History of Australian Cartoonists

Below are brief biographies of cartoonists based on artwork published in “Drawing From Life”, a history of the ACA. This compilation, written by Lindsay Foyle, is not complete while every effort has been made to be for accuracy.

AGNEW, GARNET, artist who worked on The Queenslander 1902-7 and in 1926 a freelance contributor to Smiths’ Weekly.

ALBION, DOUG, Black and White Artists’ Club president 1958-64 and 1974. Designed the ‘inkbottle’ logo used by the Black and White Artists’ Club when he was a committee member in the early days of the club. Smocked and made a life member of the Black and White Artists’ Club in 1991.

ALLEN, DAVE, (b. Adelaide 1945, d. Adelaide 2010), artist with The Advertiser and moved to freelance in 1988 producing many comic strips and puzzle pages particularly for the kids pages in newspapers. Former ACA State Vice President for South Australia.

ALTMANN, CHARLES, illustrator, worked in the Fairfax art department, mainly for the Sydney Morning Herald from 1954 to 1980 when he retired.

ARIEV, MAX Black and White Artists’ Club president 1976 made a life member in 1991.

ARCHIBALD, J. F. (John Feltham, changed name to Jules Francois) b. Kildare Vic 1856, d. Sydney NSW 1919 – journalist, cofounder (with John Haynes) of The Bulletin 1880, The Lone Hand 1907, sold his interest in The Bulletin in 1914. He took on the job of literary editor on Smith’s Weekly when it started in 1919. Archibald looked forward to Australia growing into a splendid nation, freed from colonial restraints. He looked on Britain’s interests in Australia with suspicion, and that Australia was seen as dumping ground for cheap British goods. Under him The Bulletin called for federation, the development of local manufacturing, was opposed to the Boer War (1899-1902), played up the danger of the yellow peril while promoting a white Australia. In his will he bequeathed money for Archibald Prise and Archibald fountain in Hyde Park, Sydney.

ARIA, GEORGE d. 1963. Staff artist on The Evening News 1923, illustrator and cartoonist Woman’s Mirror 1927 contributor to The Bulletin 1930s director of a well-known art correspondence school in Sydney. Political cartoonist on the Sydney Morning Herald after John Frith left. Cartoon editor on The Bulletin.

ATCHISON, MICHAEL, b. Sandringham, Victoria 1933, d. Adelaide 2008. Moved to Adelaide with his family when he was still a child. He was educated at King’s College and studied at the Adelaide Art School after attending Teachers’ College and University. He taught art in a number of Adelaide High Schools before trying his luck as a freelance cartoonist in London in 1960. While in England he worked in a number of advertising agencies and had some success getting cartoons published in the daily newspapers and Punch. On Punch he had a weekly caricature and a spot cartoon and even got to draw several covers. Atchison disliked the British class system but as a cartoonists loved it. He returned to Australia in 1967 and took a job on the Daily Mirror in Sydney as a pocket cartoonist. He then moved back to Adelaide to take on the job of daily cartoonists on The Advertiser in 1968. In 1989 he started a comic called Word for Word, which has been syndicated in the United States, South Africa, United Kingdom, Papua New Guinea, Japan and Australia. He won a Stanley Award in 2001 for his political cartoons and in 2007 was especially moved when, while battling cancer, was awarded the prestigious Jim Russell Award for contribution to Australian cartooning.

BAIRD, JAC illustrator and humorous artist, created Pip and Emma strip, staff artist in Sydney on The Evening News, The Sun after WW2 joined The Sydney Morning Herald.

BANCKS, JIM (James) Charles, b. Enmore NSW 1889, d. Sydney NSW 1952 – artist/cartoonist. Bancks’ first job as an artist was on The Bulletin where he worked for eight years before working for The Sun. He started a number of comic strips The Blimps 1923, Mr Melbourne Day by Day 1925. Drew Us Fellers in 1921, changed name to Ginger Meggs 1939. Bancks was the political cartoonist for the Evening Sun in Melbourne 1923-25 and became Australia’s highest paid black-and-white artist, receiving 80 pounds a week in the 1930s.

BRODIE, MACK b. Wellington NZ cartoonist/artist. Contributor to NZ Freelance 1915-16 for many years theatrical executive Australia and NZ, resumed cartooning for The Bulletin, Smith’s Weekly and Sunday Mail Political and sporting cartoonist Sydney Truth, relieving political cartoonist The Sun sporting cartoonist Sunday Sun. Sporting cartoonist for unbroken 26 years for Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph when first published by Consolidated Press.

