
Name Cartoon
Artist (American illustrator, cartoonist, and designer, 1892 - 1969)
Date1943
Mediumpaper (cardstock), ink, paint (gouache), pencil
Dimensionsoverall H 10 3/4 in x W 9 1/2 in (27.3 cm x 24.1 cm )
DescriptionAn original black and white cartoon featuring Franklin D. Roosevelt's Scottish terrier dog, Fala. The cartoon is of an outdoor scene showing Fala contemplating a group of Eleanor Roosevelt's suitcases - all monogrammed "E.R." - being loaded into the trunk of an automobile. The artist's signature is in the lower left corner of the cartoon: ALAN FOSTER. The caption is handwritten in pencil below the cartoon: "A certain amount of absenteeism is to be expected." The cartoon sheet has several publication notes written in pencil.

The cartoon comes with a separate cardstock backer that was once adhered to the back of the cartoon. On the reverse of the backer is the date "May 8th" written in pencil, and a blue ink stamped Collier's form with handwritten pencil information filled in: COLLIER'S / ISSUE May 8th / TITLE Comic Fala & Luggage / AUTHOR Alan Foster. / ILLUSTRATOR [blank] / COLOR [blank] / INSERT #5636.
Label TextFrom 1942-1944, American illustrator and cartoonist Alan Foster created a series of cartoons, titled "Mr. Fala of the White House," for Collier's magazine. This cartoon appeared on page 46 of the May 8, 1943 issue of Collier’s.
Additional Details
Custodial History NotePurchased by the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum in 1977 through private sale.
National Archives Catalog CollectionFranklin D. Roosevelt Library Museum Collection (National Archives Identifier 735948)
National Archives Catalog SeriesPolitical Cartoons (National Archives Identifier 749653)
Use Restriction StatusUnrestrictedCopyrightReproduction or other use of these holdings or images thereof is unrestricted.
Collections
Non exposé