Willie Rushton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Willie Rushton
Rushton at a charity cricket match, May 1976
Born	William George Rushton (1937-08-18)18 August 1937 Chelsea, London, England
Died	11 December 1996(1996-12-11) (aged 59) Kensington, London, England
Occupation	Comedian satirist cartoonist writer
Years active	1961–1996
Spouse(s)	Arlene Dorgan (m. 1968)

William George Rushton (born August 18, 1937 – died December 11, 1996) was a talented English artist and performer. He was a cartoonist, a satirist (someone who uses humor to criticize society), a comedian, and an actor. He also helped start the famous satirical magazine Private Eye.

Early Life and School Days

Willie Rushton was born in Chelsea, London, in 1937. He was the only child of John and Veronica Rushton. He went to Shrewsbury School, which is a boarding school. While he wasn't the best student, he met some friends there who would later become his colleagues at Private Eye. These friends included Richard Ingrams, Paul Foot, and Christopher Booker.

After school, Willie had to join the army for two years as part of national service. He found the army very interesting and funny. He said it was like a small version of the world, where he met all kinds of people. After leaving the army, he worked for a short time in a lawyer's office.

Starting Private Eye and Becoming Famous

Willie stayed in touch with his school friends. They were creating their own funny magazines at Oxford University. Willie often visited and drew cartoons for them. He even sent his cartoons to Punch magazine, but they weren't accepted at first. After an accident, he decided to leave his office job and focus on his passion for drawing and humor.

He soon found a place at a newspaper called Liberal News, where he drew a weekly cartoon strip. Then, in 1961, Willie and his friends found someone to help fund their own magazine. The first issue of Private Eye was published on October 25, 1961. Willie helped put the magazine together in his bedroom. He drew all the pictures and even created the small character called Little Gnitty, who is still on the cover today.

Private Eye became very popular during a time when satire was booming. Famous comedian Peter Cook became interested and contributed stories, which Willie illustrated. Willie's acting skills also grew during this time. He performed in a show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and later in a play called The Bed-Sitting Room, where he was praised for his performance.

Willie on TV: That Was the Week That Was

Willie's comedy career really took off when he performed in a cabaret show. His funny impression of Prime Minister Harold Macmillan caught the eye of a BBC producer named Ned Sherrin. This led to Willie appearing in a new TV satire series called That Was the Week That Was (also known as "TW3").

"TW3" was a huge hit, watched by millions of people. It made stars out of its cast, including David Frost. Willie became well-known for his daring impersonation of the Prime Minister. He also wrote songs for the show.

In 1963, the Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, resigned. The Private Eye team decided to make a statement by having Willie Rushton run as a protest candidate in a special election. He stood under the slogan "Death to the Tories" (a nickname for the Conservative Party). Even though he only got 45 votes, he gained a lot of attention for the magazine.

Films, Television, and Radio Career

After "TW3" ended, Willie Rushton toured America with some of the cast. He also started acting in films in 1963. He appeared in many popular TV shows and movies throughout the 1960s and 1970s.

Life in Australia

In the late 1960s, Willie spent a lot of time in Australia because he married Arlene Dorgan, who was from there. He even had his own TV shows in Australia. He enjoyed his time there, saying people were "dedicated to lying in the sun, knocking back ice-cold beer."

Acting Roles

Willie appeared in many films, often in small but memorable roles. These included Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (1965) and Monte Carlo or Bust (1969). He also acted in TV shows like The Persuaders! and Colditz. He even played Dr. Watson alongside John Cleese's Sherlock Holmes in a comedy play.

Willie also wrote two musicals:

• Liz of Lambeth in 1976.
• Tallulah Who? in 1991.

Quiz Shows and Voice Work

Later in his career, Willie became a familiar face on TV quiz shows and panel games like Celebrity Squares and Countdown. He said he appeared on these shows because he got to meet everyone there!

For 22 years, until he passed away, Willie was a regular panelist on the popular BBC Radio 4 comedy game show I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue. He also toured the country performing with his fellow panelist, Barry Cryer.

Willie's unique voice made him very popular for voice-overs and narrating. He read Winnie the Pooh for the BBC's Jackanory and provided all the voices for the animated series The Trap Door. He also narrated many audiobooks, especially for children, including 18 books from The Railway Stories series (about Thomas the Tank Engine). He voiced characters in Asterix adaptations and Alice in Wonderland, and was the voice of the King in the early animated Muzzy films. In the early 1980s, he wrote and illustrated his own children's books called "The Incredible Cottage."

Return to Private Eye

Willie Rushton returned to Private Eye in 1978 to illustrate "Auberon Waugh's Diary." He also created monthly color covers for the Literary Review and drew caricatures for Private Eye until his death. His artwork was even featured in an exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery.

Later Years and Legacy

Willie Rushton was a big fan of cricket. He played in charity cricket matches with the Lord's Taverners, a team of celebrities. He also appeared on a BBC Radio 4 quiz show about cricket and general knowledge called Trivia Test Match.

Willie Rushton passed away in 1996 at the age of 59. He is remembered with a special blue plaque at Mornington Crescent tube station in London. This is a fun reference to the game "Mornington Crescent" played on the radio show I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue. His ashes were buried at The Oval Cricket Ground, a famous cricket stadium.

Selected Films and TV Shows

Images for kids

• 

  Willie Rushton's blue plaque at Mornington Crescent station.