Stanley Parker (1909–1981) was an Australian artist who had a career in London, sketching celebrities for popular magazines.

History

According to one authority, Parker was born in England, and emigrated with his parents to Melbourne, Australia when quite young. He was educated at

Melbourne Grammar School Melbourne Grammar School is an Australian private school, private Anglican Church of Australia, Anglican Day school, day and boarding school. It comprises a co-educational preparatory school from Prep to Year 6 and a middle school and senior s ...

and studied art under W. B. McInnes at the art school of the

National Gallery of Victoria The National Gallery of Victoria, popularly known as the NGV, is an art museum in Melbourne, Victoria (state), Victoria, Australia. Founded in 1861, it is Australia's oldest and list of most visited art museums in the world, most visited art mu ...

. Among his first commissions was a series of plate illustrations for the monthly magazine ''Adam and Eve'', then he was given permission to sketch

Anna Pavlova Anna Pavlovna Pavlova. (born Anna Matveyevna Pavlova; – 23 January 1931) was a Russian prima ballerina. She was a principal artist of the Imperial Russian Ballet and the Ballets Russes of Sergei Diaghilev, but is most recognized for creating ...

from the

wings A wing is a type of fin that produces both lift and drag while moving through air. Wings are defined by two shape characteristics, an airfoil section and a planform. Wing efficiency is expressed as lift-to-drag ratio, which compares the bene ...

Her Majesty's Theatre His Majesty's Theatre is a West End theatre situated in the Haymarket, London, Haymarket in the City of Westminster, London. The building, designed by Charles J. Phipps, was constructed in 1897 for the actor-manager Herbert Beerbohm Tree, who ...

; she was reportedly pleased with the result. From 1929 to 1939 he wrote and illustrated articles on theatrical subjects for '' Table Talk'', firstly interviews with

Bernard Heinze Sir Bernard Thomas Heinze, AC, FRCM (1 July 189410 June 1982) was an Australian conductor, academic, and Director of the New South Wales State Conservatorium of Music. He conducted all the orchestras run by the ABC, most particularly the Melb ...

and

Frank Clewlow Frank Dawson Clewlow (October–December 1885 – 13 June 1957) also known under pseudonym of Stafford Dawson, was an English-born actor, director, stage and radio producer and theatre manager, he worked in his native England, as well as Scotland ...

. and in 1930 contributed drawings of Roy Bridges,

Frederick Head Frederick Waldegrave Head MC & Bar (18 April 1874 – 18 December 1941) was Anglican archbishop of Melbourne, Australia. Biography Head was born in Tollington Park, London, the son of the Rev. Canon George Frederick Head and his wife Mary Henr ...

and E. F. Moon, none of them theatrical, to the series Prominent Persons. Putting the pencil aside, he wrote a burlesque, ''The Matron of the Mountains'' as a fundraiser for children's charities. On 16 April 1936 he left for London by the ''Orsova'', accompanied by his photographer brother Kenneth Parker, and mother, Mrs Cicely Parker, only intending to stay for six months. He sent regular reports to ''Table Talk'' until that magazine's last issue of 14 September 1939. He drew for ''

Tatler ''Tatler'' (stylised in all caps) is a British magazine published by Condé Nast Publications. It focuses on fashion and lifestyle, as well as coverage of high society and politics. It is targeted towards the British upper and upper-middle c ...

'' and ''

Bystander Bystander may refer to: In media * ''Bystander'' (novel), a 1930 novel by Maxim Gorki * ''Bystander'' (magazine), was a British weekly tabloid magazine *'' Guilty Bystander'', a 1950 independent film production * ''Innocent Bystanders'' (film), ...

'', then during WWII wrote and illustrated articles on military figures for ''

The Observer ''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. First published in 1791, it is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper. In 1993 it was acquired by Guardian Media Group Limited, and operated as a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' ...

'', while Kenneth became resident photographer for the

Oxford Playhouse The Oxford Playhouse is a theatre designed by Edward Maufe and F. G. M. Chancellor. It is situated in Beaumont Street, Oxford, opposite the Ashmolean Museum. History The Playhouse was founded as ''The Red Barn'' at 12 Woodstock Road (Oxford), W ...

. He drew for the magazine '' Cherwell'' and had a three-year contract with ''Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News''. He created stage sets for Jack Hilton and contributed illustrations to ''

Theatre World ''Theatre World'' is an annual United States, American theatre pictorial and statistical print publication. It includes Broadway theatre, Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway, and Regional theater in the United States, regional theatre, nation ...

'' from 1937 to 1960. For much of his time in London, he lived in

Oxford Oxford () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town. The city is home to the University of Oxford, the List of oldest universities in continuou ...

, in flats which he decorated himself. He visited Australia "for family reasons" with his mother and brother Kenneth by the ''Strathaird'' in August 1950.

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Parker, Stanley 20th-century Australian artists Australian expatriate journalists Australian emigrants to England 1909 births 1981 deaths