COUNIHAN, NOEL (October 4, 1913 – July 5, 1986) was an Australian social realist painter. Counihan was born in Albert Park, then a working-class suburb of Melbourne. He attended Caulfield Grammar School in 1928. He studied part-time under Charles Wheeler at the National Gallery of Victoria Art School in Melbourne during 1930-31, where he met the social realists Herbert McClintock and Roy Dalgarno. In 1931 Counihan became a confirmed atheist and a member of the Communist Party. He helped found the Workers Art Guild, and began printmaking, producing linocuts and lithographs for Communist magazine covers and pamphlets as well as designing banners. During the Great Depression Counihan participated in the “free speech” fights in Brunswick, organised by the Communist Party in response to a Victorian state government law banning “subversive” gatherings. Dozens of members of the Unemployed Workers Movement were arrested, and meetings were dispersed by police. As part of this fight, a young Counihan addressed a crowd from a locked cage on top a truck. Police had to cut him out, to the jeers of the crowd, as he continued speaking. From 1934 Counihan worked as a cartoonist for various publications, including The Bulletin and the Communist Party’s paper, the Guardian from 1945 to 1949 and again from 1952 to 1958. He spent extended periods in hospital with tuberculosis during the Second World War. With the encouragement of the artist Yosl Bergner, he began to paint. He developed a personal style based on the social realist approach, producing compassionate images of workers and their working lives. Counihan maintained that the artist had a duty to “gather information from the political developments of the time.” Counihan remained loyal to the Communist Party during its various splits and despite its declining support in the 1970s and ‘80s. He died in Melbourne aged 73. The Counihan Gallery, managed by City of Moreland Council, is named in his honour. A short distance away, outside the Brunswick Mechanics Institute on Sydney Road, a Free Speech memorial has been built to commemorate the free speech fights by the unemployed in 1933 and Noel Counihan’s part in them.

CROSS, STAN (Stanley) b. Los Angeles USA 1888, d. Armidale NSW 1977 – artist/cartoonist/author. Cross started work in Perth at the WA Railways Department while drawing freelance for Sunday Times, Western Mail and the United Licensed Victuallers Association Journal. He moved to Smith’s Weekly 1919 at 5 pounds a week. He drew a number of comic strips The Vauderilleans, You and Me(1920) name changed to The Potts, Dad and Dave and in July 1933 drew what is said to be ‘the funniest joke ever produced in Australia with some people chiming it to be ‘the all-time world’s best’ – ‘For gor’sake stop laughing, this is serious!’ He was the second artist to join the paper and became the third art director and was said to be one of the highest paid artist working in Australian media. After falling out with the management Cross left Smith’s at the end of 1939 and was quickly offered work with The Herald, in Melbourne by Keith Murdoch. There he drew a new comic The Winks (1940) but it was soon modified and the name changed to Wally and the Major. Black and White Assists’ Club president 1931-54, and considered by many to be one of Australia’s greatest newspaper artists. He also wrote books on accountancy, economics and English grammar. Cross continued to draw Wally and the Major until failing eyesight forced him to get help with the drawings early in 1970. Carl Lyon started to ink in Cross’ pencil drawings. Later Lyon took over all the drawing with Cross writing the stories. Eventually Lyon took over completely and Cross retired late in the year. He died in Armidale, NSW on 16 June 1977 at the age of 89.

CUMBERWORTH, FREDERICK H., cartoonist. Was working on the Evening News when it closed in 1930 and went to London to work.

DANCEY, GEORGE, artist, apprentice ecclesiastical artist England at the age of 13. Moved to Melbourne 1891 for his health. Started as a cartoonist on Melbourne Punch 1894 where he became chief cartoonist retired because of ill health 1896, returned 1898. Also designed stained glass windows. Colleague of Alex Sass.

DIXON, LES, b. Sydney 1910 d. Sydney 2002 Moved to Cobargo 1918, returned to Sydney 1929. Freelanced with The Bulletin, Rydges and Smiths’ Weekly 1938. After WW2 worked on Smiths’ Weekly until the paper ceased publication in 1950, followed Jim Russell as art editor, joined the Courier Mail as Sydney art editor, left 1957 to take over Bluey and Curly comic strip also created Phill Dill comic strip. Made a life member of the Black and White Artists’ Club in 1991.

DOBELL, WILLIAM (Sir) b. Newcastle 1899 d. 1968 One of Australia’s most celebrated portrait painters. Won the Archibald Prise 1944,1948 and 1959, knighted 1966.

DONALD, WILL (William) artist/cartoonist drew for Quit and The Gadfly - in Adelaide around 1906 and the comic strip Fashion Plate Fanny in the 1920s when he worked on a number of newspapers in Sydney.

DOWMAN, WALTER painter/cartoonist. Political cartoonist on The Labor Daily also contributed caricatures to The Bulletin

DRIFFIELD, LANCE (Drift) artist, worked on Smith’s Weekly became well known in the 1930s because one drawing a poster promoting Smith’s Weekly, depicted a cowcocky carrying a double-barrelled shotgun while shouting ‘Hey, who pinched my Smith’s Weekly?’

DUNNE, FRANCIS LAWRENCE (Frank), b. Boorowa NSW 1898, & Sydney 1937. Started work as a photo engraver, soldier in WWI 1915-19 where he started sketching. After the war worked on Sunday Times, Truth and Smiths’ Weekly in 1928. Became a competent landscape painter, even though he had lost part of his hand in the war and was colour blind, planned to hold an exhibition of his oil paintings in 1938 but died before doing so.

DYSON, EDWARD GEORGE, writer/poet, elder brother of Will and Ambrose Dyson.

DYSON, HENRY WILLIAM (Will) b. Alfredtown Vic 1880, d. London 1938, brother of Edward and Ambrose, married Ruby Lindsay (who drew under the name of Ruby Lind) 1910, sister of Norman Lindsay. Starred contributing drawings to The Bulletin 1897 along with The Gadfly in Adelaide. Succeeded his elder brother on the Adelaide Critic in 1903. Also contributed to the Clarion, Melbourne Punch and Table Talk. Left Australia 1910 for London and was appointed cartoonist-in-chief on the Daily Herald quickly became recognised as one of the best cartoonists in Europe. In 1915 became an official Australian war artist. Returned to Australia 1925 worked on The Herald in Melbourne. Returned to England 1930 to work on The Herald until he died.

