Griffin, Rick (1944 – 1991)

Richly talented artist and cartoonist originally from Palos Verdes, California; best known to surfers as the creator of Murphy, the cheerful cartoon gremmie who debuted in Surfer magazine in 1961; also celebrated as one of the San Francisco psychedelia movement's "Big Five" artists.

Griffin was born (1944) and raised in Palos Verdes, began surfing at age 12, and learned to draw by copying Mad magazine cartoons. As a high school freshman he charged 50 cents to sketch wave-riding surf characte...