Mad #67 (Albert Feldstein) - Arthur Issue - December 1961

Arthur (the avocado tree) first appeared on page 12 of this issue.  It is not likely that any of the readers knew what the name meant since it was one of several non sequiturs that Al Jaffee used in his "Photoplay" parody.  However, Wood, Clarke, Berg and Drucker put a pot and leaves to the name.  The rest is history.  As the story goes, art director John Putnam grew the giant avocado plant in his office.

Larry Siegel's fine writing dominated the issue.  His Reader's Digest parody was excellent. [See also "Reader's Disgust" on back cover of Mad #33.]  His second offering was the musical parody "A Day with J-F-K."  Although I have not heard any of those songs, the story works very well.  Mort Drucker had plenty of caricatures to draw in the issue, but some of his frame fillers were just strange.  See page 44 frame 6.  [MADlog #13]

Article was written by "Mel Haney" [early name for idiot kid that preceded Alfred E. Neuman]. (page 26)

Departments:
Forward, Arch - Amazing Military Rocket Belt Developed
Don Martin - The Pogo-Stick Incident; The Prison Mess Hall Riot
Beat 'Em to That Pulp - Mad's Do-It-Yourself Magazine Covers
Using the Same Principal - Open Office Week
Commercial Vehicles Only - Advertising Space on Road Signs
8-Ball in the Side Pocketbook - Celebrities Wallets
Joke and Dagger - Spy Vs. Spy
Condensed Milking - Reader's Digress Magazine
Rally 'Round the Flab, Boys! - Mad's Physical Fitness Program
"Ad" Libs - Some Editorial Additions to "Airline Ads"
Barter-Up - If Nations Traded People Like Baseball Teams Do
Ants in Your Plans - A Mad Look at Picnics
And Now a Word From Our Entertainer - When TV Commercials Take Over Completely
Big-Time Operetta - A Day With J.F.K. (a la Gilbert & Sullivan)