EMERSON, KEN b. Sydney 1927, d. Sydney 2010. Ken Emerson spent part of his youth in central Queensland before studying art in the mid 1950s for 3 years at East Sydney Technical College where he met his future wife Meg Jolliffe. Then followed a few years in New Zealand where worked in assorted job including volunteer fireman. Back in Sydney he got involved with advertising and animation in the early days of television and worked as a freelance artist. Emerson contributed cartoons to a number of publications around Sydney and in May 1960 had a comic, Bush Folks accepted by Woman’s Mirror. It was owned by The Bulletin , which was taken over by the Frank Packer controlled Australian Consolidated Press in November 1960. Soon after Packer merged Women’s Mirror , a very conservative magazine with the very raunchy Weekend. The two magazines had nothing in common and ended up being called Everybody’s. The comic was dropped but he sold cartoons the new magazine for several years before it folded late in 1967. Emerson redeveloped his original idea into The Warrumbunglers, which was first published in The Sunday Telegraph in 1967. It was dropped in 1969 and returned to print in The Sun-Herald later in the same year. Only to be dropped again in 1971 and resurrected a third time in 1977 and again run in The Sun-Herald.

He kept busy and came up with an idea for a second comic strip, On the Rocks set in the colonial days of Sydney, and it too ran in The Sun-Herald. Ken was still producing The Warrumbunglers in January 2010 when he realised that doing the work had become too physically difficult due to his ill health and reluctantly after almost 43 years, he decided call it quits. He died the following month. His daughter Jane survived him.

FAIRBAIRN, NORMAN b. Newcastle 26 April, 1936, d. Newcastle 14 November, 2007. Cartoonist and illustrator with The Newcastle Sun 1953 – 1954, and the Newcastle Morning Herald (later Newcastle Herald from 1980) from 1953 to 1990.

FINEY, GEORGE b. Auckland New Zealand 1895, d. Blue Mountains NSW 1987. Arrived in Sydney 1919, joined the art staff Smith’s Weekly 1922. He became one of the most famous black and white artists working in Australia Considered by Stan Cross to be the greatest of Australia’s newspaper artists. After leaving Smith’s he turned to painting and political cartoonist 1940s for the Daily Telegraph in Sydney. Not long after WW2 ended he had an exhibition of paintings in Japan. In 1978 he had a retrospective at the Sydney Opera House and his last exhibition of painting was in the Blue Mountains.

FLETCHER, ROGER, b. Murwillumba NSW 1949. First professional job was drawing a horse in a class- mate’s book lot which he received sixpence (and two cuts of the cane). Took 20 years before be tried drawing again. Has been drawing Torkan since 1976 and the daily comic Stari a since 1980.

FRITH, JOHN, b. London, England 13 June 1906, d. Melbourne, Victoria 21 September 2000 – cartoonist. Work published in The Bulletin from the 1920s. He was the first political cartoonist to work on The Sydney Morning Herald in the 1940s, political cartoonist on The Herald in Melbourne for almost 20 years.

FULLWOOD, ALBERT HENRY, b. Birmingham 1863, d. NSW 1930. Painter/illustrator, arrived in Sydney 1881, staff artist on Picture Atlas of Australia and contributor to The Bulletin and Town and County Journal. Helped establish the NSW Society of Artists. Worked in USA 1900, later going to London, before returning to Australia 1920.

GIBBS, MAY CECILIA OSSOLI, b. Surrey England 1876, d. Sydney 1969 artist/cartoonist drew cartoons for Social Kodak (later merged into the Western Critic) under the name ‘Blob’ 1902-3. Cartooned in England 1909 to 1912 for Common Cause using her own name. Settled in Sydney 1916. Drew Bib and Bub comic snip from 1924 to 1967. Awarded MBE for services to Australian literature 1955.

GLOVER, TOM b. England 1891, d. 1938, artist/cartoonist. Emigrated to NZ as a boy, cartoonist-reporter NZ Truth Wellington 1915, succeeded Brodie Mack as political cartoonist NZ Freelance 1916-20, brought to Australia by The Bulletin 1920, Staff artist until 1928, political cartoonist on The Sun and Sunday Sun 1928-38. Created Skeeter comic strip for Sunday Sun.

GURNEY, ALEXANDER GEORGE (Alex), b. Portsmouth England 1902, d. Melbourne 1955. In his teens lived in Hobart and had his first cartoon published in Tasmanian Mail the Melbourne Punch followed with The Bulletin, Tasmanians Today and Smiths’ Weekly Started Australia’s first newspaper comic snip Stiffy and Mo. Political cartoonist on Labor Daily in Sydney, cartoonist on The Herald in Melbourne 1933. Started Bluey and Curly comic strip in 1939 that was first published in Picture-News and then transferred to The Sun in Melbourne.

