From the Dick Buchanan Files: Punch Cartoons 1950 - 1954

Dick Buchanan has not only presented us with a good sampling of Punch Magazine cartoons, he has given us some great biographical details on these British cartoonists. Some really interesting items here, most of which are new to me. Wow! Thanks, my friend. Here's Dick:

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PUNCH CARTOONS
(1950-1954)


Punch, the British weekly magazine of humor and satire, ran from 1841 to 1992. It was briefly revived in 1996 and folded for good in 2002. From the world’s first cartoon by John Leech, which ran July 15, 1843, to the end it was the home of some of the greatest cartoonists in history. This is a sampling of cartoons from the early 1950’s, featuring the best cartoonists of the post WWII era . . .


1. NORMAN THELWELL. A Punch cartoonist for 25 years contributing more than 1500 cartoons, 60 of which were covers. He is best remembered for his humorous illustrations of ponies and horses. Punch July 6, 1953.

 "Then of course as the tide goes out, they get trapped."

 2. GEORGE SPROD. Sprod, Australian born cartoonist, was a Japanese P.O.W. in the same camp as Ronald Searle. Both contributed to the fortnightly camp magazine, The Exile. Punch September 23, 1953.

3. LESLIE STARKE. Starke was one of the most popular Punch cartoonists of his time. His work also appeared in several American magazines including Collier’s, The Saturday Evening Post and The New Yorker. Punch November 18, 1953.

4. WILLIAM (BILL) HEWISON). Hewison was art editor of Punch for 24 years and produced many color Punch covers. Punch October 3, 1951.

5. DEREK FULLARTON. Fullerton, cartoonist, illustrator and children’s literature writer, is best known for illustrating books written by Roald Dahl. Punch October 14, 1953.

6. BERNARD HOLLOWOOD. Hollowood, a writer, cartoonist and economist, was Punch’s editor from 1958 to 1968. Punch February 8, 1950.

7. ALEX GRAHAM. Graham was best known as creator of the popular comic strip Fred Basset, about a male basset hound, which was syndicated world-wide for many years. Punch October 14, 1953.

8. MICHAEL ffolkes. Born Brian Davis, ffolkes’ work also appeared in The New Yorker and Playboy. Punch December 19, 1951.

9. ARNOLD F. WILES. Punch October 10, 1951.

10. L.L. (Lawrie) SIGGS. Siggs was one of a group of talented young cartoonists who emerged after WWII. Punch December 5, 1951.

11. GEORGE SPROD. George Sprod Punch February 8, 1950.

12. WILLIAM SILLINCE. Sillince worked in advertising before becoming a Punch cartoonist. His work appeared in the magazine from 1936 to 1975. Punch September 23, 1953.

13. FREDERICK ROWLAND EMETT. A Punch contributor from 1939 until the 1950’s and less frequently in the 1960’s. His drawings often included railway scenes and he gradually developed a unique concept of strange, bumbling trains with excessively tall chimneys and silly names. Punch September 23, 1953.

"Thank goodness I'm only concerned with Things of the Mind . . . "

14. ANTON (Antonia Yeoman). Yoeman’s early cartoons were created with her brother, Harold Underwood Thompson. When her brother found other interests, she continued on her own. Punch August 12, 1953.

15. KENNETH MAHOOD. A versatile cartoonist, his work was published in Punch for more than five decades. Punch February 8, 1950.

16. DAVID LANGDON. Langdon probably had more cartoons published in Punch than any other single contributor. His work often had a political bent. Punch November 18, 1953.

17. J. W. TAYLOR. John Whitfield Taylor, like many then and now, was a part-time cartoonist. He was a full-time schoolmaster and was head of the art department at Portland House School. Punch February 8, 1950.

18. IONICUS. Joshua Charles Armitage was a Punch cartoonist for more than 40 years. He provided cover designs and text illustrations for nearly 400 books. He’s probably best known for his cover illustrations of the Penguin paperback editions of books by P. G. Wodehouse. Punch December 12, 1951.

19. SMILBY. Francis Wilford-Smith was a cartoonist, graphic artist, producer and archivist of blues music. As a cartoonist, he used the pseudonym Smilby, a contraction of his surname and his wife’s maiden name. Punch December 19, 1951.

20. RONALD SEARLE. Searle’s most famous contribution to Punch was his version of Hogarth’s
“A Rake’s Progress” featuring the rise and fall of many modern types. Punch April 28, 1954.