during his sixty-year career as an artist, mccutcheon became one of the highest paid cartoonists in the united states. he also supplemented his income with freelance work and publishing numerous books. in addition, mccutcheon was considered the "dean of american cartoonists" even before his death in 1949. although he drew fewer cartoons in his later years, mccutcheon's work appeared on the front page of the sunday edition of the "chicago tribune" until his retirement in 1946. he also continued traveling the world, and activity he had enjoyed throughout his life and took frequent trips to his island home in the bahamas. mccutcheon also began work on his autobiography, but he died before completing it.