HARTT, CECIL (Cec) b. Prahran Vic, 1884, d. Moruya NSW 1930, cartoonist. A freelance artist in 1908, contributing to Comments, The Clarion, Comic Australian and The Bulletin. Wounded in WWI at Gallipoli. Contributed drawings to the London Bystander, Passing Show and London Opinion. Published a book Humorosities in London (1916) that sold 60,000 copies. Was the first artist to work for Smith’s Weekly 1919 and remained there till his death. First president of the Black and White Artists’ Club 1924-30. Found dead with a wound in the head and a shotgun beside him on a mountain near Moruya. Was a good friend of Henry Lawson.

HETHERINGTON, NORMAN (Heth), started out selling cartoons to The Bulletin at the age of 15.1st Australian Army Entertainment Unit during WW2, freelance cartoonist contributed to The Bulletin, Man, Man Junior, Army, Humour and Quiz. Staff artist on The Bulletin when Ted Scorfield was art director then moved into television. Co-created puppet character Mr Squiggle with his wife Margaret 1959 for ABC television that ran for 34 years. Smocked by the dub in 1989, awarded an Order of Australia (OAM) 1990.

HORNER, ARTHUR WAKEFIELD, b. Melbourne 1916, d. Melbourne, 1997. Freelance and comic snip artist contributor to The Bulletin, Smith’s Weekly. Created ‘Cornel Pewter’ London Daily Mail 1952. Returned to Australia and worked on The Age.

HORSEMAN, MOLLIE b. Rachester Vic 1911, d. 1974. Studied in Germany, returned to Australia and worked for some time as a governess lot Norman Lindsay’s children. Staff artist Smith’s Weekly from 1929, freelance in the 1950s and early 1960s contributing to The Bulletin Man and Everybody’s in Sydney. Moved to Brisbane to illustrate for Jacaranda Press returning to Sydney in the early l970s. Drew a comic strip ‘Pam’ that was published in the Courier-Mail.

JESSOP, FRANK b. Camden NSW 1884, d. Sydney 1961. Freelance contributor to The Bulletin Member of the St George Art Society, Royal Art Society and Sydney Art Society worked for Grit newspaper and the Brighton Echo.

JOLLIFFE, ERIC b. Portsmouth, England 31 January 1907, d. Bateau Bay, New South Wales 16 November 2001 – came to Australia 1911 aged four. Freelance cartoonist before WW2, mainly for The Bulletin specialised in outback and tropical Australian subjects featured in the Sun-Herald for many years. Joined Smiths’ Weekly 1944. Best known for his Saltbush Bill, Witcherty’s Tribe and Sandy Blight cartoons.

JONSSON, JOSEF NILS (Joe), b. Halmstad Sweden 1890 d. Sydney 1963 cartoonist/illustrator. Became sailor at age of eighteen, painted landscapes for other sailors in his spare time. After nine years jumped ship in 1915 in New Zealand, arrived in Australia 1917 and went timber cutting in Queensland. Become humorous artist on Smiths’ Weekly 1924-50. Donated ten pounds a week from his pay to the coalminers during the Depression years. Created comic strip Uncle Joe’s Horse Radish when working in the Sydney production unit of The Courier Mail 1951.

KEMSLEY, JAMES, b. 1952, d. Bowral NSW 2007. Started cartooning with the Traralgon Journal in 1967, went to London and contributed to Punch and the Australian Express for which he created the weekly comic snip Frogin 1980-82. After returning to Sydney 1983 he took over drawing Ginger Meggs comic strip in 1984. Black and White Artists’ Club president 1988-90, life member 1991.

KOCH, FRANK, b. 1877, d. 7 February, 1955. The self-described ‘Adelaide man was a major contributor of cartoons to the Gadfly in 1907. Soon after he was working for the Critic and in September 1909, he was recruited to be chief cartoonist on the Barrier Daily Truth in Broken Hill. He was hired mainly for his knowledge of the new zinc printing process recently installed to assist in the battle for circulation against the Barrier Miner. Married Ethel Victoria Bull (14 June 1884 – 11 November 1975) in Broken Hill on 17 February 1910. They had a son Franz Bowyer Koch (1911–1940). The Critic said – “Up at Broken Hill, the Truth is waging war with the old-established Miner, and there just hasn’t been any newspaper rivalry like it anywhere for years. Editor Jones, of the Truth, has just returned to the Hill with a new block-making and engraving plant under one arm, and an artist under the other. The artist is Mr. Frank Koch, of Adelaide, a skilled brush-man, who has occasionally helped to adorn the pages of The Critic.” (Barrier Daily Truth [September?] 1909). Kock’s cartoons replaced the work of an unknown, crude and apparently self-taught local cartoonist who signed his work ‘ L. J. E. ‘ Koch later returned to Adelaide. Between 1921 and 1946 he occasionally had cartoons published in The Bulletin in Sydney and The Australian Woman’s Mirror.

LAMBERT, GEORGE, b. St Petersburg Russia 1873, d. Cobbity NSW 1930. Painter/sculptor/cartoonist. Came to Australia 1887 began a career as a black and white artist in 1896 when The Bulletin published some of, his drawings. 1900 won a travelling scholarship and went to England but continued sending contributions to The Bulletin. In London he contributed drawings to Strand and Pail Mall magazines. Official war artist with the Australian Light Horse in Palestine and at Gallipoli during WWI. Returned to Australia 1921. Son Constant Lambert (1905-51) was a prominent English composer. Grandson Kit Lambert (1935-81) was manager of rock and roll band The Who.

