Fougasse (cartoonist)
Cyril Kenneth Bird
He was perhaps best known for his work in Punch magazine (of which he served as editor from 1949 to 1953) and his World War II warning propaganda posters; "Careless talk costs lives" was one of the most popular. He also designed many posters for the London Underground.
Early life
Bird was born in
He was seriously injured at the
Career
Bird first contributed to
As one of the best known cartoonists of the time, he was one of 170 authors who created doll-sized books exclusively for Queen Mary's Dolls' House; his illustrated verse tale, written on postage stamp-sized pages, was published as a regular-sized hardback in 2012 by the Royal Collection and Walker Books.[1]
In the course of the 1920s and 1930s, his drawings evolved from the traditionally representational to an innovative, spare, style that was both unique and popular, featuring in many advertising campaigns as well as in magazine editorial. He became art
He illustrated and co-wrote several humorous books with W. D. H. McCullough. These included the very successful Aces Made Easy – or Pons asinorum in a nutshell, on the subject of contract bridge, in 1934,[4] and You Have Been Warned – A Complete Guide to the Road, in 1935.[5]
In the mid-1950s, he taught at the Christian Science Sunday School in the Sloane Square church, which has since been converted into the Cadogan Hall concert hall.[6] He died in London, aged 77.
Legacy
Since 2009 his cartoon of a butler carrying a tray has been used to illustrate the front page of British Airways' First Class menus, continuing an association with the airline which goes back to the 1930s when Fougasse penned advertising posters for BA's forerunner, Imperial Airways.
Personal life
Bird married Mary Holden Caldwell on 16 September 1914.[7]
References
- ^ Alison Flood, "Miniature fairytale for royal dolls' house to be published full size", The Guardian, 18 April 2012.
- ^ Michael Maslin, New Yorker Cartoonists, A-Z Retrieved October 10, 2014
- ^ Artists' Guide. 1951. p. 63.
- Methuen & Co. Ltd.
- ^ McCullough; Fougasse (1935). You Have Been Warned. London: Methuen & Co. Ltd.
- ^ John Paul Morrison Biography
- ^ The Times, 18 Sept 1914, p. 1.
Further reading
- "Mr C. K. Bird: 'Fougasse' of Punch [Obituary]". The Times. 14 June 1965. p. 12.
- Mellini, Peter (2004). "Bird, (Cyril) Kenneth [pseud. Fougasse] (1887–1965)". doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/31893. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- Taylor, James (2010). Careless Talk Costs Lives: Fougasse and the art of public information. London: Conway. ISBN 9781844861293.