James Kemsley facts for kids

James Lawrence Kemsley (born November 15, 1948 – died December 3, 2007) was a famous Australian cartoonist. He was best known for drawing the popular comic strip Ginger Meggs. He drew Ginger Meggs for many years, from 1984 until he passed away in 2007. The Ginger Meggs comic was first created by Jimmy Bancks. Kemsley was also given an OAM award for his work.

James Kemsley's Early Life

James Kemsley was born in Sydney, Australia, in a place called Paddington. When he was young, he lived for a few years in New Guinea with his parents and sister. His dad worked there as a master of patrol boats.

After New Guinea, James went to boarding schools in Bowral, New South Wales. These included Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College and Chevalier College. He also attended Christian Brothers College in Rose Bay. Later, he lived for a while with his father in Traralgon, Victoria.

TV and Acting Career

James Kemsley had a background in acting and television before becoming a cartoonist. He studied acting at the Independent School of Dramatic Art in North Sydney, New South Wales. He also attended workshops at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) and the RADA in London.

Skeeter the Paperboy

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Kemsley was known on TV as "Skeeter the Paperboy." He wore a cap and was a cast member on the Super Flying Fun Show. Later, he hosted his own show called Skeeter's Cartoon Corner on the Nine Network in Sydney.

Skeeter's Cartoon Corner showed many popular American cartoons. These included Wacky Races, Scooby-Doo, and The Archies. The show also had competitions for viewers. Kemsley would often say "golly gosh" when a caller didn't win.

Other TV Shows and Plays

In 1972, another show called Skeeter's Music Hall also ran on TCN-9. In 1973, Kemsley hosted a variety show called Junior Cabaret. He also acted in TV mini-series like The Cousin From Fiji and Seven Little Australians.

Besides acting, Kemsley also wrote three plays for children. These plays were called The Land Of Coloured Dreams, Once Upon A Time... And All That, and The Magical Adventures of Puck.

Becoming a Cartoonist

In 1984, James Kemsley was asked to take over drawing the famous comic strip Ginger Meggs. This comic strip appears in many newspapers. Since then, several comic books featuring Ginger Meggs have also been published.

Kemsley also drew cartoons for many Australian newspapers. These included The Traralgon Journal, Adelaide's Sunday Mail, and Sydney's The Sun-Herald, The Sydney Morning Herald, and The Daily Telegraph.

Awards and Recognition

James Kemsley was a respected cartoonist. He was the President of the Australian Cartoonists' Association twice. He won the Stanley Award for Cartoonist of the Year in 2001. This award is given by the Australian Cartoonist's Association.

He also won the Stanley Award for Comic Strip Artist in 1990 and 2004. These awards were voted on by other cartoonists. Under Kemsley's work, Ginger Meggs became very popular around the world. It appeared in over 120 newspapers in 30 different countries.

James Kemsley continued to draw the Ginger Meggs strip until he passed away. He died at his home in Bowral, New South Wales on December 3, 2007. He had been battling motor neuron disease for two years.