LEASON, PERCIVAL ALEXANDER, b. Kaniva, Vic, 1889, d. New York 1959 painter/cartoonist/illustrator and teacher. Apprenticed in lithographic drawing for five years’ joined the advertising firm of Smith & Julius in Sydney 1917. Engaged by The Bulletin to replace David Low as a political cartoonist before moving to Melbourne Punch and Table Talk returning to The Bulletin in the late 1920s. Went to America 1938 and became a successful illustrator and taught at the Staten Island Institute of Art and Science.

LINDSAY, LIONEL b. Chiswick Vic 1874, d. Sydney 1961 (brother of Daryl, Percy, Norman and Ruby) artist/cartoonist/writer, drew for Hawk, Freelance and Rambler in Melbourne before visiting WA and contributing to Clarion, Outpost and Arena. Settled in Sydney 1903, political cartoonist on The Evening News and contributor to The Bulletin. One of the most prolific Australian arts writers of his time.

LINDSAY, PERCY b. Chiswick Vic 1870, d. 1952 (brother of Lionel, Daryl, Norman and Ruby) artist/cartoonist who was a regular contributor to The Bulletin, Angus and Robertson and The NSW Bookstall Company. Settled in Sydney 1917. Smocked in 1940 on his 70th birthday.

LINDSAY, NORMAN ALFRED WILLIAMS b. Chiswick Vic 1879, d. 1969 artist/cartoonist/author (brother of Lionel, Percy, Daryl and Ruby) contributed to Hawk, Freelance, Tocsin and Rambler was appointed to the staff of The Bulletin at the age of 22 in 1901 and continued with the magazine until the middle of 1958, with two breaks, the first from 1909 to 1910 and the other from 1923 to 1932. His last contribution to The Bulletin was published in 1967. The most celebrated Australian black-and-white illustrators of the first half of the 20th Century.

LITTLE, GEORGE, cartoonist, contributor to Smiths’ Weekly

LOW, DAVID ALEXANDER CECIL (Sir) b. Dunedin New Zealand 1891, d. England 1963. Cartoonist. At the age of eleven was drawing cartoons for the Christchurch Spectator in New Zealand. Started contributing to The Bulletin from Melbourne in 1911, moved to Sydney 1913 but returned to Melbourne in 1914 at the start of WW1. Went to London 1919 to work on The Star. When be died at the age of 72 the British press described him as ‘the dominant cartoonist of the Western World’, a reputation he had enjoyed for more than thirty years.

LYNCH, JOE, d. 1927. Cartoonist worked on Smith’s Weekly disappeared overboard from a Marty ferry. Brother Frank also a cartoonist contributed to The Bulletin and Smiths’ Weekly.

MAY, PHIL, b. Leeds England 1864, d. England 1903. From the age of 12 he made a living as an actor, scene painter and artist. First staff appointment on St Stephen’s Review 1885. Engaged to work for The Bulletin in Sydney in 1885 at 20 pounds a week by the managing director William Traill. Arrived in Sydney 1886 and after producing around 900 drawings returned to London 1888. At one time during his stay at The Bulletin Traill is said to have complained about May’s apparently effortless style. May’s response was, “When I can leave out half the lines I now use, I shall want twice the money.” In 1892 be successfully launched an annual of his drawings that appeared regularly until 1905, two vats alter his death. May contributed to a number of publications on his return to London and eventually took up a staff position with Punch in 1895, where he stayed until his death. May’s association with The Bulletin did not end with his return to Europe. He continued to send drawings until 1894. May was well remembered in Sydney and The Bulletin published a representative collection of his drawings Phil May in Australia and an appreciation of his work by A G Stephens in 1904.

MAILEY, ARTHUR Illustrator/cartoonist joined the staff of The Sun 1921. Former Test cricketer, also known as a caricaturist of cricketers. Good friends with Jimmy Bancks.

MCLEAN, HUGH, an original member of the Prehistoric Order of Cannibals Club composed of young artists that started in Melbourne 1893, Tom Roberts, Lionel Lindsay, Percy Lindsay, Alex Sass, George Regan were also members.

McCLINTOCK, HERBERT social realist. Artist. Born in Perth Western Australia in 1906, died 1985. Studied at the National Gallery of Victoria School from 1925 to 1927 and again in 1930, where he met fellow social realists Noel Counihan and Roy Dalgarno. Earned a living as a signwriter and advertising artist while a student. He joined the Communist Party of Australia during the depression of the 1930s and did many political cartoons for communist publications. His ca rtoons were featured in trade union and communist papers throughout his life.

McCRAE, HUGH RAYMOND artist/cartoonist/poet/author/actor, b. Melbourne 1876 d. 1958 grandson of Georgina Huntly McCrae (artist). Daughters Mardi and Smee also well known as bl ack and white artists. Worked on the Melbourne paper Arena and Melbourne Punch later a regular contributor to The Bulletin - also drew for The Lone Hand. First Australian artist to have his comic strip, Jim and Jan printed in colour. Edited literary magazine New Triad in 1920s. Good friends with Norman Lindsay.

MATTINSON, LANCE b. Sale Vic 1892 d. 1953 humorous artist, began his career in Perth on the Western Mail contributor to The Bulletin Became known for his drawings in the AlF paper Aussie where he was art editor, after the war he contributed to London Opinion, Patting Show, Punch and was at one time sporting cartoonist on the Herald before returning to Australia to join the staff of Smiths’ Weekly.

