John Ryan (cartoonist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids John Ryan |
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| Born | 4 March 1921 Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Died | 22 July 2009 (aged 88) Rye, East Sussex, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Area(s) | Cartoonist Animator |
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Notable works
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Captain Pugwash |
John Gerald Christopher Ryan (born March 4, 1921 – died July 22, 2009) was a talented British animator and cartoonist. He is most famous for creating the beloved character Captain Pugwash.
Contents
Meet John Ryan: A Creative Life
John Ryan was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. He loved writing and drawing from a very young age. When he was just seven years old, he created his first book, called Adventures of Tommy Brown.
John went to a Catholic boarding school called Ampleforth College. During the Second World War, he served as an officer in Burma. After the war, he studied at the Regent Street Polytechnic.
The Birth of Captain Pugwash
While teaching art at Harrow School, John Ryan first brought Captain Pugwash to life. It started as a comic strip for The Eagle magazine in 1950. However, the strip was stopped after three months. The magazine felt it was for younger kids than their usual readers.
But John Ryan didn't give up! He then created another character, Harris Tweed, Special Agent. Later, The Radio Times asked him for a comic strip. He decided to bring Captain Pugwash back.
In 1957, the BBC asked him to make animated shorts about Captain Pugwash. These cartoons were special because they used cut-out characters. John moved them with hidden levers, making them look like they were moving in real time. The first series ran from 1957 to 1958.
Almost twenty years later, in 1974, more episodes were made. In total, 126 episodes of Captain Pugwash were created. The last one aired in 1975. John Ryan also wrote and drew many children's books about the Captain. In the 1980s, three new comic albums were released.
Other Amazing Creations
Through his animation studio, John Ryan Studios, he created other popular shows for the BBC. These included Mary Mungo & Midge (1969) and The Adventures of Sir Prancelot (1971–1972). Mary Mungo & Midge was shown during the famous Watch with Mother slot.
In 1981, John Ryan presented The Ark Stories for Yorkshire Television. In each episode, he would tell and illustrate a story about Noah's Ark and the Great Flood.
He also created a comic strip called Lettice Leefe, the Greenest Girl in School. This strip appeared in Girl magazine.
John Ryan was a Catholic. He drew many illustrations and cartoons for Catholic newspapers, like The Catholic Herald. Several collections of these cartoons were published as books.
Later Life and Legacy
Towards the end of his life, John Ryan lived in Rye, East Sussex. He passed away in a hospital there. He was survived by his wife, Priscilla, and their three children. His daughter, Isabel Ryan, even provided Mary's voice in Mary, Mungo and Midge.
You can find many of John Ryan's original book illustrations at the Centre for the Study of Cartoons. This center is located at the University of Kent.
Besides the 24 books in the Captain Pugwash series and 11 in his Noah's Ark series, he created 24 more books!
His Family
John Ryan's brother was Columba Ryan, a Roman Catholic theologian and philosopher. His father was a diplomat named Andrew Ryan.
