Brian Davis (6 June 1925 – 18 October 1988), known professionally as Michael ffolkes, was a British
illustrator
An illustrator is an artist who specializes in enhancing writing or elucidating concepts by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text or idea. The illustration may be intended to clarify complicate ...
and
cartoonist
A cartoonist is a visual artist who specializes in both drawing and writing cartoons (individual images) or comics (sequential images). Cartoonists differ from comics writers or comics illustrators/artists in that they produce both the litera ...
most famous for his work on the
Peter Simple column
A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. In other words, a column is a compression member ...
in ''
The Daily Telegraph
''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a British daily broadsheet conservative newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed in the United Kingdom and internationally. It was found ...
''. He also worked for ''
Punch'' and ''
Playboy
''Playboy'' (stylized in all caps) is an American men's Lifestyle journalism, lifestyle and entertainment magazine, available both online and in print. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, funded in part by a $ ...
''.
Life
Davis was born in London on 6 June 1925.
He studied art at
Saint Martin's School of Art
Saint Martin's School of Art was an art school, art college in London, England. It offered foundation and degree level courses. It was established in 1854, initially under the aegis of the church of St Martin-in-the-Fields. Saint Martin's beca ...
, and in 1942 sold his first drawing to ''Punch'', signing it "brian". He was a
telegraphist
A telegraphist (British English), telegrapher (American English), or telegraph operator is a person who uses a telegraph key to send and receive Morse code messages in a telegraphy system. These messages, also called telegrams, can be transmitte ...
with the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
.
[ He went on to study painting at the ]Chelsea School of Art
Chelsea College of Arts is a constituent college of the University of the Arts London, a public art and design university in London, England.
It offers further and higher education courses in fine art, graphic design, interior design, produ ...
and later adopted "Michael ffolkes" as his artistic name after being inspired by a name he read in ''Burke's Peerage
Burke's Peerage Limited is a British genealogical publisher, considered an authority on the order of precedence of noble families and information on the lesser nobility of the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1826, when the Anglo-Irish genea ...
''.[ He began his career in 1949. He typically signed his cartoons as "ffolkes" in an all-lowercase style. In 1955, ffolkes began to illustrate the "Way of the World" column in ''The Daily Telegraph''. In 1961, he began illustrating ''Punch'' film reviews, and later its covers.
He contributed to such newspapers and magazines as '']The Strand Magazine
''The Strand Magazine'' was a monthly British magazine founded by George Newnes, composed of short fiction and general interest articles. It was published in the United Kingdom from January 1891 to March 1950, running to 711 issues, though the ...
'', ''Lilliput'', ''The Daily Telegraph'', ''The Spectator
''The Spectator'' is a weekly British political and cultural news magazine. It was first published in July 1828, making it the oldest surviving magazine in the world. ''The Spectator'' is politically conservative, and its principal subject a ...
'', ''The Sunday Telegraph
''The Sunday Telegraph'' is a British broadsheet newspaper, first published on 5 February 1961 and published by the Telegraph Media Group, a division of Press Holdings. It is the sister paper of ''The Daily Telegraph
''The Daily Tele ...
'', ''Playboy'', ''Private Eye
''Private Eye'' is a British fortnightly satirical and current affairs (news format), current affairs news magazine, founded in 1961. It is published in London and has been edited by Ian Hislop since 1986. The publication is widely recognised ...
'', ''The New Yorker
''The New Yorker'' is an American magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. It was founded on February 21, 1925, by Harold Ross and his wife Jane Grant, a reporter for ''The New York T ...
'', ''Reader's Digest
''Reader's Digest'' is an American general-interest family magazine, published ten times a year. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, it is now headquartered in midtown Manhattan. The magazine was founded in 1922 by DeWitt Wallace and his wi ...
'', ''Krokodil
''Krokodil'' ( rus, Крокодил, p=krəkɐˈdʲil, a= Ru-крокодил.ogg, ) was a Humor magazine , satirical magazine published in the Soviet Union and later Russia. The first issue was published on 27 August 1922 as the satirical supp ...
'', and ''Esquire
Esquire (, ; abbreviated Esq.) is usually a courtesy title. In the United Kingdom, ''esquire'' historically was a title of respect accorded to men of higher social rank, particularly members of the landed gentry above the rank of gentleman ...
''. He was a prolific illustrator of children's books, in particular those of Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl (13 September 1916 – 23 November 1990) was a British author of popular children's literature and short stories, a poet, screenwriter and a wartime Flying ace, fighter ace. His books have sold more than 300 million copies ...
, and published his autobiography, ''ffundamental ffolkes'', in 1985.[
According to Ken Pyne, the cartoonist ]Martin Honeysett
Martin Honeysett (20 May 1943 – 21 January 2015) was an English cartoonist and illustrator.
Early life
Honeysett was born in Hereford. When he was two years old, his parents moved to London. He attended Selhurst High School, Selhurst Gramm ...
"... achieved almost legendary status when he threw a huge wobbly cake baked for ''Private Eyes 21st birthday party over the head of the notoriously pompous cartoonist Michael ffolkes. His name will live forever just for that."
Personal life and death
Davis married Miriam Boxer in 1953; they had two children and divorced in 1971.[ He then married Sophie Kemp in 1972, with whom he had a daughter before divorcing in 1981.][ In his later years, he was in a relationship with Elfa Kramers.][
He died from ]acute pancreatitis
Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a sudden inflammation of the pancreas. Causes include a gallstone impacted in the common bile duct or the pancreatic duct, heavy alcohol use, systemic disease, trauma, elevated calcium levels, hypertriglyceridemia (w ...
and cirrhosis
Cirrhosis, also known as liver cirrhosis or hepatic cirrhosis, chronic liver failure or chronic hepatic failure and end-stage liver disease, is a chronic condition of the liver in which the normal functioning tissue, or parenchyma, is replaced ...
at Lister Hospital in London on 18 October 1988, at the age of 63.[
]
References
Further reading
*
External links
* — review of a retrospective of ffolkes' work
Michael ffolkes
at the National Portrait Gallery National Portrait Gallery may refer to:
* National Portrait Gallery (Australia), in Canberra
* National Portrait Gallery (Sweden), in Mariefred
*National Portrait Gallery (United States), in Washington, D.C.
*National Portrait Gallery, London
...
.
1925 births
1988 deaths
20th-century English artists
Alumni of Saint Martin's School of Art
Artists from London
British illustrators
Deaths from cirrhosis
Deaths from pancreatitis
Punch (magazine) cartoonists
Royal Navy personnel of World War II
{{UK-cartoonist-stub