MERCIER, EMILE, b. Noumea, New Caledonia 1901, d. NSW 1981. Came to Australia at the age of eighteen, studied art with Julian Ashton in Sydney. Contributed to Melbourne Punch and The Bulletin 1920s, worked on Smiths’ Weekly Political cartoonist on Truth 1940 and the Daily Mirror in Sydney during the Second World War. From that period until his retirement in 1971 his cartoons ran daily in The Sun.

MILLER, SYDNEY LEON (Syd), b. Strathfield NSW 1901, d. Melbourne 1983. Cadet artist with The Bulletin 1916 joined Julius Studios 1917, which produced first animated films in Australia while he was working there. Started with Smiths Weekly 1919 where for the next 12 years, he drew political, sports, and general cartoons along with caricatures. A founding member of the Black and White Artists’ Club in 1924. Worked on the The Herald in Melbourne 1945-56. Created comic strips Chesty Bond and Little Bear.

MITCHELL, WILLIAM (Bill), editorial cartoonist b. Kalgoorlie WA, d. Hunter Valley, NSW 1993. Began his career at the West Australian at age 15 as a copy boy and became the paper’s first daily cartoonist in 1969 where he soon attracted the ire of local and federal politicians. In 1978 he joined The Daily Telegraph and in 1980 The Australian, where he was to remain until his death. Stanley Award recipient for editorial/political cartoons in 1985, 1987 and 1992, and comic strip (Bustards Of The Bush) in 1987 and 1988. Bill Mitchell Memorial Award for budding cartoonists, conducted by The Australian, created in his honour in 1990.

MITCHELL, NORM, cartoonist/animator/photographer b. NSW 1920, d. Adelaide 1980. Began career at Smith’s Weekly in Sydney as a copy boy. Moved to art department as Smith’s Weekly’s first cadet artist at 15 years of age. He had also studied art at Sydney Technical Art School. Served in the Northern Territory during WW2, then returned to Smith’s Weekly before Sir Keith Murdoch offered him the editorial cartoonist job at The News in Adelaide in 1949. He stayed at The News, despite an overture from The Sun – News Pictorial in Melbourne, for 30 years. Mitchell won a Walkley Award in 1975. Also contributed to The Washington Post for a short period and Penthouse (under the pseudonym of “Piper” – after his love of aviation), while he also successfully worked with photography (as a cinematographer with Channel Nine) and commercial animation.

MOFFITT, ERNEST b. Bendigo Vic 1870, d. 1899 artist-illustrator-musician- scholar. Close friend of Norman Lindsay.

MORRISON, JOAN, b. Kent, England 1911, d. 1969. Moved to Tasmania when she was three. Staff artist on Smiths’ Weekly 1929, during WW2 her girl studies known as the Morrison Girl (which replaced the Virgil Girl), were standard pin-ups and she received a large amount of mail from sailors. Freelance illustrator from 1950 until illness forced her retirement.

NICHOLLS, SYD (Sydney) Wentworth, b. Devonport Tasmania 1896, d. Potts Point NSW 1977 – artist/cartoonist. He grew-up in Tasmania, New Zealand (about a year) and northern New South Wales. His first published drawing was in the International Socialist 1912, and was a contributor to The Bulletin 1914-26 and Direct Action during WW1. He worked in the silent film industry form around 1917 to 1923 when he took a job with the Evening News as art director where he stayed till 1932. Nicholls started the Fatty Finn comic strip in 1923. He drew the Middy Malone comic in 1929 but it wasn’t published till 1941. He published comic books and magazines from the 1930s to 1950. He contributed cartoons and illustration to the NSW Teachers Federation publications for many years and drew Fatty Finn for the Sunday Herald from 1951 and then the Sun-Herald till he died in 1977.

NORTON, NORMA, humorous illustrator, Smiths’ Weekly, staff artist Associated Newspapers Sydney 1948-56, freelance illustrator Australian Women’s Weekly and Woman’s Day.

OLIPHANT, PAT, b. Adelaide SA 1936 began his working career in 1952 as a copy boy on The News. One year later he was a cadet artist on The Advertiser. By the age of 22 his work was appearing six days a week. In 1964 he joined the Denver Post as daily cartoonist replacing Paul Conrad who bad left to work for the Los Angels Times. Won the Pulitzer Prize in 1976 the same year he took up the position of daily cartoonist with The Washington Star, stayed until the paper closed in 1981. He then joined the Universal Press Syndicate that distributed his cartoons to over 500 papers worldwide. In the 1970s be was said to be the most widely syndicated and highest paid cartoonist in the world. Twice been named artist of the year in the Reubens awards run by the National Cartoonist Society of America and twice been voted cartoonist of the year in The Washington Journalism Review.

PAUL, MICK, cartoonist/illustrator first contributed to The Bulletin 1904, regularly contributed for 40 years. Son of painter Emily Letitia Paul who stood for the Federal seat of Cook in the 1914 elections. Married to Dorothy Ellsmore who also contributed cartoons to The Bulletin Member of the Dee Why group of artists. Good friend of Hugh McCrae.

