British cartoonist Reg Smythe, creator of the long-runnning comic Andy Capp, died on this date in 1998. A working class bloke who never seems to actually work, Andy instead spends much of his time drinking at his local pub in Hartlepool (Smythe’s hometown), playing darts and snooker, and generally loafing about much to the consternation of those around him including his wife Florrie (also known as Flo). Orginally a single-panel cartoon, the strip debuted in The Daily Mirror on August 5, 1957, and later expanded to four panels. In 2007, a bronze statue of Andy was erected in Hartlepool.
In 1988, James Bolam starred a live-action television series based on the Smythe’s characters. The show ran for six episodes before it was cancelled. The entire series has recently been released on DVD in the UK.
(Image: Andy Capp, 1961, Reg Smythe)
No comments:
Post a Comment