PEBBLE BEACH, California (AP) -- Hank Ketcham, whose lovable scamp "Dennis the Menace" tormented cranky Mr. Wilson and amused readers of comics for decades, has died at age 81.
Ketcham had suffered from heart disease and cancer, said his publicist, Linda Dozoretz.
"He passed away very peacefully. He had had some bad spells and he slipped away in his sleep," said Ellen James, a neighbor and family friend.
Ketcham stopped drawing the weekday strip at the end of 1994 but let it continue under a team of artists and writers.
Inspired by the antics of his 4-year-old son, Ketcham began the strip in 1951. In March, Ketcham's panels celebrated 50 years of publication -- running in 1,000 newspapers, 48 countries and 19 languages.
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