PIDGEON, BILL (WEP) b. Paddington Sydney 1909 d. Sydney 1981 cartoonist/illustrator/portrait painter. Started in 1925 at 16 as a cadet artist on the Evening New in Sydney, also worked on the Daly Guardian, The Sun and The World became known for his humorous drawings in the Australian Women’s Weekly, was a regular art critic for the Daily Telegraph where he was a political cartoonist for a number of years after WW2. Won Archibald Prise in 1958, 1961 and 1969. In latter years he retired from newspaper work but continued to illustrate books.

QUAYLE, JACK b. Hobart Tasmania. Contributed to The Bulletin and Fairplay sports paper in Sydney, created Connie, first Sydney daily strip for The Daily Telegraph. Political cartoonist in Adelaide on The News for 12 years, created comic strips Dora and Perce the Punter. Returned to Sydney to work on The Truth and Daily Mirror 1947, contributor to The Daily Telegraph 1962.

RAFTY, TONY, b. Australia 1902 (Anthony Raftopoulos) joined the staff of Sun Newspapers 1940, political and sports cartoonist, joined the AIF 1941, later war artist in New Guinea, discharged medically unfit with malaria seven months before end of the war, one month later back in New Guinea as artist correspondent for Associated Newspapers, first Australian to draw an Australian comic book 1948, freelance 1957-62 rejoined The Sun and Sun Herald 1962 as a cartoonist, illustrator and sporting cartoonist. Black and White Artists’ Club president 1975, and former president of the Sydney Journalists’ Club and the War Correspondents’ Association. Smocked by the Black and White Artists’ Club in 1988. Awarded an Order of Australia (OAM) 1990, made a life member of the Black and White Artists’ Club 1991.

REILLY, VIRGIL, commercial artist in motion picture advertising, staff artist Smith’s Weekly 1920-40, famous lot his Virgil Girl drawings in Smiths’ Weekly political cartoonist Daily Mirror, freelance.

REYNOLDS, LEONARD F. (Len), b. 1897, d. Melbourne 1939 cartoonist/caricaturist who attended the Technical Collage in Hobart 1889 later worked on the Melbourne Punch and Table Talk, contributor to The Bulletin also The Sun News-Pictorial, Evening Sun and The Herald in Melbourne. Took over drawing Mr Melbourne Day by Day comic strip from Jimmy Bancks when he returned to Sydney in 1925. Discovered drowned at the base of a cliff at the Melbourne seaside suburb of Beaumaris.

RIGBY, PAUL, b. Melbourne 1925, d. Margaret River WA 2006. Grew up in Sandringham. Went to Perth 1948 intending to play in the West Australian tennis championships. He was offered a job illustrating for The Daily News and was soon cartooning for the paper. In 1969 when his cartoons were being run in News Limited newspapers across Australia he moved to London, to cartoon for the Murdoch owned Sun and News of the World He said it would be for six months. He stayed five years. In 1977 he returned to Perth but moved to New York to work on the New York Post for what was be said would be a six-month stint. He stayed twelve years. When he retired intending to return to Australia, the New York Daily News made him an offer he could not refuse. Son Bay Rigby cartooned on the New York Post for a time. He is now living in Western Australia.

RUSSELL DAN b. Sydney 1906, d. Orange New South Wales 1999. Brother of Jim Russell. Worked in advertising before WW2, after war travelled in United States, Mexico and Canada to study cartoon techniques. In 1952 became a staff artist on the Truth and Daily Mirror and became involved with AM magazine. Political cartoonist in Adelaide 1953-55 on The Advertiser and from 1954-64 on The News and Sunday News in Adelaide. Returned to Sydney and worked freelance. Black and White Artists’ Club president 1977, made a life member of the Club in 1991.

RUSSELL, JAMES NEWTON (Jim), b. Campsie NSW 1909, d. Sydney NSW 2001 – artist/cartoonist, started worked on Smith’s Weekly, as a copy boy in 1924. Russell became the political cartoonist on The Guardian in Sydney 1928, and returned to Smiths’ Weekly as a staff artist in 1931. He became art director in early 1940, after Stan Cross resigned. Russell also took over drawing Cross’ comic strips including The Potts. Russell fell out with the management at Smith’s in 1950 and resigned, Soon after it was announced that the paper was to close. After leaving Smith’s Russell joined the Sun News-Pictorial, where he continued to draw The Potts till he died in August 2001. Russell was the Black and White Artists’ Club president 1955-57 and 1965-73. In 1978 he was awarded an MBE, appointed patron of the Black and White Artists’ Club 1984, life member 1991.

RUSSOM, REGINALD (Reg) b. 1887, d. Newcastle NSW 1952. Worked for many year in America and was on the staff of New York Times.

SAMUELS, CYRIL cartoonist worked on Sunday News in Sydney, created the comic strip Ooey Woosty.

SASS, ALEX (Williams) b. England artist/cartoonist, d. Sydney 1923. Drew cartoons for Melbourne Punch 1890-1912. Member of the Prehistoric Order of Cannibals 1893. Worked in New York on The Globe and New York World returned to Australia after two years to work in advertising. Third artist to join the art staff of Smith’s Weekly and the newspaper’s original art editor, died while on the staff of Smiths’ Weekly.

SCORFIELD, EDWARD SCAFE, b. North Shields England 1884 d. NSW 1968. Brought from London by The Bulletin 1923 to be a general and political cartoonist, he worked on the magazine until he retired in 1961.

