Bil Keane never formally studied art, but by faithfully re-creating the world around him, he developed the phenomenally successful cartoon panel The Family Circus. Through the years, Keane made his family life the center of his professional world and always tried to portray the typical American family. Bil died in November 2011. His son, Jeff, who worked with his father for years, remains at the helm of the great feature and continues his dad’s tradition of putting a smile on readers’ faces every day.