SEALE, CLEM, b. Queensland 1915. Moved to New Zealand when he was one, started work in Auckland on the New Zealand Herald as an artist in the litho department. Moved to Australia in 1938 and joined the Black and White Artists’ Club almost immediately. Freelanced as an illustrator before joining a commercial art studio. After WW2 was briefly employed on a radio magazine before joining the Sydney Morning Herald as an illustrator. Left in the mid 1960s to go freelancing, worked for twelve years at the University of NSW as a tutor – lecturer in art and later graphic communication. Since 1980 has been in splendid retirement.

SEALY, DICK artist/illustrator with the Sydney Morning Herald

SOUTER, D. H. (David Henry), b. Aberdeen Scotland 1862 d. Sydney NSW 1935 – artist cartoonist poet/journalist. Arrived Sydney 1886 drew cartoons for The Bulletin for more than 40 years from 1892. President NSW Society of Artists’ 1901-2.

SHAW, GERRARD GAYFIELD b. Adelaide SA 1885. Etcher and bookplate designer. Founded the Australian Painter-Etchers’ Society with Sydney Long 1920.

SUCH, LES d. Sydney 1963. Freelance humorous artist, prolific contributor to Australian newspapers and magazines, drawings with Queensland background reflecting life in the sugar cane industry derived from first hand experience.

TANNER, LES b. Sydney 1927 d. Melbourne 2001. In 1944 Lesley Mervin Tanner started in the art department of The Daily Telegraph in Sydney. It wasn’t his first job. That had been at 15 as a packer at Woolworths. His next job was at the Glebe Timber Mills where they specialized in making wooden toilet seats. It didn’t last long. Many of the men had missing fingers and as Les wanted to draw and thought missing fingers might not help. It was time to move on so his father got him a job as a printer’s devil. Les was born in Redfern 15 June 1927 and was educated in the State school system, “But not extensively” as he put it. He attended Glebe Primary School and then North Newtown Intermediate High where he drew for the school paper. He spent time in Japan working on the British Commonwealth Occupation Newspaper as an illustrator. He returned to Australia in 1948 and rejoined Consolidated Press and worked for a time as an illustrator on AM magazine and drawing some cartoons for The Daily Telegraph. He’d just summit three roughs each day. One for the money one for the show and one for himself. He soon realised it was the one for himself that generally got in. He didn’t have any real problems with censorship, other than self-censorship. In 1959 he headed to England to work on The Daily Sketch where he drew cartoons with no particular political content. He returned to Australia early in 1961 with the London Cartoonists Club Award for the Most Promising Newcomer trophy in his suitcase. He accepted the job of art director of The Bulletin, which Frank Packer had taken over in November 1960. The Age had been without a political cartoonist for 30 years when the editor, Graham Perkin offered Les twice his salary to move from Sydney to Melbourne. It was time to move on. He resigned and joined The Age in July 1967. For the first time since Livingston Hopkins had joined The Bulletin in 1883 the magazine was without a resident cartoonist. It remained so till Alan Moir arrived early in 1973. He been with The Age for 30 years when he discovered the paper was not keen on cartoons that were critical of Jeff Kennett. It was one the deciding factors that lead to his retirement in 1997. It was time to move on. Tanner won Walkley Awards, 1962 and 1965 and was highly commended in 1990. He died in his sleep 23 July 2001.

THORBY, JOHN, b. 1935, first job with Man magazine followed by 21 years with The Sun in Sydney, drew comic strip Gus, Peter and Penny and Jeremy Winkle 1971-76. Left Fairfax in 1976 to go freelance, but returned four years later before joining News Limited as art director in 1982. Black and White Artists’ Club president 1984-7, made a life member in 1991.

VINCENT, ALFRED (Alf) b. Launceston Tasmania 1874 d. Sydney 1915 Contributed to Melbourne Punch before becoming a staff artist with The Bulletin in 1898 until his tragic suicide in 1915 at Manly after a nervous collapse. Vincent contributed to a number of publications other than The Bulletin and his work was sometimes mistaken for Pill May’s, an artist whom be greatly admired.

WEDD, MONTY, has been producing comics since 1947. These include Foreign Legion, Bert and Ned, Captain Justice, The Scorpion, Kent Blake and King Come’ and Space Rangers. He contributed to the ABC annuals and his character Dollar Bill was used to ease the introduction of decimal currency in 1966. He designed Australia’s first full-length animated cartoon series, Marco Polo and has produced philatelic stripe for Stamp News since 1954. Awarded an Order of Australia (OAM) 1990.

WESTON, HARRY JOHN b. Hobart Tas. 1874, artchitect/cartoonist/commercial artist. Designed posters with Blamire Young and Lionel Lindsay around 1893. Member of the Prehistoric Order of Cannibals Club 1893, most of the members were young artists. Best remembered for his old salts and waterfront characters, contributor to The Bulletin.

WISEMEN, JOHN, commercial artist and humorous artist various publications including The Bulletin

WRITE, CECIL (Unk) b. Auckland New Zealand 1900 d. 1986. Artist/cartoonist. Secretary of Black and White Artists’ Club. Came to Sydney in the early 1920s. Contributed to many publications including Melbourne Punch, Aussie, Beckett’s Budget, Smith’s Weekly and The Bulletin in Australia and The Tattler, The Sketch and The Bystander in London. Studied in Paris 1927.

The above names are not a definitive compilation of cartoonists and artists. If you wish to contribute please send an email to secretary@cartoonists.org.au